# Cypresses, vineyards and travertine – by motorhome through Chianti, Siena and the Val d’Orcia to Saturnia

> 7-day road trip of about 293 km (182 mi) with 14 stops, from Florence to Saturnia. About 4 h 02 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-023-tuscany-chianti-val-d-orcia/

**At a glance:** 7-day road trip of about 293 km (182 mi) with 14 stops, from Florence to Saturnia. About 4 h 02 min of driving in total. From Florence along the Chiantigiana, through San Gimignano and Volterra to Siena, across the Crete Senesi into the Val d’Orcia and over Monte Amiata to the thermal springs of Saturnia: around 450 kilometres of hill roads where the ZTL camera often matters more than the map.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 293 km (182 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 02 min |
| Suggested days | 7 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Florence → Saturnia |
| Countries | Italy |
| Updated | April 28, 2026 |

*From Florence along the Chiantigiana, through San Gimignano and Volterra to Siena, across the Crete Senesi into the Val d’Orcia and over Monte Amiata to the thermal springs of Saturnia: around 450 kilometres of hill roads where the ZTL camera often matters more than the map.*

## The spirit of the route

Tuscany does not reveal itself in hairpins but in rolling crests. Beyond Florence the Chiantigiana swings over ridges where vines stand in rows, holm oaks line the bends and every second farmyard has a cellar sign. Further south it gets emptier: the Crete Senesi are straw-yellow in summer and freshly ploughed clay-grey in autumn, and in the Val d’Orcia rows of cypresses run over the hills as if someone had set them out with a ruler. From your sliding door you will see the walls of Pienza in the evening light, mist in the hollows in the morning and, on the horizon, the dark cone of Monte Amiata. In the evening the air smells of rosemary, dry grass and wood smoke from the agriturismo kitchen. The route demands planning: old towns on foot only, pitches on the edge of town, short stages – and a willingness to explore a gravel road on foot rather than in a seven-metre vehicle.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Florence to Castellina in Chianti (approx. 60 km)

- **The drive:** From the edge of the city (campsite in Bottai near the Firenze Impruneta motorway exit) take Impruneta or Grassina onto the Chiantigiana SR222 and continue via Strada in Chianti to Greve. Then on via Panzano, take the minor road to Radda and return via the SR429 to the SR222 at Castellina. Well-built but winding hill roads with stone walls and narrow village streets; in the north near Grassina expect roadworks because of work on the bypass. Around 1.5 hours’ driving time without stops.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Greve in Chianti with the funnel-shaped Piazza Matteotti and its arcades; a good 20-minute walk uphill to the tiny fortified village of Montefioralle.
  - Panzano: view over the “Conca d’Oro”, the wine-growing valley below the church of San Leolino.
  - Radda in Chianti with the Palazzo del Podestà and a walk along the old town wall.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Area sosta camper on the edge of Castellina in Chianti on the Chiantigiana, about 300 m from the centre: tarmac, service point, some electric hook-ups, CCTV, paid (most recently around €12 per day including electricity, check the tariff on site). On market days cars often park there. Alternative further north: the motorhome area in Greve in Via Montebeni next to the outdoor pool, with water and waste disposal; check the terms on site.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Under Article 185 of the Italian Highway Code, Italy allows parking overnight anywhere parking is permitted – camping behaviour is forbidden. In Chianti the car parks in the villages are small and often signed with height limits or motorhome bans, and wine estates are private land. If you want to stay in the countryside, ask at an agriturismo or wine estate offering “agricampeggio” or motorhome pitches; many now do so officially.
- **Insider tip for campers:** In Florence itself, leave the motorhome at the campsite: the city centre is a ZTL with cameras, and there is also the “Scudo Verde” around the clock. From hu Firenze Certosa (Bottai, open all year, vehicles up to about 10 m depending on available space) bus 37 runs to the centre, with an additional shuttle in high season; from hu Firenze Camping in Town (Rovezzano) line 14 runs to the Duomo. For a day visit, the Villa Costanza park-and-ride right by the A1 is an option, with tram T1 into the city; check in advance whether spaces for motorhomes are free. The former Camping Michelangelo at the Piazzale is closed.

