CAR AND VAN RENTAL WITH DRIVER IN TUSCANY
VISITS AROUND TUSCANY
MONTEPULCIANO
In 1454, in an ancient house in the center, Agnolo Ambrogini was born, one of the greatest poets of the Italian Renaissance. In literature texts he is known as Politian, a name that derives from the Latin name of his birthplace: Mons Politianus was, in fact, the original name of Montepulciano, a settlement on a hilltop founded in late Etruscan times on a hill between the Val d'Orcia and the Val di Chiana. Active in the Middle Ages in the commercial and manufacturing sector, the town was rebuilt with a new urban plan in the 15th and 16th centuries. Visitors today can admire typical Medieval buildings and beautiful monuments of the Renaissance.
The visit can start at the church of San Biagio at the foot of the hill on which the town rises. Isolated in the middle of a large grassy field, the church is among the greatest expressions of the 16th century in Tuscany, a masterpiece of Antonio da Sangallo the Elder.
Climbing the hill, we arrive in the historic center. With the help of a good guidebook we can admire places of great historical and artistic interest: the Civic Museum, the palaces of Via Ricci and Via del Corso, and the numerous churches. We can enjoy the view of the surrounding hills and valleys from the Porta delle Farine, the church of San Francesco, and the tower of Palazzo Comunale, in addition to the old neighbourhood of the Poggiolo
Montepulciano is renown for its wine production. After tasting the prized Vino Nobile, we can discover the wine cellars of the city. Suggestive Medieval shops line Via delle Cantine. The famous Cantina Redi is located instead, in the basement of Palazzo Ricci. The highlight of our trip is the monumental Piazza Grande, with the cathedral, the civic palaces, and the Well of the Griffons and Lions. At the end of August the piazza hosts the Bravio delle Botti, a tournament among the eight neighbourhoods of the town competing in the rolling of heavy wine barrels.
You also shouldn't forget to taste some of the local specialties; the traditional cuisine offers pici (a homemade pasta), raveggiolo (cheese between two fern leaves), and schiacciata with olive oil. The Chianine steaks are simply superb; they are a perfect match with the Vino Nobile or with the Brunello di Montalcino therefore a must for any true gourmet! Among the desserts we should mention the crogetti, in the period of Carnival, and lattaiolo, a kind of crème caramel.
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