Pienza

Pienza takes just a few hours: the Palazzo Piccolomini and the central square, designed in the 15th century as the first practical application of Renaissance urban planning, form a village conceived as a total work of art. April-October is best, with the Val d'Orcia hills at their best color. It's cheap and compact. Pope Pius II had his birthplace village entirely rebuilt according to Renaissance «ideal city» ideals in just four years, and today it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the best-preserved example of that unique urban experiment.