🇮🇹 Italy · Places to discover
What to see in Montepulciano ?
22 places curated by Hozy - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities. Click to discover each address in detail.
Montepulciano is a town of tufa and travertine perched on a ridge at 605 metres, between Val di Chiana and Val d'Orcia. Its Corso, which climbs relentlessly from Porta al Prato to Piazza Grande, functions as a spine around which Renaissance palaces, wine caves carved into rock and family-run shops of generations organise themselves. The town lives primarily for its residents, giving it a rare equilibrium in Tuscany.
The best period runs mid-April to June or September to October, when tour coaches become scarce and Vino Nobile producers gladly open their cellars. Two days suffice to explore on foot, the only serious way to move. Come by car from Pienza or Cortona; bus connections are impractical. Avoid the wine boutiques on the Corso: the finest tastings happen directly in underground cantinas, notably at Contucci, whose caves occupy the foundations of the town hall.
Landmarks & heritage (8)
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Palazzo Comunale di Montepulciano
15th-century town hall inspired by Florence's Palazzo della Signoria. Climb the tower for a 360° panorama across Val di Chiana and Monte Amiata.
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Church of Sant'Agostino
Renaissance façade designed by Michelozzo with a bas-relief of the Virgin between Saint John and Saint Augustine. The interior is sober and moving, often deserted even in peak season.
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Duomo di Montepulciano (Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta)
Austere, unfinished façade concealing a remarkable Renaissance interior with a triptych by Taddeo di Bartolo. The stark contrast between plain exterior and rich interior never fails to surprise.
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Fortezza di Montepulciano
Medieval fortress at the northern end of the town offering sweeping views over the Sienese countryside. Less visited than the centre, it provides access to the ramparts and a secluded panoramic terrace.
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Cantina Contucci (Historic Cellars)
Sixteenth-century historic cellar carved beneath Palazzo Contucci, directly on Piazza Grande. Taste Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG in barrel-vaulted caves where barrels sit beside medieval stone.
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Piazza Grande di Montepulciano
The beating heart of the town, surrounded by Palazzo Comunale, the Duomo and Palazzo Tarugi. One of Tuscany's finest Renaissance squares, without Siena's tourist crowds.
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Temple of San Biagio
A masterpiece by Antonio da Sangallo il Vecchio, standing isolated in the fields below the town. This golden travertine Renaissance church is worth the detour for its absolute serenity beyond the city walls.
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Palazzo Tarugi
Renaissance palace attributed to Vignola or Antonio da Sangallo, featuring a loggia with Ionic columns on the ground floor. A rare example of a private palace opening onto the public square, symbolising local patronage.
Nature & parks (3)
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Lake Montepulciano (Nature Reserve)
Lacustrine nature reserve a few kilometres north, an overlooked birdwatcher's paradise. Hundreds of migratory bird species stop here, and locals come to fish or simply find respite in nature.
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Montepulciano Thermal Springs (Sant'Albino)
Natural hot springs in the hamlet of Sant'Albino, considerably cheaper and less touristy than Bagno Vignoni. Locals come here for treatments and sulphurous baths in an authentic, unpretentious setting.
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Trail Through the Vino Nobile Vineyards
Marked hiking path winding through AOC Vino Nobile vineyards at the foot of the hillside. In autumn, the harvest brings unique colour and activity to the landscape that few visitors take time to experience.
Viewpoints (3)
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Viewpoint over Val d'Orcia from the Southern Ramparts
From the ramparts south of town, views plunge over the undulating hills of UNESCO-listed Val d'Orcia. One of Tuscany's most photogenic panoramas, away from the beaten track.
Viewpoint
Terrace of the Temple of San Biagio at Sunset
The lawn surrounding the temple becomes a natural belvedere at dusk with views over vineyards and cypress trees. Montepulciano residents come here to picnic on summer evenings, far from the town centre bustle.
Viewpoint
Panorama from Via di Gracciano nel Corso
The main sloping street traversing the town from bottom to top offers spectacular glimpses of the Val di Chiana. Early morning light raking across the terracotta roofs and plain is a rare photographic experience.
Activities (5)
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Museo Civico di Montepulciano (Pinacoteca Crociani)
Municipal museum housing a collection of Sienese and Florentine paintings from the 14th to 17th centuries in Palazzo Neri-Orselli. Rarely crowded with visitors, allowing rare contemplation of the works in absolute silence.
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Thursday Weekly Market
Local market set up in the lower town streets every Thursday morning, featuring producers from Val di Chiana and Val d'Orcia. Pecorino cheeses, olive oil, seasonal vegetables and local crafts at honest prices, free from tourist markup.
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Cantina Avignonesi
Emblematic wine estate producing Vino Nobile and the exceptionally rare Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice, aged 10 years. Guided tours of the cellars and organic vineyards, with tasting commentary from passionate experts—an absolute reference.
Activity
Tour of the Underground Cellars
A network of tufa-carved cellars honeycombing beneath the entire city, used since Etruscan times for wine storage. Several producers offer guided tours through these overlooked tunnels that run beneath Renaissance palaces.
Activity
Bravio delle Botti (late August)
Barrel-rolling race pushed by sheer force through the town's sloped streets, organised by the eight contrade since the Middle Ages. If you're here in late August, it's the region's most authentic popular event.
More to discover (3)
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Church of Madonna di Montefollonico
A small, isolated chapel in the countryside between Montepulciano and Montefollonico, surrounded by centuries-old cypress trees. An authentically contemplative place visited by local pilgrims for centuries, entirely off the beaten path.
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Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni (Piazza Grande)
A 16th-century Renaissance well adorned with griffins and lions, heraldic symbols of Florence and Montepulciano. A masterpiece of civic sculpture often overlooked by hurried visitors crossing the square.
Place
Frantoio oleario Fattoria Bindella
An active olive-oil mill on the Bindella estate, producing exceptional DOP Terre di Siena oil. A visit in November during the olive harvest is an unforgettable sensory and human experience.