Every year in June, San Quirico d’Orcia reenacts the historical meeting between the most powerful man of the 12th century Federico of Hohenstaufen, also known as Barbarossa, and the envoys from Pope Adrian IV. Barbarossa, who was on his way to Rome in order to be crowned as sovereign of the Holy Roman Empire, was given the pass upon the delivery into the hands of the Cardinals of the heretic Arnaldo da Brescia, having taken refuge with the Visconti, lords of the castle of Campiglia d'Orcia and of the fortification of Campigliola. The heretic was captured near the Briccole in Val d'Orcia and executed. Frederick I of Swabia was then crowned in St. Peter's Basilica.

This is how things worked in 1155, but it is perhaps convenient, so as not to provoke long debates that can distract from pedaling, not to go into the merits. The cyclist only needs to know that Barbarossa's route passes through all the probable locations of Arnaldo da Brescia's search and, done in a single day, can be quite challenging, as was the "heretic hunt". The most challenging part of the stage is the first up to km 27 when reaching the 1,108 metres of Poggio Seragio. Even if the road surface is mostly asphalt, it is recommended to use a gravel or a good touring bike.