San Giustino Valdarno

San Giustino Valdarno sits high in the forested hills of eastern Tuscany. It is in the "golden triangle" near Arezzo and about equal distance between Siena and Florence. The town has ancient roots, seen in the archeological finds dotting the zone that date to the Roman era.

San Giustino Valdarno sprang up around the Romanesque monastery church which was constructed in the 11th century. The extremely simple style of the original structure has been maintained. While the main portion of the church's exterior has been plastered, the original stone is still exposed on the rear where the semicircular apse is visible.

The town's main industry is still agriculture, utilizing the excellent olive oil and famous vintages of the region, along with wheat and barley. There are wineries in the area that produce good wines and it falls within the Chianti zone. The storybook towns of the Chianti hills- most notably Castellina in Chianti, Radda in Chianti and Greve in Chianti- are nearby. San Giustino Valdarno is small but has shops, groceries, restaurants and coffee bars to enjoy.

There are charming hill towns sprinkled about the countryside and historic castles often dot the hilltops. Country drives, hiking and picnics are nice ways to while away a day, but Cortona, Arezzo, Montevarchi and Lake Trasimeno beckon for visits, too. Cypress lined roads, rolling vine-covered hills, and historic villas combine and bring to life the typical images of Tuscany.