Val d'Orcia day trip from Siena or Montepulciano
A day trip to the Val d'Orcia from Siena or Montepulciano: Pienza with its cathedral and Palazzo Piccolomini, the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta, San Quirico d'Orcia and the Horti Leonini, and the fortress of Montalcino. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Val d'Orcia in 1 day
Day 1
Historic centre of Pienza
Renaissance hill town rebuilt by Pope Pius II as an ideal city; the walk shows its main square, lanes and wall-top views.
Pienza Cathedral
Light-filled Renaissance cathedral on Pienza's main square, built for Pius II by Bernardo Rossellino, with altarpieces by Sienese painters.
Palazzo Piccolomini
Pius II's family palace beside the cathedral, with period rooms and a hanging garden and loggia looking over the Val d'Orcia.
Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta
Small Renaissance-style chapel alone among cypresses in the fields between Pienza and San Quirico, one of Tuscany's most photographed views.
Horti Leonini
Sixteenth-century Italian garden in San Quirico d'Orcia, with box hedges, holm oaks and a statue of Cosimo III de' Medici.
Historic centre of San Quirico d'Orcia
Walled village on the old Via Francigena; the walk shows the Romanesque Collegiata, the Palazzo Chigi and quiet stone streets.
Bagno Vignoni
A hamlet whose main square is a steaming Renaissance thermal pool, with a short walk to ruined mills and hot waterfalls below.
Fortezza di Montalcino
Fourteenth-century fortress above the hill town of Montalcino, with walkable ramparts, valley views and a wine bar for Brunello.
Historic centre of Montalcino
A hilltop town of stone lanes and a medieval fortress, famous for Brunello wine; a good place to finish the day with a glass.
Watch: Val d'Orcia
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
A car is the usual way to see the Val d'Orcia: from Siena it is about an hour south on the SR2 Cassia, and from Montepulciano Pienza is about 20 minutes away. Buses link the towns with Siena and each other, but they are infrequent, so a car or an organised tour makes a day with several towns much easier.
Staying in Siena or Montepulciano? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Val d'Orcia
May and June bring green hills, wildflowers and pleasant walking weather, and September and October the grape harvest and golden light. July and August are hot, with the wheat fields already cut to gold, while winter is quiet, often misty in the mornings, and some restaurants close.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Val d'Orcia on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Val d'Orcia on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Val d'Orcia on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Val d'Orcia
- A car is close to essential here; park outside the walls of Pienza, San Quirico and Montalcino, whose centres are closed to most traffic.
- The Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta stands in open fields and is reached on foot along an unpaved track; wear sturdy shoes and expect to see it mostly from outside.
- Start early: the soft morning light over the hills is what most visitors come for, and Pienza fills with day-trippers by late morning.
- Montalcino is the home of Brunello wine; if you plan tastings, have a driver who is not drinking or book a tour.
- Pienza is known for its pecorino sheep's cheese, sold in shops along the main street; the walk along the walls gives wide views over the valley.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bagno Vignoni: sconosciuto, Copyrighted free use
- Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta: Vignaccia76, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fortezza di Montalcino: Type17 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
- Historic centre of Montalcino: Marco Usan, CC BY 3.0
- Historic centre of Pienza: https://www.flickr.com/people/sherseydc/, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Historic centre of San Quirico d'Orcia: LigaDue, CC BY 3.0
- Palazzo Piccolomini: Pierreci, Public domain
- Pienza Cathedral: Beckstet, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
