Italian viewpoint: Val d’Orcia, Tuscany

Val d’Orcia, Tuscany

I don’t think that there could be any better images to capture the essence of the glorious Tuscan countryside: sunny rolling hills, isolated hilltop towns, charming farmhouses, avenues of cypresses and golden wheat fields. These are just some of the elements of the fantastic and harmonious landscapes you are guaranteed to find in Val d’Orcia!

Crossed by the Orcia river, this wonderful area in southern Tuscany stretches along the provinces of Siena and Grosseto. It’s now protected as a natural and cultural park and it has been recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2004.

There are only a few other places that are able to impress the traveller so deeply and its impressive views, which inspired so many Renaissance painters, are ever changing with the seasons and  are as evocative in real life as when they were captured on canvas.

Grab your paintbrushes, your camera or your hiking boots and be prepared to be stunned by a natural setting of extraordinary beauty!