View all locations on google map
I have marked all of the below locations on a Google Map List, for your ease of navigation. You can view it here or by clicking on the map below.
How to get to these locations
The official tourism website of Tuscany, “Visit Tuscany” provides very useful information on how to get to and get around in Tuscany.
We rented a car from Sixt at Rome airport and found it very useful for exploring Tuscany. Sixt is a German company that I trust and always use when travelling; I highly recommend it. Please remember to consider renting electric cars to help the environment.
Crowdedness / best time for photos
All of the locations listed below are in the Tuscan countryside, so none of these photo spots are crowded, allowing you to enjoy photography to your heart's content.
The best time for photography in Tuscany is the golden hour (sunrise and sunset) due to its warm, soft and diffused light. During this time, the low angle of the sun bathes the landscapes in a rich, golden hue, enhancing the region's natural beauty, creating long shadows and adding depth and warmth to your photos, making them more enchanting and evocative.
Detailed Tuscany Travel Guide
I have also written a detailed Tuscany travel guide, complete with the ultimate 10-day roadtrip itinerary, recommendations for hotels, restaurants and the best things to do in Tuscany. Click here to view it.
Introduction
The countryside of Tuscany offers an idyllic canvas for photography, with its undulating hills, serene vineyards and cypress-lined roads. Its gentle topography, coupled with the interplay of light and shadow, presents a dynamic and stunning visual landscape. The region's unique blend of earthy tones, vivid greens and golden wheat fields provides a harmonious backdrop for capturing the essence of rural life and the passage of time. The rolling terrain is swallowed in an ethereal mist during early mornings, rendering a breathtaking scene for photography.
Unsurprisingly, most of these locations feature the cypress tree that is iconic to the postcard image of the Tuscan countryside. Did you know that these lovely trees are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also serve a practical purpose in the landscape? They act as windbreaks, protect against erosion and contribute to the overall harmony and symmetry of the region's landscape. What a magnificent tree to preserve in our world.
1. Viewpoint at Agriturismo Baccoleno
Location address: At the entrance to Agriturismo Baccoleno, on Strada Provinciale del Pecorile SP60
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
The Agriturismo Baccoleno is a farmhouse hotel that has been under the ownership of a local family for six decades. It has gained popularity on social media as one of Tuscany's most iconic photo locations, thanks to its gracefully winding access road adorned with slender, elegant cypress trees, offering the quintessential Tuscan backdrop. Moreover, the ample space available for photography at this location makes it an ideal spot for capturing beautiful moments.
2. Strada di Leonina
Location address: Strada di Leonina
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
This is a picturesque, quintessential Tuscan road flanked by two long line of elegant cypresse trees, creating a gorgeous visual corridor. The long road ascends to a stunning vantage point, with a panoramic view of the undulating hills and serene vineyards of the surrounding region. This road is the perfect location for capturing Tuscany’s natural allure and captivating landscape vistas.
3. Strada di Terrapille (Gladiator filming location)
Location address: Strada di Terrapille
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
If you’re a cinema aficionado like me, then you will know the iconic ending scene in Gladiator where Maximus ‘goes home’. The elysian setting in that scene, with the golden grass gently swaying in the wind and Maximus’s wife and son waiting for him, was filmed in the incredible valley of Val d’Orcia. Photos alone cannot capture the timeless beauty of this area or the peaceful sensation of strolling along these hills. You simply must experience the joy of it firsthand on your next trip!
4. Crete Senesi - Strada Provinciale 438 (SP438)
Location address: Strada Provinciale 438
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
One of the ultimate must-do activities in Tuscany is to drive or bike along the Strada Provinciale 438, an immersive scenic route that will take you deep into the heart of Tuscany, as you float through the undulating landscape of rolling hills with those iconic cypress trees marking the way in all directions. Endless panoramic photo opportunities await.
The Strada Provinciale 438 goes through the Crete Senesi region, which is characterised by its unique topography and geology. The landscape features pale, moon-like clay hills that create a mesmerising and surreal terrain. Erosion and sedimentation processes over millions of years have shaped this landscape. The region's geology contributes to its strikingly soft and delicate aesthetic, making it a captivating destination for photographers and nature enthusiasts.
5. Strada Provinciale 88, Cipressi di Monticchiello
Location address: Strada Provinciale 88
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
This is the road that leads to the town of Monticchiello. It is a favourite among photographers because of its unique S-shape and the fact that it is lined with rows of the iconic Tuscan cypress trees. Consider making this a pit stop on your way to visit the renowned medieval towns of Pienza, Montepulciano, and Montalcino.
6. Cypresse grove in San Gusmè
Location address: Intersection between Via degli Etrusch (SP73) and Via del Gallo Nero (SP484)
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
This is a beautiful location with long rows of slender cypress trees in the village of San Gusmè. Beyond the trees lie vast fields of olive trees, iconic of the Tuscan countryside. This spot is ideal for portrait shots using a zoom lens to get that compressed look of the cypress trees. As you drive away from this spot on Via degli Etruschi towards north, if you look back, you'll capture perfect landscape shots from a different perspective - see the panorama photo below.
