This stage marks the transition from the Val d’Arbia to the famous Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Among farmhouses, rows of cypress trees and cultivated fields, the path leads to Buonconvento, a fortified village of unspoiled charm, with its 14ᵗʰ-century walls, the Santi Pietro e Paolo Church as well as the Museum of Sacred Art.

Skirting the provincial road to Montalcino, you pass through the famous Brunello vineyards to Torrenieri, referred to by Sigeric as “Turreiner,” where there is the Santa Maria Maddalena Church as well as refreshment points and access to water. Continue along a section of the disused Cassia then to dirt roads with spectacular views of the Val d’Orcia.

Your arrival to San Quirico is marked by the Santi Quirico e Giulitta Collegiate Church and the Horti Leonini, a refined Renaissance garden.

Set in the splendid Palazzo Ricci Socini in the historic center, the Val d’Arbia Sacred Art Museum is a fine example of Art Nouveau architecture in the heart of Buonconvento. Established in 1926 thanks to the work of the Parish Priest, Father Crescenzio Massari, it preserves works from local parishes and churches. The exhibition traces the history of Sienese painting from the 13ᵗʰ to 19ᵗʰ centuries, with masterpieces by Duccio di Buoninsegna, Pietro Lorenzetti, Matteo di Giovanni, Brescianino and Rutilio Manetti. In addition to the paintings, sacred furnishings, ancient goldsmithing works and an impressive marble tabernacle from the 15ᵗʰ century are on display, testifying to the deep spirituality of Val d’Arbia.

Housed in an old farmhouse near the village walls, the Museo della Mezzadria in Buonconvento tells the story of the rural life that shaped the Tuscan countryside until the 1960s, with a focus on the sharecropping system, entrenched here since the Middle Ages. The museum reconstructs environments, faces and gestures of rural civilization through photographs, original objects, films and multimedia stations. Spread over two floors, the exhibition journey leads visitors from the threshing to daily life in the farmhouses, offering an authentic immersion into a world that has now disappeared. Educational activities enrich the experience, especially for younger visitors.

Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy’s great red wines, a noble expression of the Sangiovese grape variety, locally called “Brunello.” Developed in the second half of the 19ᵗʰ century through a targeted selection of the grape variety, it achieved worldwide fame with the DOCG granted in 1980, with the first issuance of the appellation in Italy. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes and aged for at least 5 years, it is distinguished by its deep ruby color, complex aroma and warm, structured and persistent taste. Ideal with Florentine steak, game, roasts and aged cheeses, it is also a wine to be slowly sipped and appreciated in its best vintages. A symbol of elegance and depth that comes from a unique terroir.

The Val d’Orcia is an inimitable cultural landscape, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and protected as a Artistic, Natural and Cultural Park. It embraces the towns of Castiglione d’Orcia, Montalcino, Pienza, Radicofani and San Quirico d’Orcia, where the interaction between man and nature has created a perfect balance: hills, vineyards, gravel roads and cypress trees narrate centuries of rural history and Renaissance art. The park promotes slow tourism, with walking routes to Pienza and Monticchiello for example, in addition to the Via Francigena. Also located within are the historic hot springs of Bagno Vignoni and Bagni San Filippo, immersed in evocative and rejuvenating landscapes.

In the heart of San Quirico d’Orcia stands the splendid Santi Quirico e Giulitta Collegiate Church, an extraordinary example of Romanesque architecture with Gothic and Renaissance elements, built on the remains of an ancient parish church.
It is distinguished by its 3 portals, each unique. The main one, from the 12ᵗʰ century, has columns supported by lions and a lunette with Saint Quirico. The side one, attributed to Giovanni Pisano (1288), is supported by caryatids while the third, from the 18ᵗʰ century, mixes Gothic and Romanesque elements.

The interior preserves an altarpiece by Sano di Pietro and an extraordinary inlaid wooden choir by Antonio Barili, sourced from the Siena Cathedral, a fine example of Renaissance cabinet-making, with pictorial and three-dimensional effects obtained with skillful use of wood.

The Horti Leonini is an extraordinary example of an Italian garden, created around 1580 by Diomede Leoni on land donated by Francesco I de’ Medici. Located in the heart of San Quirico d’Orcia, the original layout remains unchanged. The lower, geometric area is punctuated by triangular flowerbeds bordered by hedges and dominated by the statue of Cosimo III de’ Medici. The upper, more natural area is crisscrossed by paths and enriched by sculptures, such as the head of the “Giano bifronte” (a two-faced statue of Janus). A travertine staircase connects the two areas, leading to the remnants of the medieval Keep. Since 1971, they have hosted the international sculpture exhibition “Forme nel Verde” (“Shapes in the Green”), a union between art and landscape.