Looking southward, the magnificent Val d’Orcia, among the Tuscan hills, is just perfect for relaxing moments in the countryside. Pienza is a Renaissance jewel that we owe to Pope Pius II. A member of the Piccolomini family, he decided to completely rebuild his hometown with the help of the Florentine architect Rossellino. The two re-designed both the streets and the main square, and added a magnificent Cathedral in the typical classical style of the Renaissance. From here, you will get a breath-taking view of the entire valley.
San Quirico d’Orcia is famous not only for one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches, but also for the “Orti Leonini”, a classical Italian garden, and its “Grancia”, a fortified hospital–farmhouse. While Bagno Vignoni features a unique square shaped as a bathtub, Montalcino is perhaps the most important town in the glorious history of the Sienese Republic, as it was was its last stronghold to surrender in 1555 – the end of Sienese independence. We will taste the “pecorino” cheese in one of the farmhouses scattered around the hills, and the Brunello wine, one of the best in the world.
