Top of the World
At the very heart of Val d’Orcia, nestled in the swirling hills, is the incredibly historic village with probable Etruscan origins, immersed in olive groves, vineyards and oak woods. San Quirico d'Orcia, with its medieval parish churches, is an absolute must-visit. San Quirico d’Orcia develops along one main road that connects the two Romanesque churches at the two ends of the town.
You can walk to one end of the town to the other in a matter of minutes and most of the attractions are along and beside this street. San Quirico was a very important stop in ancient times since it sat right along one of the pilgrimage routes, the Via Francigena, that connected northern Europe to Rome in medieval times. There is ample parking outside of the town right around these walls. You'll enter the town through one of four entrances along the wall. We recommend you start from the northwest entrance so that you can enjoy the view of the front of the Collegiata of the Saints Quirico and Giulitta, a beautiful Romanesque church with Gothic and Baroque additions. As you leave the collegiata you find yourself in the heart of old town San Quirico, made of small car-free streets with cafes, shops and restaurants. San Quirico d’Orcia is also famous for a very special garden, the Horti Leonini.
The Horti date back to 1581, when Francesco I dei Medici donated the land to Diomede Leoni, whose name the gardens adopted. They are a beautiful example or architectural shaped Italian garden and they have largely stayed untouched since the time of their creation, which makes them well worth a visit.
The gardens have two main area, one more manicured and one wild and they are lovely for a walk or for a rest in the shade: San Quirico d’Orcia gets very hot in summer!
Part of the park is a lovely, paved yard with plant pots and trees that on good weather days hosts events and food tasting: it is a lovely location, especially on a summer evening!
