Where to stay in Montepulciano: wine cellars, Piazza Grande and the Val di Chiana

Montepulciano's historic centre follows an S-shaped layout enclosed by three fourteenth-century walls, climbing along the main street up to Piazza Grande, the Renaissance heart of the town, with the Duomo by Ippolito Scalza and buildings such as Palazzo Comunale, its fifteenth-century façade attributed to Michelozzo. Staying within the walls means getting around on foot between narrow streets and wine cellars, often carved into the basements of the same Renaissance palaces, where Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG has aged for centuries.

Those who prefer a countryside base will find a good number of agriturismi in the scattered hamlets — Valiano, Gracciano, Abbadia — set among the vineyards of the Val di Chiana, convenient for visiting the wineries without giving up the quiet and extra space compared to the walled centre.