Le Macinaie Incoming
Tour Organazier - Vacanze nella Toscana del Sud
Meeting and Incentive
An ideal place to hold company meetings in the calm surroundings of the Etruscans' sacred mountain.
An ideal place to hold company meetings in the calm surroundinfgs of the Etruscans’ sacred mountain.
For whatever reason you need to find somewhere to unwind, whether for cultural purposes, meetings or educational projects, Amiata is the ideal place because it guarantees you peace and quiet in beautiful country and offers food and wines of traditional quality.
The Centro Luce Sorgente caters for conferences for 30 - 800 people. But we also have other attractive and unusual venues, for example the Aldobrandeschi castle in Arcidosso, the castle at Piancastagnaio, and Palazzo Nerucci at Castel del Piano - all places suitable for hosting high level events.
There are endless possibilities of combining such conferences with other activities; from visits to nature reserves to trekking, biking and orienteering, from visits to medieval fortified villages and castles, to hot springs or producers of the local specialities: wine, olive oil, cheeses, honey, mushroom and chestnuts. In particular, for team building we can arrange suitably relevant activities like orienteering.
More...
The volcano, sacred to the Etruscans is an ideal place for conferences.
This programme is for companies that would like to arrange their company reunion in a really unusual place.It is a seven day programme where meetings are combined with visits and tours for spouses and evening entertainment.For this programme we use the Hotel Luce Sorgente, a very modern hotel with every facility for conferences, and rooms for from 30 up to 800 participants. As far as the alternative activities are concerned we have arranged these to combine the wine and specialities of the area with the natural and cultural aspects of Amiata.
DAY 1
Arrival at the hotel in the late afternoon where there will be a cocktail to welcome you. Dinner with traditional dishes typical of the area with carefully chosen wines from Montalcino, Montecucco, Scansano and Montepulciano.After dinner Cesare Moroni will give an introductory talk about Monte Amiata illustrated with slides.
DAY 2 Tour of the Montecucco growing area
The day will be devoted to Montecucco territory.This growing area was only recently awarded DOC status, in July 1998.We leave for Arcidosso and a short walk through the old town centre to see the Aldobrandeschi castle;then a stop at the Camarri frantoio (olive press), one of the very last on Monte Amiata that still uses the huge stone millwheels to press the oil cold.The tasting includes extra virgin olive oil produced exclusively from the Olivastra Seggianese, a particularly prized variety and the original ‘cultivar’ on Monte Amiata. The next stop will be at Monticello Amiata and a visit to the so-called HouseMuseum which documents life here in the nineteenth century. We lunch at Montenero at the ‘Antica Osteria del Trattorione’ with its splendid terrace looking out over the Val D’Orcia.After lunch a visit to the WineMuseum, where the incredible developments in wine making techniques over the last hundred years are admirably displayed. We continue to Perazzeta, one of the most interesting of the small wine growing estates in the Montecucco region with its barrel store discovered in a fifteenth century cellar. Return to the hotel in the evening. After dinner, a concert by the folk group “I Cardellinin del Fontanino” from Castel del Piano.
DAY 3 Tour of Montalcino
The day will be spent visiting the old town of Montalcino, but first we visit il Castello di Poggio alle Mura to see the enormous cellars and wine shop of the Banfi estate, and the GlassMuseum.It is a moving experience to visit one of the biggest wine producing estates within the confines of Montalcino DOC.It is a fantastic place and here you feel you really are in touch with an estate of world fame. Next, to Montalcino itself.This small town goes back to medieval times and it has a breathtaking view over the Val D’Orcia. Lunch at ‘’Il Brunello” where you will sample wines from Montalcino. In the afternoon a visit to the Abbey of Sant’Antimo, an old Benedictine foundation built partly of alabaster. Return to the hotel for dinner.
DAY 4 The Summit of Monte Amiata
The time has come to go up to the top of the volcano.We go as far as il Pianello (1650m) by coach;after that a short walk takes us to the top by the cross (1734m).From here you can see a large part of Central Italy.A little further on is the statue of the Madonna of Boy Scouts, on the western slope of the mountain, from where you can look down to the sea and the Tuscan archipelago.It is a relaxing morning.We go down as far as Prato delle Macinaie by coach for lunch, where we eat at one of the most famous restaurants of the area which serves traditional local dishes and wines. After a brief walk under the beech trees, return to the hotel.
DAY 5 Amiata’s villages
A visit to Monte Amiata’s medieval walled villages (though many have how become small towns), is very rewarding. Leave after breakfast. First stop, Santa Fiora, and a visit to the old town, the ParishChurch with its wonderful della Robbia glazed terracotta, the Fishpond, The Museum of Mines, and the WaterMuseum.57,000,000 litres of water a day leave Santa Fiora’s springs to supply the provinces of Grosseto and Viterbo. Next to Castel del Piano.Famous for its Palio (a horse race round the square) it is also the birthplace of the Nasini family of artists.There is a fine view over the valley. After that we visit the Castle of Potentino, just outside Seggiano.This castle was built in about the twelfth century and today is owned by the Greenes, an English family.The estate produces high quality wines and olive oil. Following a tour of the castle, lunch in the Devil’s Hall. Then a visit to Daniela Nicoletti’s olive producing estate, one of the most interesting in the area where the farm house is typical of real Tuscan agricultural architecture.
DAY 6 The Etruscans
The day will be spent going to places where the Etruscans, an ancient people who lived around Monte Amiata from the eighth century B.C. settled. On the way, a stop near Selvena to visit la Rocca Silvana, a magnificent example of medieval architecture and entertainment by a minstrel. Then we go on to Sorano, a very old village.A few k.ms. further on we reach Pitigliano, famous not only for its Etruscan history, but also for its excellent white wine.In a meadow with a view of the town we will serve a picnic. The day’s last visit is to Sovana: it is a characteristic medieval village with a famous square and a cathedral which we visit before going on to look at some Etruscan tombs. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon
DAY 7 Hot Springs at Saturnia
A final day should always be memorable.We go first to Roccalbegna to visit the old town which is a splendid example of fifteenth century town planning, and climb up to the top of the ‘Sasso’ (cliff) which dominates the surrounding countryside of olives and vineyards, before continuing to Saturnia.It is an old walled village with a medieval castle and remains of Roman walls and roads. Lunch on the veranda of a characteristic restaurant followed by a bathe in the pool with its famous waterfall. Return to the hotel for a gala dinner and an evening with piano bar.
DAY 8 Final departure after breakfast