Explore Pienza and Palazzo Piccolomini
Pienza, Italy
Pienza makes the Renaissance idea of an ordered city unusually tangible. Begin around Piazza Pio II, then enter Palazzo Piccolomini to see how domestic architecture, garden and landscape were brought into a single composition. The loggia’s view across Val d’Orcia gives the visit its most revealing moment: the countryside becomes part of the design. Continue through the surrounding lanes at an unhurried pace, allowing the small town to feel like more than a scenic stop.