This tour features
some of the finest hill towns in southern Tuscany and first stop will be the
perfect little Renaissance village of Pienza. Originally called Corsignano, it
was the home town of Pope Pius II and he decided to turn it into the perfect
Utopian town and showcase of Renaissance architecture, indeed, he visualised it
as being a rival to Florence. He commissioned the architect Rossellino to build
the cathedral, Piazza and other major buildings. Unfortunately, Pius died quite
soon afterwards, so the great city remained a village but with a beautiful
Renaissance heart which is a joy to visit. The surrounding area is also famous
for its production of Pecorino cheese, reflected in the many shops here where
you can try and buy. Not far from here is Montalcino, famous for the production
of Brunello wine and its imposing fortress. It is a lovely town to stroll
around and of course to taste its legendary wines. Final visit of the day will
be to Montepulciano, highest of these hill towns, at 665 metres. It is a
stunningly good looking town, with beautiful squares and amazing vistas in
whichever direction you look and city walls built by the leading Florentine
architect, Antonio da Sangallo in 1511. As if all this were not enough, it is
also home to the delicious ‘Vino Nobile’ wines.
