Get ready to discover the beauty of Val d'Orcia, one of Tuscany's must-sees for art and wine lovers. Meet your driver at your hotel in Florence and let him take you to the most important towns in the area: taste delicious Vino Nobile in Montepulciano, visit the ideal Renaissance town of Pienza, and discover Montalcino, the birthplace of the famous Brunello wine.
Montepulciano, a former Roman settlement, owes its architecture not just to the Middle Ages but also to the Renaissance, as can be seen from the numerous churches and palaces built by Antonio da Sangallo and Michelozzo. During the tour of this lovely town, don't miss a tasting of the renowned Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Your next stop will be Pienza, a small Tuscan town famous not only for its Pecorino cheese but also for being the first Renaissance town built in Europe, a model for the perfect architecture of bigger cities like Florence and Paris. All this thanks to Enea Silvio Piccolomini, later Pope Pius II, who asked Bernardo Rossellino to turn his birthplace into an ideal Renaissance city.
After lunch, you'll reach Montalcino, an "island" located on a hill 564 meters above sea level in the unspoiled and wild heart of Tuscany. Admire the imposing 14th-century fortress, theater of several wars between Siena and Florence. Today, Montalcino is best known for being the land of Brunello, one of Italy's most prestigious DOCG wines.
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Florence