### Stage 2: Castellina in Chianti to Volterra via San Gimignano (approx. 65 km)

- **The drive:** From Castellina take the SR429 down to Poggibonsi, then the provincial road to San Gimignano. Continue over the hills to Castel San Gimignano and up through the Cecina uplands on the SR68 to Volterra. The SR68 is wide but winding; the last few kilometres climb to the tuff ridge the town stands on. A good 1.5 hours’ driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - San Gimignano: the family towers, Piazza della Cisterna and the view from the Rocca di Montestaffoli – quietest early in the morning or after 6 pm.
  - Volterra: Piazza dei Priori, the Roman theatre below the town wall and the alabaster workshops in the lanes.
  - Le Balze on the western edge of Volterra: erosion cliffs in which medieval churches and parts of the Etruscan city have vanished.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Camping Le Balze on the western edge of Volterra near the cliff edges, about 15 minutes’ walk to the centre, with electric hook-ups, sanitary facilities, pool and service point; open seasonally. The paid motorhome car park on Viale dei Filosofi below the town wall near the Fonti di Docciola serves as a stopover. In San Gimignano, Camping Il Boschetto di Piemma is in Santa Lucia, a good 2 km south of the old town.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** San Gimignano has only one motorhome car park, P5 Santa Lucia (just under 2 km from the centre, room for about 50 motorhomes); the municipality makes clear it is for parking and camping is forbidden. A capped tariff applies overnight, waste disposal is free, and there is no electricity, and water only at the free service point. Dumping rubbish and draining waste water is punished with fines. Motorhomes are not permitted in the car parks close to town, P1 to P4.
- **Insider tip for campers:** From P5 Santa Lucia a town bus runs to the centre; on foot it is a good 30 minutes uphill. In San Gimignano and Volterra the old town is a ZTL – the satnav likes to route you through gates that are too narrow for motorhomes and forbidden to non-residents. Head for the car parks on the ring road, and do not enter a central address into the satnav.

### Stage 3: Volterra to Siena (approx. 60 km)

- **The drive:** On the SR68 back east over the pass near Castel San Gimignano to Colle di Val d’Elsa, then on minor roads to Monteriggioni and via the Via Cassia or the Firenze–Siena link road to Siena. Mostly flowing, with a few bends between Volterra and Colle. Around 1.5 hours’ driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Colle di Val d’Elsa: the medieval upper town on a rocky ridge, with the town’s crystal-glass tradition below.
  - Monteriggioni: the ring of walls with 14 towers, open to walk along the battlements; car park below the walls.
  - Siena: Piazza del Campo, the cathedral with its marble floor and the view from the Facciatone over the rooftops.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Camping Siena Colleverde in the north of the city (Strada di Scacciapensieri), with electricity, sanitary facilities, pool and a bus link to the centre; check season dates in advance. The stopover close to town is Il Fagiolone on Strada di Pescaia (Siena Ovest exit): paved, lit, CCTV, drinking water and waste disposal, €20 for 24 hours, no reservations.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Wild parking in and around Siena makes no sense: the city steers motorhomes to the Fagiolone, and the other car parks and roadsides in the area are patrolled. Monteriggioni is a good daytime stop but not intended for overnight stays.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Palio takes place on 2 July and 16 August – then the city, car parks and campsite are packed. From the Fagiolone you can reach the old town on foot via the nearby escalators at the Costone or at the Santa Caterina multi-storey car park. On Wednesdays the big weekly market is held at the Fortezza (La Lizza), and the access roads are then full.

