If you have found a vacation rental in Siena and are enjoying the sights of the city but are looking to spend a day or a few hours getting lost in nature, enjoying beautiful natural surroundings, and relaxing away from the hustle and bustle of humans, then you should head to the small village of San Giovanni d'Asso. There you will find the Bosco della Ragnaia, or Ragnaia Forest, which is a rather special and unique public park.
This magical place was designed by the American architect and landscape designer Sheppard Craige and created in 1996. The park is made up of wooded paths, a natural amphitheatre formed from cypresses and hedges, plenty of little sculptures – many humorous – dotted throughout and hidden here and there, gardens, water features, and moss-covered plaques with interesting quotes and messages in several languages. It is the perfect place to get a little lost, wander, and stumble upon surprise after surprise along the way.
This magical place was designed by the American architect and landscape designer Sheppard Craige and created in 1996. The park is made up of wooded paths, a natural amphitheatre formed from cypresses and hedges, plenty of little sculptures – many humorous – dotted throughout and hidden here and there, gardens, water features, and moss-covered plaques with interesting quotes and messages in several languages. It is the perfect place to get a little lost, wander, and stumble upon surprise after surprise along the way.
Exploring the park feels as though you have somehow managed to fall into a fantasy novel or story book. A lot of the statuary is made up of figures of little mythological creatures like mischievous goblins and cheeky satyrs in bronze and clay by Frances Lansing (Craige's wife), the messages on half-hidden plaques are often enigmatic and up to your own interpretation, the twisting forest pathways can become shrouded in low-lying fog or sprayed with golden leaves or flower petals, and it all feels very lost in time. As such, it is easy to imagine you are in another place or era entirely. It is even said, in local legend, that sages did once rule the very woods that the park now occupies.
The whole thing is a work of art that even Craige himself cannot fully explain but the result is so utterly magical that it does not require any explanation at all. It is simply a place to get a little lost and enjoy one's lovely surroundings. Entrance is free and the park is open daily from dawn until dusk, making it a wonderful attraction to readily pencil into any itinerary in Tuscany.