The Most Beautiful Spots in Val d'Orcia
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PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/4.5 • 1/3200 SEC • ISO 100
Tuscany is always at the top of the travel bucket list, especially in spring. It’s easy to see why so many people have fallen in love with this unique area in Italy: sweeping panoramic views out over the rolling hills and ancient towns with jagged skylines.
Green valleys, fields of gold, red carpets of poppies. And again the echoes of the past emerging from the walls of the churches, from the monuments, from every street. Tuscany is the place where nature and history are combined to create a harmony that you will feel on your skin for the entire time spent here.
The breathtaking landscapes have so much to offer. If you’re looking for a picture-perfect destination for your next Italian getaway, then this should be the first one to consider.
Among the many beauties of Tuscany, there’s one place in particular that will steal your heart and force you to come back again and again during your life. That place is called Val d’Orcia.
Located in the southern part of the region, a few miles down from Siena, the area is dominated by gentle and cultivated hills, occasionally broken by gullies and by picturesque towns and villages. The entire area has been a world heritage site since 2004. This is where the world-renowned Brunello di Montalcino is produced. This is where many film directors found a home for their movies. This is where you will definitely fall in love with Tuscany.
We have selected five spots not to miss when you travel across this land. All the beautiful landscape around you will fill your eye and let your mind fly up to the point of forgetting time and space. And we really do not want you to miss the chance to see the best shooting spots of Val d’Orcia.
Cypress in San Quirico
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 24MM • Ƒ/9 • 1/320 SEC • ISO 100
If there’s a symbol that represents the land of Val d’Orcia, that will be without a doubt the Cypress tree group of San Quirico.
This little group of trees is located in the premises of the town and marks the entrance of the Val d’Orcia area. It can be reached by a side road called “Strada Regionale 2” (the main road from Siena) or through a tiny little path behind the hills. We do recommend both views. The second one involves a beautiful footpath that will lead you to the second group of trees: less known, but totally worth seeing.
You haven’t seen Val d’Orcia if you don’t have a photo of the cypress trees!
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 24MM • Ƒ/10 • 1/320 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/10 • 1/160 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 55MM Ƒ/4 ZA @ Ƒ/5.6 • 1/640 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: Anna Volpi • NIKON D750 • AF-S MICRO NIKKOR 105MM Ƒ/2.8 ED IF VR @ Ƒ/11 • 1/4000 SEC • ISO 2000
Cappella di Vitaleta
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 24MM • Ƒ/4.5 • 1/1000 SEC • ISO 100
While approaching Pienza, you have to invest at least a couple of hours for a little detour down to the stunning Cappella di Vitaleta.
Follow your map instructions, and you will reach a road outside a gate where you can park your car. The church can only be reached on foot, and that’s one of the beauties of this place.
Fifteen minutes of walking. That’s the estimated time according to the distance between the gate and the church. But be sure that it will take you no less than 40 minutes. Why? Because the surrounding valley is so astonishing that you will stop every step to take a shot.
Once you reach the church, the view becomes even better. An almost 360° view of all the valley, with the sky and the sun looking down on you. It’s a sacred moment that you definitely don’t want to miss.
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 55MM Ƒ/4 ZA @ Ƒ/10 • 1/400 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 24MM • Ƒ/8 • 1/400 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 18MM • Ƒ/4.5 • 1/3200 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 18MM • Ƒ/4.5 • 1/3200 SEC • ISO 100
Belvedere
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 24MM • Ƒ/11 • 1.3 SEC • ISO 100
There is only one main road that connects the towns of San Quirico and Pienza. Drive slowly and enjoy the view for just a couple of miles. Look for a lay-by on the right side of the street: if you pay attention, you are not going to miss it because it’s the only one available on this path. Stop the car and park there. Take a few steps towards the valley through the olive grove. Take a seat; this is going to take you a while. Why? Because this is Belvedere, which means a ‘beautiful sight’ in Italian.
Our advice is to come to this site at least twice: once during the broad daylight, maybe for a picnic with your friends surrounded by the poppies. Then, go to sleep early for once and come here for the sunrise. We can assure you will not regret hearing that early alarm clock.
Want to see how to take pictures at sunrise and sunset in Val d’Orcia? Take a look at our blog From Dawn Till Dusk - Val d’Orcia.
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 55MM Ƒ/4 ZA @ Ƒ/11 • 1.3 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 70-200MM Ƒ/4 G OSS @ 200MM • Ƒ/11 • 1/125 SEC • ISO 200
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 19MM • Ƒ/4 • 1/1600 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 24MM • Ƒ/10 • 1/200 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 55MM Ƒ/4 ZA @ Ƒ/14 • 1.3 SEC • ISO 100
Bagni San Filippo Hot Springs
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/4 • 1/500 SEC • ISO 320
As you may have figured out by now, Val d’Orcia is a land of uniqueness, and Bagni San Filippo fits perfectly into the description. The village has less than 100 residents, but everyone knows about this place. Tourists, local people, Italians from the nearby regions: everyone wants to come to the natural hot springs of San Filippo.
The water here contains calcium carbonate deposits, which creates white formations and waterfalls. A paradise if you want to take the shooting of a lifetime and, after that, if you just want to lie down inside the hot water and forget that the world exists.
We do suggest to visit Bagni San Filippo during the week and in the early hours of the day to avoid a large number of people and have the perfect light for your shots.
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/4 • 1/1090 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/4 • 1/3200 SEC • ISO 320
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/6.3 • 1/125 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/5 • 1/1000 SEC • ISO 320
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 12MM • Ƒ/5.6 • 1/160 SEC • ISO 100
The Gladiator Road
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 55MM Ƒ/4 ZA @ Ƒ/4.5 • 1/1600 SEC • ISO 100
“My house is in the hills, a very simple place. Pink stones that warm in the sun, kitchen garden that smells of herbs in the morning, jasmine in the evening.” Maximus - The Gladiator
Director Ridley Scott decided that Val d’Orcia was the perfect home of Maximus, the hero portrayed by Russell Crowe in the awarded movie “The Gladiator”. Scott and his troupe spent 15 days back in late 1999 to film the scene of Maximus’ home and the Elysian Fields, the heaven that awaits our hero.
Today we can follow Maximus’ steps down the same road, which is located just outside Pienza. After you have visited the town, take a moment for yourself and be a hero. The view in front of you feels just like heaven.
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 12-24MM Ƒ/4 G @ 19MM • Ƒ/4.5 • 1/640 SEC • ISO 100
PHOTOGRAPHY: MIRKO FIN • SONY ALPHA 7R MKIII • SONY FE 55MM Ƒ/4 ZA @ Ƒ/4.5 • 1/1000 SEC • ISO 100
And these are just some of the many reasons we are excited to host a seven-day intensive workshop in Tuscany in May 2020. Care to join us? Learn more on our Tuscany Photography Workshop page.
Author: Anna Volpi
The director of the Biennale della Fotografia Femminile (Biennial of Female Photography), Anna Volpi, is an art and travel photographer with Aperture Tours. She is hosting our seven-day intensive Tuscany Photography Workshop in May 2020. Places are limited, so act quickly if you want to be a part of this photographic journey.
Find out more about our Tuscany Photography Workshop
View more of Anna's work at her profile
Photographer: Mirko Fin
Mirko has no limits or disciplines in photography; he looks for the meaning in everything. He finds his life as a photographer as a never-ending challenge, an everlasting expedition. He is hosting our seven-day intensive Tuscany Photography Workshop in May 2020. Places are limited, so act quickly if you want to be a part of this photographic journey.
Find out more about our Tuscany Photography Workshop
View more of Mirko’s work at his profile
