Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore day trip from Siena or Florence
A day trip to the Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore from Siena or Florence: the walled village of Buonconvento, the castle and truffle museum of San Giovanni d'Asso, the cypress-lined viewpoint of Baccoleno over the clay hills, the frescoed cloister of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, and Asciano with its Romanesque church of Sant'Agata. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore in 1 day
Day 1
Historic centre of Buonconvento (Via Soccini)
Small walled village on the Via Cassia, with brick walls and gates, a quiet main street and a museum of sacred art.
Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
Benedictine abbey founded in 1313 among cypresses, its great cloister frescoed with the life of Saint Benedict by Signorelli and Sodoma.
San Giovanni d'Asso Castle and Truffle Museum
Hilltop village with a medieval castle and a small museum about the truffles of the Crete Senesi and how they are hunted.
Basilica of Sant'Agata, Asciano
Romanesque travertine collegiate church in the centre of Asciano, with a plain stone facade and a bell tower.
Historic centre of Asciano (Piazza del Grano)
Quiet market town in the middle of the clay hills, with medieval walls, a long main street and small museums of Sienese art.
Cypresses of Baccoleno (Crete Senesi viewpoint)
Classic viewpoint over the bare clay hills of the Crete Senesi, with a farmhouse road lined by cypresses; best at sunset.
Watch: Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
By car the area is about 40-45 minutes from Siena, south on the SS2 through Buonconvento or across the clay hills through Asciano, and about an hour and a half from Florence. Buonconvento and Asciano have stations on the regional lines from Siena, but the abbey and the viewpoints need a car.
Staying in Siena or Florence? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore
Spring is green and the hills are covered in young wheat, while early summer turns them gold; autumn brings harvest colours, ploughed earth and the truffle season. July and August are hot with little shade on the open hills. Winter is quiet and misty, and the abbey keeps shorter afternoon hours.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
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Tips for Crete Senesi and Monte Oliveto Maggiore
- The abbey closes for a long lunch break; plan the cloister for the morning or the mid-afternoon opening.
- Monte Oliveto is a working monastery: cover shoulders and knees, keep quiet, and stay for the monks' sung vespers if the time is right.
- The clay hills look their best in the low light of early morning and before sunset; leave the Baccoleno viewpoint for the end of the day if you can.
- Roads through the Crete are narrow and winding, with few places to stop; use the marked lay-bys for photos.
- San Giovanni d'Asso is known for its white truffles, celebrated at a truffle fair in November.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore: peuplier, CC BY 2.0
- Cypresses of Baccoleno (Crete Senesi viewpoint): Gunther Tschuch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic centre of Asciano (Piazza del Grano): LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Historic centre of Buonconvento (Via Soccini): LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Giovanni d'Asso Castle and Truffle Museum: Vignaccia76, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
