Val d'Orcia
valley and cultural landscape in central Italy; a World Heritage site
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valley and cultural landscape in central Italy; a World Heritage site
The Val d’Orcia is characterised by gentle, carefully-cultivated hills occasionally broken by gullies and by picturesque towns and villages such as Pienza (rebuilt as an “ideal town” in the 15th century under the patronage of Pope Pius II), Radicofani (home to the notorious brigand-hero Ghino di Tacco) and Montalcino (the Brunello di Montalcino is counted among the most prestigious of Italian wines, rated 2007 #1 world wine by Wine Spectator).
It is a landscape which has become familiar through its depiction in works of art from the Renaissance painting to the modern photograph. In 2004 the Val d’Orcia was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Best option is to use car. The journey from Siena takes around 1 hr, from Florence around 1 hr 50 min and from Rome around 2 hr 10 min.
Another option is to take a regional bus, but most towns in Val d’Orcia have very few bus connections per day.
There is no railway with regular service; there is the Asciano - Monte Antico heritage railway, but it has very limited service.