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The highest of Tuscany’s major hill towns, Montepulciano sits over 600m above sea level on a narrow ridge, about 65km southeast of Siena. It’s a must on any Tuscany tour, a self-contained gem where the Corso winds past crumbling Renaissance palazzi and churches tucked into quiet squares or perched above narrow lanes.
Drop down a staircase or a shadowy alleyway, and you’ll catch sudden glimpses of classic wine country rolling into the distance. Terraced gardens offer the perfect spot to take it all in.
Henry James, who compared Montepulciano to a ship, spent most of his time here drinking – a sound policy, in view of the much-celebrated Vino Nobile, production of which dates back well over a thousand years.
Brief history of Montepulciano
Montepulciano’s rise to eminence began in 1511, when the town finally aligned with Florence rather than Siena. The Florentines then sent Antonio Sangallo the Elder to rebuild the town’s gates and walls, which he did so impressively that the council commissioned him to work on the town hall and several churches.
The local nobility followed suit, hiring Sangallo, his nephew Antonio Sangallo the Younger, and later Vignola, a Modena-born architect and key figure in early Baroque, to design their private palazzi.
If your Tuscany trip includes Montepulciano, take time to compare its architectural legacy with Rossellino’s work in Pienza. The contrast reveals just how ambitious and refined Montepulciano became during the Renaissance.
Top image: Piazza Grande, a main square in Montepulciano © Viliam M./Shutterstock
