Monteriggioni to Siena

14.1 Miles; 7 Hours on the trail (Cumulative: 96.2 Miles; 47.6 Hours on the trail)

Monteriggioni is located in Siena province.

Its 570 meter (1,870 feet) perimeter  is an almost perfect circular shape; but, not by design.                                            Its shape was created by following the terrain’s natural contours.

The town was built by the Sienese between 1213- 1219 for purely defensive purposes.      It dominates the territory from a strategic hilltop position overlooking the roads allowing it to control the area.

The intact city wall has 14 towers & 2 gates: Porta Romea facing Rome & Porta Fiorentina facing Florence.

The city walls are 10 meters high.

The village structure as seen today can essentially be considered the original one because the only modifications done were in the 16th Century when towers were adapted to support new firearms & an earth layer was added to the external walls’ base as well as in  1921 when 3 of the 14 towers were lowered to wall level height.

After visiting Monteriggioni, we had another beautiful walk through Tuscan hills passing through olive groves, vineyards, forests, & pastures.

We didn’t walk through any  towns, only scattered small villages, houses, & farms.

Since today is Saturday, bird hunters were in some fields with their dogs hunting pheasants.

There is so much oregano along the route, it smells like something is cooking.

We stopped at this funky rest area.

We entered Siena at the Antiporto Camollìa which was a gate built in 1270 to provide additional protection at the city’s northern entrance.

Enjoyed a sunset dinner in the Palio