Trekking experience between history, spirituality and Tuscan landscapes
A journey into the heart of Val d’Orcia, to discover one of the most mysterious and
fascinating characters in local history: Baldassarre Audiberti, a penitent pilgrim who lived between the 18th and 19th centuries, known as “The Saint of the Crosses”. For over 60 years he tirelessly traveled through Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio, spreading popular faith and planting votive crosses in the most evocative places in the area: crossroads, peaks, forks and panoramic clearings.
With this exclusive trek we will take you on a spiritual and landscape journey through the places that still today preserve the traces of his passage, his crosses and the stories that accompany them. The experience includes:
🗓 Program
Day 1: arrival at Podere Monti, welcome and accommodation in the rooms. In the evening,
a traditional Tuscan dinner awaits you in the evocative park of the villa.
Day 2: after a rich breakfast, free visit to Montepulciano, lunch at Amoremio (our own wine shop and deli) and then a guided tour of the historic center. Free evening and overnight stay.
Day 3: real trekking. Departure with a guide and first stop after a few kilometers, in front of the first cross: here begins the story of the “Saint”. The route continues towards Pienza, the ideal Renaissance city desired by Pope Pius II; then a stop in Castiglione d’Orcia for free lunch. We continue along a breathtaking panoramic route that embraces the Val d’Orcia and the Ombrone Valley, with a stop in Campiglia d’Orcia for another cross and a new episode. The trek continues towards the Bagni San Filippo spa, with a visit to the cave of San Filippo Benizi, a mystical and legendary place.
Finally, the route ends by passing by the famous Quercia delle Checche, a symbol of natural resistance, up to the cross of Monticchiello and the village itself, the scene of historical events and home to the famous Teatro Povero. Return, free dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: breakfast and departure.
📖 A dive into history
-Audiberti, also known as
Oudiberti, was a charismatic character, considered miraculous by the people, so much so that he was even summoned by the Grand Duke
Leopold II for the healing of his wife. Even today, many of
his crosses are visible on Mount Amiata, in Chiusi, Volterra, Cetona, and in the surroundings of Arezzo.
-During the route you will discover the cave of San Filippo, where the saint took refuge to avoid being elected pope in the 13th century, and from which – according to legend – he made a spring spring by hitting it with his stick.
-You will visit San Biagio, a Renaissance jewel designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, built on the site of an ancient Marian miracle. And finally Monticchiello, a medieval village rich in history and stories, the scene of a famous partisan battle and home to one of the most fascinating examples of popular theater.
🌿 Emotion, culture and beauty
An experience
that blends trekking, spirituality, art and nature in a unique itinerary, ideal for those who want to immerse themselves in the most authentic soul of Tuscany, walking through breathtaking landscapes, enchanted villages and extraordinary stories.
Cost for two
people: €1550 (including overnight stays, breakfasts,
welcome dinner, lunch at Amoremio, tour guide for two days).
