Route: San Quirico to Pienza
Area: Italy, Tuscany
Date of walk: 4th October 2019
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 7.1 miles
Ascent: 1,000 feet
Weather: Sunshine and blue skies
Today was the first day of a short walking holiday in Tuscany, and we wanted to explore the area near our base near Pienza, the excellent and highly recommended Tenuta Santo Pietro. The Crete and Val d’Orcia area of Tuscany is breathtakingly beautiful, and characterised by rolling hills, old farms, olive groves, and cypress lined roads and tracks
From the ancient town of Pienza we took the 9.15am local bus to the equally historic town of San Quirico (check locally for bus times as these may vary). We alighted outside the old city walls, and went for a wander through the streets. Note that the distance shown for this walk includes our meanderings around both towns. The walk linking them is approximately 6 miles
We left San Quirico via fortified Porta ai Cappucini and walked along the roadside for about 10 minutes. This wasn’t a particularly satisfactory start to the walk, but was soon forgotten as we branched off on an unmade road to follow a series of undulating paths and tracks towards our destination
After a while we arrived at Vitaleta and its iconic chapel. This is one of the most popular photographic destinations in Tuscany, and I took the obligatory photos, though the light was rather harsh and contrasty and my efforts won’t win any prizes
We continued along a succession of tracks, some of them waymarked, with wonderful views looking back to San Quirico and forward to our destination, Pienza
It would be a mistake to think that the end of the journey marks the end of the walk, and time must be allowed to wander around this beautiful old town, and in particular to walk along the magnificent belvedere walkway with its views over the Val d’Orcia. This was a wonderful conclusion to our first walk in Tuscany
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The afternoon before the walk, we checked into the Tenuta Santo Pietro and went for a short drive around the local area - this is nearby Palazzo Massaini
The nearby town of Pienza, which has a wonderful belvedere walkway with views over the Val d'Orcia...
A few street scenes in Pienza...
Our appetites duly whetted, we returned to base to plan tomorrow's walk from San Quirico to Pienza
Dawn the next day - Podere Belvedere, nestled in a wonderful location just outside San Quirico....
Later that morning, the start of today's walk in San Quirico d'Orcia. We’d taken the bus here, having left the car in Pienza to enable a linear walk between the two towns
We meander around the old streets
San Francesco Church in the heart of the town
The Collegiata Church, built in the 11th century
We leave San Quirico via fortified Porta ai Cappuccini
Looking back to Porta ai Cappuccini as we start a short section beside the road out of the town
Looking across to Podere Belvedere, where I'd been at dawn
The end of the roadside section as we branch off right at the entrance to Agriturismo La Buca
We pass by the cypress lined drive to La Buca
Into open countryside, with olive groves accompanying us for much of the way
The iconic Chapel Vitaleta, set on a hilltop and guarded by cypress trees, comes into view
Looking across to the castle at Vignoni Alto, which we'll visit later in the week
We pass by Chapel Vitaleta
Looking back to San Quirico
Our destination, Pienza, comes into view
Typical Tuscan countryside
Pienza comes into view again, and we can clearly see the route leading to it
There were hundreds of butterflies along this section of the walk...
...and countless lizards scuttling across the path
Looking back along our path, with San Quirico in the distance
Rolling fields outside Pienza
We pass by the old Romanesque church of Corsignano on the outskirts of Pienza
We arrive in Pienza
Pecorino cheese is a local speciality
We follow the wonderful belvedere walkway again
The roof of the Duomo in the central square, Piazza Pio II
We continue along the walkway...
The end of our first walk in Tuscany, and from here we retake our steps to the car
The end of the walk, but not the end of the day as we drove over to nearby Monticchiello in the late afternoon
A few photos of this ancient and unspoilt village...
door
Sunset in Monticchiello, looking towards Pienza where we'd finished today's walk
