Val d'Orcia

World Heritage countryside in southern Tuscany: amid rolling wheat fields and cypress-lined lanes, the hill towns of Pienza, Montepulciano and Montalcino offer an ideal Renaissance town plan, Vino Nobile and Brunello, plus the thermal-pool piazza of Bagno Vignoni.

Val d'Orcia lies in the south of the province of Siena in Italy's Tuscany region, bordered by the Crete Senesi clay hills to the north and Monte Amiata to the south, with the Orcia River running through it. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Sienese merchants managed this land according to an idealised vision, and its rolling wheat fields, lone cypresses, hilltop farmhouses and medieval hill towns form the pastoral landscape seen in Renaissance paintings. The whole valley was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 and has served as a filming location for movies such as Gladiator. The main area divides into three parts: in the west, Montalcino and Sant'Antimo Abbey, famous for Brunello wine; in the centre, San Quirico d'Orcia, the thermal baths of Bagno Vignoni and photo spots such as the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta and the cypresses of San Quirico; and in the east, Pienza, Monticchiello and Montepulciano. You can extend north to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore and the Crete Senesi, and northeast to Cortona. The best seasons are April–June (green wheat and poppies) and September–October (grape harvest, truffles and autumn colour). In July–August the harvested fields turn golden, but it's hot; winter is quiet, and many farm stays close. Getting there: it's about a 1.5–2-hour drive from Florence or Rome. Public transport is very sparse, so driving is strongly recommended. Most hill-town centres are limited traffic zones (ZTL), so be sure to park in the car parks outside the walls. Stay 2–4 nights at an agriturismo (farm stay) as your base, head out at dawn and dusk to photograph the light, and spend the daytime exploring hill towns, tasting wine and soaking in hot springs.

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Where to eat

Itineraries