Tuscany - Val D'Orcia
If you've been dreaming of a Tuscan holiday, then the Val D'Orcia is the place to be. Don't overlook it, in favour of the more well-known Chianti region.
Where to stay and why
I’ll start by pointing out you can’t really go wrong when picking a place to stay in Val D’Orcia. If you fall in love with an agriturismo, then you’d easily be able to plan your holiday around that. It’s highly likely you’ll already have a car, so the world is your oyster. And just deciding to spend time in the Val D’Orcia, you’re already winning – I think it’s often overlooked for the more easily accessible Chianti region – and in my opinion, that’s a rookie error.
However… in saying that, we based ourselves just outside Pienza and realised quickly that it was a perfect option for us. It was within short drive to a number of quaint, picturesque towns that we could just pop into for afternoon aperativo and dinner. We didn’t need more than an afternoon to explore and walk the old town, and we could just drive no more than 20 minutes home afterwards.
Towns Worth Visiting in the Val D'Orcia
It's a problem almost every traveller faces - not being able to fit everything into their itinerary and then having to cut your options down to just the highlights. So where do you start? If you've got a couple of days up your sleeve, I've compiled my list of top towns in the Val D'Orcia.
- Montepulciano
- Pienza
- Bagno Vignoni
- Monticchiello
- Montalcino
- Bagni San Filippo
Agriturismo Castello Spedaletto
We stayed in an agriturismo about 10 minutes outside Pienza that doubled as a castle. It held no more than 12-15 rooms and was absolutely incredible. It’s family run and they did everything from check in, to delicious daily breakfast (made to order), to still running the farm. The location was so close to some beautiful locations, including Bagno Vignoni and Monticchiello.
NOTE: I initially thought Montepulciano would be a better place to base ourselves, which is probably more well known than Pienza and a fair bit larger, but in the end, I found our location to be far better, due to its proximity to other towns.
Bagno Vignoni
We loved this little town, for its unique piazza that’s basically a big bath in the middle. It has all these beautiful osterias and ristorantes around it, which made it the perfect spot for aperativo. Then, when we’d downed our Spritz, we headed just around the corner to a recommended restaurant that didn’t disappoint. It didn’t have the view, but it had something better – the feeling of a mum and pop restaurant, with 5 star food to match. We were seated in what was no bigger than a dinning room, and we had about 5 other groups around us – and they were at capacity. The food and wine was delicious – I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Just what you come to Tuscany for.
In terms of getting to Bagno Vignoni, driving is definitely the easiest. There are paid parking options just outside the Centro Storico, that are easy to spot – just make sure you don’t drive into a ZTL.
Pienza
This town is so cute and has the most incredible panoramic views. Pop into a bar and grab your espresso to go, then explore the old town on foot. It will easily take you 15 minutes to walk the Main Street from top to bottom, but it’s set out like a fish skeleton, with all these little side streets to wander and get lost in. Stunning spot, I highly recommend spending a morning doing just that.
Podere Il Casale – Cheese Farm near Pienza
I feel like this place needs a mention of it’s own. It ticked all our boxes. Podere Il Casale is about 10 minutes outside Pienza and is a second generation farm, with insane views overlooking the valley of Val D’Orcia. They are big on being self sufficient and everything is organic. Their main product is cheese – and it’s literally farm to plate, all in one place.
They do everything from raising goats and sheep, to then milking them, processing the cheese, they let it age and then incorporate it in your lunch as you take in the picturesque views. But that’s not all. They also grow their own vegetables, honey, wine, and more.
To say lunch was to die for, was an understatement. We were given a tasting board of cheeses, before a vegetable pasta dish that I can’t even tell you what it was – but it was delicious. I’d never choose it from a menu, and yet, it was probably a highlight.
TIP: We found this place through an organised tour but it’s possible to book. You get a tour of the farm from the couple who run it, or their five sons and then a sit down lunch with a view. You will need to book. They have limited opening times outside of peak seasons, but operate in some capacity all year round.
