jtmt1024

Has anyone ever stayed in San Quirico d' Orcia ? We stayed in Pienza for 3 nights last year and loved it. Just thought about trying someplace new in the same area. Any suggestions? I know they are so close to each other but we have to be in that area.

taconictraveler

Well, I have stayed quite near San Quirico, at a house called Riguardino, so San Quirico was "our" town -- but that was before some of the new places to stay. It is a great town, now has B & B's nearby rental apartments, etc., and a couple of new restaurants (which we will be going to in June, when we stay nearby again) - but I have also used Pienza as "our" town, on a later trip to the area.
When I was last there, Pienza had more restaurants and more things to do and see, but that was n 2001., so things might have changed.
Frankly I don't think you can go wrong in either town. As you seem to know already, the val d'Orcia is a marvelous area.

So, I guess it depends on what kind of accommodations you want to have.

FWIW: We are renting a house on the property of La Foce. Take a look at that website: www.lafoce.com I've stayed there before and this time am going with DH.

Plus there are other wonderful houses, and hotels all around. If you find anything specific, I'd be glad to comment if I know it.

In any case, it will be a wonderful trip. When are you going?

bilboburgler

Pienza, biggish town a bit tarted up down one strip (these popes eh).
San Q, small town, far simpler but prettier fewer big draws but pleasant.

I'd do San Q

bobthenavigator

I love San Quirico--very non-touristy and has a feel of being the real thing. We stayed at Palazzo del Capitano but there are also small apts. and a nice Agriturismo on the edge of town. You must go just to see the old geezers at Bar Centrale---they are the real thing for sure.

taconictraveler

Hey, Bob, so glad the old geezers are still there!! Are the cute little old ladies still sitting next to the entrance to the Horti Leonini?? what fun that was in 1998 and 2000 and hoping it hasn't changed much. yes, very un-touristy then, and hopefully still now. It's true that Pienza was more well-known so maybe it's the same now.

jtmt1024

Thanks all for your the input. Still haven't made up our minds yet. Our friends will be in Pienza. We're going in Sept. before we go on a Med. cruise.( a fist for us) Just wanted to visit Tuscany again before hitting the high seas.
What about Colle di Val d'Elsa ? Another friend will be there but it seems almost too far for those day trips to Pienza,Cortona, Montepulciano. Has anyone ever stayed there?
If we decide on San Q it will be at Palazzo del Capitano.

plufmud

We stayed at Palazzo del Capitano in Sept.2008. Even though the hotel was fine, there aren't any restaurants in town. We dined at Pienza, Montacino, etc and then have to drive on a curvy road back to hotel after drinking our vino. We plan to stay in Pienza or Montepulciano for our next trip.

bobthenavigator

I disagree--I think there are 2 good places to eat in San Quirico--not gourmet but quite authentic.

carolsc

I too loved San Quirico; not crazy with tourists. I loved walking the streets and alleys in the evenings. And Bob's right... We had a very nice restaurant right next to our apartment. Had a lovely bottle of brunello with dinner

carolsc

bilboburgler

Colle has restaurants just very typical. Went into one and they were having a party, let us join in.

Hotels not so great but the town being on two levels is great fun

DonnaD44

We have an apartment just south of San Quirico, off the SS2 and we go there often for dinner or an afternoon stroll. It's very peaceful and possible to walk the perimeter of the town in less than an hour. The two restaurants we frequent are Il Pozzo and Al Vecchio Forno--both very good. There is also a great bakery just across the street outside the porta nearest the Horta Leonini--wonderful cookies!

StuDudley

This was put together by our closest friends who had an apt in San Quirico

Restaurants in San Quirico d’Orcia 8/06

Osteria Il Tinaio – via Dante Alighieri 35 (main street)-closed Thurs. 0577-898347.
7-8 tables outside, pleasant inside. Everything is good. One of our favorites.

Al Vecchio Forno – Via Piazzola,8 (side street – turn right just past Bar Centrale) closed Wed.- 0577-897380. Roberto, the owner, is very friendly. Tell him you know Marco and Georgina and you may get a slight discount. In summer, they open their lovely, large outside garden! Everything is good.

Le Contrade –(on a residential side street–go thru the arch by Bar Centrale down the right side hill to their sign and turn left)-closed Mon. 0577-89.80.98. Casual, some tables outside. Excellent thin crust pizzas with about 40 selections. Wines local, service friendly, portions generous and prices reasonable. They offer fish on Friday night.

La Locanda di Fonte alla Vena – via Dante Alighieri 137a (turn left out of the courtyard and head to the bottom of the hill) – closed Mon. 0577-89.99.45. Well prepared Tuscan food, reasonable, friendly service.

La Bottega di Ciacco – via Dante Alighieri 30a (across from Bar Centrale). 0577-89.73.12.
3/2006 New chef owner has made this restaurant a culinary delight. It IS the best restaurant in town. Beautiful presentations and deliciously different fare with pleasant atmosphere.

Castello di Ripa d’Orcia – about 3 miles out of town on an interesting country dirt road – follow their signs. Closed Mon. – 0577-89.73.76. This restaurant is in a country inn which is a small, private medieval village with a castle. The only way to see this fascinating medieval village is to have dinner there. Go early to walk around and if warm enough, have a drink outside taking in the panoramic view. Good food. Definitely worth the trip.

La Piccheria – via Dante Alighieri, 54. 0577-89.82.49. Closed Tues. Very reasonable. Local cuisine. If they are busy, the service can be very slow.

Trattoria Bar Osenna – via dante Alighieri 42. 0577-89.75.41. Closed Wed. Has always been a bar. 5/06 added a trattoria menu of typical Tuscan cooking. Reasonable. Outside dining in the back.

Bar La Torre – next to the Coop. Very simple fare with reasonable prices.

Stu Dudley

Lynnczimm

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tuscanlifeedit

I wouldn't stay in Colle Val d'Elsa. It isn't in the way of the other places you mention. Upper town is shut very tight during afternoons, and pretty small, too.

Perhaps it is fun to have the town on two levels, but we didn't get to explore the lower town, which wasn't, to us, as pretty as the older upper section.

DickieG

Il Forno has good food but the treat is the rear garden with white lights strung around the trees in summer. Incredible atmosphere.

SQ is one of my favourite village in the world along with Hopetown in the Bahamas and Beaufort NC.

zeppole

This thread is a couple of years old.

I agree that San Quirico is a lot like Beaufort, North Carolina, and especially that it attracts the same kind of people.

It is interesting that people used to cherish San Quricio d'Orcia because it was less "touristy." You so often read on Fodor's people scolding others for caring about that and saying it is a really silly thing to think about when you pick a destination in Tuscany, because it is all touristy now. But it turns out that even very recently it used to matter a lot to people. Much more than food (which San Quirico is definitely not known for, unless that six-year old list has gotten any updates).

Piccolina

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