Val d’Orcia is a picturesque region of Tuscany that is around a two-hour train ride from Florence. It includes several amazing villages, castles, hamlets, and farmhouses that visitors can get to all in one short trip. The entire area is protected as a natural park. The medieval castles are not to be missed, nor is the village of Pienza, called the “Ideal City”. Other famous villages include Radicofani and Montalcino, which has a 14th-century fortress offering stunning views of the valley and some of the region’s finest wine.