Usi between village history and ceramics

Usi is an ancient village. To put the destination in context, it is useful to distinguish the historic village setting from destinations in the wider surrounding area. The historic Fattoria degli Usi represents agricultural architecture; cycling routes, ceramics and rocky landscapes add to the region’s attractions.

Village layout and agricultural building history

The historic Fattoria degli Usi consists of several older agricultural buildings. They are arranged along a bend in the provincial road and enclose broad courtyards. The focus, therefore, is not on a single building, but on a spatial arrangement of buildings, the course of the road and courtyards. It is this combination that makes the complex understandable as a historic agricultural ensemble.

The courtyards and the sequence of buildings along the bend in the road give the ensemble its described form. Anyone interested in rural architectural history will find a tangible point of reference here: older farm buildings and the courtyards they enclose together form the setting of the Fattoria.

Agriculture, ceramics and cuisine

In the wider area around Usi lies Aia della Colonna, about two kilometres from Usi. The 240-hectare estate is located in the gentle hills of Tuscany. It is certified as an organic farm and is a Slow Food Presidio for Maremmana beef. The estate thus draws attention both to the landscape and its size, and to its agricultural connection with Maremmana cattle.

At Aia della Colonna, you can see ceramic designs from various periods, floral designs and designs that can be customised. There are also many ceramic works decorated by Roberta over the course of more than two decades. The different types of decoration and the long span of Roberta’s work are two distinct aspects of this connection with ceramics.

Another culinary connection leads to Roccalbegna: Acquacotta di Roccalbegna is a local dish. Its ingredients include onions, celery, spinach and tomatoes, as well as extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino Toscano, eggs, broth and stale bread. The list combines vegetables with cheese, egg, broth and bread, making the dish’s composition easy to picture.

Cycling route and landscapes in the wider area

The Visit Tuscany cycling route leaves Provincial Road 160 at Cancellone and initially follows Provincial Road 11, following the signs to Usi. Cancellone and the two provincial roads are specific points of reference on the route described. For cyclists, Usi is thus identified as a direction along this route.

The Bosco-Rocconi Reserve welcomes school classes and other groups on weekdays by prior arrangement. This gives groups a clear framework for planning a visit: visits are limited to weekdays and require an advance arrangement.

The wider area around Bosco dei Rocconi is home to high limestone cliffs. The Albegna and Rigo rivers flow at their foot, and there are also caves and hollows. These landscape features differ from the architectural impressions of the Fattoria: here, the focus is on rock, rivers and natural cavities.

Rocchette di Fazio is also located in the wider area around Usi. The village sits high above the Albegna River on a steep slope. Its location is therefore directly connected with the river valley, while the limestone cliffs and hollows around Bosco dei Rocconi present a different kind of landscape.

Discover more destinations: Cana

Return to the main travel overview: Roccalbegna.