Relais Osteria Dell’Orcia

In the relaxing atmosphere of one of the most fascinating places in Italy, an amazing Relais awaits you in Val d’Orcia. Be our guest in an historical 16th century mansion.

Relais Osteria dell’Orcia is an hotel in Bagno Vignoni, a medieval village well known for its Tuscan thermal Spas. Located in the beautiful countryside, overlooking hills and magnificent landscapes, surrounded by nature, cipressi, silence and serenity, we offer utmost relaxation and wellness holidays.

Our Relais stands out from other Hotels in Bagno Vignoni, thanks to our great location, just 10 minutes walk from Bagno Vignoni city center. A pedestrian path illuminated at night allows you to easily reach the various spas, their modern swimming pools and wellness center.

From our large and green garden embrace by silence, peace and pure beauty, enjoy the view of the thermal waterfalls in total intimacy. Outside of the ever faster running world, our oasis of serenity offers all the space one can dream and provide pleasant and relaxing holidays in Bagno Vignoni.

With 16 beautiful bedrooms, a restaurant, a bar, a garden and a swimming pool for the exclusive use of our guests, we are happy to only be few at a time to enjoy this special Relais.

The landscape near Relais in Val d’Orcia inspired many, including the great poet Mario Luzi, as it hosts villages of Etruscan and medieval origins. The whole Val d’Orcia is an artistic-natural park and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004.

We are framed by ancient history. Bagno Vignoni, a village of Etruscan origin, is famous for its thermal water pool and its thermal water cascade. Pienza – famous for its pecorino cheese – Montepulciano and Montalcino famous for their wines but also Radicofani, recognizable for its splendid tower. Siena is only an hour away from Bagno Vignoni and our Hotel.

The numerous spas of Bagno Vignoni are the ideal destination for wellness holidays. The access free outdoor thermal pools complete the offer of the three modern spas.

We offer the bespoke relaxing massage service. During the summer months, under a gazebo immersed in our orchard and surrounded by the soft music of the nearby Orcia river. In winter in a room set up with all comforts.

ROOMS & SUITES
In the countryside of Siena, the charming rooms of Relais Osteria dell’Orcia offer an enchanting view of the hotel’s garden and the surrounding hills. They all are non smoking: Classic, Superior, Deluxe and Junior Suite. Ready with one-of-a-kind amenities and a special courtesy set of artisanal organic products made in Florence.

JUNIOR SUITE
An exclusive accommodation solution, with sweet four-poster beds that flows elegantly within the surrounding Sienese countryside. A model of balance with beautiful terracotta floors and precious handmade Tuscan furnishings.

DELUXE ROOM
Spacious and elegant, with warm and inviting Tuscan-style furnishings. Colors blend with the surrounding natural scenery for a dream stay. Terracotta floors, view of Bagno Vignoni and Pienza.

SUPERIOR ROOM
A soul that belongs to the Italian “dolce vita” in total harmony with Relais Osteria dell’Orcia ancient history plus this little extra something that truly make you feel at home.

CLASSIC ROOM
Cozy, furnished in Tuscan style with classic decorations, terracotta floors, some with exposed beams, overlooking Bagno Vignoni and the surrounding hills. Intimate and comfortable.

THE RESTAURANT
At La Vecchia Posta enjoy farm to table Italian cuisine and some of the best DOCG wines. About cuisine, each Italian region has its own tradition, we prepare mainly Tuscan dishes. Our menu of the day is an open window into other Italian regional specialities.

Since 1520 we host pilgrims and travellers. Today Eliana perpetuates the tradition in our Tuscan restaurant. As true craftsman, she sublimes fresh raw ingredients without altering them.

Traditional Tuscan dishes prepared with fresh and local ingredients and also from our gardens. An artisanal cuisine at the rhythm of the seasons and filled with love.

Lunches and dinners with à la carte menu and a daily menu every day to vary the pleasures. To be accompanied with local wines and Champagne, our sommelier is here to guide you. A simple and elegant service, an intimate table with candlelit dinners in all seasons.

As true lover of terroir as well as traditional and genuine cuisine, Eliana grows fruits and vegetables in her garden. Every morning she takes time with them.

THE BREAKFAST
With a repertoire of favorites and homemade products, the mornings at the Relais Osteria dell’Orcia take on a different color from the ordinary ones and offer all the prestige and sophistication of the best restaurants. Whether served in the garden or inside the 500-year-old mansion, breakfast caters for all tastes and promises a great start to the day.

THE LUNCH
Have lunch in the shade of the green gardens, pleasant moments of precious relaxation in harmony with the surrounding nature. Every day we prepare fresh pasta with durum wheat flour from Val d’Orcia, as well as sweets and desserts.

