Italy has incredible places and among them the towns of Tuscany stand out. Towns that are very rich in terms of their history, many of them having an Etruscan origin, and also cultural and gastronomic terms, not to mention the incredible views offered by some of them.
Tuscany is one of the 20 regions that make up Italy and has become one of the most important, having world-renowned prominent places such as the city of Florence, its capital. Its coasts stretch for 633 kilometers and it is extremely valuable for its artistic, cultural, economic, historical and even geographical heritage.
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Within this context of wealth of all kinds, mainly artistic, historical and cultural, these towns of Tuscany stand out that we are going to present to you next and that, without a doubt, if you have the chance to meet them, they will steal your heart. We include places that were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, others that have beautiful sunsets and some of the best wines in the world.
We hope you enjoy them.
9 Towns in Tuscany that will steal your heart
Next we will tell you which are the towns in Tuscany that are going to steal your heart, so that you can visit them on your next visit to this region of Italy and you can enjoy everything they have to offer, from their history and their buildings that stand like temporary capsules to their unparalleled gastronomy and wines.
1. Cortona
This town became much more popular after being the setting for the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”, as everything it has to offer was on view. It is located in the province of Arezzo, and is without a doubt one of the towns in Tuscany that you cannot miss.
It is one of the oldest Etruscan villages in this region of Italy and almost all the windows of the houses and residences that are there have spectacular views, this is thanks to the located on a mountain. Some of the places that stand out the most here are the l Duomo, that is to say the cathedral of the place, and l palazzo comunale, the Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca and the Diocesano, and also its panoramic views, special to watch the sunset.
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It is difficult to establish an exact date of its foundation, but it is believed that between the 8th and 7th centuries BC. It was an important Etruscan reign, becoming an important city for its location. If we talk about history and good views, Cortona is one of the towns in Tuscany that will steal more than a sigh.
2. Montalcino
Montalcino is a medieval town that was e fortified in the 13th century, and is located on top of a hill. Just 45 kilometers away from Siena, it rises between Mount Amiata and the sea and dates back to the 12th century. Without a doubt, it is one of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany and not only stands out for its places but also for its famous wine, the Brunello di Montalcino.
It is usually the place chosen to carry out various gastronomic events and from afar you can appreciate the incredible fortress that surrounds it. Undoubtedly its cobbled streets are one of its attractions, since they are a beauty in itself, but in addition to that it has several places that are worth visiting. Among them is the Palazzo dei Priori, which dates from between the 13th and 14th centuries, next to the main square, Piazza del Popolo.
Another of the sites worth visiting in this picturesque town located between Siena and Grosseto is il Cappellone, dating from the 14th century, the Piazza Garibaldi, the Church of San Egidio, the Civic Museum of Montalcino and, of course, the Duomo, built between 1818 and 1832.
3. Montefioralle
Montefioralle is one of the Tuscan towns located in the Chianti Valley, and like many of the region is particularly known for its wines. Around it are, of course, vineyards and also olive trees, while it is located about 35 kilometers south of Florence.
From the top of a hill it allows you to observe the valley and the hills that surround it, while the main attraction of this medieval town surrounded by walls is the castle, standing there high like a jewel. The houses of Montefioralle, meanwhile, were built around this building, assembling several concentric rings.
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Other places that can be visited in this town are the church of Santo Stefano, whose external construction dates from the 17th-18th centuries; and the Pieve di San Cresci, which was built in the 10th century and can be found as soon as you leave the walls.
4. Montepulciano
Montepulciano is one of the towns in Tuscany that are located in the southern region, near Sien a, and located on a hill rises about 605 meters above the sea level. Its position is quite strategic, especially if you want to drive around this area of Italy, being right between the valleys of Chiana and d’Orcia.
One of the main characteristics of this medieval town is that it has the shape of the letter “S” and, in addition, it is surrounded by vineyards from where the grapes for wines that are recognized in different parts of the world, such as Vino Nobile.
Like other towns in Tuscany, Montepulciano is surrounded by great walls, and among the most outstanding places are the Colonna del Marzocco, the Palazzo Cocconi and the Bucelli, the Palazzo Communale, the cathedral and the Piazza Grande, among others.
