A day in the Val d’Orcia

Villa La Foce was once home to Marchese Antonio Origo and his Anglo-American biographer wife Iris who, in 1925, commissioned renowned English architect Cecil Pinsent to make a garden. The glorious result overlooks the Val d’Orcia and Monte Amiata and is open to visitors.

This small, enchanting village, situated on a hill above the Val d’Orcia, is famous for its central square, which is a large pool filled with hot springs water. You can’t bathe in it these days, so head for Hotel Posta Marcucci instead.

Famous for its production of robust red wines (which can be sampled at the town’s many enotecas), hilltop Montepulciano is also worth visiting for its grand palazzi, the Duomo, and, just outside the walls, Sangallo’s church of San Biagio.

In the mid-15th century, Pope Pius II commissioned architect Bernardo Rossellino to remodel erstwhile Corsignano, resulting in what many see as a perfect example of Renaissance town planning, with grandiose palazzi and splendid churches in what is essentially a rural village.

An atmospheric hilltop town dating back to Etruscan times, a tangle of medieval streets lies between the fortified walls, home to historic churches and a clutch of excellent restaurants and cafes.