Val d'Orcia

The landscape of Val d’Orcia is part of the agricultural hinterland of Siena, redrawn and developed when it was integrated in the territory of the city-state in the 14th and 15th centuries to reflect an idealized model of good governance and to create an aesthetically pleasing picture. The landscape’s distinctive aesthetics, flat chalk plains out of which rise almost conical hills with fortified settlements on top, inspired many artists. Their images have come to exemplify the beauty of well-managed Renaissance agricultural landscapes. The inscription covers: an agrarian and pastoral landscape reflecting innovative land-management systems; towns and villages; farmhouses; and the Roman Via Francigena and its associated abbeys, inns, shrines, bridges, etc - http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1026

I have almost nothing to say about this particular area, except that we failed to find any signs with UNESCO logos on it. The closest we got was the above, which at least had part of the place name and acts as proof that we were there. Unless you are irrationally keen on UNESCO sites like we are, definitely no reason to go out of your way to visit the area...

[We don't even have a Flickr album for this!]