### Stage 4: Siena to San Quirico d’Orcia via Crete Senesi and Montalcino (approx. 80 km)

- **The drive:** From Siena take the SP438 “Lauretana” to Asciano: a road with no villages that runs in long waves over the bare clay hills of the Crete Senesi, with few lay-bys. From Asciano take the SP451 to the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, continue to Buonconvento, follow the SR2 Cassia briefly south and take the well-built road up to Montalcino. Finally, descend into the Orcia valley and go via Torrenieri to San Quirico. Around 2 hours’ driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Cypress avenue and hill panorama on the Lauretana between Siena and Asciano, including the row of cypresses at Podere Baccoleno.
  - Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore with the fresco cycle of Saint Benedict by Luca Signorelli and Sodoma in the great cloister.
  - Montalcino: fortress, the Brunello wine road and the view across the Orcia valley to Monte Amiata.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Motorhome car park of San Quirico d’Orcia on the edge of the village, paid, with water and waste disposal; check the tariff and facilities on site. For more comfort: agriturismi with motorhome pitches around Pienza and Montalcino; ask via CamperOnline or directly at the farm.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Crete Senesi there are hardly any lay-bys, and many farm tracks are private drives. Stop for photos only in paved passing places, never on the carriageway of the Lauretana, which is hard to see from behind crests. Staying overnight by the roadside there makes no sense and is not welcome.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Monte Oliveto Maggiore has a car park below the abbey; the monks take a lunch break, so check visiting hours beforehand. In Montalcino the old town is a ZTL; motorhomes park at the signposted car parks at the bottom, on the edge of town. Fill up in Buonconvento on the Cassia – petrol stations are thin on the ground in the Val d’Orcia itself.

### Stage 5: San Quirico d’Orcia to Montepulciano via Pienza (approx. 40 km)

- **The drive:** A short detour to Bagno Vignoni, back to San Quirico, then on the SP146 over the ridges to Pienza, on via Monticchiello (narrow access, small car park at the top) and along the provincial road to Montepulciano. The SP146 is the valley’s best-known scenic road: well built, but with few places to stop. Pure driving time a good 1 hour.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Bagno Vignoni: the thermal pool as village square (bathing there is forbidden), and below it in the Parco dei Mulini steaming limescale channels where you can dip your feet in the warm water.
  - Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta between San Quirico and Pienza: reachable on foot only, about 10 minutes from the end of the gravel road, a good half hour from the SP146; the chapel is private property.
  - Pienza, Pope Pius II’s “ideal city”, with the view from the Via dell’Amore across the valley, and below the town the field of Terrapille with the row of cypresses from the film “Gladiator”.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Area sosta camper Parcheggio P5 on Piazza Nenni in Montepulciano, behind the fire station and next to the bus station: level, tarmac, water and waste disposal, paid (check the tariff on site), a few hundred metres to the town gate. Quieter is the small motorhome area at Lago di Montepulciano by the nature reserve’s visitor centre, with only a few spaces; check facilities and access beforehand.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The car parks in Pienza are tight and shared with cars, and on Fridays the market makes the town particularly busy; the local police patrol. Wild parking on the SP146 or on the gravel tracks to Vitaleta and Terrapille is not allowed: the tracks are private drives, and parked vehicles block farmers. The photo spots are loveliest in the morning – plan to spend the night in San Quirico or Montepulciano and set off first thing.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The gravel roads (“strade bianche”) in the Val d’Orcia are unsuitable for motorhomes over six metres: washboard, washouts, hardly anywhere to turn. Leave the motorhome on the tarmac and walk the last few kilometres. In Montepulciano and Pienza the old town is a ZTL; Montepulciano stands on a steep ridge, and from P5 it is a walk uphill. On the last Sunday in August, at the Bravio delle Botti, the Contrade roll wine barrels up the slope – the town is then full.

### Stage 6: Montepulciano to Bagni San Filippo via Radicofani (approx. 55 km)

- **The drive:** From Montepulciano to Chianciano Terme and via Sarteano, then on the mountain road to Radicofani with a wide view over the upper Orcia valley. From Radicofani down to the SR2 Cassia and on to Bagni San Filippo on the north-east slope of Monte Amiata. Moderate gradients, a few tight bends before Radicofani. Around 1.5 hours’ driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Sarteano: castle and the Etruscan necropolis of Pianacce with the Tomba della Quadriga Infernale (visits by guided tour only, check times).
  - Rocca di Radicofani: fortress on a basalt cone above the Via Francigena, all-round view to Monte Amiata and Lake Trasimeno.
  - Bagni San Filippo: the limescale terraces of the Fosso Bianco with the “Balena Bianca”, freely accessible in the woods below the village.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Around Bagni San Filippo and Castiglione d’Orcia there are simple motorhome areas and farms with pitches; look for current reports in the apps, and check prices, facilities and opening beforehand.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** At the Fosso Bianco bathing in the pools is free, but parking is only in the car parks in the village. Staying overnight by the roadside on the Cassia is neither safe nor sensible because of the lorry traffic, and the forest tracks on Amiata are closed or private.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Bring bathing shoes: the limescale terraces are slippery and sharp-edged. The thermal water contains sulphur – store swimwear separately afterwards. On the Cassia between Radicofani and Bagni San Filippo you pass old post stations of the Via Francigena; stop at the lay-by by the Posta Medicea rather than on the verge.

