Val d’Orcia

The Orcia Valley lies in the southern part of Tuscany. With its picturesque and rolling agricultural landscapes, this region offers the hill top villages of Pienza, Montelpulciano and Montalcino. Rich with their histories the area affords one the opportunity to closely explore wines and foods produced here. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the Brunello di Montalcino wines hail from this region and are not to be missed. The countryside, with its views, farmhouses, cypress trees, olive groves and abbeys, takes one back to ancient times. In the distance one can see Monte Amiata, an extinct volcano and the highest point in Tuscany.

Thermal springs abound in this area of Tuscany and there are many spas offering all sorts of treatments along with the thermal mineral rich baths. The village of Bagno Vignoni was a spa developed in the Middle Ages whose main piazza was and still is an enormous pool of steaming hot water. Surrounded by old houses the ancient walled basin is still the center of this tiny village; it’s surrounded by a walkway on three sides and a covered loggia on the fourth side.

While this area is not overrun with tourists, it is close enough to make easy day trips to Siena, Florence and the Chianti wine region.