To visit Santa Fiora, start from Piazza Garibaldi, nicknamed the “living room of Amiata” for its incredible views. If the square is the living room of the city, the magnificent stone clock tower, dating back to the seventeenth century, is its highlight. Next door, in Piazza Garibaldi, the Palazzo gate is all that remains of the 10th-century Aldobrandeschi fortress. All of Santa Fiora’s best shops and restaurants are here. Leaving the luxury of Castel del Piano, the Santafioresi prefer the abundant dinners of an osteria, where homemade pasta is served directly from the pot, followed by roast meat for those who also want the second course. There parish church of the SS. Flora and Lucilla in Piazza Arcipretura, dating back to the 12th century, it is commonly considered the most imposing church of Santa Fiora. Inside there is a collection of terracotta roundels by Andrea della Robbia dated 1465-1490. The della Robbias were some of the most famous sculptors in Italy, and the Madonna della Cintola and saints is considered one of their masterpieces, bearing those magnificent colors that are the “signature” of the family, namely bright green and blue. At the time, for the illiterate inhabitants of Santa Fiora, the work served as a true Bible. Every detail, in fact, was symbolic. For example, apples symbolized the ruling Sforza family, chestnuts alluded to the mountainous territory, and cucumbers symbolized sin. After the death of Andrea and Luca della Robbia, the well-known family of ceramists lost its notoriety.
Further down in Piazza Carducci there is the Church and Convent of the Poor Clares. The huge monastery was closed after the death of its last two nuns in 1991. According to local folklore, the convent took its name from the first nun, daughter of the artist who sculpted the 14th-century Spartan crucifix still visible today. It is more likely, however, that Clarissa was the wife of Count Sforza, who was ordered to build three convents to secure her divorce in the 15th century. Leaving the square you come across the spectacular view of the Sasso di Petorsola, a rock formation where, according to legend, lived a witch who used to tie knots in children’s hair while they slept.
Follow the way through the arches to the large stone pool, the old source of the Fiora river. In the Middle Ages, getting this pool dirty would have cost you a day in the pillory. Next door, the Church of Our Lady of the Snows is a real curiosity. The Santafioresi call it “the church of the swimming pool” because the Fiora river flows visibly under its glass floor. The river is believed to have been accessible from within the church in the 17th century, allowing Augustinian friars to administer baptism in its waters. Next door, the Peschiera (Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: 10am-6am; 0564 977142; €1) was built by the Sforzas as a Renaissance garden. From here you can see the ancient source of the river, with a trout farm attached. Today these brown and black fish are a rare species and the remaining large specimens are fed by local housewives who throw them scraps of bread from the walls.

Guided tour of the sources of the Aqueduct
(3 hours; May-September or on request; 0564 977142)

The Fiora Aqueduct is fed by a mixture of rainwater and melted snow that collects in the sources of the Aqueduct before reaching many Tuscan homes. If you are curious to see where it begins, take advantage of the guided tour. We start with a walk through Santa Fiora and its main attractions and museums, before stopping at the aqueduct. You will then be driven through a long tunnel to see the source, an underground waterfall. Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance.

Museum of the Mercury Mines of Mount Amiata
(Piazza Garibaldi; summer: open every day/winter: Saturday and Sunday; 0564 977142; €3)

This fascinating museum is dedicated to the mines of Monte Amiata from the 19th and 20th centuries. The ground floor features tools donated by local workers and includes original oil lamps, helmets, drilling tools and gas masks. An old cellar has been transformed into a convincing replica of a mine, and you can also watch a demonstration of how cinnabar (the mineral from which mercury was derived) was mined. On the second floor there is an exhaustive collection of minerals found on Mount Amiata including some rare specimens of quartz. Also on display are a small set of horned maces, axes and hoes dating back to the 3rd century BC. C.