A colored fact about this town is that scenes from the film New Moon, the second of the Twilight Saga, were filmed here, although in the fiction they speak of Volterra.
5. Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is one of the towns in Tuscany that is walled but has several gates to enter. In addition, one of the most recommended activities is walking through its walls, to be able to appreciate the margins of this town in a unique way.
Getting to this town is like a direct trip to the Middle Ages just by crossing its great walls, and in fact inside the town has a structure quite similar to how it used to be during the 13th century, when its foundation took place. Among the most attractive places is the castle and the 14 towers, which you can climb.
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On a walking tour through its small streets you can find some of the best preserved medieval buildings to be found, not only in Tuscany but in Italy in general, and several sites may be family members since they have served as settings for films such as Gladiator or Life is beautiful.
6. Pienza
If what we are looking for is a place that concentrates the essence of the region in an incredible way, that is Pienza, one of the towns in Tuscany that is worth visiting. Surrounded by small zigzagging hills, whose foundation takes place in the 15th century from the idea of Pope Piccolomini (or Pius II), who wanted to turn a village into a city Renaissance that was a model.
If all roads lead to Roma, in Pienza, Rome would be the main square, since that is where all the streets of the town converge. A special place to shop and try the typical pecorino cheese, as well as being the point where the Duomo is located.
It is a place whose historic center has been declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Among the most outstanding places, in addition to the Santa María Cathedral Assunta and Piazza Pio I I, are the Palazzo Ammannati, the Bishop’s Palace with the Diocesan Museum, the Palazzo Publico and Palazzo Piccolomini, among others. This last place offers incredible views of the Orcia Valley.
7. Pitigliano
Pitigliano is one of the Tuscan villages that seem out of a story. S e is characterized by its labyrinthine and disorderly streets, on which stand the stone houses that give this place a unique charm. It is a town of Etruscan origin that does not have the same popularity as some of its peers, but getting lost in its streets is something that deserves time.
Among the most outstanding places in Pitigliano are Piazza Petruccioli and Piazza Garibaldi, which are interconnected. In addition, there is another site that deserves a separate mention and it is the Piccola Gerusalemme, or Little Jerusalem, which seems to be a time capsule where the Jewish community settled when they were expelled from Rome in the 16th century, by Pope Pius IV. There you can visit the Jewish quarter and the synagogue.
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A town that is not part of the main routes in Tuscany, but that a few kilometers from the sea and on some volcanic cliffs is going to catch you little by little with its charm.
8. San Gimignano
San Gimignano is one of the Tuscan villages that is located a few kilometers from the city of Siena and is one of the most classic and best preserved of those from medieval times. It is located about 324 meters above sea level, above the Elsa Valley, and it used to be one of the towns that could be identified from afar due to its towers.
This town had 72 towers, of which s today some 13 are preserved, and in its streets it is possible to see the medieval layout as if it was a temporary capsule that opens and transforms as a new step is taken.
Among the most prominent places of San Gimignano is the Piazza della Cisterna, from where in turn you can see the Palazzo Comunale, the Pinacoteca and the Torre Grossa. Other sites worth visiting Worth visiting are the archaeological museum, and l Palazzo del Popolo, the gallery of modern and contemporary art and the wine museum which, incidentally, Vernaccia wines of San Gimignano are among the most important in the region, and more.
9. Volterra
Volterra is one of the Tuscan towns that has gained the most popularity in the last ten years, being included as one of the settings in the vampire saga written by Stephanie Meyer, Twilight. Besides that, something important to note is that the fame of Volterra comes from long before, and is that has one of the most beautiful sunsets in the entire region.
Surrounded by medieval walls that are in very good condition, the town is characterized by being a very welcoming place that combines Etruscan, medieval Roman and Renaissance remains. Among the most prominent places are the Piazza dei Priori, the Palazzo dei Priori, which is the oldest communal palace in this region, and l Palazzo Pretorio and the tower of the Please.
It is worth remembering that Volterra is another of the Etruscan towns in Tuscany and there is the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum, where you can find some of the best pieces of his art, including the sepulchral tomb of L’urna degli Sposi, dating from the 1st century BC
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These are 9 towns in Tuscany, in Italy, that will steal your heart as soon as they meet them, and that without a doubt you have to visit on your next visit to Italy.
