(Three small and ancient towns south of Colle Val d'Elsa, of moderate interest only, but worth a visit if you are passing by.)

Radicondoli

Radicondoli is the least interesting of the three. It is a picturesque small town with some quite substantial Palazzi in its main street and a handsome l6th century church in the middle. The town has no modern shops - indeed few shops of any description - and its buildings are mostly constructed of a pleasing jumble of stone and mellow brick. From the main street, between the houses and through arches, sudden glimpses of Tuscan landscape enticingly appear. There is a particularly good glimpse down a street opposite the church, through an attractive mediaeval gateway, part of the original mediaeval fortifications. There is also an old 12th century church (la Pieve Vecchia) on the outskirts by the cemetery (cimitero), said to contain interesting pre-Romanesque carvings, but locked whenever we have been there.

Mensano

Mensano is barely more than a village, but still has mediaeval walls and a castle. It is chiefly interesting, however, for its 12th century church, San Giovanni Battista, an attractive Romanesque basilica with alabaster windows and large interesting capitals on the monolithic columns in the nave, -carved with the usual fantasy of leaves, primitive heads and strange animals. There are light switches behind the columns near the altar in the side aisles.

Casole d'Elsa

Casole d'Elsa is quite a lot bigger, and worth visiting for its Collegiata (church), which has some interesting paintings and sculptures. Although originally Romanesque, the wide interior was gothicised in the 15th century, imparting an impression of light and space, with great pointed arches over the main altar and the chapels on either side of it.

All the pictures and objects are very well labelled. On the wall of the right hand nave, just beyond the entrance, there is a particularly attractive early 16th century terracotta relief of the Nativity with a shepherd carrying a lamb - although a light beside it can be turned on, it is still infuriatingly difficult to see. Further along, on the other side of the aisle, there are fine early 14th century sculptures - on the right the tomb of a bishop, with the bishop perched precariously on top, and on the left a memorial to Ranieri di Porriona (died 1315). On the left wall, almost opposite the entrance, is a fine but again badly lit St Augustine washing the feet of Christ by the mannnerist Rutilio Manetti. In the right transept there is a fine painting by the early 16th century Girolamo di Pacchia of the Madonna and Saints (at present - 1993- being restored). The left transept has a rather damaged piece of detached fresco of the Madonna and Child by a follower of Duccio. Despite its damage, it is still possible to trace its sweeping lines and elegance.

Next to the church there is a pretty brick cloister that is being turned into a museum. At the end of the main street (turn left on leaving the church) is the well restored "Rocca" or fortress, now used as municipal offices - note the immense thickness of the walls, more than two metres.

II Porriona, almost opposite the church next to a petrol station, is a simple little trattoria for lunch. 1993