San Quirico d'Orcia, Bagno Vignoni and Rome Airport

We packed early, had our last italian breakfast and headed out of Pienza - we had the whole day to reach Rome Airport, so we called into a charming walled town on the northern edge of Val d'Orcia - it was going to be our last "walled town" fix in Tuscany. This town was called San Quirico d'Orcia.

Parking and access was easy - it was not 100 plus stairs up this time !

Our first stop was at Horti Leonini Botanical Gardens

laid out by Diomede Leoni in 1580

Peaceful - we were the only ones there

La Collegiata was built on the site of the old (pleban) church which dated from the 8th Century.

It was rebuilt in the 12 Century, the main portal is in Lombard style, a decorated protiro in sandstone, with columns supported by lions.

There is another bell tower at the rear of the Collegiata

It's flora at the top caught my eye!

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Beside the Collegiata is the Palazzo Chigi (Magistrate's palace) built in 17th Century

and its huge "porte del morto" - doors of the dead - why, I don't know!.

Very quiet houses of Piazza Chigi

Porte Cappucini

The Brig grabs a seat, while I read the sign outside this boutique hotel.

Just delightful!

then we wander back towards the car along the narrow streets within the wall

San Quirico has 14 small towers

and around the exterior edge of parts of its wall - are thriving "vegie" gardens.

A very peaceful couple of hours in San Quirico d'Orcia

Our next stop not far from San Quirico is Bagno Vignoni

The name of this village derives from Vignoni, an 11th century castle whose traces dominate the hill over the village.

Bagno Vignoni is a tiny medieval spa village - just a handful of houses

It is full of hot sulfurous water that bubbles up to the surface

from the volcanic rocks deep underground

The healing quality of the water has been known since Roman times

It is said that both St Catherine of Sienna (14th Century) and Lorenzo the Magnificent sought a cure here.

There is a huge Piazze containing an arcaded stone lined pool - full of hot sulfurous waters, constructed by the Medici

which is no longer used,

but there are other places including the upmarket Spa Hotels - where one can find their cure.

Unfortunately, we now have to leave the Val d'Orcia, and head south via the Motorway to the Hertz returns area at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. This was a task we were dreading, but it was oh so simple . We manoevred the car to the right spot, were greeted by a charming young italian, the car did not have one mark on it, we found a trolley for our bags, and headed direct to International Departures, another great experience.

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Well we spent 5 superb weeks in Italy, BUT it has taken me 5 months to recount it - oh well!