To Pienza and back

The walk to Pienza and back is not to be missed if you want to savour the beauty of the Val d’Orcia in full.

Leaving Pienza, the utopian town dreamt up by Pope Pius II and created through the architectural genius of Bernardo Rossellino, this circular walk will take us through one of
the most iconic landscapes in Tuscany.

Our first stop, just outside Pienza, will be the Pieve di Corsignano where Enea Silvio Piccolomini (future Pope Pius II) was baptised. The Romanesque Pieve, whose ancient origins are tied up with the original village of Corsignano, stands in an area filled with atmosphere.

Even more fascinating than the area itself are the decorations on the interior and exterior of the building. These are pagan representations, such as the snake and the mermaid, reworked from a Christian perspective, giving the church a strange, mysterious energy.

After this, it will feel even more energizing and dreamlike to make our way through the next stretch of countryside, a true paradise for the senses. It was here that the final, most pathos-filled scene of “Gladiator” was filmed.  Close your eyes and you will see Maximus Decimus as he is finally reunited with his loved ones in the Elysian Fields.

Moving on, the landscape characterized by rows of cypress trees turns to bare clay ground: the herbs that give the famous Pienza cheese its flavour grow here. You cannot fail to be moved by the beauty at our next stop by the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta: a small treasure, symbol of the Val d’Orcia, framed by cypress trees.

Finally we will return to Pienza, where our day ends with a visit to the town centre and, if you wish, a tasting of Pienza cheese!!

You can find all details here:: https://www.tuscanyarttrek.com/it/tours/pienza-citta-ideale/