A trip to Bagno Vignoni and Pienza
Discovering the beauties of the Val d’Orcia by bike
A bike tour through the unique landscape and beauty of the Val d'Orcia: to discover this amazing area of Tuscany, start from the center of San Quirico d'Orcia and cross the area to Pienza. Along the way, you'll find many historic villages and spas and it's a great opportunity to combine the pleasure of history and culture with that of relaxing and well-being.
This easy itinerary is suitable for cyclists with mountain bikes. The route has a height difference of about 360 m. The route includes a dirt road section of 5 km although there's an alternative route which means taking the road from San Quirico d’Orcia to avoid the first uphill section, before taking the SS 2 "Cassia" (a very busy road, not recommended for cyclists) up to the junction for Bagno Vignoni (5 km).
From San Quirico d'Orcia to Bagno Vignoni
Once you’ve gone through the historical center of San Quirico d’Orcia, take the unpaved road that leads to Ripa d’Orcia and the ancient town of Vignoni. After a 2 kilometre climb, turn left for Vignoni, where you’ll start a steep descent into Bagno Vignoni, a small village that’s famous for its thermal bath facilities.
From Bagno Vignoni to Pienza
From Bagno Vignoni, continue downhill until you reach the SS 2 Cassia where you turn left (towards San Quirico). Then, at the first intersection, turn right towards Spedaletto, a town you’ll reach after 4 kilometres of smooth cycling. A little further on, turn left and follow the signs to Pienza. While on this road, cyclists can enjoy the Val d’Orcia’s typical landscape. Once you’ve finished your climb towards Pienza, make sure to stop there. A utopian Renaissance hamlet, it certainly deserves a better look. From here, our journey continues up the beautiful ridge. It’s a 9 km ride to San Quirico d’Orcia.
