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Things to see in Val d'orcia
PIENZA
Pienza, the “capital” of the Val d’Orcia, is a small jewel set among the Tuscan hills. The name comes from Pope Pius II, who was born here, and it means the city of Pius. Its splendid square, its Renaissance palaces rich in history and art, the alleys and the romantic panoramic views that overlook the Val d’Orcia make it unique.
Piazza Pio II is the hub of Pienza as all of the town’s main monuments are located on this square. The cathedral tower over all the other buildings. The second most important building on the square is Palazzo Piccolomini, Rossellino’s masterpiece, inspired by Palazzo Rucellai in Florence. Palazzo Borgia is another jewel found on this square.
Famous for the Pecorino di Pienza, every first Sunday in September, Pienza celebrates one of its main products, pecorino cheese. In fact, Pienza is considered the “capital” of pecorino cheese, because of its high quality due to the fact that the cheese is made from an especially flavoursome and aromatic milk thanks to sheep pastures in Val d’Orcia.
There is a love route, as Pienza is a romantic city because of its streets with lovely names such as Via dell’Amore (love street) and Via del Bacio (kiss street).
SAN QUIRICO D’ORCIA
San Quirico d’Orcia is a village of very ancient origins, probably dating back to Etruscan times.
From the 11th century, the village had a rapid growth due to its proximity to the Via Francigena. It later became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany under the Medici family.
Most of San Quirico’s fortified walls are still standing, so you must leave the car outside the city walls. The main street, via Dante Alighieri, crosses the centre of the village.
Things to see are:
- Collegiata di San Quirico
- The Church of Santa Maria Assunta
- Horti Leonini
The San Quirico d’Orcia cypress trees are the most photographed trees in the world. If you want to find these iconic trees, here are the coordinates: the first group of cypress trees is located at 43 ° 03’45.62 “N 11 ° 33’31.86” E, while the second group is along a dirt road at 43 ° 03’38.99 “N 11 ° 33’30.49” E.
BAGNO VIGNONI
Famous since Roman times for its thermal waters: popes, kings and knights have stopped here to enjoy its waters.
The name of this ancient village derives from Vignoni, already a famous castle in the 11th century. You can still see it’s traces dominating the hill over the village. Many well known personalities have ‘taken the waters’ here through history, including Lorenzo de Medici, Pope Pius II, Saint Catherine of Siena, and Oscar Wilde.
A porch-type bridge passes over the waters that flow from the bath. It heads towards the thermal spa ruins and hotel spas. It is then said to go on to feed a series of mills situated along the steep banks of the river.
MONTALCINO
When we talk about Montalcino we immediately think of Brunello which has made this village famous all over the world. But Montalcino is also a city rich in art and history. A beautiful medieval village from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view, characterized by vineyards, olive trees, fields and other little villages.
The top must-see sites in the town are:
- Montalcino Fortress
- Cathedral of San Salvatore
- Piazza del Popolo
- Civic and Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art
- Abbey of Sant’Antimo (Nine kilometres from Montalcino)
WHERE TO SLEEP
TUSCANY IN 3 DAYS
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