A breathtaking journey through the picturesque Val d’Orcia, exploring the enchanting medieval towns of Montalcino, Castiglione d’Orcia, and Radicofani and their magnificent fortresses
Archivi della categoria: Stories in English
Itineraries: Going wine-tasting in Brunello di Montalcino Wineries
In the Northern part of the enchanting Val d’Orcia lies the wonderful medieval town of Montalcino, home to one of the world’s most esteemed red wines, the Brunello di Montalcino. This extraordinary wine is renowned for its elegance and for its complexity, is crafted from the Sangiovese grape
There’s a dragon in the sky, but you think it’s a pagoda
(An ode to the imaginative power of clouds) Pareidolia is a situation in which someone sees a pattern or image of something that does not exist, for example a face in a cloud [definition taken from the Cambridge Dictionary] In other words, pareidolia is the phenomenon whereby we see various shapes – human faces, animals, objects – in clouds (or other messy images that we are not interestedContinuaContinua a leggere “There’s a dragon in the sky, but you think it’s a pagoda”
It’s the plough that ploughs the furrow, but it’s the SUV (front-wheel drive)*** that gets stuck in the mud
Country roads, when it rains, can become muddy, impassable traps, especially for those who, driving an SUV*** – strictly front-wheel drive – trust that they can overcome (almost) any obstacle because their car looks like an off-roader. It looks like an off-roader. Between September and October 2023, at least 13 cars were stuck at theContinuaContinua a leggere “It’s the plough that ploughs the furrow, but it’s the SUV (front-wheel drive)*** that gets stuck in the mud”
Paths and thoughts
I really enjoy taking long walks in nature. Every day, either in the morning or in the afternoon – it depends on when my commitments allow me to do so – I put on my jersey and battle trousers, a pair of comfortable, sturdy-soled trail shoes, and I set off into the hills, accompanied byContinuaContinua a leggere “Paths and thoughts”
Our five senses are not enough
First there is sight It is through the eyes that you can fill your soul with beauty with the succession of panoramas majestic in their splendour. Cypress trees and villages, farms that seem painted on hilltops, and dust-white roads that separate field from fields and mark the way to the next wonder. There is hearing,ContinuaContinua a leggere “Our five senses are not enough”
Torrenieri, the northern gateway to the Val d’Orcia
In Val d’Orcia, the journey begins at Torrenieri, a peaceful village with a rich history. The road to Val d’Orcia from Siena offers stunning views of fields and vineyards. Torrenieri, an essential resting place for travelers, is also part of the beautiful Via Francigena. Visitors can explore the area by foot, bike, or motorbike and experience the tranquility and natural beauty that Val d’Orcia has to offer.
Encounters
If there is one thing you can be sure of when you take a walk or a bike ride along the country roads of the Val d’Orcia, especially in the period from March to October, and then in December and January, it is that you meet people from all corners of the earth and fromContinuaContinua a leggere “Encounters”
Why the sky?
The fields, the hills, the vineyards, the trees, the farms, and the mesmerizing sight of the meadows dancing in the wind… They are all on the ground the elements that make up the panoramas of the Val d’Orcia, those landscapes that hundreds of thousands of tourists each year immortalize in millions of photographs. Yet, asContinuaContinua a leggere “Why the sky?”
Welcome to Val d’Orcia
I don’t quite know how to answer to those who ask me what is so special about the Val d’Orcia. To say that it is enchanting would be reductive, and it is not easy for me to explain why. I have lived in different parts of the world, and visited many others, but the feelingContinuaContinua a leggere “Welcome to Val d’Orcia”
www.valdorciaskies.com 