SNACKS & DRINKS
At the edge of our swimming pool immersed in the enchanting garden or in front of the fireplace, rediscover the pleasure of living within the present moment while sipping your favorite drink along with homemade snacks. We are at your complete disposal, an exclusive service for the guests of our Relais.

THE DINNER
Under a starry sky, the quietness of the Val d’Orcia hills after sunset provide for your dinner a magical, romantic and highly suggestive atmosphere. Gluten free and vegetarians dishes add themselves to the Tuscan specialities such as Fiorentina di Chianina (T-bone steak) as well as Eliana’s historic cuisine.

NIGHTCAPS
Sip an after dinner under a starry sky in the intimacy of our garden and in the serenity of the Val d’Orcia countryside and in the cooler month in front of the crackling fireplace. A wide choice of spirits and teas, served with chocolates.

GOOD WINES
Carefully selected by our Sommelier from Tuscan and Italian trusty wine makers, as well as a few French ones, our wine list is the added value for every lunch and dinner at La Vecchia Posta Restaurant.

ITALIAN BAR
Emanates from it the warm atmosphere of the Italian “dolce vita”. The perfect place for a club sandwich, a salad or an homemade ice cream; at any time of the day! From the first coffee of the day to the last drink in the evening, the bar is the soul of the peaceful atmosphere of Relais Osteria dell’Orcia.

TUSCAN CUISINE COOKING CLASS
Our Chef, Eliana perpetuate the Tuscan tradition. As true craftsman, she sublime fresh raw ingredients without altering them. To the guest of our Relais we offer the exclusive opportunity to learn how to make hand-made pasta and other Tuscan delicacies with Eliana.

WINE TASTING
Discover our rich Terroirs. Try the marvelous wines produced in Tuscany and famous all over the world, Italian excellences. We tell you the history of local wineries and the magic of wine making.

THE SWIMMING POOL
Among cypresses, jays and oaks, a refreshing bath and the chirping of birds are part of our oasis of peace that Relais Osteria dell’Orcia reserves in exclusivity for its guests. An escape from the busy world not to be missed.

A GREEN OASIS
Take a deep breath, feed your soul with the greenery of Val d’Orcia. How pleasant it is to sip a drink, relax or indulge in reading in the shade of the trees or by the pool. The alchemy of the place is indescribably special: just one visit and you will understand.

MASSAGGES
On the banks of the Orcia river, immersed in our relaxing and silent orchard, allow yourself time for a bespoke treatment. Close your eyes, the tranquility offered by nature takes care of you.

TUSCAN EXPERIENCES
Ultimate Tuscan elegance, wonders of a private residence with concierge service, Italian “dolce vita” and the utmost comfort of our large and green garden. Treat yourself and your loved ones the perfect authentic travel experience in “your second home” in the vibrant heart of Tuscany.

Our concierge is here to help organize an exclusive stay. The surroundings is so extraordinary that it lift you into a dream. A stay with us offers the choice between many outdoor activities: E-bikes, walks, visit to numerous wineries, dairies, truffle hunting, visit ancient cities, museums, live music concert and various festivals.

Locally, we call it: the region of the 5. Montalcino, Montepulciano, Orcia DOC, Montecucco and Morellino. A landscape rich of many internationally recognized wines. Val d’Orcia is also famous for its cheese: Pecorino di Pienza. Made special thanks to the passion of the shepherds and the particularities of the UNESCO pastures.

The famous Via Francigena, traveled by pilgrims for hundreds of years, passes right at the entrance of our Relais. Here, numerous itineraries to discover by foot or by E-bike. Come rain or shine, our concierge sets the tone for a magnificent stay. He can book any activity for you, create customized itineraries and tours with private transfer.

THE FRANCIGENA WAY
The most beautiful and fascinating hikes in the whole of Italy is the Via Francigena! An ancient pilgrims road that reaches Southern England to Rome. Already before 1000 AC, pilgrims walked from the peninsula, they came to the great Roman Empire from the most distant regions.

Relaxation, nature and freedom are the keywords of this exclusive stroll. Among cypresses and mountain paths, countryside beauty and roads free of cars… A dream! Immerse among green hills of the beautiful Val d’orcia – UNESCO heritage site of Tuscany – leaving your mind wander and poetry conquer your heart.

It doesn’t matter where you start from and it doesn’t matter is you are not a famous hiker. The Via Francigena is for everyone! It leads to the eternal city: ROME.

The ideal months for this spiritual or sportive adventure are:

• In spring: April, May and June (find out the Special Offer in Spring at our relais hotel)
• In autumn: September, October and early November (find out the Special Offer in Autumn at our relais hotel)

The summer months are hot and walking is therefore more difficult. Despite this, many lovers of holidays marked by nature’s rythm take advantage of the beautiful and long lasting days to discover Italy and the Via Francigena on foot or by bike.

