Montalcino sits on top of a steep hill with acres of olive groves and vineyards surrounding it. It was heavily fortified behind defensive walls and an imposing 14th century fortress topped with tall lookout towers built in 1361 to a pentagonal plan. It is famous for the production of Brunello di Montalcino. My favorite! Fields of Sunflowers cover the breathtaking countryside from Siena to Monte
The entrance to this village is through the Porta Sant’Agata (know as the 'city gate') and offers absolutely stunning views across the valley to Pienza from its perch high on a hill overlooking a magnificent valley. This extraordinarily beautiful region of Tuscany, the Val d’Orcia, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. Montichiello is a perfectly restored village set among the 15th century
Greve in Chianti was our home base while in the Chianti region of Tuscany. From here we travelled to Siena then to Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, San Gimignano, Arezzo and Montichiello. As I detailed in a previous blog we were delighted to stay at Villa Bordoni for our time after we left Venice and Florence. The countryside around Chianti is very fertile and a patchwork of
