Pienza is a picturesque Tuscan town situated on a hill above the Val d'Orcia. Its historic center is a UNESCO site and its walls offer one of the most beautiful panoramas in Tuscany.
Pienza owes its present appearance to Pope Pius II. After ascending the throne, he decided to rebuild his hometown according to the Renaissance assumptions of an ideal city. In this way, buildings were created that can be admired to this day. The heart of the city is Pio II Square, with the 15th-century Renaissance cathedral next to it. The walled Old Town is small, intersected by cobbled streets crossing at right angles. There are townhouses and city palaces, such as Piccolomini Palace and Borgia Palace. Today, there are restaurants, cafes and handicraft shops in the historic houses.
There is a very well-preserved rim of the city walls around the Old Town. The most monumental ones are those from the south, towering over the Val d'Orcia valley. It is one of the best viewpoints in this picturesque region and you can see, among others, one of the greatest attractions of Pienza and the whole of Tuscany, the Gladiator's Road lined with cypresses.
Pienza's location in one of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany makes it a good base for hiking in the surrounding hills. In turn, the city walls are a great vantage point, especially eagerly visited by photographers at sunrise and sunset.
