Amazing view from Montepulciano / Pixabay
Amazing view from Montepulciano / Pixabay

Welcome to Montepulciano: a little, medieval town built in Tuscany (Italy), surrounded by vineyards and picture-perfect countryside, the Val di Chiana and the Val d’Orcia. This magic town, 40 miles from Siena, is like a classic fairytale hilltop town and it's known all over the world for the production of its Vino nobile" red wine and for its fine Tuscan cuisine.

Montepulciano wine & food

Go through the medieval streets of this borgo, and you can find several of the historic cantinas where the wines are aged.

Sit down, take a glass and savour its famous wine, Vino Nobile red wine, made from the Sangiovese grape, or the Montepulciano red wine, made with the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grape. You will find many restaurants where you can appreciate the traditional Tuscan food: you have to try the pici (an hand-rolled pasta, like fat spaghetti), local pecorino cheese, and if you haven’t already, try the local cinghiale (a wild boar that roams freely in the forests of Tuscany).

Exploring Montepulciano Wineries & Vineyards

If you're looking for a amazing and unique experience in Tuscany, don't forget to take part in a wine tour in Montepulciano. Take the car and drive from one panoramic vineyard to the other. You can plan an itinerary on your own, using a map or you can follow the directions you'll find online. Live a real emotional and tasty adventure in Montepulciano in Tuscany, a wine tasting to discover the most appreciated wines of Italy.

Things to see in Montepulciano?

  • San Biagio Church: The magnificent old church of San Biagio is made with yellow-gold travertine, shining in the sun. Antonio Sangallo il Vecchio, a Florentine architect who worked for the Medici family, planned this masterpiece with a Renaissance structure in 1518. This temple is located at the foot of the hill of Montepulciano, in the bottom of a driveway lined with cypress trees. The church of the Madonna di San Biagio has a geometric structure with a Greek cross plan, a dome and plenty of columns.
  • Piazza Grande: This is the best place to sit and have a glass of typical Tuscan wine. In the monumental centre of the village, you can see a harmonic distribution of the different levels and the windows, which is typical of the Renaissance. Piazza Grande hosts the Palazzo Comunale (the Town Hall) with a big tower from which it is possible to admire the Val di Chiana and the Orcia Valleys and the whole Tuscan countryside.
  • Terme di Montepulciano: Tuscany has the highest number of thermal spas in all of Italy. You don't need to be sick to spend some time relaxing in Montepulciano Thermal Baths! Treat yourself with some of these amazing treatments: massages, mud baths, hydro-massages, multi-sensory showers and the relaxing moonlight cave.

How to get to Montepulciano?

  • By train: Train station on the main line Chiusi/Chianciano Terme
  • By car: Two exits on the A1 “Autostrada del Sole” motorway Val di Chiana and Chiusi/Chianciano Terme
  • By plane: Three International Airports near Montepulciano: Florence Airport (about 75 miles), Pisa Airport (about 120 miles), Rome Fiumicino Airport (about 130 miles)

Where to eat in Montepulciano?

Taste the authentic Tuscan cuisine and the best red wine made in Montepulciano, with an enogastronomical tour dedicated to the best wines matching with typical local dishes. Are you ready to appreciate the excellences of this region?

Best restaurants in Montepulciano

  • Osteria acquacheta Popular touristic restaurant but also loved by the locals. This Osteria offers fresh meals, deeply connected to the territory, with seasonal and local ingredients. Try the famous Pici al ragù d'ocio or Pici al ragù di cinghiale and the special dish ‘bistecca alla fiorentina’, or char-grilled T-bone steak.  
  • La grotta High-quality fine dining in front of the San Biagio Church. A new take on Tuscan dishes with an innovative and modern presentation. During spring or summer, you can sit out in the garden. Special recommendations: eat the Pappardelle with rabbit sauce flavoured with rosemary or deboned quails with rosemary, garlic and green beans! A delight for the palate.

Best restaurants with a view

  • Locanda Cicolina Under the Tuscan sun with this genuine locanda guesthouse, surrounded by a valley full of olive trees, just 2 miles away from Montepulciano. Enjoy this romantic place with a beautiful panoramic terrace from which you can see all the Tuscan hills. Try the local cheese and salami, but also the homemade pasta dishes. It's almost too hard to choose!
  • Villa Nottola It's a new restaurant and it's located in an old farmhouse near the centre of Montepulciano. Enjoy your meal sitting in the garden with a panoramic view of the Tuscan countryside. Order a glass of vino nobile red wine and choose a dish like truffle ravioli or roast duck.

Where to stay in Montepulciano?

Hotels:

  • Etruria Resort & Natural Spa ⋆⋆⋆⋆
    If you can afford the rates, one of the most charming hotels located in the this old town in the middle of Tuscany.
  • Il Rondò, boutique hotel ⋆⋆⋆
    Very nice facility, helpful and welcoming owners, good breakfast, clean and well furnished rooms. Pet friendly hotel!

Holiday rentals and property for sale:

What to see near Montepulciano, Tuscany