Montalcino Travel Guide

 
by tomorino
 
  •   Montalcino
    by tomorino
  •   Montalcino
    by angiebabe
  •   Things to Do
    by GracesTrips
  • Abbey of San Antimo near Montalcino
      Abbey of San Antimo near Montalcino
    by Beausoleil
  •   Montalcino
    by tomorino
 

Pro

JetlagCity profile photo

 beautiful rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves 


Con

painterdave profile photo

 difficult to get to if you are not in a car 


In a nutshell

sgny profile photo

 Great day trip if you are touring Florence 

 

Explore Montalcino

Things to Do  

Enoteca Pierangioli

Enoteca Pierangioli, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  There are sooo many enotecas in Montalcino that it is probably difficult to visit all of them in just a few days. We went into the small, cozy looking ones to check them out. Some of them have beautiful cave like rooms that make you wish you had one in your house! 

Visit Poggio Rubino

Visit Poggio Rubino, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  We visited this winery after we visited Altesino. You should probably visit Altesino last. The Poggio's Brunello was very good but Altesino's was better. You will have to pay for your wine tasting at Poggio but it's worth it. The tour is free. Again, you need to make an... 

Visit Altesino Vineyards!

Visit Altesino Vineyards!, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  Altesino Winery & Estate is one of the premier wine makers of Brunello and Rossi di Montalcino. You must make an appointment for your visit which includes a tour and tasting. The process (tour & tasting) insures you have a good understanding why the wine is processed and... 

Grotta del Brunello Enoteca

Grotta del Brunello Enoteca, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  This was a great little wine bar with a little bit wine tasting available. There was a small fee for wine tasting or you can buy wine by the glass. We actually tasted some wonderful wines. They also sell other food items that made you wish you can buy it and take it home.... 

Visit Castello Banfi

Visit Castello Banfi, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  One of the largest producing wineries in Montalcino is Banfi. You do not need an appointment to do some wine tasting at Banfi but you may need to make an appointment if you want to take the tour. There are two restaurants along with rooms/suites you can stay at. The wine is... 

Check out the Fortress!

Check out the Fortress!, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  There is a very cool looking fortress at the top of the hill in Montalcino. Even though it's basically walls, you can see and imagine how it was used. The fortress was built in 1361. Located within the fortress is a wine bar that has a modern (evacuated machine hook-up) wine... 

Winery Tour at Biondi Santi

Winery Tour at Biondi Santi, Montalcino

 sue_stone Says:  Montalcino is surrounded by vineyards, and some of the wineries offer tours and tastings. Before we left London, I arranged for us to visit the famous Biondi Santi winery. The Biondi Santi family have been making wine in Montalcino for 150 years, and they are the ones that... 

Hotels  

Restaurants  

N/A: Tipping

N/A: Tipping, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  In Italy, you do not really leave a tip. If you choose to do so, it's a matter of rounding up a euro or two at the most. Most restaurants basically collect a "tip" in their cover charge which could be a "using table" charge or by charging you for the bread they bring to the... 

Ristorante di Poggio Antico: Dine at a Winery!

Ristorante di Poggio Antico: Dine at a Winery!, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  OMG! This is what heaven must be like! What a beautiful restaurant and I would have been quite satisfied with the breads and olive oil. Poggio makes their own olive oil and it is fantastic! If you make an appointment for wine tour and tasting, you will have an opportunity to... 

Al giullare: Ristorante - Enoteca

Al giullare: Ristorante - Enoteca, Montalcino

 GracesTrips Says:  We had just parked the car upon our arrival to Montalcino. We did not have reservations to stay the night but before we worked on that, we wanted to get a bite to eat. This was the first place we happened upon and it looked quaint. We walked in and we were the only customers... 

Osteria al Giardino: Friendly with delicious food

Osteria al Giardino: Friendly with delicious food, Montalcino

 Beausoleil Says:  The food was all done to perfection. We put Osteria al Giardino down as one of our “finds” and we’ll come back. The chef came out and chatted and as we left, he introduced his wife and newborn baby. All in all . . . a great Tuscan experience!Their speciality is local food... 

Gelateria del Corso: Gelateria del Corso - gelato

Gelateria del Corso: Gelateria del Corso - gelato, Montalcino

 sue_stone Says:  Our 3rd visit to Montalcino was just for half a day in June 2010. The summery day turned cold during our visit, but it didn't stop us from sampling a new (for us) gelateria, just on the main square. We stuck to the safe options of chocolate and hazelnut and vanilla, and it... 

Il Grifo: Nice place where locals go

Il Grifo: Nice place where locals go, Montalcino

 warrenelliott Says:  Il Grifos is a lovely place on the right hand side as you walk down the road away from the piazza.It was packed when we went.We had the risotto and wild boar for an evening meal and pizzas for lunch. The staff were very friendly and they served good food which was value for... 

Transportation  

You'll definitely want a car.

You'll definitely want a car., Montalcino

 Herkbert Says:  While it is possible to get to Montalcino by bus, the best way to get to see the beautiful surrounding area is to drive. Whether it be driving up the winding hill roads or visiting sites or other close by towns, you have much more flexibility with a car.You don't want a big... 

Shopping  

Enoteca _____: Wanna by some wines?

Enoteca _____: Wanna by some wines?, Montalcino

 Herkbert Says:  Walking around the streets of Montalcino, we found enotecas everywhere. From small shops around every corner to the large one in the Fortezza. You can stop in and taste a multitude of wines, purchase a bottle or ship some home.Each enoteca has their own special way of doing... 

Most wineries or enotecas: Shipping home wines

Most wineries or enotecas: Shipping home wines, Montalcino

 Herkbert Says:  If you are planning to buy wine while traveling around Montalcino, be prepared for a shock when it comes to shipping charges. To ship a case of wine back to the states, the shipping charges are about 150 Euro or $225.Make sure you are either getting wines you can not buy... 

Local Customs  

Mozart in the Vineyard

Mozart in the Vineyard, Montalcino

 Callavetta Says:  We passed this sign nearly every day for two weeks, thinking that there must be occasional concerts at this specific winery. It turns out that Paradiso is doing an experiment with Bose. They have placed Bose speakers throughout the vineyards. Apparently they think that if... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Steep streets
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3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Herkbert 468 reviews
View down to the next street in Montalcino

Montalcino like many of the other hill towns in Tuscany has streets that can be pretty steep. The main streets are fairly flat, but the intersecting streets can be steep, not to mention a little slick if it rains.

Not exactly easy for women in sandals or people who need to use a cane or walking stick.

Written Jun 2, 2008

Related to:
 Road Trip
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Off The Beaten Path  

Visit the beautiful Abbey of San Antimo

Visit the beautiful Abbey of San Antimo, Montalcino

 Beausoleil Says:  As you leave Montalcino, you see a beautiful church down the hill. Resist the temptation to drive by and head down the little road to the church. It is the Abbey of San Antimo and is beautiful and peaceful, set in fields of poppies and olives. There are hiking trails and... 

Making Pasta

Making Pasta, Montalcino

 Adagio1 Says:  The Hotel Il Giglio Montalcino is a family run hotel that specialises in caring attention to its guests. I was lucky enough to be able to photograph Anna and her mother making Pici for the hotel's restaurant. Pici is a hand made thick spaghetti. It took an hour to make... 

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Map of Montalcino