Pienza

Pienza is a city in the Val d'Orcia region of Tuscany, Italy.

View of Pienza

Understand

Pienza, formerly the village of Corsignano, was renamed and redesigned as a completely planned Gothic town, in honor of and at the command of the most famous of all its inhabitants in history, Pope Pius II (1405-1464; reigned as Pope starting in 1458). Its Centro Storico is a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO's listing for Pienza can be seen at this link.

Get in

Buses run from Montepulciano (8/day 30 minutes), Montalcino (10/day change to line #114 in Torrenieri, lengthy changing time) and Siena (SITA runs several, though the exact number varies by season, 1 hour 15 minutes travel time; however, the latest bus returning from Pienza always leaves at 14:44).

Get around

Walk. There's no need for public transit in this compact town.

See

Piazza Pio II

• Piazza Pio II A grand & elegant square, surrounded by the city hall, with its bell tower, & the Piccolomini family palace
• Duomo It dominates the Piazza, with a fine interior & beautiful windows
• Palazzo Piccolomini, ☎ [phone]. Once home of Pius II & the Piccolomini family, it can be visited with a 30 minute guided tour. €3.50, open tuesday to sunday 10:00-12:30 & 3:00-6:00, closed Monday & in the winter. 
• The Diocesan Museum is filled with church paintings from the 12th to 17th centuries, €4.10, open Wednesday to Monday 10:00-1:00 & 3:00-7:00. closed Tuesday, open only on weekends in winter, on Corso il Rossellino
• View Terrace To the left of the church is a lane leading to a panorama of the countryside

Do

Doors in the Centro Storico

• Tourist Information, fax: [phone]. The office is just up the street from Piazza Pio II, open Monday to Saturday 10:00-1:00 & 3:00-7:00, closed Sunday, you can leave your bags here. Telephone & 
• Market Day is Friday

Buy

Eat

• Latte di Luna. has indoor & outdoor seating 
• La Taverna di Re Artu, Via della Rosa. open daily 10:30-8:30. serves bruschetta & a wide variety of wine 
• Ristorante dal Falco is a modern place with outdoor & indoor seating, €6 pastas, open Saturday to Thursday 12:00-3:00 & 7:00-10:00, closed Friday, on Piazza Dante Alighieri. Telephone: [phone], open Wednesday to Monday 12:30-2:30 & 7:30-9:30, closed Tuesday, at Porta al Giglio on Via San Carlo. Telephone: [phone]

Drink

Sleep

The Romanesque Pieve di Corsignano

• Agriturismo Le Macchie, Monticchiello di Pienza, ☎ [phone]. Farmhouse. 
• Agriturismo Terrapille It's right below Pienza on a bluff, 4 rooms & 2 apartments, pool, on route #18 towards Monticchiello. Double w/bathroom €95, Quadruple w/bathroom €160, breakfast €7.50, dinner on request for €25. Telephone: [phone] Mobile: [phone]
• Oliviera Camere Six simple rooms, breakfast in room, cash only, owner doesn't speak English. Double w/bathroom €50, on Via Condotti. Telephone: [phone] Mobile: [phone]
• Il Giardino Segreto Camere Six rooms with a lovely, quiet garden, Double w/bathroom €62, apartment €67, on Via Condotti. Telephone: [phone] Mobile: [phone]

Go next

Buses leave for Siena (6/day 90 minutes) & Montepulciano (8/day 30 miuntes). Buy bus tickets from bar right buy town gate.

Aside from these towns, the cities of Florence, Pisa, & San Gimignano are great to go to