snorris

bobthenavigator mentioned driving the white road (I think connecting the towns of Montalcino & Montepulcian) Could someone tell me about this route & why to travel it?

macanimals

You need a good map of the area to begin with--Michelin is a good start but even though I have an old one, I will be picking up another more detailed one at an Autogrill. The "white roads" are not the main highways(red) and can in some cases be gravel or barely paved and are shown as parallel black lines with white between. I have taken some that taxed my rental cars seriously, but they are rural roads.(love that "full coverage"!)

The route between Montalcino and Montepulciano is most likely for those who find themselves SOUTH of Montalcino, near San Antimo. It goes east toward Castelnuovo dell Abate, Castiglione d'Orcia to S-2(via Cassia)north and then on to Monticchiello and Montepulciano. These routes take some patience and time the first time you drive them but do get off the beaten track.

Another benefit for the wine lover is the access to wineries in the countryside--but once again, stopping requires patience and time. Good luck.
Paul

AmanteDelLimoncello

bookmarking

toscoman

"White road" is a generic term for an unpaved road - loose stones or dirt. For some (me included) they are part of the charm of Tuscany, and some of them are extremely scenic. A great many agriturismi are located at the end of a stretch of white road.

bobthenavigator

Mac said it well. They are marked in white on the map and are not improved roads. The one in question was from Sant Antimo to Castello Banfi---a small road that saves driving all the way back to Montalcino.