Montalcino Travel Guide

One of the loveliest little wine villages in Italy, Montalcino is a fabulous place to visit during your tour of Tuscany’s vineyards, as it is home to the famed Brunello di Montalcino wine. The hill-topped village of Montalcino has existed since the time of the Ancient Etruscans, and the nearby Sant Antimo monastery was founded in the 8th century! The monastery constructed an ancient road called the Via Francigena, a principal road between Florence, Rome, and France. The medieval walls were erected in the 13th century by architects from Siena. Montalcino was under Sienese control from the 13th to 16th centuries and then ruled by the powerful Duchy of Florence until Italy became a united country in 1861. Wine has been made here for millennia, and commercial wine production records date back to the 1400s.

The village we see today contains many reminders of medieval times, including the impressive 14th-century Fortress, the ancient Basilica, a lovely Romanesque chapel, the tower of San Giovanni, and many narrow cobblestone alleyways. Olive groves and vineyards surround the hamlet, and from the top of the village, you have great views over the whole Orcia Valley, with its rolling hills and cypress-lined country roads. The main square, the Piazza del Popolo, is located down the hill from the 14th century Duomo and the Fortress and is an excellent place for having a coffee and Italian pastry, or even better, a nice glass of Brunello. The “Centro Storico” (historic heart) is full of small gems like the Palazzo Comunale with its elegant coat of arms and the Renaissance “Loggia.”

Like many medieval towns in Italy, especially Tuscany, there are many town festivities and events. Some colorful ones include the “Sagra del Tordo” (the last weekend of October, the Festival of the Thrush is the most important festival in Montalcino and is quite spectacular, with neighborhoods battling each other in medieval traditions like archery). The “Torneo d´ Apertura Delle Cacce (2nd weekend in August, this is a medieval festival that celebrates the opening of the hunt with archery tournaments and plenty of eating, drinking, and dancing). And then, for wine lovers, the “Benvenuto Brunello” is a must (the third weekend of February marks the release of new Brunellos to the market).