The landscapes north of Rome are quintessential Tuscan with open vistas and mountains in the distance and hilltop towns.
The road leading ups to Pienza. A great place to stay and use as a base to explore from.
Below The old olive press where we stayed.
Montepulciano
The Monastery of San Antimo -a Norman era building with a rounded nave
Above below The monastery of Sant’Anna in Camprena stands around seven kilometres from Pienza, in the middle of a beautiful oasis of green. It was founded by Bernardo Tolomei and inhabited from 1334 onward, but between 1400 and 1500, it was completely remodelled into the form that we see today. The Italian-American director Anthony Minghella chose Sant’Anna to shoot some of the most famous scenes of his film The English Patient.
Below the Piccolomini Gardens of Pienza looking south.
Above photo courtesy wikipedia commons