Pienza, Tuscany

This charming and very tiny (population 2000) village is widely known as the "ideal city of the Renaissance", the creation of the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini who later became Pope Pius II. Piccolomini had the money and influence to transform his birthplace village into what he considered the Utopian city should be. It is also one of the most picturesque towns siting in the Val d'Orcia, essentially quintessential tuscan topography. Not only that but there's cheese! Every first Sunday in September, Pienza celebrates one of its main products, pecorino cheese. In fact, Pienza is considered the “capital” of pecorino cheese, because of its high quality due to the fact that the cheese is made from an especially flavoursome and aromatic milk thanks to sheep pastures in Val d'Orcia.Read more