| WHY GO |
| South of Siena lies a remote valley full of surprises, with rolling landscapes, a renaissance 'new town', ancient spas and, most amazingly of all, little sign of tourism. Today, the Val D'Orcia is a destination in itself, and its expansive, sweeping landscape is wildly compelling. The Rome-Florence railway line and most of the road traffic passes well to the east, down the Val di Chiana, leaving Orcia to walkers, cyclists and those who motor rather than drive. Its new-found vocation for luxury is reflected in a proliferation of creative trattorias and wine-and-walking holidays and in the discreet infiltration of Roman and Milanese VIPs. If the trend has slowed down in the past five years, it is only because every last ruined farmhouse has been bought and converted. The other big pull these days is the area's abundance of thermal springs: small-scale private spas are booming, partly because of their glorious Tuscan surroundings. |
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