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The Abbey has some ancient olive trees surrounding it.
Ancient olive trees stand sentinal at Abbazia Di Sant'Antimo

Abbazia Di Sant’Antimo Tuscany

March 7, 2013 By Jan Robinson 32 Comments

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In 2010 we spent five days AT A RENTED FARMHOUSE near Castel del Piano, some 20 km from the Abbey Sant’Antimo.  We had heard about this abbey, where you could listen to Gregorian chanting, so we included it in a day trip in our baby Fiat.  The tinier the car, the better on Tuscan back roads!

The abbey of Di Sant'Antimo in the Tuscan Countryside.
Standing proudly amongst the vines, Cypress and ancient olives.

Built between the eleventh and twelfth centuries this monastery is guarded by ancient olive trees.  If those trees could talk it would be a very interesting history lesson.  The first records of the Abbey date back to 814 in the time of  Charlemagne’s son Louis the Pious but it is believed the original monastery dates back even further to 781. In later years it was abandoned until some monks moved in and started renovating in the 1990’s.  I liked it for it’s clean yet grand lines and it’s lack of adornment within.  Endearingly, the bell tower has a slight lean to it.

The Abbey has some ancient olive trees surrounding it.
Imagine the stories this ancient olive could tell.

Arriving at 12.45 pm we settled down minutes before the Canons dressed in their all white habits drifted through the side door.  Settling silently into opposing pews their ethereal chant began.  The sound had a purity that matched the integrity of the interior and hovered delicately in the huge space. 
Abbazia di Sant'Antimo - 56 - La navata centrale
By Dongio (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Sant’Antimo has been described as one of the best examples of an Italian Abbey at the beginning of the Twelfth Century.  It is of the Romanesque era which predated the Gothic.  Built on a pilgrim path from northern Europe to Rome called the Via Francigena, pilgrims traditionally found shelter within its walls.

Abbazia Di Sant'Antimo Entrance
Abbazia Di Sant’Antimo Entrance

The Abbey stands proudly 10 km south of Montalcino and 50km south of Siena amongst the grapes, cypress and ancient olives in an iconic Tuscan setting.  Montalcino is the hilltop home of the famous Brunello di Montalcino wine.  Brunello which roughly translates to Little Dark One is made from Sangiovese grapes grown on these particular hill slopes.

Lines of Cypress Trees in the distance from the abbey courtyard.
The view from the abbey courtyard through the Tuscan countryside.

 

The Green Tuscan Countryside surrounding the abbey.
View from the back of the Abbey.

How to get there.

I recommend having your own hire car as there is much to see in the area.  Lock your valuables out of sight in the boot in this car park to discourage thieves. 

If you happen to be staying in Montalcino there are three buses per day (under 2 Euro) to  Castelnuovo dell’Abate just a short walk away from the Abbey. 

If you have 3 hours to spare there is a walking path leading from Montalcino that delivers you into the abbey’s parking area. 

The Best  Time to Visit. 

At 12.45 mid April we more or less had the place to ourselves.  Lonely Planet suggests the morning at which time the sun streams through the Eastern Windows.  Others suggest the evening when the abbey is lit up.  I have heard reports of bus loads of tourists during the day, which I feel would spoil the chanting, so maybe if you go to the 12.45 you will be lucky like us.  Arrive 10 minutes before the time slot to allow a walk around the interior and take photos.  As we arrived just on time and left before the service was over we did not feel comfortable taking photos of the inside.

Entrance is Free

For more travel photos head on over to BUDGET TRAVELERS SANDBOX where Nancie hosts Travel Photo Thursday.

 

 

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Filed Under: Italy

About Jan Robinson

Jan Robinson writes about travel on her Budget Travel Talk blog. A solo traveller in her teens, for the last 40 years Jan has travelled through Australia, Asia, Europe, Turkey and New Zealand with her husband. They specialise in road trips, caravanning and Independent travel without spending a fortune. Her favourite destination is Turkey and she is currently dreaming of Myanmar and Mexico.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Josie

    March 7, 2013 at 10:01 am

    A beautiful trip, Jan. I have often thought the same thing about ancient trees — oh, the stories they could tell! I’d love to hear from that old olive tree, too.
    So glad you were able to experience the chanting without busloads of tourists. Sound like an amazing atmosphere.
    We’ve never made it south of Siena, but will definitely follow your directions our next time there to this very special abbey.
    ~Josie

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 12:24 pm

      I loved Siena too Josie. Having a car was the best thing. I am not religious but the chanting had a haunting quality to it that was impressive.

      Reply
  2. Sophie

    March 7, 2013 at 10:20 am

    What a wonderful discovery – I love learning about lovely little places like this that I’ve not heard of before.

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 12:26 pm

      Surprisingly it is in Lonely Planet’s Tuscany and Umbria, but we heard about it from the owner of our farmhouse who was a tour guide.

      Reply
  3. Jennie

    March 7, 2013 at 11:57 am

    Looks so peaceful there. Listening to the chanting would be an amazing experience.

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 12:27 pm

      It was lovely in a haunting kind of way, and it was especially nice that there were hardly any other people.

