Montepulciano Travel Guides

Arezzo and Montepulciano Christmas Markets from Florence

Celebrate the festive season with a magical day trip from Florence to the Arezzo and Montepulciano Christmas Markets, two of the most charming holiday events in Tuscany. Just an hour’s drive away, Arezzo and Montepulciano transforms into a winter wonderland with twinkling lights, artisan stalls, and the joyful spirit of Christmas. 

Wine Tasting with Food in a Stone Cellar in Montepulciano

Tuscan cooking course

The Tuscan lifestyle told through food. In the company of local housewives and grandmothers, you will undertake a typical local cooking course, cooking simple but tasty dishes typical of the sharecropping period. All the ingredients of the cooking course are selected according to seasonality and favor local and zero km productions. The typical cuisine of Tuscan grandmothers It starts with the preparation of various types of bruschetta and crostini: with tomato and basil, with Tuscan extra virgin olive oil, etc. We continue by kneading water and flour to make pici, the famous handmade pasta typical of the Province of Siena, then an excellent dressing sauce and finally a delicious homemade dessert. Between one preparation and another, a glass of wine will never be missing to keep you company At the end of the course, the table will be set and laden with freshly cooked dishes. All that remains is to taste them in combination with local wines. A rural experience to discover traditional Tuscan cuisine, to be enjoyed in a farmhouse, on a farm or in a trattoria.

Pizza making course for adults and children

Perfect the preparation of homemade pizza, the good and genuine one, with this pizza making course for adults and children. You will be welcomed in a country farm, in a typical Tuscan atmosphere, where you can feel at home. The pizza making course for the whole family The pizza making course is an experience dedicated to the whole family and to the fun of the little ones, who will learn to manipulate the dough and to give shape and flavor to their original pizzas. It doesn't matter if flour flies everywhere. Special attention is paid to the ingredients used, such as Tuscan extra virgin olive oil and seasonal vegetables. At the end of the course everyone at the table to eat freshly baked hot pizza. And after the pizza, a sweet and irresistible surprise, to conclude this experience in the most delicious way.

Descent into Hell in the Tomb of the Infernal Quadriga

This tour, available only on Saturdays, will take you inside the Tomb of the Infernal Quadriga in Sarteano, a unique and suggestive experience. Cold, humid, it literally leaves you speechless because of the explosion of bright red on the left side of the corridor where a quadriga running to the underworld is represented, guided by a demon with flaming hair. A little further on, a banquet scene with two men, perhaps father and son reconciled in the afterlife, perhaps two lovers. At the bottom of the tomb, a sarcophagus and two spectacular representations. In one wall a hippocampus, in the other a three-headed snake that you will hardly forget. So extraordinary that even Alessandro Michele chose it for one of his incredible Gucci clothes. Once you have re-emerged from the underworld, you will move to Chianciano Terme to the Theia Thermal Pools, the bath of the Etruscans, for moments of real relaxation.

Horseback riding with Tuscan picnic in Valdichiana

A horseback ride to slowly explore, in the open air, the most beautiful and panoramic places in the Valdichiana. An experienced guide will guide you through country trails, along vineyards and cultivated fields along a circular route that can be used by everyone, even beginners. The horseback ride and the picnic During the walk you will be able to listen to the legends and curiosities related to the territory of Valdichiana and to the characters that have inhabited it. At the end of the horseback ride, a healthy picnic with excellent local products and fresh seasonal snacks awaits you at the farm from which you started. Horseback riding for children This tour can also be organized for children at their first experience with the world of horseback riding.

Walk with the Alpacas

Immerse yourself in the wonder of the Valdichiana Senese in the company of fascinating alpacas, adorable and affectionate creatures that will accompany you on a relaxing walk next to vineyards and fields, along a path accessible to everyone, even beginners. With the guidance of a local expert, you will immerse yourself in the history and nature of the place, discovering secrets and curiosities that will make this experience truly unique and memorable. Adventure with alpacas and tasting typical products Once the walk is over, you can enjoy a moment of relaxation and connection with the surrounding landscape, while savoring the true flavors of the Valdichiana Senese with a tasty tasting of fresh and local products. Relax and let yourself be enveloped by the atmosphere that surrounds you. Experience suitable even for the youngest This adventure is also perfect for children, who can participate and have fun in the company of alpacas. An unforgettable experience for the whole family!

