Founded in 1498

The Antico Convento
Santa Chiara

Our history

Five centuries of silence

The Santa Chiara hotel occupies an ancient convent founded in 1498, in the heart of the picturesque village of Sarteano, between Tuscany and Umbria.

For over four centuries it was home to the Poor Clare nuns, cloistered sisters following the rule of Saint Clare. Their life of silence, contemplation and withdrawal from the world made the convent a spiritual landmark for the entire Sarteano community.

After the suppression of monastic orders at the end of the 19th century, the building became a public school until the 1970s. In the 1990s it was carefully restored and transformed into a hotel. Today it preserves intact its quiet, gathered soul.

Santa Chiara stands in the historic centre of Sarteano, a village of Etruscan origin with a medieval layout, celebrated for its 15th-century castle. From its walls you can see the Sienese hills, the profile of Monte Cetona and the serenity of the Val d'Orcia.

1498

Foundation of the convent

Noble families from Montepulciano and Sarteano found the convent for the Poor Clare sisters.

1498–1800

Four centuries of enclosure

The Clarisses live in silence and prayer. The convent grows into a spiritual reference for the surrounding territory.

Late 1800s

Suppression of religious orders

The convent is suppressed and becomes a public school.

1990s

Rebirth as a hotel

Conservative restoration respectful of the original architecture: cloister, vaults, terracotta, stone.

Today

A charming refuge

7 rooms, each named after a figure from the convent, welcome those seeking authenticity, silence and Tuscan beauty.

Renaissance cloister Santa Chiara Sarteano
The cloister

The ancient heart of the convent

The hotel preserves its original monastic layout: a central cloister opening onto an inner garden, ideal for slow breakfasts, morning readings or quiet evenings under the Tuscan sky.

Walking through the corridors bathed in natural light, you can feel the breath of history that permeates every stone. Vaults, arches and columns in pietra serena tell centuries of silent life.

As evening falls, the hotel bar welcomes guests for a glass of wine, a cocktail or a snack — the most convivial moment of the day, wrapped in the embrace of the ancient walls.

Garden Hotel Santa Chiara
The garden

An oasis of peace

The garden of the Antico Convento Santa Chiara is an oasis of quiet in the heart of Sarteano, enclosed within the ancient walls of the village. With its intimate and relaxing atmosphere, it is the ideal place to enjoy a glass of wine, a cocktail or something tasty at the hotel bar.

Val di Chiana view
View over Val di Chiana

The luxury of beauty

Overlooking the Val di Chiana, the property offers a view that reconciles you with the world. From the convent walls, when the Tuscan light turns the hills to gold, this becomes the most magical place in the convent.

Breakfast Santa Chiara
Breakfast

A morning suspended in time

Breakfast at Santa Chiara is a ritual, not a service. Local produce, artisan jams, fresh bread, traditional Tuscan pastries and the scent of coffee in the cloister.

A start to the day that invites you to slow down before Sarteano even wakes up.

Sarteano medieval village
Getting here

In the heart of Sarteano

The hotel is reached by climbing the narrow lanes leading to Sarteano Castle. We recommend leaving your car in the free public car park about 300 metres away (5 minutes on foot).

By car

Motorway A1, exit Chiusi-Chianciano Terme. Turn left following signs for Sarteano.

By train

Chiusi-Chianciano Terme station, about 10 minutes from the property.

Distances

Montepulciano 16 km · Pienza 33 km · San Casciano dei Bagni 16 km · Lake Trasimeno 20 km · Cortona 38 km · Arezzo 55 km · Montalcino 59 km · Perugia 60 km · Siena 79 km · Assisi 78 km · Florence 123 km · Rome 165 km

Address

Costa Santa Chiara 30
53047 Sarteano (SI)
tel. +39 0578 266849 · info@conventosantachiara.it

Check-in / Check-out

Check-in: 2:00 pm · Check-out: 11:00 am

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