Montalcino

Montalcino is a 5,920 inhabitants town not far from Monte Amiata, in the southern part of Tuscany, Italy. It's part of the province of Siena and it's the largest city in Val d'Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage area because of its beautiful and picturesque towns, its landscapes and one of the most famouse Italian wines, brunello di Montalcino.

How do I arrive to Montalcino?

  Montalcino isn't very well connected with other destinations in Tuscany. 

• Bus: there are 6 daily buses from and to Siena (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes). There are 3-4 daily buses to Castelnuovo dell'Abate (aprox. 15 minutes) to reach Sant'Atimo Abbey. Two daily buses reach Pienza from Siena (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes) and 9 go to Montepulciano (aprox. 20 minutes).
• Car: if you rented a car it can be reached from Montalcino many places just like San Quirico d'Orcia (aprox. 15 minutes), Castiglione d'Orcia (aprox. 30 minutes), Pienza (aprox. 30 minutes), Montepulciano (aprox. 45 minutes), Radicofani (aprox. 45 minutes), Siena (aprox. 50 minutes) or Grosseto (aprox. 1 hour).

History

The hill of Montalcino has probably been settled since Etruscan times but it's first mentioned in the 9th century, with a church associated with the nearby Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The population grew in the 10th century and during medieval times Montalcino became known for its tanneries, its shoes and other leather goods. During the late Middle Ages it was an independent commune with considerable importance (owing to its location on the old Via Francigena) but increasingly came under the sway of Siena, being its satellite since the Battle of Montaperti (1260). Montalcino was deeply involved and affected by the conflicts in between Siena and Florence in the 14th and 15th centuries and was also caught up in the internecine wars between the Ghibellines (supporters of the Holy Roman Empire) and the Guelphs (supporters of the Papacy). Once Siena had been conquered by Florence under the rule of the Medici family in 1555, Montalcino held out for almost four years (being known as the Republic of Siena in Montalcino) but ultimately fell to the Florentines. Montalcino was under Florence's control until the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was amalgamated into a united Italy in 1861. Since then there was a gradual economic decline, recently reversed by economic growth due to the increasing popularity of the town's famous wine (growning from only 11 producers in the 1960s to more than 200 today, awarded Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, DOCG, status). 
 

What can I visit in Montalcino?

This town is very picturesque with its mixture of Medieval heritage, enotecas and landscape full of vineyards. Moreover it's a perfect place to begin the visit to Val d'Orcia.

These are Montalcino's main attractions:

• Montalcino Fortress (9-20 from Apr to Oct; 10-18 from Nov to Mar; 4€/ 2€  adults/ reduced): fortress first built in the 14th century and enlarged by Medici family in the highest point of Montalcino. From its walls there are nice views of the town and its surrounding area. There's a ticket that includes the entrance to Montalcino Fortress and to Civic and Diocesan Museum of Montalcino (6€/ 4.50€  adults/ reduced).
  
• Sant'Egidio Church: 14th century church with a Romanesque stone façade and, above the eye, the Sienese balzana. It was the official church of the Republic of Siena in Montalcino.
  
• Civic and Diocesan Museum of Montalcino (10-13 and 14-17:30 Tue-Sun; 4.50€/ 3€  adults/ reduced): museum placed in the former Convent of Sant'Agostino that has an interesting collection of sacred art. Some of its highlights are Crocifisso di Sant'Antimo, a tryptic by Duccio di Buoninsegna, a Madonna and kid by Simone Martini, Incoronazione della Vergine by Bartolo di Fredi and works by other artists like Lorenzetti brothers, Giovanni di Paolo or Sano di Pietro. 
• Montalcino Cathedral: Neoclassical duomo (first built in the 14th century and demolished in the 19th century) that was formerly the seat of the bishops of Montalcino (it has been a co-cathedral in the Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino since 1986). Despite the destruction of the old cathedral it keeps many of its works of art like the painting Immaculate Conception with Jesus and God the Father by Francesco Vanni or The Assumption of the Virgin with angels and with Saints Hippolytus and Cyprian by Francesco Nasini.
• Church of Madonna del Soccorso: church was erected across the centuries in multiple styles (including a Renaissance layout, Baroque interiors and a Neoclassical façade), first built in 1330.
  The bell-tower was added in 1625 and its façade wasn't completed till the early 19th-century. Some of its nicest works are Crucifixion by Francesco Vanni and a Virgin surrounded by Angelic musicians with Saints Sebastian and Roch by Vicenzo da San Gimignano.
  
• Going 11 km south from Montalcino, in Castelnuovo dell'Abate (231 inhabitants), it can be found the beautiful Sant'Antimo Abbey (10-13 and 15-19 from May to Sep; 10-13 and 15-17 from Oct to Apr; free), Romanesque abbey that is said to have been first founded by Charlemagne in 781. Its exterior is quite austere (although has sculptures that represent fantastic beasts) but its interior is much more complete. It has very surprising decoration in the capital of the columns (the most spectacular one is the capital with Daniel and the Lions) and other representations like the or the 13th century Madonna con il Bambino e gli Evangelisti. The abbey is considered one of the top examples of Tuscan Romanesque style.
  

