It is a hectic, chaotic and always connected everyday life that we experience today, the same that too often forces us to neglect the time to dedicate to ourselves, to silence and to the regeneration of the senses.
This is also why the way we travel has changed becoming more aware. In fact, more and more people from all over the world take advantage of holidays to organize trips in the name of physical and mental well-beingwhere silence and nature are often the only protagonists.
And if this is the need that drives you to travel today, then you cannot fail to achieve this a place of silence surrounded by Tuscan nature. A Franciscan hermitage steeped in great spirituality which rises at the foot of Mount Sant Egidio and which is surrounded all around by the luxuriant and verdant nature of the Valdichiana. Welcome to the Eremo Le Celle.
The Hermitage Le Celle
There is always a good reason to organize a trip to Tuscany, at any time of the year and in any season. Its capital, for example, is considered the cradle of the Renaissance, a place that hosts and preserves some of the most important and famous artistic and architectural works in the world. But it is not only Florence that enchants, in fact a whole series of events unfold in its surroundings landscape and naturalistic heritages that surprise and leave you breathless, and that attract thousands of travelers from all over the world every day.
The journey today leads us right to Tuscany, and more precisely in Cortona. Located in the province of Arezzo, in a dominant position over the entire Val di Chiana, the city is a jewel all to be discovered that preserves its medieval history in the numerous testimonies that characterize the city heart. Starting from here, e covering just 5 kilometersit is possible to reach the Hermitage Le Celle, a fascinating and evocative place where you can find yourself.
The complex is extraordinary, not only for its strategic position in the heart of Tuscan nature, but also for the silence and spirituality that surround it and make it the ideal destination for all those who are looking for peace and tranquility.
A place of silence a stone’s throw from Cortona
Located at a height of 550 meters of altitude, just 5 kilometers from the historic center of Cortona, the Eremo le Celle is surrounded all around by Tuscan nature, perfectly nestled between Monte Sant Egidio and the Val di Chiana. The complex is famous above all for having hosted St. Francis who, according to tradition, wrote his will right inside the building.
The history of the complex is directly connected to the Saint who arrived here in 1211, settling inside a structure located at the foot of the mountain, where he built some cells. In the following centuries, however, the hermitage was left in a state of neglect until the Capuchin friars took care of it, to whom it was donated directly by the bishop of Cortona.
From that moment, and until today, the Hermitage has become the place chosen for the formation of Capuchin novitiates. To live there, however, are only the friars who have chosen to remain in this place of silence to pray and for welcome pilgrims and travelers who wish to immerse themselves in a place steeped in spirituality and tranquility.
It is also possible sleep inside the hermitage thanks to two small houses used to welcome groups of travelers who wish to live an experience in the name of spirituality. There are about 35 places available and guests can stay for a maximum of 2 weeks. What is required of anyone wishing to stay overnight is to share moments of prayer with the friars. There are no costs for room and board, but just a free offer.