Val D’Orcia is in the southern part of Tuscany.The Val D’orcia region includes the towns of Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia, Pienza, Castiglione d’Orcia and Radicofani. The landscape of this area is made of hills, river beds and cypress trees lining country roads. The ancient fortresses on the hill tops add severity and mystery to the image. Oak woods, olive groves and vineyards where Brunello di Montalcino and other great Tuscan wines are grown cover the hills.
To the west, the view takes in Monte Amiata – the highest ancient volcano in Italy. Val D’Orcia is now protected as an artistic natural and cultural park. Trails, guides, brochures and museums all offer different means of exploring the region. When you arrive in Radicofani from the south, you see the rolling hills open to greet you. Arriving from the north, the change between the Crete Senesi and the Val d’Orcia area is more subtle. The Ombrone river gives place to a narrower valley, and there are fewer clay ravines.
The hamlets on the hilltops are villages full of history and monuments. More than anything else, Val d’Orcia means nature. The river the valley is named after is little more than a stream for most of the year, and dries up in summer, but in the autumn the rains make it a raging river. It springs in the hills between Radicofani and Sarteano, decends into a wide cultivated valley and then heads west towards Pienza, San Quirico, Montalcino and Castiglione.
It is a good idea to hire a car to take you to this place from where you can explore the landscapes made of hills, river beds and tree-lined country roads. There are many car rental companies in Italy and one of the best is car-rental-italy which offers cars on hire at economical rates. They have come up to offer less pricy commuting options, especially for tourists to enjoy a pocket friendly and memorable vacation.