Montepulciano

Montepulciano is a city in Tuscany famous for its wines, especially the classic red wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The town has gained notability from being used as a location for the Twilight films.

Understand
Montepulciano is one of many Medieval towns dotting the Tuscan countryside in the southeast of the Italian province of Siena. It sits on a limestone ridge surrounded by the rolling hills of the Val D'Orcia and of the Val Chiana regions characteristic of towns in the area.

Montepulciano is known especially for its red wine made from Sangiovese grapes, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Its local wine is traditionally considered one of Italy's best red wines and was lauded by the poet Francesco Redi as "the king of all wines!" (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, on the other hand, is a varietal wine that is not made here, but in Abruzzo.)

Montepulciano is also known for food such as pici pasta and pecorino cheese.

It is said to have been settled first by the Etruscans. The town was fought over by the Sienese and Florentines during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Finally, in the 1500s, it came firmly under Florentine rule. Today, the town of 14,000 people (2017) is known as an epicurean destination and many visit to sample the local wine and cuisine.



By road
Montepulciano is a few kilometres from the A1 Autostrada and from the more scenic SS2 from Rome to Florence. Cars are not allowed inside the old town as it is a ZTL-controlled area (except with a permit, available from hotels) so park in one of the numerous lots at the edge of the town. The lots fill up quickly in late summer, the height of the tourist season.

By bus
Buses, departing from Piazza Pietro Nenni, connect Montepulciano with many other Tuscan cities: Siena (75 minutes, 4/day none on Sunday), Pienza (30 minutes, 8/day), Montalcino (1 hour, 10/day, change in Torrenien) and Chiusi (hourly). Route #146 into Montepulciano is quite scenic. See Tuscany for tips.

If you are walking into town from the bus station (autostazione in Italian), there is a pedestrian short-cut with an elevator and stairs to the top of the cliff. The entrance is through a portal on Via delle Lettere at the corner of Piazzale dello Sterro, about 50 m from the bus station.

By rail
The nearest railhead is a half-hour drive away at Chiusi from where there are frequent trains to Florence and Rome.

Get around
The only way to get around within the historic centre is to walk along the steep pathways. Driving within the historical old town is not permitted without fines unless you are a local with a permit. Outside the historic old town, a car is recommended to drive around the countryside and outer town. Road biking is also possible, although be wary of cars on the narrow, curving, and rolling roads.

Do

 * Tastings can be done in the Cantinas along Via Ricci & Via di Gracciano nel Corso, but the most fun one is in the basement of the Contucci Palace, on Piazza Grande. Free tasting, no food, open daily 08:30-12:30 & 14:30-18:30. Groups welcome with a reservation. Telephone: +39 0578-757-006
 * The house and property of La Foce is a short drive away. The 15th-century villa was built as an inn for pilgrims and merchants traveling on the ancient road to Rome, Via Francigena. Restored as a private home by Iris and Antonio Origo, the house and the gardens make for a pleasant two-hour visit from Montepulciano. The villa and property (as also are Montepulciano and Chiusi) are the centrepiece of the very readable book War in the Val D'Orcia by Iris Origo. Summertime music concerts are also featured. All tours are guided, so call ahead.

Drink
Montepulciano is the centre of an ancient wine-growing region, so go ahead and sample some. Three varieties of wine are available (all are mostly from the sangiovese grape): Rosso di Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Reserva, in increasing order of subtlety and price. The wines tend to be full-bodied, the kind that goes well with a picture of generations of Tuscan peasants, sitting in the fields, eating cinghiale (boar) while swigging the good stuff!

Check out the cafe and wine bar within the Fortezza Di Montepulciano, which is the headquarters of the local winery consortium. There is a glass floor over archaeological excavations of the fortress within the bar. You can sample glasses of wine from dozens of local producers as well as others nearby such as Brunello di Montalcino wines for on average €3-6/glass through a wine dispenser controlled by a key card system. Ask for a card from the cashier of the bar.

Sleep

 * Camere Bellavista has 10 rooms, some with better views than others. Room 6 has a terrace worth reserving. Double w/bathroom €55, nicer double w/bathroom €65, breakfast €2.50, cash only, no elevator, on Via Ricci 25, little English spoken, Mobile phone: 347-823-2314
 * Camere Bellavista has 10 rooms, some with better views than others. Room 6 has a terrace worth reserving. Double w/bathroom €55, nicer double w/bathroom €65, breakfast €2.50, cash only, no elevator, on Via Ricci 25, little English spoken, Mobile phone: 347-823-2314

Go next

 * Chiusi
 * Chianciano Terme
 * Pienza
 * Radicofani
 * Siena