Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Val d’Orcia is appreciated worldwide for its unique and exceptional territory. The typical landscape is of gentle hills and sudden small woods of cypress trees.
The tour will begin in Montalcino, a small hilltop city that dominates the surrounding countryside. In Montalcino, the dominant 13th century Fortress was erected, and it was the last bastion of the valiant and proud defence by the Sienese against Florentines until 1559.
Don’t miss the beautiful Town Hall, the Convent of St Augustine, that hosts the Montalcino museum’s archaeological, medieval and modern collections. St. Augustine’s, St Giles’ and St. Francis’ Churches, which were all built between the XIIIth -XIVth centuries, as was the sanctuary Madonna del Soccorso.
It is possible to taste the Brunello red wine, one of the most important Italian DOCG’s well known and appreciated throughout the world.
A little outside the city, at Castelnuovo dell’Abate, the Romanesque abbey of Sant’ Antimo can be found. It is an intimate and impressive abbey enwrapped in an almost enchanted atmosphere, founded by Carlo Magno after ‘800 A.C.
We will continue to Pienza, one of the important Reinassance cities, created by the wishes of Pope Pius II. In 1996 Pienza was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Let’s walk along the main street and visit the beautiful St. Francis church, the Duomo and take a stroll along the scenic route with stunning views across to Mount Amiata. Do not miss the Diocesan Museum with works of art by artists such as Pietro Lorenzetti, Luca Signorelli, Lorenzo di Pietro called Vecchietta. The masterpiece of the museum is the beautiful “Piviale di Papa Pio II”(Cape of Pope Pius II), a rare work of English manufacture in 1300. A t the end of the tour, is a taste of the famous DOP cheese ”Pecorino of Pienza”, which is not be missed.
Finally we will visit Montepulciano, an ancient village full of medieval and Renaissance buildings, famous for one of the oldest wines of Italy “Il Nobile di Montepulciano”.
We will stop at Contucci’s wine cellar to taste this high quality wine.
Duration: full day or less, according to your request.