Sant'Antimo Abbey

Views from Montalcino Fortress

 

Chapel of Madonna di Vitaleta

Montalcino is a very good point to start the visit to UNESCO World Heritage site of Val d'Orcia. Driving 15 km east from Montalcino there's the small town of San Quirico d'Orcia (2,628 inhabitants). It has interesting churches like St. Quirico Collegiate Church, 12th century church with a main portal in Lombard style and a side portal attributedd to Giovanni Pisano; the Romanesque church of St. Biagio a Vignoni Church or the cute Chapel of Madonna di Vitaleta, located in the middle of the countryside. But the main sightseeing point here is Leonini Gardens, an example of Italian garden that dates back to 1581 and includes the 1688 sculpture of Cosimo De Medici. On the way south, 6.5 km far, it can be found Bagno Vignoni (30 inhabitants), a small village with a curious square, Piazza delle sorgenti, that has a bathing pool in which thermal water is collected. Continuing south during 10 km there's Castiglione d'Orcia (2,308 inhabitants). Here it can be visited two castles: Rocca Aldobrandesca and Tintinnano Castle (10:30-13:30 and 14:30-18:30;), a medieval fortified tower with great views of the Val d'Orcia territory that was part of the struggle between the Salimbeni and the Republic of Siena and again contended between Siena and Florence in the 16th century.

Calcium carbonate deposits at Bagni di San Filippo

It's also nice to have a walk at the main square (Piazza del Vecchietta) and get into Sts. Stefano e Degna Church, Sienese Renaissance style church built in the 16th century that has some nice works of art like Madonna with Child by Simone Martini and a Madonna with Child by Pietro Lorenzetti. keeping south (17 km from Castiglione d'Orcia) it can be visited Bagni San Filippo (91 inhabitants), where finding small hot spring containing calcium carbonate deposits, which form white concretions and waterfalls. The last stop in this trip would be Radicofani (1,070 inhabitants), 40 km south from Montalcino. Its main sightseeing point is Radicofani Fortress (10-20 from Apr to Oct; Sat-Sun from Nov to Mar), a castle of Carolingian origin (known as the Castle of Ghino di Tacco) that was restored after the conquest from the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and has two lines of walls (the external one in pentagonal shape while the inner one is triangular). Other things to do here are visiting St. Pietro Apostolo Church, Romanesque church with works by Andrea della Robbia, Benedetto Buglioni and Santi Buglioni; and St. Agata Church, church with a precious Madonna with Saints by Andrea della Robbia at the high altar.

Piazza Pio II

But withount any doubt, in case the visitor can choose only one of the rest of villages and small towns in Val d'Orcia, they should choose Pienza (2,091 inhabitants). Having been placed on UNESCO World Heritage list this small town is widely regarded as the touchstone of Renaissance urbanism thanks to pope Pius II. He was born here and once he became pope, he rebuilt the entire village as an ideal Renaissance town (renaming it from Corsignano to Pienza, city of Pius). It's completely worthy to get lost on its streets and enjoying its architecture. The center of Pienza is Piazza Pio II, wonderful square designed by Bernardo Rossellino where the main sightseeing points of Pienza are placed. In that square is located Pienza Cathedral (8:30-13 and 14:15-18:30; free), Renaissance style duomo comissioned by pope Pius II (he resulted so satisfied with the result that in 1462 he wrote a papal bull prohibiting doing any change on it). Its interior has an interesting mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles, five altar paintings from the Sienese School and also has an excellente marble tabernacle by Bernardo Rosellino that has a relic of St. Andrew. In the same square it's located Piccolomini Palace (10-18:30 Tu-Sun from May to Sep; 10-16:30 Tue-Sun from Oct to Nov and from Mar to Apr; 7€/ 5€  adults/ reduced), a palazzo that was home of pope Pius II, considered a masterpiece of Bernardo Rossellino, with a nice yard, impressing stairs and former pope rooms (full of furniture from Pius' times) and great views from the last floor. Another interesting sight is Pienza Diocesan Museum (10:30-13:30 and 14:30-18 Wed-Mon from May to Sep; 10-16 Sa-Sun from Oct to Apr; 4.50€/ 3€  adults/ reduced), museum placed at Palazzo Borgia (palace given to cardinal Rodrigo de Borja, future pope Alexander VI, who reformed it) with church paintings from the 12th to 17th centuries. There are other churches in Pienza that are worth to be seen like Corsignano Church (9-18 from May to Sep; 10-18 from Oct to Apr), 10th century Romanesque church with a curious circle-shape bell tower and that keeps the baptismal font where pope Pius II was baptised; or the Gothic style one, St. Francesco Church.

Where can I eat in Montalcino?

 

Brunello di Montalcino

There are many excellent places to eat in Montalcino; some of the cheapest are the trattoria L'Angelo (Via Ricasoli 9) or the Caffè Fiaschetteria Italiana 1888 (Piazza del Popolo 6). There are options for a higher prize like enoteca Osteria Osticcio (Via Giacomo Matteotti 23), Drogheria Franci (Piazzale Fortezza 5) or the restaurant Ristorante di Poggio Antico (Poggio Antico). Going 10 km from Montalcino (in Sant'Angelo in Colle) there's a very good trattoria, Il Leccio (Costa Castellare). 

Once in Pienza, at Piazza Pio II, there are some nice bars and cafes like Bar Il Casello (Via del Casello 3) or La Terrazza del Chiostro (Corso il Rossellino 26). In case of wanting to eat in Pienza there are cheap restaurants like the osteria Sette di Vino (Piazza di Spagna 1) and the pizzeria Pummarò (Piazza Martiri della Liberta 2); other options with higher prizes are La Bandita Townhouse (Corso il Rossellino 111), trattoria Latte di Luna (Via San Carlo 2-4) and the restaurant La Terrazza del Chiostro (Corso il Rossellino 26).

The area of Montalcino is a very good choice to get deeper into the wine culture of Tuscany and know one of its most famous ones (protected with DOCG), brunello di Montalcino. Visiting a winery can be a good choice to learn about this world wide known wine and one of the most recommended one is Poggio Antico.

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