Wellness Panoramas: Terme di Fonteverde and tasting

Immerse yourself in the healing waters of the Fonteverde Natural Spa thermal pools in San Casciano dei Bagni. Let yourself be conquered by the view of the hilly landscape of the Val d'Orcia that is lost on the horizon, while you are pampered by whirlpools and waterfalls of hot thermal water. Tasting among the Tuscan landscapes The journey into well-being continues with a visit to a local company and a tasting of typical products tasting or aperitif at Fonteverde (on the basis of the availability).

Let's make ricotta on the farm

Qualified personnel will guide children and teenagersto the knowledge of the countryside, nature and the animals of the farm and the farmyard, involving them in the creation of a typical product such as ricotta.The scent of aromatic herbs and freshly milked milk, and here the ricotta takes shape, very good and genuine for a children's snack, to be enjoyed while still warm accompanied by sugar and homemade bread. There will be a glass of wine for the parents. Possibility to try the baptism of the saddle on horseback.

Happy family: spa bath and farm tour

Thermal bath and farm tour: two family-friendly experiences in a single day, which will become memorable. Spas for your family The “Theia” thermal pools in Chianciano Terme are both indoor and outdoor, have a temperature between 33°C and 36°, cervical water jets and whirlpools. Special services are available for children, such as a pool with shallow water in a covered area, a play area, a pool with colored balls and two thermal experiences for children from six to twelve years old. The farm tour and the tasting After the spa, you can choose between two realities: visit a local farm, where children will be accompanied to discover the animals and the vegetable garden and can savor the typical local products with a nice snack or visit an alpaca farm with the opportunity to caress and interact with these affectionate animals.

Meet the artisans in the villages

The history of the link between Tuscany and craftsmanship has ancient origins. Today, craftsmanship in Tuscany is still a value, as well as a very strong tradition. With this tour you can get to know one of the most authentic sides of the Tuscan territory, meeting the artisans at work in their small shops, such as the coppersmith, the wrought iron and mosaic artists, the earthenware makers and the artisans of local flavors from wine, to cheese, to cold cuts, to desserts. You will discover the processing techniques and the stories of the artisans of the Valdichiana Senese.

Farm tour: the piglet of Cinta Senese

The Cinta Senese is an ancient breed native to the Sienese territory, characterized by a black cloak and a pink “girdle”. The farmers get to know their pigs one by one, raised in the semi-wild with feed that complies with the PDO regulations and cereals grown in the Tuscan countryside. The experience you can have on local farms is truly rural as it is memorable; after a walk through the vineyard and the olive grove you can interact with “domestic” pigs and meet their entire company of girdled pigs having fun in the mud. Knowing the history of the Cinta Senese pig and the organoleptic qualities of its fine meat will be very interesting, but above all important for recognizing excellent quality cold cuts. At the end of the tour, it's time to delight your palate with a platter of tasting Cinta Senese cold cuts or a lunch based on farm products.

Wild herb collection tour in the Tuscan countryside

In the green areas of the Valdichiana Senese, many edible herbaceous species grow, which are an ingredient in healthy and environmentally friendly recipes. “Foraging”, the practice of collecting wild herbs, allows you to experience nature in a different way and to recover knowledge that is mostly lost. The experience With the help of an expert, you will learn to recognize and collect wild herbs, exploring the Valdichiana Senese countryside. At the end of the walk, you will taste herbal food and drinks.

Tasting tour at the historic cellars of Montepulciano

The historic cellars of Montepulciano, located underneath the buildings dating back to the Tuscan Renaissance, are the core of this tour in the heart of Montepulciano. The tour to the historic cellars of MontepulcianoStarting from Piazza Grande, you will discover the history of Montepulciano and the deep roots that for centuries have shaped the local people and the Vino Nobile. A guide will lead you inside of two underground cellars, between underground shafts with brick walls. Here you will find gigantic oak barrels, in which the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG and the Rosso di Montepulciano DOC “rest”. At the conclusion of every visit, you will attend a tasting of the wines with an explanation of their basic characteristics. You will always remember the authenticity of Montepulciano with this tour. 

