5 Best Things To Do In Montalcino, Tuscany + Tips For Visiting

I visited Montalcino Tuscany, during a trip to Val d’Orcia last June. I was traveling with my sister and brother-in-law, and while it was not our first (or 10th!) trip to Tuscany, we had yet to visit this corner of the Val d’Orcia.

We spent a day in Montalcino Italy, exploring the town and the surrounding Sangiovese vineyards, so I thought I’d share my best tips for visiting.

Montalcino is a small medieval town known as the birthplace of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s most celebrated wines. You will immediately notice that Montalcino is packed with enoteche, beautiful tasting rooms where you can try this famous wine.

But there are more things to do in Montalcino other than drinking wine. This small Tuscan town is packed with history and interesting sights.

In this Montalcino guide, I cover the main attractions in Montalcino, and I share some expert tips that will help you plan your visit.

Are you planning a trip to Tuscany? My post, What To See In Tuscany, will help you plan your itinerary. I also have a Guide To Val d’Orcia for more places to visit in the area.

Quick Overview of Montalcino

Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of the best things to do in Montalcino, and some tips to plan your visit.

BEST THINGS TO DO IN MONTALCINO:

• Wine tasting
• Visit the Fortress of Montalcino
• Explore the Historic Center
• Check out the Cathedral

BEST GUIDED DAY TRIPS TO MONTALCINO:

• From Siena: Brunello di Montalcino Guided Wine Tour with Lunch
• Florence: Orcia Valley, Montalcino, Pienza with Lunch and Wine
• From Rome: Tuscany, Montepulciano and Montalcino Tour with Wine and Lunch

ESSENTIAL MONTALCINO TIPS:

• If you want to be more independent, you should rent a car in Florence to explore Montalcino and the Val d’Orcia.
• Montalcino is small, but don’t rush your visit. It’s pleasant to just sit and enjoy another glass of wine.
• If you plan to stay for dinner, book a table in advance. The best restaurants always get booked up.

Best Things To Do In Montalcino

Wine Tasting

Wine tasting is easily one of the unmissable things to do in Montalcino, Tuscany. After all, Montalcino is world-famous for the production of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s most prestigious red wines. It’s a rich, structured wine that’s meant to age.

As you approach Montalcino, you will see that the hills surrounding the small town are blanketed with vineyards. As you walk around the historic center, you will spot endless “enoteche” (something between a wine bar and a bottle shop). So of course you will want to factor in some time for wine tasting here.

Brunello di Montalcino, the most famous wine here, is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. This only becomes Brunello di Montalcino after spending two years in Slavonian oak barrels (though some producers now use smaller French barrels, known as barriques), and a minimum of four months in a bottle.

If you like something less structured, a bit fruitier, you can opt to try a Rosso di Montalcino, which is also made of 100% Sangiovese grapes but doesn’t have to age for that long.

Most people try the classic Brunello di Montalcino, but you can also have the “riserva”, which is released from the 1st of January after 6 years from the harvest (it’s only 5 years for the normal one).

When we visited, we opted to do wine tasting at Enoteca la Fortezza, set within Montalcino’s 14th-century fortress (more about it in a bit). They have dozens of local labels available by the glass. We enjoyed talking to the owner/manager, a journalist from Belgium who abandoned his career to follow his calling in Tuscany.

Another famous place where you can go wine tasting in Montalcino is the Enoteca di Piazza Wine Room of Fedolfi Andrea Sas, which is located on Via Matteotti 43.

If you want, you can also book wine tasting experiences online. Below are my recommendations:

This vineyard picnic with a bottle of wine is perfect if you are visiting Tuscany in the spring or fall months, when exploring the countryside is pleasant. You’ll have a cellar tour, and then you will get a picnic basket with various local specialties and a bottle of wine to enjoy.

This guided winery tour and gourmet food tasting goes to Corte Pavone winery. You will explore the grounds, get a tour of the cellar, and enjoy wine tasting at the end.

Take in the views from the Fortress Walls

For views of the Val d’Orcia, make sure to climb the stairts to the Fortezza di Montalcino, a fortress perched on the highest point in town and erected by the Sienese in 1361 with defensive purposes.

Once you are up, you can walk along the Fortress Walls and get 360° views of Montalcino.

