Pienza

I've just come back from such an astonishing area of Italy, and the more I keep going there the more I'm sure one day I'll be living there. UNESCO World Heritage since 2004 has its most popular site in Pienza. From the first moment you enter the walls of this enchanting town you feel you've jumped back in time, and by the time you arrive in the main square Piazza Pio II you'll be sure you're in one of the most beautiful places on earth. The history and the sense of majesty you get from the impressive buildings all together in such a small area (in order of appearance coming from La Porta al Prato you'll have Palazzo Piccolomini, la Cattedrale dell'Assunta and the city hall opposite side of it) has nothing to envy the world famous Piazza dei miracoli in Pisa. The town is so tiny you can visit it in an hour or less, but after you got lost in the sweet alleys and visited the few shops selling the exquisite local products (the pecorino di Pienza and the deliscious wines are just some of them), don't forget to take a walk to "la passeggiata" and get an idea of what Val d'Orcia means. From here you can have a 180 degrees view of the underlying valley in a silent state of mind lulled by the birds singing and the cipresso trees...another symbol of Tuscany. It's useless to mention the places you could have unforgettable meals at. You can either sit in one of the "many" restaurants in town, or you can just have a sandwich made for you from the grocery stores filled with uncomparable tastes. One of my favourite wines to drink next to it is the one coming from the "Cantine Ripa d'Orcia", but as long as you stick with any wine coming from the surrounding areas you won't be disappointed...from the cheapest one to the most expensive.
(to be continued soon with more words and images...)