Four people raising their arms beside the Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta in the Val d'Orcia countryside

Ornate stone facade of the Church of Sant'Agostino in Montepulciano under a blue sky

Large wooden wine casks and bottles in a vaulted brick cellar with rustic tasting tables

Blue sky and a white contrail framed by the windows and walls of a Renaissance courtyard

Rows of pecorino cheese wheels aging on wooden shelves

Visitor photographing a vaulted passage and Renaissance courtyard through a stone doorway

Renaissance courtyard with stone columns and rounded arches at Palazzo Piccolomini in Pienza

Historic brick courtyard with arched walkways, stone columns, and a circular well

Piazza Grande in Montepulciano with the cathedral, Palazzo Comunale, and visitors in the square

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Short Description

A private full-day trip from Rome to the Val d'Orcia, with Pienza, Montepulciano, film locations, and wine, pecorino, and local food tastings along the way.

Tour Features

Local Guide

Certified Official Guide

Tour Languages

English, Spanish, Italian, French, German

Duration

7-9 hours

Experience Type

Private

Includes

Food and/or Drinks

Accessibility

Fully Accessible

Pickup from

Airport, Port, Hotel

Itinerary

We start the day with a pickup in Rome or at a hotel, airport, port, or train station in the area, at a time agreed with the group. The private transfer means no waiting for other travelers, and the drive south gives us time to talk through the day's route, the stops, and any preferences for wine, food, or photography.
The road toward the Val d'Orcia winds past vineyards, cypress avenues, and hill towns that appear one after another on the horizon. We stop where the views are widest, and the drive itself sets the tone for the day: unhurried, scenic, and free of the pressure of a fixed group schedule.
We walk through the historic center of Pienza, a Renaissance town built to the design of Pope Pius II. The streets open onto the main square, with its cathedral and palaces, and the panoramic terrace over the Val D'Orcia at the edge of town is one of the finest viewpoints on the route. The visit is on foot and takes an easy pace.
Pienza is the home of Pecorino cheese, and we stop for a tasting that is generous enough to serve as lunch. We sample different ages of Pecorino, from fresh and mild to aged and savory, together with local bread and honey, and we hear how the cheese is produced in the Val D'Orcia.
The Val d'Orcia has appeared in Gladiator, The English Patient, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Nostalghia, and Romeo and Juliet, and we stop at some of the places that made those scenes memorable. The roads, farmhouses, and ridges look almost unchanged, which makes the landscape easy to recognize from the screen.
The day continues in Montepulciano, a hill town above the valley, known for its cellars and its lanes that climb toward the highest points of the center. We visit the historic streets and stop for a wine tasting with local food, including cheeses, cured meats, and traditional products of the area, all included in the tour price.
The return drive to Rome closes the day, with one last stop at the Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta, the small church that stands alone in the open countryside and appears on countless views of the Val d'Orcia. From there we continue toward Rome, with the same comfortable private transfer and the chance to rest after the tastings and the walking. We arrive back in the city in the late afternoon.

Tour Details

Full Description

We leave Rome behind and spend the day among the hills of the Val d'Orcia, one of the most photographed landscapes in Italy. This private day trip is designed for travelers who prefer comfort and flexibility, with pickup in Rome or at a hotel, airport, port, or train station in the area, and a route that adapts to the pace of the group.

The drive south crosses vineyards, cypress-lined roads, and small stone towns that rise on the hilltops. We take our time on the way, with photo stops where the views open up, so the journey through the Tuscan countryside becomes part of the experience rather than time between stops.

In Pienza we walk through the Renaissance streets of the historic center, built around the squares and palaces of Pope Pius II. A tasting of Pecorino di Pienza, the cheese this town is known for, is generous enough to serve as lunch, and we pair it with the local flavors of the area.

The Val d'Orcia has served as a set for films such as Gladiator, The English Patient, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Nostalghia, and Romeo and Juliet. We stop at the viewpoints and roads that appear on screen, where the landscape looks much as it did in the films.

The day continues in Montepulciano, a hill town of wine cellars and steep lanes above the valley. We visit the historic center and enjoy a wine tasting with local food, from pecorino and cured meats to traditional sweets, all included in the price of the tour.

The tour runs from seven to nine hours, with private transport, a guide, and the tastings included, while gratuities remain at the discretion of each guest. Before the drive back to Rome we stop at the Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta, a small church that stands alone in the open countryside, and we close the day in the city in the late afternoon.