Nestled between the fertile hills of Chianti and the incredible landscape of the Crete Senesi, the sweet territory of Castelnuovo Berardenga is located just outside Siena, on the hills that separate the first stretch of the Ombrone valley from that of its tributary Arbia.
Territory of ancient settlement, Berardenga owes its name to the nobleman of Frankish lineage Berardo, who lived in the second half of the 10th century and descended from that Guinigi da Lucca who, between 867 and 881, had been Count of Siena. From the mid-twelfth century, Siena began to exercise ever closer control over the Berardenga territory. A century later, most of the castles in the area were included in the Sienese administration.
In Castelnuovo Berardenga there is a unique museum of its kind, the Landscape Museum, housed in a late 19th century building, once used as a public slaughterhouse. The museum itinerary aims to make people reflect on the transformations of the world, on the changing term of "landscape" and, in general, on the term dedicated to the relationship between man and the environment.
The territory of Castelnuovo Berardenga is officially included in the Chianti wine area, being its territory included in the area of the Colli Senesi and in that of the Classico, a countryside entirely dotted with castles, fortified villages, stately villas and religious buildings.
The Luca Cava festival in San Gusmè is certainly among the most original, ironic and well-known in the area. The festival is organized every year in honor of a bizarre local character to whom a truly "picturesque" sculpture is dedicated: the statue, made of terracotta based on a design by Emilio Giannelli, it portrays a man in the position of bodily need. The festival takes place every year in September with a rich program of initiatives and shows.