Finding Il Belvedere, Orcia Valley, Tuscany

http://www.pbase.com/richthompson/image/88480477

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=9248541

The pictures above are great and I would love to try my hand at capturing the same scene. Has anyone been there and know where exactly it is? I keep reading it is a well known location and it is a famous building but nobody seems to say how to get there.

OT, but we want to see some more of your carnival pictures.

G

why don't you ask the pros?


Send me a PM and I'll find out for you...
(I'm from Florence, I know the area pretty well)

Nathan

OK FOund it.

From FLorence you take the SS2 towards Siena, and once you arrive in Siena, you keep on the outside of the city, until you find the SR2 towards 'Monterioni' -
Keep on the same road, and you'll get to 'San Quirico d'Orcia' which is where the photo was taken from.

It should take you about 2 HOurs from florence by car, and I don't think you have a transport alternative. You can get to Siena on a bus or train, but from there, you'll have to have your own.

If you want to be there at dawn, you might want to find hotels in nearby towns of Montepulciano, or Montalcino, but anyway, the whole area is absolutely amazing.

Hope this helps.

No to mention the wine.

G

and the food

e le ragazze?

G

You know George, I am considering moving back in a couple of years, but when are you?

Also, photographically, is just so much more satisfying; When I was last in Firenze I kept on going out and taking photos of people in the street. Here in London you get shot at sight... not with cameras....

Sadly it's not practicable for me to move back to where I came from, but Tuscany certainly has great appeal as an alternative, except that it has no canals, and I see lots of water in my future.

There's been a lot in my recent past, but I would prefer to see more of the horizontal variety, and less of the vertical.

G

Next time you are the judge of the weekly competition I will make sure to post one as long as you make sure it wins

Thank you very much Nathan! Sorry for the delay in getting back and not sending a PM. I am actually in Tuscany right now and not all of out hotels have had internet access. I drove through exactly where you say (we were staying in Montalcino, very nice town) and we tried to find it [that exact farmhouse] for a while but it was dark. We asked a few locals but nobody could quite place it. I hope to find it someday as we have moved on to Spoleto now. Note to self, find the place you want to photograph the day before in the daylight

I did manage to capture one shot which I think is ok. I will post it when I am back.

If anyone is interested in an itinerary for Piedmont, Tuscany and Umbria and all the way down to the Amalfi coast send me a PM and I can send you mine which has been good so far.

The wine and the food are both excellent!

Indeed

It doesn't look like an important building. It looks like one of the normal farms in the area.

It probably is just a bend on the road, and that's the view, I can't imagine it being a real belvedere, but I might be wrong.

ANyway, enjoy your amazing trip, I am very very envious.. and would love to be back home right now....

Hmm, this could take a while.

I am of course incorruptible, and could certainly not promise you that you would win. But another picture like the last would definitely give you a head start!

G

ericp - do you know Google Earth? That's usually a good tool to find a location as it has lots of pics. Anyway, I visited Tuscany some 6 months ago and it's hard not to find something to point your camera toward. I was shocked by the amount of tourists even out of season, though.

Nathan. When is a good time to visit if going for the fall colours?

probably during the fall....