Tuscany dreaming

27^th to 29^th of August 2013

South of Siena, about an hour drive away, lays four Tuscan towns that we visited - Montepulciano, Pienza, San Quirico d'Orcia and Montalcino. Each had their own unique character that we wanted to experience and they all had one thing in common, some of the best wines in Italy to enjoy.

A map indicating the towns we visited in Tuscany

Montepulciano

Montepulciano

We arrived to Montepulciano in the rain but luckily, without too much trouble and with the help of our GPS, we found Camere Bellavista in via Ricci. It is only a short walk from Piazza Grande and the centre of town but the bonus for me was that our walks, to and from the guesthouse, were always accompanied by music played by the students from the music academy situated in the same street. Furthermore, opposite the guesthouse lay an antique book store. My dream had already begun!

Beautiful views from Camere Bellavista situated near Piazza Grande

Montepulciano has been built on a high geological ridge. The main street leads from Porta al Prato to Piazza Grande and climbs from 60 m at the lowest level to a height of 500 m. Consequently you can imagine that the town consists of steep, narrow streets connected to each other with many short, narrow alleyways.

The streets and alleyways of Montepulciano

In Piazza Grande one will find the town’s cathedral built in the 16^th century.

Il Duomo in Piazza Grande 

Montepulciano boasts an array of buildings from the 17^th and 18^th century. The noblemen of the town carried out many of the projects to exult personal status. The town has many prestigious palaces scattered along the streets to admire.

Palazza Comunale in Piazza Grande on our rainy arrival in Montepulciano

We popped into a wine cellar, Cantina Contucci, a short way off Piazza Grande and there we met Antonella who we had a lovely conversation with about vines and olives in Italy compared to in South Africa. Afterwards she recommended we go eat at Ristorante il Cittino in via di Cagnano. If only we knew the joy that awaited us our mouths would already have started to water.

Cellar tour of Cantina Cantucci

Ristorante il Cittino is a small family run restaurant, quite informal but wonderful, as you feel like a guest in the proprietors’ dining room. We had a plate overflowing with the local speciality pici, pasta made from flour and water but no eggs. It was delicious as we slurped up the long strings with red meat sauce dripping down our chins. The tastes took me back to days spent in my grandmother’s kitchen table eating wonderful Italian food.

Ristorante il Cittino in via di Cagnano

However, we arrived a little too early at the restaurant as the lady was still making the fresh pasta so we said that we would take a walk around town and then come back for supper. The streets are so pleasant to amble through that one really doesn’t mind.

Torre della Pulcinella, a clock tower where on the hour, the little puffin strikes the bell to indicate the time

As the mist came rolling over the hills, the evening may have seemed a little dark and dreary but this town has a charm that will capture you and all her moods will be endearing.

The mist creeping over the hills towards Montepulciano

Waking up at Camere Bellavista and peering out at the Tuscan sun beaming through the clouds down onto the green hills filled me with an awe of wonder every morning. It’s a moment where one needs to pinch yourself just to make sure you not dreaming.

A beautiful morning view at Camere Bellavista with the Temple of San Biagio peeking out of the trees

Feeling full of excitement we set out on a day of exploration and dived deeper into the town of Montepulciano.

There are many shops to distract you along the streets, from curios to boutiques, to art studios and antique book stores.

Montepulciano offers many shops that will distract you

There are many beautiful churches with beautiful decorative pieces that are well worth a visit.

Take time to visit the churches in Montepulciano and admire the architecture

However, the main reason for visiting Montepulciano is of course to sample the famous Vino Nobili di Montepulciano, a blend of Sangiovese (known locally as Prugnolo Gentile), Canaiolo and Mammolo, as well as the typical cheese Pecorino Stagionato, matured under soil or ash.

Tasting rooms may also offer a museum. The one we visited displayed an old olive oil press and distilling pot, and even a wishing well

There are many tasting rooms where one can taste wine, olive oil, salami, cheeses and even Grappa. They also often a small museum displaying old farm implements, family relics or even fossils of seashells found in the area.

At Cantina, one could view the family chapel alongside the tasting room

Outside the walls of Montepulciano, the temple, Tiempo di San Biagio was constructed and it is said that the elaborate style inspired many builders of other palaces in the region.

Tiempo di San Biagio

Alongside the temple one will find the monastery. There is a tasting room in the cantina of the monastery but unfortunately it was closed when we passed by.

Tiempo di San Biagio and the monastery

Moving further away from the city walls of Montepulciano and travelling the Tuscan roads, we stopped by another cellar on a farm where the vines were in an immaculate condition, giving Tuscany the honour it deserves for its renowned beauty.

