MONTALCINO, the home of "Brunello"
prov. Siena | area:Val d'Orcia | population:5085 | altitude 567m

The home of Brunello di Montalcino, the most highly-prized Italian wine.
A medieval town, surrounded by walls and located on a hill. Six ancient gates lead to the old city: artisans' workshops, small cafés, wine-cellars. All roads lead to the fortress (1361) dominating the surrounding area.

Statistics: the municipality covers an area of  24,000 hectares, 1,300 of which are vineyards.

Distance to (in km): Siena 40;  Florence (airport) 95;  Rome (airport) 200.

The Area: inside the Val d'Orcia Natural Park. Gently-rolling hills. Flora: Mediterranean scrub, vineyards and olive groves, pastureland and sowable fields, oak and holm-oak forests. Fauna: wild boar, roe deer, martens, hare and pheasants.  

Not to Be Missed:

• S. Antimo Abbey  (XII cen.): standing alone in the countryside. One of the most important Romanesque  monuments in the area.
• Municipal and Diocesan Museum (in the S. Agostino Convent): painted cross (XII cen.), paintings dated 1300-1500 (from the school of Duccio, by Simone Martini, by Pietro Lorenzetti,%u2026)
• La Rocca (1361): a fortress with massive corner towers. In the keep, a wine-cellar with local wines.

Wines and Typical Dishes:

·        Wines: Brunello di Montalcino; Rosso di Montalcino; Moscadello (dessert wine); Vinsanto (dessert wine).

·        Typical Dishes: toast served with savouries; pici (large-sized spaghetti made by hand); broad noodles with hare sauce; ribollita (soup of bread, beans and cabbage); panzanella (moistened bread seasoned with oil, vinegar and herbs); cantucci (crisp biscuits with anice and almonds) %u2026

·        Oil: of remarkably good quality.

 What to Do:

• Excursions: on foot or by bike in the Val d'Orcia Park. Oenogastronic itineraries with visits to villages and castles.
• Nature Train: from Siena, it crosses the Val d'Orcia as far as Mt. Amiata.
• Courses: Italian language and typical Tuscan cooking.
• Special Events:
  La Sagra del Tordo (Thrush Festival), Tournament for first day of hunting season, DOC and DOCG wine exhibition, Sagra del Galletto (Cockerel Festival).

Useful Info: all basic services available: post offices, cash machines, chemists', hospitals, restaurants.

Historical Notes
Ancient Etruscan and Roman settlements. In the Middle Ages, it was a Sienese stronghold against Florentine expansionism. In 1400 it acquired the status of "town". What to Buy
Above all, wine, in the numerous wine-cellars: in some you can taste before buying and in others you can sit down and enjoy a glass.