Villas in Valdorcia

Val d’Orcia

Read our guide to the Val d'Orcia

Our guide to the Val d'Orcia

The Valley
Historical Notes
Local Events
Things to Do
Towns and Sites
Food and Wine
Market Days
Restaurants

The Valley

Extending from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata, the Val d’Orcia, or valley of the Orcia River, is one of the most picturesque regions of Tuscany. Its gentle cultivated hills marked by deep gullies and ribbons of cypresses make it the subject of many a photographer pulled off by the side of the road. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004, its ancient landscape is pictured in Lorenzetti’s 14th C. “Allegory of Good and Bad Government” and in subsequent Renaissance paintings. Not surprisingly, the film industry has found it an evocative backdrop for films such as The English Patient, Gladiator, Fellini’s 8 ½,and MidsummerNight’s Dream.

The valley is not densely populated; its small towns and villages are perched high above wide swathes of wheat fields and vineyards. Within the region are Pienza, a Pope’s ‘ideal town’, and Montalcino, whose Brunello wine is one of Italy’s most prestigious. Yet be prepared for places you have never heard of to take...