Val d'Orcia


Val d’Orcia

Val d’Orcia, a land of wonders

Val d’Orcia is one of the most beautiful areas in all of Tuscany, a wonderful land characterized by sinuous hills, cypresses, vineyards, wheat fields, picturesque villages, medieval castles and isolated farmhouses. This area is so beautiful that over the centuries it has inspired many artists, especially the Renaissance ones, and in 2004 it was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

To protect such a special territory, the Parco della Val d’Orcia was established which includes the municipal areas of Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia, Pienza, Castiglione d’Orcia and Radicofani. Val d’Orcia is located in the southern part of the province of Siena, north of Monte Amiata and west of the Sienese Val di Chiana.

Historically crossed by the Via Francigena, the Val d’Orcia has been enriched over the centuries by numerous medieval hamlets, such as Montalcino and San Quirico d’Orcia. To these is added Pienza, which is famous for being a shining example of a Renaissance city.

In addition to the historic towns, there are many other monuments to visit such as the magnificent Abbey of Sant’Antimo, a true masterpiece of Romanesque art, and the castles that are located in Rocca d’Orcia, Castiglione d’Orcia and Radicofani. Val d’Orcia is also a land of natural hot springs that gave birth to the spectacular limestone formations of Bagni San Filippo and inspired the creation of the Piazza delle Sorgenti in Bagno Vignoni.

With its postcard views, the Val d’Orcia attracts many photographers who come from all over the world to capture all those places that made it famous such as the Cypresses of San Quirico d’Orcia, the wheat fields where they were filmed the scenes of the Gladiator, the Quercia delle Checche and the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta.

Finally, the Val d’Orcia is appreciated for its typical products such as Brunello di Montalcino wine, Pienza pecorino, the Pici and the Cinta Senese salami.