### Stage 7: Bagni San Filippo to Saturnia via Monte Amiata (approx. 90 km)

- **The drive:** Via Abbadia San Salvatore take the provincial road to the Vetta Amiata (summit 1,738 m) through beech and chestnut woods, back downhill to Santa Fiora and via Castell’Azzara or Arcidosso and Semproniano into the Maremma to Saturnia. Mountain roads with many bends, often shady and damp in the woods, narrow near Semproniano. A good 2.5 hours’ driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Abbazia di San Salvatore with the Lombard crypt and its 36 columns; in the town the mining museum of the former mercury mine.
  - Vetta Amiata: a short walk from the car park to the summit cross, with views over the Maremma to the sea in clear weather.
  - Santa Fiora with the Peschiera, the spring pool of the Fiora, and the terracottas by Andrea della Robbia in the Pieve.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Area attrezzata L’Alveare del Pinzi on the Strada della Peschiera in Saturnia, about 800 m from the village and roughly 1 km from the Cascate del Mulino: barrier, sanitary facilities, washing machines, electricity (depending on tariff), service point, shuttle to the thermal springs when running. The pitches are sloping and dusty – have wedges ready.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** At the Cascate del Mulino the car park is paid (times and tariff on site); it is not intended for overnight stays, and the municipality of Manciano carries out checks. On Amiata the car park at the summit can be used by motorhomes during the day; the area is partly protected, and camping behaviour is forbidden. During the chestnut festivals in October the mountain villages are jammed with parked cars.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Cascate del Mulino are freely accessible; it is quietest early in the morning and in the evening. Sleep at the Alveare and walk or cycle down. Fill up before Amiata in Abbadia San Salvatore; in the Maremma the distances between petrol stations are large. Between 15 November and 15 April winter equipment is compulsory on Amiata; even in autumn there can be ice at the top.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Italian law (Codice della Strada, Art. 185) distinguishes between “sosta” and “campeggio”: a motorhome may park, and be slept in, anywhere parking is permitted, as long as it stands only on its wheels, discharges no liquids and takes up no more space than its outline. An awning, chairs, tables, stabilisers or wedges turn it into camping – and that is forbidden outside approved sites.
- Tuscany has no nationwide overnight ban, but the municipalities regulate by ordinance: motorhome ban signs, height barriers, time limits in car parks. In San Gimignano, Pienza, Siena and Montepulciano motorhomes are deliberately steered to designated car parks, and the local police patrol. Fines and towing are possible.
- Protected areas such as the Lago di Montepulciano nature reserve or the woodland on Monte Amiata have their own bans; field and gravel tracks in Chianti and the Val d’Orcia are almost always private drives to farms and wine estates.
- You can stay legally and comfortably on campsites, in municipal “aree di sosta” and at agriturismi with “agricampeggio” or motorhome pitches – as a form of accommodation, the Tuscan tourism law (L.R. 86/2016) allows a maximum stay of 72 hours on “aree di sosta”. Useful apps and directories: park4night, CamperOnline (with current user reports), Campercontact, Pleinair.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Water supply and waste disposal is called “camper service” or “carico e scarico”; in Tuscany most municipal motorhome car parks have a station, often free or included in the parking ticket (for example Siena Fagiolone, Montepulciano P5, Greve; in San Gimignano P5 waste disposal only).
- Empty grey water and cassettes only at the station, never into drains or onto gravel – municipalities respond to complaints with closures and fines.
- Tap water in Tuscany is drinkable, but in places tastes of chlorine or is very hard; watch for “acqua potabile” or “acqua non potabile” at taps. In the hill villages there are public fountains, often also water kiosks (“fontanelli”) with filtered water.
- Gas: German exchange cylinders are not swapped, and Italian cylinders have different connections. You fill refillable cylinders and gas tanks at GPL filling stations with the Italian adapter; the network is dense in Tuscany but thinner in the Val d’Orcia and on Amiata. Arrive with two full cylinders.
- In the wildfire season (in Tuscany usually from 1 July to 31 August, extended in dry spells) open fires in and near woodland are forbidden; use a barbecue only on campsites at designated spots.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t 90 km/h outside built-up areas, 110 km/h on expressways, 130 km/h on the motorway; over 3.5 t 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 100 km/h on the motorway. Caravan combinations: 70 km/h outside built-up areas, 80 km/h on the motorway. Outside built-up areas, lights are compulsory during the day. On the toll-free Firenze–Siena link road lower limits apply in sections, and there are speed cameras.
- ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato): Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano and most Chianti villages have camera-monitored old-town zones. Fines arrive by post, often months later, and per passage. In Florence the ZTL applies Monday to Friday during the day, in parts also on Saturdays, and in the summer half of the year additionally Thursday to Saturday at night from 11 pm to 3 am.
- Low-emission zone “Scudo Verde” in Florence: camera-monitored around the clock, closed from 1 December 2026 to diesels up to Euro 2 and petrol vehicles up to Euro 1; occasional visitors get three days of access once (not necessarily consecutive), with no prior registration. Older motorhomes should be checked before entering.
- Toll on the A1 by axles and height above the front axle: two-axle motorhomes over 1.30 m are in class B, three-axle vehicles in class 3. Pay by cash, card or Telepass or EU toll box. The Chianti and Val d’Orcia routes themselves are toll-free.
- If a load projects beyond the rear – for example bikes on a rear carrier – the red-and-white reflective warning plate (50 × 50 cm) is compulsory. Winter tyres or snow chains on board are required from 15 November to 15 April on many provincial and regional roads, including on Monte Amiata.
- The alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille; for drivers with less than three years’ licence and for drivers of vehicles over 3.5 t it is 0.0 – take that seriously at wine tastings in Chianti and Montalcino. Using a mobile phone at the wheel has been punished much more severely since the reform of the highway code at the end of 2024.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Levelling ramps, level 2–3 – pitches on slopes (Saturnia, Volterra, agriturismi) are rarely level, and wedges belong only on pitches, not in car parks.
- Folding bike or e-bike with a warning plate for the rear carrier: with it you can reach Vitaleta, Terrapille and the wine estates on gravel roads without torturing the motorhome on strade bianche.
- Offline map with marked ZTL boundaries and motorhome car parks – satnavs reliably lead you through town gates.
- Italian gas adapter for GPL filling stations and two full cylinders on entering the country.
- Bathing shoes and an old set of towels for Bagno Vignoni, Bagni San Filippo and Saturnia – limescale edges are sharp, and the sulphur smell stays in the fabric.
- Heat protection: thermal mats for the windscreen, a 12 V fan, and in summer one more water canister – shade is scarce on the pitches in the Val d’Orcia.

