Pienza, Tuscany
Title: | Pienza, Tuscany | |||||||
Category: | Destinations We Visit on Our Chianti Vacations | |||||||
Author: | Daniele Pintaudi | Updated: | Jan 30, 2019 | Views: | 4,252 | |||
Tags: | pienza pienza tuscany pecorino cheese piena small town tuscany borgo in tuscany |
Say Cheese. Yes, while you may associate Tuscany with wine, Pienza is all about its amazing Pecorino cheese, and as such it is lined with cheese shops offering tasting after tasting. But that is by no means where it ends, because Pienza is widely considered to be the most beautiful town in Tuscany, yet it is not ravaged by mass tourism!
Pienza is so beautiful that in 1996, the United Nations declared it a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
The views are simply to die for, the flowers everywhere are breathtaking, and what couple can ever resist taking their picture here under the sign for "Via Dell Amore"?
Pienza History
In 1459, Pope Pius II, who was born here decided to rebuild this entire town as "the ideal rennaissance town". This was the world's first application of humanist urban planning. As such, the goal was to create a functional and beautiful town, which has truly withstood the test of time.
Getting There
Most of our itineraries take us here between our winery visits to Montalcino and Montepulciano. If coming on your own, you will find Pienza between Montepulciano and Montalcino.
Need to Know
Give yourself a couple hours here, and be sure to take advantage of cheese tastings. The town is small, but be sure to venture past the Duomo to the Balcony, where you will find the most beautiful views, as well as Via dell Amore.