Sovana
A single brick-paved street, a medieval square, a Romanesque cathedral at the end of the village: Sovana is a tiny village in the land of tufa.
The story
Hildebrand of Sovana was born here in the 11th century; he became Pope Gregory VII and challenged Emperor Henry IV in the Investiture Controversy. Around the village the Etruscans carved monumental tombs into the tufa, such as the temple-shaped Tomba Ildebranda, and the “vie cave”: sunken roads cut between rock walls up to twenty metres high, whose purpose is still not known for certain.
Why go
Walking through the vie cave and the necropolis among moss and ferns is an experience unique in Italy, and Pitigliano and Sorano are a few minutes away.
In the itineraries
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Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. There are no railway stations within 25 km: a car is best, or regional buses.
- By air. The nearest airport is Perugia Airport (PEG), about 86 km away; with more flights, Rome-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is about 107 km away.
- Parking. There are 4 signposted car parks within a kilometre; the nearest is 50 m away, paid.
- ZTL. Many Italian historic centres are limited traffic zones (ZTL) monitored by cameras: if you arrive by car, leave it outside the centre and check opening times and permits on the town council's website (your hotel may be able to register your plate).
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from April to June and from September to October, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. From July to August it is hot: average highs exceed 30 °C. The wettest month is November (about 103 mm), the driest July.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from 3 to 10 °C | 10° 3° | 67 |
| Feb | from 4 to 13 °C | 13° 4° | 72 |
| Mar | from 5 to 15 °C | 15° 5° | 73 |
| Apr | from 8 to 19 °C | 19° 8° | 53 |
| May | from 12 to 23 °C | 23° 12° | 63 |
| Jun | from 16 to 28 °C | 28° 16° | 35 |
| Jul | from 20 to 32 °C | 32° 20° | 25 |
| Aug | from 20 to 32 °C | 32° 20° | 36 |
| Sep | from 16 to 27 °C | 27° 16° | 76 |
| Oct | from 12 to 22 °C | 22° 12° | 77 |
| Nov | from 8 to 16 °C | 16° 8° | 103 |
| Dec | from 4 to 12 °C | 12° 4° | 78 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 289 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.
On foot and on the water, nearby
Nearby
- PitiglianoTown · 3 km as the crow flies
- Saturnia's Cascate del MulinoNature · 11 km as the crow flies
- ★ Tarot GardenHistory and art · 30 km as the crow flies
- ★ Bagno VignoniTown · 41 km as the crow flies
- Val d'Orcia and the San Quirico cypressesNature · 43 km as the crow flies
- Orbetello and the FenigliaBeach · 44 km as the crow flies