3495 Poggibonsi

Anybody know anything about Poggibonsi? I am staying there for a few days next June & although I know it is a neighbour of S.Gimignano I was wondering what, if anything, there is to see in Poggibonsi itself. Thanks.

Category
Travel & Holiday Advice

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/03/2006 - 06:41

Rina,

Have given your query its own heading... might be easier for folks to spot! :)

S

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/03/2006 - 07:09

We had to get the bus from Florence to Poggibosni then change for the bus to San Gimginano, it looked like quite a modern town. You should be able to take a lot of day trips Florence, SG and from Florence you can get train and bus links to lot's of really nice places.

Dawn.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/03/2006 - 14:56

Poggibonsi is very much a transport hub, on the A1 autostrada, and the main train line, so not surprisingly there is a lot of modern warehousing and distribution stuff to wade through before you get to the historic buildings. However - like anywhere in Italy, there is a centro storico.
The following link might be of use - navigate from it to find out train times, bus routes etc from Poggibonsi, which are all on the site. Only in Italian, I fear.

[url]http://www.comune.poggibonsi.si.it/citta/giro4/index.htm[/url]

Very close is a town called Colle Val D'Elsa which is very interesting, and has some fantastic glassmakers who sell their wares in local galleries - apparently the silica content of the earth in this area is very adapted to glassmaking, and there is some beautiful stuff. Enjoy :)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/03/2006 - 15:40

Thanks a lot guys - I shall be interested in the Centro Storico & I looked up that we b sight you mentioned Relaxed. Poggibonsi is one of the few places in Italy that I have never visitied so it should be interesting for that reason alone. Grazie

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/05/2006 - 01:57

Rina, you obviously know Italy so well so are aware of the surprises she can sometimes throw at us. Go to Poggibonsi with an open mind (and heart!). I remember first coming across reference to the town whilst reading Forster's, Where Angels Fear to Tread at school. English mistress explained that his fictional rail head of Monteriano used in the book was based on the real one at Poggibonsi. Us silly little sixteen year olds thought this was a very funny name for a town and giggled at the thought. And I only have to see the word today to still smile at the memory. It's fair to say though that it isn't the most interesting of towns, at least from what I've seen of it. It's not actually on the A1, it's on the Siena/Firenze tangenziale, the toll free express way that cuts through the Chianti hills. I've never been to the centro storico but there is a very good branch of PAM on one of the outer roundabouts should you need to do some food and drink shopping! V

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/05/2006 - 06:12

Thanks for moving Poggibonsi off the A1! One of my very weak points is geography.... :)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/05/2006 - 06:33

Many years ago I had a wonderful lunch in Colle Val D'Elsa at quite a smart restaurant. I think it was in the corner of a square - anyway it was an attractive collonaded building. Do you know it? This was on a lovely peaceful drive from Florence to Punt Ala which isn't all together my cup of tea but. It is where the minxes go when the furs are in summer storage. :D

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/06/2006 - 00:35

Relaxed, apologies, I didn't mean to be picky (it's not in my nature) so please don't worry about your geography. It's just I drive through Poggibonsi regularly when taking our "scenic route" to Florence and was momentarily confused thinking, it's not on the A1, is it? Incidentally, one of my many shortcomings is spelling, especially in Italian, so feel free to pick me up on that!

Val d'Elsa is lovely and it's so often bypassed by visitors as they only think of heading to San Gim, which is also fabulous though so touristy now. I think Poggibonsi is very well located for many great places, the Chianti, Siena, Monterigioni and, yes, Florence.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/06/2006 - 04:17

Violetta,

Do you know my restaurant? I have to go to Grosseto on Monday and wouldn't mind stopping at CVd'E on the way back. What is the scenic route you take - I might try it rather than belting down the Siena Road.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/06/2006 - 05:42

Rina...

You are also 15 mins away from Siena by car. After Poggibonsi and Colle Val d'Elsa, the next exit on the Raccordo Firenze Siena is Monteriggioni. Worth a visit. There's a lot of history in the area, especially around Piano di Casone and the village of Abbadia Isola. :)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/06/2006 - 07:56

Ah, the scenic route I was thinking of was our avoiding-the-autostrada back from Firenze, something I particularly like doing if we’ve picked up visitors newly arrived by plane (when airport is open) or train. On the A1, Certosa/Bettole is a reasonably pleasant stretch of road as highways go but if we have time we much prefer to go cross country. So coming out of Firenze we’d avoid the main Siena road at the Certosa intersection looking for a little lane on the left that takes you up through woods to Impruneta. Then through the Chianti to Strada, Greve, Castellina – a lovely run. Down to Poggibonsi, on to the Siena ring road and if time allows home along the fab road across the Crete via Asciano. If not, the main Siena/Perugia road.

An alternative is to by pass Castellina heading SE to Radda instead and then the little road heading south to Asciano. The roads through the Chianti can be slow at times, especially in summer when they’re so busy, but many of our visitors want to see the area, stopping to buy wine, etc. along the way.

I last ate in Colle val d’Elsa back in the autumn of ’92 and can’t remember where. It was good though, right in the centre. A drive we often do with visitors wanting to see the sights in the area is a circular route out of Poggibonsi taking in San Gim before it gets too crowded, on to Volterra for lunch (there are some excellent places there too), down to Colle Vd’E and back. It’s a longish day out but a nice drive with some interesting towns along the way.

I'm almost ashamed to admit I've never been to Grosseto. Am I right in thinking it suffered a lot during the war but the enough of the town centre survived to make it still worth a trip today?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/06/2006 - 09:59

Thanks for that, if I get away early enough on Monday I will take one of your routes - probably the Impruneta road.

Grosseto has a beautiful restored centre and the walls are of a similar design to those at Lucca and in pretty good shape but for all that it has a depressing feel about it. Not sure what went on in the war but would like to know more.

The guy I have to see Monday is an unreconstructed Fascist and involved in the local politics there. :D