On the hillside below Castiglioncello del Trinoro, Villa Val d’Orcia shares the same tranquil valley as the world-acclaimed La Foce, with its concerts and events.
The house is 30-45 minutes from the Renaissance masterpiece of Pienza and the wine towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano. The closest vineyard (10 minutes) is the ‘super-tuscan’ Tenuta di Trinoro.
The house has captivating views across the Val d'Orcia park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to Radicofani, Monte Amiata and Castiglione d’Orcia.
20 minutes from the world-renowned La Foce, with its magnificent gardens
30 minutes to the delightful spas and open-air thermal pool of Bagno Vignoni
25 minutes to the motorway entrance at Chiusi and the archaeological remains
45 minutes to natural thermal pools at Bagni San Filippo
2.5 hours from Pisa
1.5 hours from Perugia
2 hours from Rome
2 hours from Florence
The cities Florence and Rome are readily accessible for day trips by taking the train from nearby Chiusi. The larger towns of Arezzo with its wonderful monthly antiques market and Siena are even closer by car.
Arezzo and the nearby towns of Sansepolcro and Montevarchi offer the possiibility of viewing many of Piero della Francesca’s most famous frescoes. If you can tear yourself away from the house and pool, there are lovely villages nearby, interesting hikes, food and fashion shopping, and festivals and events like the e.g. the Mille Miglia vintage car rally.
Restaurants
Villa Val d’Orcia recommends:
Drinks on the terraces at Monteverdi http://monteverdituscany.com/dining/ in Castiglioncello del Trinoro or fine dining there at Oreade or the new casual dining ZITA.
Drinks or dining at Dopolavoro http://www.dopolavorolafoce.it/ after visiting the famous La Foce gardens or during the La Foce festival (usually 21-30 July).
Many interesting restaurants at Cetona, Sarteano, Bagno Vignoni, Montalcino and Montepulciano.
200m above the house is Tuscany Equestrian which has a wonderful terrace for aperitivi and a lovely restaurant.
The wonderful Antiques market in Arezzo: first Sunday of each month and the Saturday, the day before
Sarteano Jazz and Blues Festival - usually August;
Music and Events at our closest borgo - Castiglioncello Del Trinoro
Wine tasting at our favourite Vino Nobile di Montepulciano producer, Boscarelli http://www.poderiboscarelli.com/en/
Horse-riding and sporting events
Available through our neighbours at TUSCANY EQUESTRIAN (5 mins - walking distance just above the house: www.tuscanyequestrian.com).
Mille Miglia 2024: Don’t miss this: June 11-15
EROICA Montalcino for classic cycling: 26 May 2024.
Val d’Orcia
For more reading abut the Val d’Orcia:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherinesabino/2021/04/15/what-to-know-when-you-next-travel-to-this-great-italian-wine-region/?sh=63730cee998f
Financial Times – How to Spend it: http://howtospendit.ft.com/destinations/7287-renaissance-masters
FORBES: What To Know When You Next Travel To This Great Italian Wine Region
War in Val d’Orcia (Allison & Busby, £8.99) – Iris Origo’s compelling narrative (“a beautiful classic’ – The New Yorker)
New book on Tuscany: Tuscany MarveL (Assouline) https://eu.assouline.com/products/tuscany-marvel?search=autocomplete
Images and Shadows (Nonpareil Books, £12.99): the illuminating story of how the aristocratic Irish-American Iris Origo and her husband the Marchese Antonio Origo set about a new life in the feudal valley she described as ‘’the most beautiful and wildest bit of country I have ever seen"
Iris Origo: Marchesa of the Val d’Orcia (Allison & Busby, £8.99) – Caroline Moorehead’s penetrating biography
La Foce: A Garden and Landscape in Tuscany (Penn Studies in Landscape Architecture) (£36.00)
The Food of Italy (Square Peg, £25.00) Claudia Roden
Visit The Wilder Side of Tuscany - Without the crowds:
Article from The Times (Subscription required) https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/visit-the-wilder-side-of-tuscany-without-the-crowds-kgfzphw7j