Colle Val D'Elsa, Siena surroundings

Too much busy running in direction of the more known towns of the Siena countryside a lot of people pass without stopping in Colle Val D’Elsa, thinking that there isn’t nothing of interesting to see. Well, They’re wrong and it’s a shame don’t stop to see this village. Colle Val D’Elsa is a real treasure and hides many curiosities and corners that should not be miss. First of all it’s the “town of the crystal”, a centuries-old tradition of handmade crystal (nowadays industrial too) brought this precious material in all the world. The 85% of Italy and the 15% of the world crystal come from here. The shop windows of the artisans are an irresistible temptation for the one who wants to bring home a beautiful and unique (and expensive too…) souvenir, while for the ones who wants to know more about the crystal there’s a museum it dedicated (Museo del Cristallo). While you are having shopping or while you are walking in the town you can admire the ancient village and the castle, to reach the latter you have to pass a bridge called “Ponte del Campana”, one of the places more suggestive of Colle Val D’Elsa. Starting from here you are in the ancient town where there are the Palazzo del Capitano (XVI century), Palazzo Buonaccorsi (XV century), Palazzo Giusti (XV-XVI century) and the house-tower where the famous architect Arnolfo di Cambio was born (XII century).