Call it reverse snobbery, but we dubbed our affliction "'TM' squared": Too Much Tuscan Magnificence. Daunted by Florence, sated in Siena, we craved a haven from splendor - simpler fare, elbow room, a window into Italian daily life amidst architecture that didn't dwarf us -somewhere a couple of vacationing introverts could kick back, read up, set out from and settle back in at the end of the day. Montisi was just the ticket.

In the rolling woodland and farmland of southeastern Tuscany, an hour from Siena and half an hour's drive on winding country roads from such famous hilltowns as Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino, perches the ancient hillvillage Montisi, presently holding about 400 souls. From the olive groves and vineyards at its feet, it's only another picturesque stony jumble of buildings with a modest church tower. Its single narrow street veers off from a two-lane blacktop and follows the crest of a ridge for perhaps a quarter mile. Along this thread are strung stone and stucco homes, two bar-caffes, a bakery, alimentari, trattorie, a postoffice, an ATM, four cavernous medieval neighborhood halls where flags fly and traditional meals are cooked and served during the frequent festas, and a beguiling small hotel, a Locanda, whose mottled façade sports its own Madonna.

The unassuming Locanda di Montisi is owned and run by Roberto Crocenzi, the sort of native host and guide that travelers dream of finding. Roberto decided a few years back to forsake his corporate career in order to follow his true calling and vision of hospitality by becoming a restauranteur, a sommelier, and now a hotelier. His English is excellent, his experience is wide, and he is a charming, warm, funny, caring, knowledgeable host. Whatever you want, or want to know about, he will provide it, find it, research it, facilitate it, give you the inside story on it, or connect you with someone who can. He is open to all kinds of inquiries, ranging from regional history, ballooning excursions, local festas and sagras (Montisi features a joust, and the Festa dell’Olio, for starters), hiking trails or the shortcut to Montepulciano, to where to find help for a dental emergency; and of course he is an invaluable guide to the area’s restaurants, wines, and artisan foods. His very fine website is in both Italian and English, and you can make arrangements with him by email.

The narrow, 3-story Locanda faces the town’s one piazza – really, a piazzetta -- and has 7 spacious rooms with big modern bathrooms, plenty of heat and hot water (we were there in the fall, when it mattered) fluffy towels, a cozy cantina breakfast room, and windows onto the low-key street-life. The townspeople are remarkably open and friendly to strangers. The two lovely women who run the main alimentari stock great local cheeses and salumi, fresh produce, canned goods and wine – in short, you needn’t go far to put together a world-class picnic to take on your walks out of town.

From the piazzetta one strand of road winds steeply downward between stone walls, gardens and cherry trees, on through olive groves and vineyards, then rises through dense leafy woods to the next hilltop and Castelmuzio. A second strand curls up from Montisi’s core and around the crown of the Castello quarter, a spotless walled realm of medieval stone houses. With the little church from whose doorway shines a Madonna and lily mosaic, this neighborhood forms a topknot on the hill rising midway along Montisi's ridge. From here you look out over the surreal Crete Senesi, languid flowing farmlands studded with stone farmhouses, spiked with black cypresses -- fertile clay fields changing color and texture with seasons, the weather, the hour.

Basta! Clearly, this small corner of Tuscany, the town of Montisi, and the Locanda di Montisi get my highest recommendations. Buon viaggio!


Mara Gattara

Thanks, Gree65, for starting this thread. There is another one I started last year on the quaintest villages in Chianti you may want to read.

We leave in 8 days now, and I'm taking all this info with us.

Thanks to all.

Dog Mother

I agree with Mara that Montisi is a very sweet town. I stayed there two times for a week at a time and liked it very much.

I recently returned from another villa week in that area, this time in Castelmuzio. It is even smaller and, to me, even more charming. It has a bar/restaurant/hotel, three churches and a COOP. It also has a post office which is sometimes open. There is a park bench at the edge of town where one can sit and contemplate the beautiful countryside.

I have traveled a lot but I think there is no more beautiful place than southern Tuscany.

Spoleto! Take cab from train station to the Rocco (tour if you wish). See the incredible Ponte Torre, Duomo, market square and keep working your way back down hill. Wonderful town!

others ???

Just topping.

It seems the replies are more about Umbria than Toscana........ just back from 5 weeks and consider Lucca the best big town and Barga the best Village and they are within 50 mins of each other. Barga is easy to traverse a loverly run up the Serchio Valley...... if you have time the trip thru to Massa up the Garfagnana Valley puts you onto the road Michaelangelo spent 2 years making to see the marble in a spellbinding light. Lucca had the Italian culture Florence lacks.