The Val di Merse

Along the river Merse lies what is today one of the greenest and quietes areas in the province of Siena, although the Middle Ages saw it with an important role in the economy of the Sienese Republic thanks to its resources from the woods and the river. Witnessing this past are the several wheat-mills and wool and iron factories of which many traces are still visible, as well as the abbeys which were the centres of those activities. The shady paths of this protected area (Natural Reserves of Alto Merse and Basso Merse) offer the best solution against the summer heat, perhaps combining the walk with a refreshing bath in the clear waters.