Tuscany: Valdorcia & Valdichiana

Lying in full view just beyond the well-trod tourist route but still under the radar, Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana are regions rich in history, beauty, gastronomy, and wine. Usually, when we think about a Tuscany landscape, we think about a view of these areas. Locals like to say the scenery is the protagonist, and they would not be wrong.
Val d'Orcia is one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tuscany and the first rural zone so designated, reflecting "the beauty of well-managed Renaissance agricultural landscapes."
The valley's unique geography presents flat chalk plains, which rise conical hills topped with fortified settlements and glorious abbeys that were once vital staging points on the Via Francigena.
The Val di Chiana offers a fertile landscape with charming Medieval villages, Etruscan tombs, celebrated vineyards, thermal waters, convenient trails for biking and hiking, and a side of Tuscany you have probably never seen before.
Here you will also find two excellent wines, Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Montepulciano, and impressive castles, estates, or small wineries to indulge in a tasting.