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Val d’Orcia: A Photographer’s Dream Destination in Tuscany

From Pienza to Montepulciano: A Tour of the Charming Towns of Val d'Orcia, Tuscany

Val d’Orcia or Val d’Orcia is the region of Tuscany in central Italy, stretching from the hills south of Siena to Mount Amiata. The rolling, cultivated hills are interspersed with occasional gorges, Pienza (rebuilt in the 15th century under the patronage of Pope Pius II as an “ideal city”) and Radicofani (the home of the infamous bandit hero Gino di Tacco). The hometown is dotted with picturesque towns and villages and Montalcino (Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most famous Italian wines). Its landscapes are depicted in a variety of works of art, from Renaissance paintings to contemporary photography.

World Heritage Val d’Orcia

The Orchha Valley was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004.

Val d'Orcia
Val d’Orcia

Orcia DOC

Within the Orcia Valley there is a strip of land along the Orcia River between the DOCG zones of Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Here, Sangiovese and Trebbiano-based wines are produced under the Orcia Denominazione di Origin Controlrata (DOC) status.

DOC red wines are made up of at least 60 percent Sangiovese, with other local varietals such as Abrusco allowed in the rest of the blend. Vin Santo-style dry white wines and his DOC wines consist of at least 50 percent Trebbiano, with the addition of other local varietals. All grapes intended for the production of DOC wines are restricted to a maximum yield of 10 tons/hectare and the alcohol content of the finished wine must be at least 12 percent.

The Val d'Orcia of Tuscany
The Val d’Orcia of Tuscany

The historic railway’s heritage area

A 19th-century railway runs through the Orchha Valley, and its tracks, stations, and tunnels are in constant use. Regular rail service within the state was discontinued in 1994. Linking the small town of Asciano to Monte Antico, this scenic line runs historic steam engines and horse-drawn carriages on select days throughout the year to serve visitors to the local festival.

The river of Val d’Orcia

The river that gives this valley its name is nothing more than a river that dries up most of the year in the heat of the summer but rebounds violently during the autumn rains. The hills are dotted with oak groves, vineyards, and olive groves that produce Brunello and other fine Tuscan wines and are lined with characteristic monuments and villages. It is bordered to the west by Italy’s oldest extinct volcano, Monte Amiata.

View of The Val d'Orcia of Tuscany
View of The Val d’Orcia of Tuscany

24 hours in Val d’Orcia

Explore the rolling countryside of southern Tuscany covered in wheat fields and vineyards:

When you think of Tuscany and think of rolling green hills crowned with lone cypress trees and yellow-covered hills with fields of haystacks, you think of the Val d’Orcia Valley in southern Tuscany. Imagine a breathtaking landscape. Medieval castles, hilltop villages, charming country farmhouses, vineyards and cypress trees, and golden wheat fields are just some of the elements that make up the stunning landscape of the Orchha Valley.

Val d'Orcia, Tuscany
Val d’Orcia, Tuscany

Film locations in The Val d’Orcia

The Orchha Valley has been the setting for many famous films such as:

  • 8 1/2 by Federico Fellini (1963)
  • “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” by Franco Zeffirelli (1972)
  • Nostalgia by Andrei Tarkovsky (1983)
  • The English Patient by Anthony Minghella (1996)
  • Stealing Beauty by Bernardo Bertolucci (1996)
  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Michael Hoffman (1999)
  • Gladiator by Ridley Scott (2000)
Film locations in The Val d’Orcia
Film locations in The Val d’Orcia

In the literature

The book The War of Val d’Orcia by Iris Origo (1902-1988) is a detailed English-language diary that directly records the events of World War II in the region from 1943 to 1944. is.

Stay in Val d’Orcia’s in best hotels

  • Il Miraggio in Val d’Orcia Relais & Spa
  • Albergo Posta Marcucci
  • Albergo Generale Cantore – Monte Amiata
  • Castello Banfi – Il Borgo
  • Adler Spa Resort Thermae
  • Hotel Relais San Lorenzo
  • Convento San Bartolomeo
  • Hotel San Gregorio
  • Hotel I Due Cigni
  • Relais Osteria Dell’Orcia

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