You can check out the Fortress courtyard for free – today, it is mostly used for events, concerts, festivals, and it’s a lively gatheriing place. If you want to climb to the walls, walk to the Enoteca La Fortezza (the wine shop I mentioned above), and pay a small fee to climb up.

A walk in Montalcino Historic Center

The historic center of Montalcino is fairly compact, but a pleasant place for a walk. It’s a maze of stone streets, archways, small churches and nice squares where you will find lots of artisan wine shops, tiny cafés, and family-run restaurants tucked between Renaissance buildings.

The main sight is the Piazza del Popolo, which is overlooked by the 14th century Palazzo dei Priori, where the medieval clock tower is located. Today, it’s where the town hall is located.

Visit the Civic Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art

We ended up in this museum as we were desperately trying to escape the afternoon heat, and enjoyed the calm atmosphere. You will find the Civic and Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Montalcino tucked just off Piazza del Popolo, housed in the former convent of Sant’Agostino.

Inside, there’s a small but impressive collection of paintings, sculptures, and religious artifacts from local churches and monasteries. Don’t miss the works by Bartolo di Fredi, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and other Sienese masters.

Pop inside Montalcino’s Cathedral

You will find the Cathedral of San Salvatore at the edge of Montalcino’s historic center, not far from Piazza del Popolo. Originally built in the Middle Ages, the church became a Cathedral in 1462.

It was redesigned in the 19th century in neoclassical style. It’s an elegant, understated landmark that’s pleasant to visit, and quiet compared to the busy streets of the historic center.

Inside, you can spot the beautiful organ that dates from 1858, and lots of paintings by Sienese artists that date from the 16th and 17th century.

Map of Montalcino Attractions

Montalcino is small and easy to explore, but it’s still good to have an idea of where the attractions and places of interest are located. For ease, I have created a map of the best Montalcino attractions. It also shows a few restaurants in Montalcino, some places to stay and the best parking lots.

How to use this Montalino Attractions map: This map points out the best places to visit in Montalcino, some recommended restaurants and places to stay. You can enlarge it by using your computer mouse on desktop or laptop, or your fingers on your smartphone. To save the map to your Google Maps account, just click on the star next to the title. You can view the saved map by clicking on “Your saved maps” in your Google Maps. If you need a larger version, click on “view larger map” in the top right corner of the screen.

How Long Do You Need In Montalcino?

You can explore Montalcino, including the Fortezza di Montalcino and a wine tasting experience, in around three or four hours. Of course, you should stay longer if you prefer a more relaxed pace and wish to have a more in-depth wine tasting.

How To Get To Montalcino

By car

Driving is definitely the best way to get around Tuscany, and it allows you to move around more independently – not to mention, it is much faster.

I recommend Discover Cars to compare the prices of car rental anywhere in the world. It’s what we used for our road trip around Val d’Orcia, and we were happy with our car, the convenient price, and the service we received.

Here are driving distances and times from other places in Tuscany:

• Siena: 41 km/25.4 miles; about one hour (if you follow the Cassia)
• Florence: 113 km/70 miles; 2 hours (if you use the Italian toll roads)
• Montepulciano: 36 km/22 miles; about 45 minutes (if you use the State Road)
• Pienza: 23 km/14.2 miles; about 30 minutes
• San Quirico d’Orcia: 14 km/8.7 miles; about 20 minutes

Parking in Montalcino

You will find several (paid) parking lots in Montalcino, all of them located just outside the historic city center, which you can then easily reach on foot. They are all marked with the symbol P (parcheggio).

When we visited, we parked at the Parcheggio Piazzale Fortezza, close to the fortress and the town center. Not far from it, you will also find the Parcheggio Fortezza, which is just as convenient.

Another large parking lot is the Parcheggio Viale Strozzi, which is just outside the center of town, too.

By public transport

There is no train station in Montalcino, so unless you rent a car, the only way to get there is by bus; however, there are no direct buses connecting Montalcino to either Siena or Florence.

If you are coming from Siena, you’ll have to take Bus 112 to Buonconvento and then Bus 114 to Montalcino. It will take roughly one hour.

The bus trip from Florence takes more than 2.5 hours: you have to take Bus B23 to Buonconvento, then Bus 114 to Montalcino.