A quick stop and wine tasting at a cellar a short distance from Montepulciano en-route to Pienza

We decided to explore some towns in the vicinity of Montepulciano which were highly recommended for their beauty. We drove to Pienza, on towards San Quirico d’Orcia and then to Montalcino. With each town, we discovered each of their characters.

Pienza

Pienza, 20 minutes from Montepulciano

We thoroughly enjoyed Pienza. It is as picturesque as Montepulciano but I felt it was a little more lively and energetic.

Arriving in Pienza

Walking along the outer wall to the cathedral we could not help but stop and read out the names of the streets as they are so charming.

Via del Bacio (the road of the kiss) for the married couple and via dell’Amore (the road of love) for the one still looking

There was an art exhibition by Piero Sbarlazzi of stone carvings. For me, the artist’s statue of the man and woman on horseback called “L’incontro” was simply beautiful.

Art exhibition by Piero Sbarlazzi

We wandered around the streets for a bit, absorbing the sights and sounds of this busy Tuscan town. One can idle along getting lost in characteristic charm.

The town of Pienza

We stopped at a café for a panini and beer before making our way back to the car and on to the next town.

Lunch in Pienza

San Quirico d’Orcia

San Quirico d’Orcia is a petite hamlet in Tuscany offering much tranquillity. It is as beautiful as the other towns but its character is one more of peace and serenity.

San Quirico d’Orcia, 10 minutes from Pienza

The town is encircled by a medieval stone wall and was an important centre for trade and commerce as it is situated on the intersection between via Francigena, a road which from late medieval times until the middle of the 19^th century, was the main route to Rome and southern Italy.

The ancient wall of San Quirico d’Orcia and the piazza

We stumbled upon Horti Leonni, a beautiful garden to wander in.

Horti Leonni

A short walk down a quiet street lined with cafes brought us to the site of a delicately softly coloured church. Pieve dei Santi Quirico e Giulitta boasts a Gothic-style rose-window and is characterised by a 12^th century Romanesque portal whose vestibule is supported by columns resting on two lionesses.

Pieve dei Santi Quirico e Giulitta

We strolled through the quiet streets of San Quirico d’Orcia. I presume since it was early afternoon, everyone was hidden indoors hiding from the heat and having an afternoon nap.

Strolling the streets of San Quirico d’Orcia

Before leaving this quaint hamlet, we went to see San Maria, an 11^th century Romanesque church.

San Maria, an 11^th century Romanesque church

Montalcino

Montalcino, 15 minutes from San Quirico d'Orcia

A drive in Tuscany would not be complete unless you lost your way in the hills and had to stop to consult the map once again to orientate yourself. Luckily, where we had stopped there was a blackberry bush and we could pick some as a sweet refreshment.

Picking blackberries on the side of the road in Tuscany

Montalcino is a lovely town but in all fairness I think we were all a little too tired to appreciate its personality to the fullest.

Walking through town towards the castle

However, its charm did not escape us and we did get to enjoy the vistas of the countryside from the castle walls.

Part of the castle walls and views of the countryside from Montalcino

We retraced our steps back to Montepulciano and ended our evening with a wine tasting at Cantina Cantucci. I must admit, Vino Nobili is a lovely wine to drink and it has rightfully earned its reputation of being the king of wines in Tuscany. After all, it has roots in ancient history, from when the Etruscans planted vines, olive trees and cypress trees in the area. In actual fact, Tuscany is named after it's pre-Roman inhabitants, the Etruscans

Wine tasting at Cantina Cantucci before dinner

As we were in Tuscany, we had to indulge in a Florentine Steak to accompany the red wine we had been drinking. Antonella recommended another enjoyable restaurant for the evening, Trattoria di Cagnano in via Del’ Opio nel Corso.

Every year, Montepulciano hosts a barrel race called ‘Il Bravio delle Botti’ on the last Sunday of August. However, this year it was postponed due to rain and although we would not be in town when it occurred we caught site of the teams partaking in a practice run for the big event. 

Each district of the town is represented by a team and within in each team are two ‘spingitori’ who push a wine barrel up the steep slopes of the historical centre until they reach the finish line by the Duomo in Piazza Grande for just over one kilometre. The teams compete for the ‘bravio’, a painted banner depicting the city’s patron saint, St John the Baptist.

Practice run for ‘Il Bravio delle Botti’

We were glad that we could partake in the practice run and experience a small slice of the city's tradition, making our stay in Montepulciano and Tuscany a perfect blend of tradition - local wine, cheese, cuisine and the beautiful hearts of each of the historical towns.