The winding roads are pleasant to travel by bike and E-bike, serenely, ride the white roads of the Tuscan hills. The CicloVia Francigena is signposted from the Colle del Gran San Bernardo and up to Rome with adhesive strips and white-blue arrows as well as the writtings “CicloVia Francigena” and/or the pilgrim symbol surrounded by a bicycle wheel. Easy!

In total you will find 23 bike stops of an average of about 50 kilometers (30 miles) each. The bicycle trail includes numerous secondary roads with little traffic. Instead, the pedestrian path favors dirt roads.

The Relais Osteria dell’Orcia is located along Stage 36 of the Via Francigena. This stretch of the Via Francigena that passes in front of our entrance is a classic starting point, as well as the ideal stop for walkers and cyclists.

The Via Francigena and the CicloVia Francigena meet right here, in Bagno Vignoni! For those who love to try an exciting and unforgettable adventure, in the vibrant heart of Tuscany and near Siena

Those who walk the Via Francigena, enjoying doing so the Val d’Orcia, you will pass through the medieval village of Vignoni Alto, but also by Bagno Vignoni itself, a spa center of great charm, as well as the historic center of our Castiglione d’Orcia and Rocca d’Orcia.

Continuing our way towards Rome, it becomes impossible to resist the temptation to climb to the fortress of Radicofani. From there you can admire a panorama that is worth all the steep street made to get there. The Via Francigena offers a show that invites every traveler to conquer their heart in what appears to be a paradise.

This experience in Val d’Orcia will give everyone a few days with a sense of authenticity and freedom from the fast and demanding world. At the fondation of a different kind of holiday, relaxing and in complete freedom, to try absolutely!

PIENZA SHEEP CHEESE 
The sheep Cheese made in Pienza is knowned around the world as “Pecorino di Pienza”. The very special and traditional aging process takes place in wooden barriques, but that is not all what gives it this special taste acclamed by all.

Let’s find out more about the secret behind such delicious flavours and why can they be achieved only in Pienza, then let’s find out together where is it best to taste it.

Sheep cheese made in Pienza are not a DOP (the Italian label for “protected designation of origin”) and therefore cheeses might be called “Pecorino di Pienza” even if they are produced outside the territory of Pienza, the city build by Pope Pio II.

At the end of this article we tell you where you can taste and buy this delicious cheese. But first we need to make a brief introduction for us to understand better what makes it so special. The real Pecorino di Pienza stands out from all the other sheep cheeses (also called Pecorino in Italian), no matter how good they can be.

This is thanks to the specific spontaneous grass and aromatic herbs present in the pastures around Pienza. This set of herbs ensure a milk with flavors typical of the local terroir. That result in a milk with unique flavors for a cheese different from all the others.

In Pienza cheese taste even better as our happy sheep friends graze in the meadows of the Val d’Orcia, the UNESCO Worldwide Heritage Site of Tuscany. Pastures around Pienza stand out thanks to the presence of those three herbs:

• L’Artemesia
• il Barbabecco
• il Mentastro

This particular set of plants creates a real paradise for the production of Pecorino di Pienza cheese. To make an exceptional cheese, to the rich flavors of Val d’Orcia’s pastures and the happy sheeps were only missing Italian traditions and ancestral knowledge of cheese making.

As you may have already guessed, the production of a good Pecorino begins with a good pasture and happy sheep! Without this it is not possible to obtain a cheese with intense and complex flavors.

Many think that all the aromas and flavors of the local pastures would be reset by pasteurizing milk. It would make milk more neutral. For many, raw milk is the only way to enhance the terroir.

The milk is heated to a temperature of around 27/28 ° C (80/82°F). Then rennet is added. Rennet are the good microbiology that transform the milk in delicious sheep cheese. They eat the milk and transformed it into a kind of yogurt name “curd”. Once the curd is formed we proceed in making a fresh cheese or a mature cheese.

• for aged Pienza sheep cheese: once formed, the curd is heat up at 37 °C (99F)
• for fresh Pienza sheep cheese there is no need to further heat the curd. The curd is place into forms (containers that give the final form to the cheese) and left to aged a few hours to a few days before being ready to eat.

After processing and salting, the Pecorino Cheese we like to aged is put into containers to give it is final form and left to mature for at least 90 days in oak barriques.

The cheese will have different flavors and aromas depending on the aging process and the feed the sheep gets during its life. Pecorino di Pienza stands out from the others sheep cheese for its variety of flavors: strong if the sheep have been fed on pasture, more delicate if they are raised with cereals.

Rooms: 16

Price: from 145 EUR per night

Source: www.osteriadellorcia.com