By guided tour

If you don’t want to rent a car, and using public transport isn’t for you, you also have the option of joining a guided tour that includes transportation. There are several that go to Montalcino and that are easy to book online.

Here are my recommendations:

This Brunello di Montalcino Guided Wine Tour with Lunch from Siena is an excellent option if you are staying in Siena. The tour include a visit to three wineries, lunch at a family-fun winery and a stop at the Abbey of Sant’Antimo.

This Orcia Valley, Montalcino, Pienza with Lunch and Wine day trip from Florence stops at the Temple of Brunello too. It doesn’t have a focus on wine tasting, but you will be having wine anyways.

This Tuscany, Montepulciano and Montalcino Tour with Wine and Lunch from Rome is very highly rated. It stops in Montepulciano and Montalcino. Keep in mind that, because this is a day trip from Rome, it’s a very long day.

Places To Visit Near Montalcino, Tuscany

If you have a car, it’s easy to explore other places near Montalcino – it’s exactly what we did when we went. In fact, we based ourselves in Montepulciano, from where we visited Pienza, San Quirico d’Orcia and Montalcino in the same day. We did not feel rushed at all, but if you want an even more leisurely place, you may want to just visit two places in the same day.

San Quirico d’Orcia – Picturesque, lesser-known small town in the Val d’Orcia, 20 minutes drive from Montalcino. We decided to go there for lunch as Pienza was terribly busy, and found it pleasant and charming. You won’t need more than one hour to explore the historic center, with the churches and the beautiful Horti Leonini gardens.

Pienza – One of the most famous places to visit in Tuscany, just 30 minutes by car from Montalcino. It’s famous as the “ideal Renaissance town”. Here you can visit the Palazzo Piccolomini and its gardens, and the Cathedral. Also make sure to taste the famous Pecorino cheese.

Montepulciano – About 45-minute drive from Montalcino, it’s a gorgeous hilltop town famous for the Montepulciano wine. It’s packed with wine cellars and fantastic restaurants. The heart of Montepulciano is its Piazza Grande, where you’ll find the Cathedral, the Town Hall, the Palazzo Contucci, the Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi, and the Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni.

You could also visit the Abbey of Sant’Antimo, a former benedictine monastery about 10 km (6.2 miles) from Montalcino.

Where To Stay And Eat In Montalcino

If you decide to base yourself in Montalcino for your Tuscany trip, you will have a great choice of accommodation options. Here are just some you may want to consider:

• Mastrojanni Relais – Gorgeous small hotel beautifully immersed in the countryside near Montalcino. There’s a pool, a fitness center, a spa, a restaurant.
• Guesthouse da Idolina – Nice apartments or double rooms in the historic center of Montalcino, equipped with everything you need for a comfortable stay. Breakfast is included in the price of your stay, but the apartment is perfect for self-catering.
• Casa di Elena – Lovely apartment centrally located, perfect for a small family.

And these are some restaurants in Montepulciano you may want to try:

• Locanda Demetra – Nice restaurant that also features a cooking school, perfect if you want to try more traditional dishes.
• Boccon Divino – One of the best restaurants in Montepulciano where the dishes of local tradition are prepared in a more contemporary and creative way. It has gorgeous views of the countryside. It’s not cheap, but worth it.
• Enoteca Grotta del Brunello – More of a wine bar, it offers traditional dishes that are perfect to pair with the local wines. Their charcuterie boards are delicious, but you’ll also love their pici pasta.

FAQs on Montalcino Tuscany

Final Considerations on Visiting Montalcino

You simply can’t plan a road trip around the Val d’Orcia and skip Montalcino. It’s a small town, really (though I wouldn’t say it’s one of Italy’s hidden gems), but so full of character and with a nice vibe that it’d be a pity to miss it.

If you have a car, it’s easy to weave Montalcino in your Val d’Orcia itinerary – it’s less than a 30-minute drive from Pienza, and around one hour from Siena, so easy to visit on a day trip.

Many also visit on day trips from Florence, though I believe it’s a bit too far to make it enjoyable.

Montalcino is one of the most popular places to visit in this part of Tuscany, but most tourists there are day trippers. If you want to enjoy a more relaxed and less touristy atmosphere, plan to stay overnight and linger a bit longer after the tourist crowds leave.