The Orcia Doc Wineries along the Pilgrimage of the Francigena Route

The hiker and pilgrim friendly Orcia wineries

Along the long piece of road Buonconvento-Radicofani along the Francigena Route you can appreciate the breathtaking scenery of the Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi , home to the “most beautiful wine in the world” , Orcia Doc. It is territory with a enormous cultural wealth where some of the most famous towns of art in the world can be found: San Quirico d’Orcia, Pienza, Montalcino, San Giovanni d’Asso,Trequanda, Radicofani and Castiglione d’Orcia.

The Via Francigena goes from Canterbury to Rome and was the protagonist of trade and cultural exchanges between pilgrims and the communities of the valley. The first travel diary of the area dates back to the year 990 and was written by the Archbishop Sigerico travelling to the Pope in Rome. This centuries old function of the ancient  route still lives today in what is called slow tourism; a holiday at a slow pace in contact with nature in all its forms, proposing knowledge of the territory, paying attention to local resources and their valorization  and respecting the environment.

These elements characterize the project of the Consortium called “Orcia, the most beautiful wine in the world”. This initiative has the aim of transforming tourists into consumers and connoisseurs of Orcia wine. There are two proposals, “Wineries with a View” where peaceful panoramic spots have  explicative panels, places to sit and explanations in two languages of what can be seen in the area; and “Hiker friendly wineries “ which offer tourists and pilgrims shelter, water, use of the toilet and a local phone call in case of bad weather or extreme heat.

So in the piece of Francigena route from Buonconvento to Radicofani  there is no lack of welcoming spots for hikers or pilgrims. They can stay in suitably equipped structures such as hostels or refuges listed on the site www.viefrancigene.org ; or take advantage of the cordial hospitality of the producers of Orcia wineries to be found along the route to regain their forces and perhaps taste a good glass of Orcia Doc wine.