The best cycling routes around Montieri

The Archaeological Museum is housed in the ancient Palazzo del Podestà (1225), which overlooks the Piazza del Duomo of Massa Marittima. The collection is organized into sections, ordered chronologically from the lower paleolithic to the etruscan age; the main piece of the prehistoric collection is the eneolithic statue-stele of Vado all’Arancio, the only find of its type in Maremma; the etruscan finds come mainly from excavations carried out at the village of Lago dell’Accesa, they are mainly kitchenware, loom weights, fishing weights and bricks; also present are the funerary trousseaux found in the necropolises, especially pottery (figulina clay and bucchero), bronze fibulae, iron pot stands, iron and bronze weapons. On the ground floor, an educational section is set up with a life-size reconstruction of typical caves: a paleolithic and an eneolithic one. Guided tours and educational activities, organization of cultural events and film screenings are available.

The massive Torre del Candeliere (or clock tower) is 24m high and was built to assert its authority in 1228, a few years after Massa Marittima gained independence as a Free Commune. The building's peculiar name derives from the custom of always keeping a fire lit on its summit, making it resemble a huge candle. In 1413, a bell was placed for the first time, later replaced in 1760 by the current one, weighing about 140kg. The first clock was instead placed on the facade in 1443. The Torre del Candeliere is the quintessential panoramic viewpoint of the town. It is therefore visitable, and through its Sienese Arch, it is possible to access the Fortress, the only stretch of walls still walkable today. The Arch and the Fortress were built after the Tower: with the conquest of Massa by Siena in 1335, the Tower was partially demolished, and then rebuilt about a third lower than the original.

At the foot of the Cornate mountains, like a miniature nativity scene, lies the charming village of Gerfalco, a perfect subject for photography and painting enthusiasts. Also a hub of mining exploration and controlled during the Middle Ages by the noble Pannochieschi family, it owes its name to the words ger-Falke, from the Medieval German, meaning "hawk-bearer." The road that encircles the village's perimeter suddenly seems lost in time. The church of San Biagio, consecrated in 1323, watches over the village. It was built with an adjoining convent, now a parish house and summer youth center.

At the foot of the Cornate mountains, like a miniature nativity scene, lies the charming village of Gerfalco, a perfect subject for photography and painting enthusiasts. Also a hub of mining exploration and controlled during the Middle Ages by the noble Pannochieschi family, it owes its name to the words ger-Falke, from the Medieval German, meaning "hawk-bearer." The road that encircles the village's perimeter suddenly seems lost in time. The church of San Biagio, consecrated in 1323, watches over the village. It was built with an adjoining convent, now a parish house and summer youth center.

The perimeter walls are still partially visible, especially in the southern section, where an arched gate surmounted by three rounded stones stands. At the highest point of the hill stands the imposing stone keep, which extends around a courtyard. Within the walls is the church of Santa Maria Assunta, dating back to the 13th century but completely renovated in the late 19th century. It has a distinctive urban layout, dominated by an imposing stone keep arranged around a courtyard accessed through two round-arched gates, defended by a large tower with a massive base.

Massa Marittima is a fortified medieval village located on a hill, known for its beauty and wealth of artistic and architectural heritage. Key attractions include the magnificent Piazza Garibaldi, with the Cathedral of San Cerbone, the Palazzo del Podestà, and the Palazzo Comunale. Other points of interest include the Fonti dell'Abbondanza with its famous fresco of the Tree of Fertility and, in the upper town, the Torre del Candeliere and the Cassero Senese within the medieval walls.

The Torre del Candeliere is a museum monument that is an integral part of the Massa Marittima Museum System. The tower was erected in 1228 to both monitor the area (as a watchtower) and assert the authority of the Municipality of Massa Marittima, which had recently freed itself from the rule of the Prince-Bishop. The tower was originally a third taller than its current counterpart, the result of Siena's reconstruction following the war that brought it victory over Massa. Another Sienese initiative was the construction of the majestic arch connecting it to the Cassero, built in the center of the city to monitor the still-rebellious Massa Marittima residents, ready to rise up.

Chiusdino is a wonderful medieval village located in the Merse Valley among the Metalliferous Hills. Its origins date back to the Lombard domination of Tuscany between 568 and 569. The town still retains its medieval appearance and some sections of the double city walls. It is also possible to find medieval houses, including the alleged house of San Galgano (Galgano Guidotti), where the saint is believed to have been born around 1150.