While this spot is a popular photography location made famous on the internet, it is situated in a residential area. Therefore, please be considerate of the local residents when taking photos; do so quietly and without causing any obstructions.
Taken from Via degli Etruschi
7. Cipressi di San Quirico d'Orcia
Location address: Cipressi di San Quirico d'Orcia, enter from Strada di Riguardo and you will eventually come across a public car park. You won't miss it.
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: moderate
This is another iconic photo spot featuring the enchanting cypress trees of Tuscany, in the commune of San Quirico d'Orcia. On this serene hilltop, the trees are arranged in a circle formation, createing numerous possibilities for interesting photography compositions. This location offers 360-degree panoramic views of the agricultural hinterland of Val d’Orcia, providing the perfect backdrop for photographs.
8. Site Transitoire
Location address: Strada di Leonina
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
This location is on a hilltop, with a 360-degree panoramic view of the Tuscan countryside. There is a lone cypress tree here that has been captured by photographers worldwide.
The name ‘Site Transitoire’ refers to the stone work of art by the artist Jean-Paul Philippe, created in 1993. Philippe's concept revolved around creating a "site" where various elements engage in a dialogue with each other and the surrounding landscape, forming what he described as "a dwelling without walls with an invisible threshold." There are a few stone slabs, a welcoming chair, a bench, a window and above it all, the vast expanse of the open sky. In essence, this portrays a portal, a throne and a stone bed, offering visitors the opportunity to contemplate the panoramic view of the Crete Senesi from three fundamental human positions: standing, sitting, or lying.
9. Agriturismo Poggio Covili
Location address: Via Cassia, Snc, 53023 Castiglione D'orcia SI
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low to moderate
Centuries ago, this farmhouse housed pilgrims on their way to Rome on the Via Francigena. Today, it is a dreamy little hotel surrounded by the idyllic Val d’Orcia countryside.
Agriturismo Poggio Covili is conveniently close to notable medieval towns like Pienza, Montepulciano and Montalcino, as well as rejuvenating spa destinations such as San Casciano dei Bagni, Bagno Vignoni and Chianciano Terme. As such, you can incorporate it as a photography pit stop while en route to any of those destinations.
10. SP 9 di Pievasciata near Pianella
Location address: SP 9 di Pievasciata
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
This is a photography spot in the quiet commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Stately cypress trees form a captivating line that stretches into the horizon, creating a dramatic visual contrast against the backdrop of the expansive farmland. Here, the rustic charm of the countryside meets the elegance of nature.
There are private farmhouses in this area, so please be considerate of the local residents when taking photos; do so quietly and without causing any obstructions.
11. Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta
Location address: Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
Located in Val d’Orcia, the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta is a poetic time capsule built in the 17th century. The chapel was built on the spot where legend says the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherdess. Today, the chapel is a beloved photography subject, as its delicate colours contrast beautifully with the bucolic landscape, where the undulating hills of Val d’Orcia provide the picture-perfect canvas.
12. Strada Provinciale 146 (SP 146)
Location address: Strada Provinciale 146 di Chianciano
Google map location pin: here
Cost: free
Crowdedness: low
Strada Provinciale 146 stretches across the agricultural countryside of Val 'd’Orcia. As you drive or bike along this road, you are greeted with a visual symphony of vineyards, cypress trees and wheat fields that stretch to the horizon. The picturesque Tuscan farmhouses create captivating focal points for composition, while the verdant olive groves offer intricate textures and patterns for photography. The iconic cypress trees, with their slender silhouettes, provide dynamic leading lines that draw the viewer's eye into the frame and their uniformity is ideal for creating strikingly compressed shots using a zoom lens.
The landscape is perpetually changing with the seasons, offering endless opportunities for capturing the timeless allure of the Tuscan countryside.
The Genna Borborini Maria Eva farmhouse
13. Fontanelle Estate
Location address: SP 408 - Km 14.7, Loc. Pianella, 53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga
Google map location pin: here
Cost: hotel guests or restaurant guests only
Crowdedness: low
Last but not least is the incredible luxury farmhouse hotel where I stayed during my trip to Tuscany - the Fontanelle Estate. Located in the picturesque Chianti wine region of Tuscany, Fontanelle Estate is perched on a hilltop, offering 360-degree panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. With ancient olive groves, fragrant flowerbeds, vineyards and elegant cypress trees, Fontanelle boasts all the quintessential Italian countryside subjects for photography. I strongly recommend booking your accommodation here. However, even if you are not staying at the hotel, you can reserve a meal at one of its beautiful restaurants and then respectfully ask if you can take some photos in their gorgeous grounds.
I have written a blog post about my stay at this incredible hotel, if you’re interested, here is the link.
