![]() Standing at the foot of a hill, centuries-old olive trees standing guard around it, is the Abbazia di Sant'Antimo, an abandoned medieval abbey.įrom there, curling around more hills, through villages untouched by tourism, I reach Castiglione d'Orcia, a town balancing on a high crag over the Val d'Orcia. Next, it's a climb towards the wine town of Montalcino then on to another winding road, Amiata's peak beckoning in the distance. Here, I stand in the shadows of ancient churches and walk through a ghostly Renaissance garden bound by tumble-down walls. ![]() It also produces one of Italy's best pecorino cheeses, but I must resist sampling it and move on – it's time to take a trip around the volcano, to absorb the best of Tuscany.įrom Pienza, I drive towards Amiata, looping around the east side of the mountain. With its hulking palazzos and narrow alleyways, Pienza is still spectacular. Born in what used to be Corsignano, when he became pope he bulldozed his birthplace and created a perfectly proportioned Renaissance town in its stead. Pienza was the 'ideal city' for 15th-century Pope Pius II. And the backdrop to it all? Monte Amiata, a dormant volcano gently wrapping around the landscape, as if she's gathering the valley in an embrace. Cypress avenues stripe the landscape, terracotta Renaissance towns cling to every peak. Unspooling below are hills in 50 shades of green, cut through by slashes of grey – unpaved roads chiselled from the clay beneath. Staring at the view from the town walls is like looking at a painting. ![]() There's a very important question to be answered when you visit Pienza: is this the most beautiful town in Italy? I'm going to say yes. This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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