Children's workshop at the Chiusi Civic Museum

LET'S DRAW MONSTERSThe world of the Etruscans will become even more fascinating once you discover the imaginary of fantastic creatures, deities and demons that were represented on cinerary urns and on the walls of tombs. With this creative and educational tour designed for families, you will try your hand at the art of drawing in the rooms of the Civic Museum of Chiusi, inspired by ancient Etruscan representations. In fact, learning about history has never been so much fun! WRITING WORKSHOPA real writing workshop led by the staff of the Civic Museum, during which children try their hand at reproducing the alphabet and with the Etruscan language using wax and clay tablets, small vases or earthenware artifacts, rolls of fabric (just like the ancient Etruscans!) where they will learn to reproduce symbols, words and short phrases in the Etruscan alphabet. At the end of the experience at the Civic Museum, a delicious snack based on typical products awaits you in the historic center of Chiusi, where you can relax after a wonderful morning or afternoon at the Museum with the whole family.

The sacred waters of San Casciano dei Bagni

The Sanctuary Found in San Casciano dei Bagni is one of the most sensational archaeological discoveries in recent years. From the muddy waters, near the Bagno Grande (the well-known free thermal baths at the foot of the village), a sanctuary from the Augustinian era dedicated precisely to the waters has emerged, with a tub and a monument always dating back to the same era. Equally, the finds that have re-emerged from the warm waters are of great importance and interest: bases and pieces of columns, gold and silver coins, votive bronzes, inscriptions where Apollo, Fortuna, Isis, deities associated with health, are mentioned, who suggest the sacredness of those waters. In addition to the 24 bronze statues, intact, which will allow us to rewrite the dialectical relationship between Etruscans and Romans. A tour to get up close and personal with an incredible archaeological discovery With this exclusive tour you will visit the excavation in the company of those who brought it to light, starting from the exhibition hall of the Cassian Rooms and then walking to the excavation. The sacred waters of San Casciano dei Bagni Once the visit is over, the itinerary through the sacred waters of San Casciano dei Bagni continues to Fonteverde, once a private thermal facility wanted by the Medici, now a luxurious spa. Precisely in the antiquarian spirit of the 1600s, inside the villa are still on display pieces related to the finds found during the recent excavation. Once you have admired the gallery, it's time to discover the beneficial effects of water with a hot bath in one of the most beautiful spas in Italy. Note: the 24 bronze statues found during the excavations are not visible. The findings are currently not in San Casciano dei Bagni.

Water and Wine: Terme di Montepulciano and Vino Nobile

Treat yourself to a romantic moment of well-being with your partner at the Terme di Montepulciano, between Water and Wine. Let yourself be pampered and enjoy a rejuvenating couple's massage in the company of your partner. At the end of the spa treatments, a taxi will take you to the historic center of Montepulciano, to an underground cellar, where you can continue to activate all your senses with a tasting of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG combined with a platter of typical products.

Tour of the underground Valdichiana Senese

Under the historic centers of the Valdichiana Senese, there are very dense and complex tunnels that are located underground where precious treasures are kept. Paths that follow, in negative terms, the beauty of the villages on the surface and that surprise visitors with their beauty. In fact, in Valdichiana Senese, there is an entire underground world waiting to be discovered in a culturally oriented itinerary that allows us to understand more about the millenary history of this territory, retracing the phases that marked its development. The stages of the tour: Sinalunga, Montepulciano and Chiusi Your tour will start from the Water Trail in Sinalunga. Equipped with a helmet with light and boots, like real Indiana Jones, you will venture through the underground alleys that cross the historic center of Sinalunga together with a geologist who will introduce you to the story of this “loot”, an underground aqueduct built in medieval times when water was a real precious asset. In fact, the tunnel connects an existing well in the center of the village to the Fonte del Castagno, outside the entrance of the path. Later you will get married in Montepulciano, moving from water to wine, another element that has marked the economic development of this territory. In the historic center, you will visit one of the eight cellars dug into the tuff, where today, as centuries ago, it is kept (once it would have been called “protected”, this was precisely the need to have cellars within the walls of the ancient castle) and the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is produced, which you will appreciate in a tasting guided by the cellar staff. At the end of the winery visit, a lunch of pici and Tuscan wine awaits you before moving to the Etruscan city of Chiusi, the last stop of the tour. Here you will be amazed by the wonder of the Underground City where agricultural tools and equipment are exhibited, an underground lake and a section dedicated to Etruscan epigraphy, unique in Italy, with 500 inscriptions on cinerary urns and tomb tiles.