_As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Florence** (Italy)
2. **Greve in Chianti** (Italy)
3. **Radda in Chianti** (Italy)
4. **Castellina in Chianti** (Italy)
5. **San Gimignano** (Italy)
6. **Volterra** (Italy)
7. **Siena** (Italy)
8. **Asciano** (Italy)
9. **Montalcino** (Italy)
10. **San Quirico d’Orcia** (Italy)
11. **Pienza** (Italy)
12. **Montepulciano** (Italy)
13. **Abbadia San Salvatore** (Italy)
14. **Saturnia** (Italy)

## FAQs

**How long is Cypresses, vineyards and travertine – by motorhome through Chianti, Siena and the Val d’Orcia to Saturnia?**
7-day road trip of about 293 km (182 mi) with 14 stops, from Florence to Saturnia. About 4 h 02 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Cypresses, vineyards and travertine – by motorhome through Chianti, Siena and the Val d’Orcia to Saturnia?**
We suggest 7 days: about 4 h 02 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Cypresses, vineyards and travertine – by motorhome through Chianti, Siena and the Val d’Orcia to Saturnia start and end?**
It starts in Florence and ends in Saturnia.

**Which countries does Cypresses, vineyards and travertine – by motorhome through Chianti, Siena and the Val d’Orcia to Saturnia pass through?**
Italy.