Type: landscape, historical, and cultural
Approximate distance: 70 km (recharge at Bagno Vignoni)
This itinerary follows one of the most significant stretches of the Val d’Orcia, reading the territory through its historical functions of passage, rest, and control, along the Via Francigena axis. It starts from Radicofani, one of the key points of the route, where the fortress dominates a harsh and engraved landscape, marked by badlands and bare ridges, designed to observe and govern movements along the valley.
♨️ Bagni San Filippo: refreshment along the way
Heading south, you reach Bagni San Filippo, a natural stopping place for travelers and pilgrims since antiquity. The thermal springs, exploited since Roman times, offered healing and refreshment to those traveling the Francigena and the secondary connection routes. Here the hot water emerges directly in the woods, shaping the landscape with travertine formations and creating an environment where nature and historical function coincide.
🏘️ Campiglia d’Orcia: the village of passage
The route continues towards Campiglia d’Orcia, a small center linked to historical road network and the direct relationship with the countryside. Here the Val d’Orcia is read as an inhabited and worked territory, where villages and farms developed in relation to the flows along the Francigena, offering hospitality, resources, and control of the surrounding territory.
🏰 Castiglione d’Orcia and Rocca di Tentennano: overlooking the valley
The stop at Castiglione d’Orcia, dominated by the Rocca di Tentennano, allows one to understand the defensive logic of the medieval Val d’Orcia. The fortresses are not isolated elements, but part of a visual and strategic network that dialogues with Radicofani, controlling access to the valley and the tracks of the Francigena and side roads.
♨️ Bagno Vignoni: the Francigena as an urban space
The symbolic heart of the itinerary is Bagno Vignoni, one of the most representative places on the Via Francigena. Here the thermal water occupies the central square, transforming the natural resource into public space. For centuries, pilgrims, merchants, and travelers found refreshment in this unique place, where the journey, body care, and community life coincide. Today, Bagno Vignoni also represents a functional stop for recharging the electric vehicle, before continuing the route.
🏡 Contignano: the daily Val d’Orcia
Before returning to Radicofani, the itinerary touches Contignano, a small village that restores the slow and domestic rhythm of the Val d’Orcia. Here the agricultural landscape, the essential architecture, and the size of the village recount the daily life that accompanied the passage along the Francigena for centuries.
Why choose it
An ideal itinerary for those who want to read the Val d’Orcia as a travel territory, shaped by the Via Francigena, the use of water, and a system of villages and fortresses designed to welcome, protect, and control movement. Perfect for those seeking a unified historical and landscape reading, where every stop is part of a coherent narrative of journey, rest, and human settlement.
