Sorano is an ethereal medieval stone village built literally on the rocks in a remote part of southern Tuscany.
Even with its not-so-good accessibility, there are relatively few tourists and, especially in the evening, Sorano takes you back a few centuries thanks to the extremely peaceful atmosphere of its narrow winding streets.
The town was founded by the Etruscans more than 4,000 years ago, but nothing has survived from that time. Sorano's present form began to emerge in the 1st millennium AD.
The town centre is situated on a rock promontory and the stone houses are literally stuck one on top of the other.
It is recommended to combine a visit to the town with the nearby village of Pitigliano.
Sights and attractions
In Sorano you will find the following important monuments:
- The walls - the whole town is still surrounded by very well preserved stone walls, through which two gates lead into the centre.
- Fortezza Orsini - the massive fortress with two bastions has a square stone tower, which is one of the landmarks of the town
- Chiesa della Collegiata - the main church, which, with its bell tower, is the second landmark of the town
Where is the best viewpoint of Sorano?
The panorama of the quaint stone town stands out especially from a distance.
The best vantage point is on the opposite hill, where the necropolis was in Etruscan times. It can only be reached on foot along a roughly 1.5 km long marked trail with quite a lot of elevation gain (see map).
Accommodation in Sorano
To soak up the medieval atmosphere of Sorano, we recommend staying here for at least 1 night.
We stayed in a great and very stylish hotel Della Fortezza *** right in the local fortress.
How to get there
Sorano is 178 km south of Florence and 158 km north of Rome. For exploring the picturesque villages of southern Tuscany, a car is the best option.
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However, buses also run to Sorano, but only 3-4 times a day on weekdays and once a day on Sundays.
Timetables can be found on the at-bus.it website, where you can also download a mobile app for paying tickets.
What to see around
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