      Reply
  4. Leigh

    March 7, 2013 at 1:00 pm

    The visit to the abbey sounds magical. I’d love to hear the space filled with chanting. I think it would give me the shivers. And staying at a farmhouse sounds like a fun way to feel like a local.

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 3:05 pm

      It was a bit shivery, especially as the monks wore white robes and all was quiet except for the chanting. The farmhouse was a dream.

      Reply
  5. Jackie Smith

    March 7, 2013 at 1:33 pm

    Oh my goodness! I thought this place sounded familiar and when you described its location I knew we had been there – we stayed in Montalcino a few years ago. I remember the chanting (it was taped at the time we were there) a haunting, Holy sound. And you captured the statue that somewhere I too have a photo of – taken almost from the same spot!

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 2:59 pm

      It is a small world Jackie!

      Reply
  6. Tonya @ The Traveling Praters

    March 7, 2013 at 2:28 pm

    What an incredible experience!

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 2:44 pm

      It was incredible and I am not even religious. Awe inspiring.

      Reply
  7. jenny@atasteoftravel

    March 7, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    This part of Tuscany is so beautiful. How perfect that you arrived in time for the chanting and without the busloads of tourists.I enjoyed my visit here with you!

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 7:05 pm

      Thanks Jenny, The owner of our rented farmhouse did walking tours and told us what time to arrive to hear the chanting.

      Reply
  8. Mary @ The World Is A Book

    March 7, 2013 at 5:45 pm

    Wow..what a great gem to visit. I love its scenery and architecture and I can’t imagine how glorious the chanting must have sounded. It’s been our dream to drive the backroads of Tuscany in a baby Fiat 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 7:02 pm

      Tuscany lived up to our expectations. Hope you get to do it.

      Reply
  9. Muza-chan

    March 7, 2013 at 6:13 pm

    The olive tree looks great 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 7, 2013 at 7:03 pm

      Thanks Muza-chan, I think it is really old.

      Reply
  10. Johanna at ZigaZag

    March 7, 2013 at 8:45 pm

    What a wonderful trip, Jan. You really bring it alive, and I too wish that ancient trees could talk. In WA we have 400 year old Karri trees, that I would love to have a chat with! Just imagine 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 8, 2013 at 9:13 am

      Jo I have seen those trees. Pemberton was one of my favourite towns in the south west. I will never forget driving down dirt roads with giants towering over us and the light flickering through.

      Reply
  11. InsideJourneys

    March 7, 2013 at 11:16 pm

    I can just hear the chanting echoing off these ancient walls and floating above the olive trees. Beautiful – and it’s free. Worth the drive, I’d say.

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 8, 2013 at 9:12 am

      We were so lucky to experience it with just a few others.

      Reply
  12. Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista

    March 8, 2013 at 4:13 am

    Wow, what an experience! Some how chants and music sound better coming from inside a church. Your picture of the Tuscan view is why so many people visit Tuscany! Beautiful.

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 8, 2013 at 9:10 am

      Yes Tuscany is great. The area around where we stayed at Castel del Piano was beautiful in a more rugged way than northern Tuscany.

      Reply
  13. Life Images by Jill

    March 8, 2013 at 6:58 pm

    now this is exactly what I would like to do – rent a house in Italy, or France or Spain. My dream! We have only been to Europe once and loved every minute.
    We saw an ancient olive tree there – and were amazed that they actually knew the date it was planted!
    Have a wonderful week, and thank you for stopping by my blog today. I would love to go to Seville to see the Flamenco dancers.

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 8, 2013 at 7:13 pm

      I think there was a sign saying how old this olive tree was but I didn’t take a photo of it. This was in April 2010. I tried researching on the internet but could not find out the age of it. We were in Spain last year and I recommend it. It was one of our best trips.

      Reply
  14. Nancie

    March 9, 2013 at 10:26 am

    All of your shots are gorgeous, Jan! I would love to hear the chanting. I understand you not taking photos. Definitely would break the spell. Some things are simple meant to be experienced without worrying about that next great shot 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 9, 2013 at 3:51 pm

      Thanks Nancie. I hate missing photographs, but I know when I do, it was because I was spellbound.

      Reply
  15. Marisol@TavelingSolemates

    March 11, 2013 at 1:13 am

    How I love Tuscany! One can visit again and again and always finds something beautiful and historic to discover. This Abbey is such an interesting find. I’d love to visit it t to hear the ethereal chant and to see that ancient olive tree. How I wish that tree can talk! Thanks for taking me back to beautiful, rustic Tuscany!

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 11, 2013 at 9:45 am

      I agree Marisol. There is just so much to see there and I love the country life of Tuscany.

      Reply
  16. Lisa Wood

    March 11, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    Now that is some Farmhouse! I love exploring old buildings and old churches – they have such character and charm.
    You sure have gorgeous photos 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 12, 2013 at 10:46 am

      Our farmhouse (in the link) was really wonderful. Since we were there it has had a swimming pool with a view added. The Abbey was beautiful and in a wonderful area as well.

      Reply

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