Set in the heart of the breathtaking Val d’Orcia, the ancient spa village of Bagno Vignoni, and its unique main square occupied by a gigantic thermal pool, is amongst the most photographed sites of Tuscany.
Visited since Roman times, thanks to its proximity to the historical Via Francigena, the pilgrims’ road leading down to Rome, the first houses and inns started to rise around this main attraction, today called Piazza delle Sorgenti, ‘Springs Square’. And yet the village has succeeded in remaining small.
Walking around the square and its steaming basin you’ll be immersed in a unique atmosphere taking you back in time. In fact, this square has been the background of various films, from Zeffirelli’s “Romeo & Juliet” to the recent “Medicis”, while its magnificent surroundings, the Val d’Orcia, have been the backdrop of movies such as “The English Patient” and Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.
You might not be able to dip into the pool in the square, however you can choose between various private spas within the village or follow the water flowing from the square down to the Parco dei Mulini, a park with 12th-century mills, to the free thermal pools studding the stream and waterfalls.
If you’re looking for an accommodation with a view, we recommend this B&B which sits on the main square with view over the pool and the loggia as shelter from the summer heat. Bagno Vignoni is an excellent location where to stay and visit the surroundings. Castiglione d’Orcia is just 4 km south, medieval San Quirico d’Orcia 5 km north, beautiful Renaissance Pienza at 13 km and the wine capitals of Montalcino and Montepulciano lie at 20 km.
