Things to do in

Montalcino

Escape the hustle and bustle of Florence and embark on an exploration of the Tuscan countryside. Travel aboard your comfortable air-conditioned bus through the Tuscan hills and discover the marvelous Val d'Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop at two splendid wineries, wander through medieval towns, and sample the typical products of this enchanted place. Meet your tour leader in the heart of Florence and board your comfortable grand tour coach. Relax as you journey through the gentle Tuscan hills en route to Montalcino. Here, you'll have the opportunity to taste the world-famous Brunello di Montalcino wine at a small but characteristic local winery. Enjoy your free time exploring Montalcino, climb to the top of the town to admire the splendid pentagonal fortress. From there, you'll have the chance to contemplate the picturesque landscape characteristic of this valley: the gentle hills, ancient oaks, picturesque olive groves, vineyards, and cypress trees. Continue your journey to Pienza, a small but beautiful town situated atop a hill overlooking the Val d'Orcia. Needless to say, the view from Pienza is extraordinary. Get lost in the characteristic alleyways of Pienza and take time to observe the lively shops full of typical local products. The last stop of this wonderful tour will be Montepulciano, home to the famous vineyards of Vino Nobile, and known to many for being the location where a scene from the vampire movie "New Moon" was filmed. Here too, you'll have the opportunity to visit a splendid historic winery. Explore the cellars where the wine is stored beneath the ancient walls of the winery and listen to the stories and techniques of wine preservation. With eyes full of wonder, return to Florence aboard your comfortable bus, always accompanied by your expert tour leader who will be ready to answer any questions and curiosities!

Enjoy the beautiful Tuscan landscapes on the way to the famous wine hill of Montalcino with your guide. Learn about the process and passion involved in creating the famous Brunello Wine, and enjoy a local lunch. First, walk in the vineyards and explore the cellars where the wine is produced and aged before enjoying an introductory tasting of the world-famous Brunello wine. Then visit the hilltop town of Montalcino. See the town's medieval fortress, and spend time browsing the shops and streets. Take in the incredible views of the valleys and vineyards below. Next, enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch at a family-run winery, accompanied by the delicious wines produced at the facility. Next, continue to the stunning and ancient Benedictine Abbey of Sant'Antimo, a special place set in a breathtaking landscape. In the afternoon, visit a third winery where you’ll get a detailed description of the wine-making process. Learn how the vines are cared for and about the long aging process in oak barrels. After visiting the cellars and getting to know the winemakers, you’ll sit down for a final tasting before the return drive to Siena.

Join a wine-tasting experience and enjoy a typical Tuscan lunch in the setting of a medieval Castle in Montalcino. Walk in the vineyard with an expert sommelier and take in the views as you learn about traditional wine-making. Taste 3 different local wines before sitting down for a 3-course lunch. Meet your sommelier and stroll together in the vineyard during which you hear the history of the castle and its family. Admire the beautiful Tuscan landscape and learn more about traditional high-quality wine production methods and techniques. Enjoy your exclusive guided wine tasting of 3 local wines with some Tuscan snacks. During the wine tasting, you will taste three of the most important and world-famous Tuscan wines, such as Sangiovese IGT or Brunello di Montalcino. The professional sommelier will provide in-depth explanations about what you taste and the uniqueness of these Italian wines. After, sit down to eat a typical Tuscan 3-course lunch. The lunch menu is composed of a selection of cold cuts & cheeses, hand-made pasta with sauces, and dessert with coffee. A vegetarian option is available, please advise at the time of booking if desired.

Discover a local winery in Montalcino on a walking tour through the vineyards. Learn all about their philosophy and working methods as you stroll around and enjoy the view. Enjoy a wine experience and ask any questions you might have about Tuscan wines. After the vineyard tour, we will see the grape processing area and visit the cross-vaulted cellar. You will learn about grape and wine processing and why wine ages differently, like in wooden barrels or amphora. Now you have the perfect basis to taste our wines at a tasting in the tasting space or on the terrace. Seated at a table, we will serve 6 wines in 3 flights. After a short introduction to each flight, you can taste the wines independently. You can choose between 4 different tasting options: Dynamic Brunello Cru Tasting: This tasting concentrates on our Brunelli and its different single vineyards. • 6 Brunelli: 1 vintage Brunello, 3 Brunello Cru & 2 Brunello Cru Riserva • Signature Corte Pavone Tasting: Get the perfect overview of the Corte Pavone range and learn how we produce so many different wines from one grape variety, Sangiovese. • Le Perle di Pavone Spumante, Rosso di Montalcino, Levante, Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello Cru, Brunello Cru Riserva • Maremma & Montalcino Tasting: If you want to discover how different two wine regions with only 70 kilometers of distance can taste, this is the tasting for you. Here you can taste wines from our winery Valdifalco from Maremma and from Corte Pavone from Montalcino. • 6 selected wines to show the terroir and the differences between our wineries • Signature Valdifalco Tasting: With this tasting, you can fully experience the Maremma region and our there located winery Valdifalco • 6 wines that perfectly reflect the terroir and uniqueness of the Maremma region •

Leave the bustling Renaissance hub behind as you travel comfortably in an air-conditioned vehicle to the enchanting locales of Pienza and Montepulciano. Reach easily our meeting point by taking the T1.3 tram heading to Villa Costanza. Delight your taste buds with the exquisite flavors of the renowned Brunello di Montalcino wines. Plunge into the picturesque village of Montepulciano nestled in the Val d’Orcia, where you'll be captivated by the elegant Renaissance architecture and the breathtaking vineyard landscapes. Enjoy some leisure time to explore the village at your own pace. Reach finally Pienza, where you'll conclude your journey in the Renaissance era. Admire the panoramic vistas of the surrounding Val d’Orcia while diving into the rich history and enduring traditions of Pienza. At the end of your trip, enjoy your comfortable back to Florence.

Breeze past the long lines with skip-the-line access to the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Walk past a replica of Michelangelo's David before entering the its imposing Renaissance facade. Be immediately struck by the grandeur of the interior courtyard, designed by Michelozzo. Step into the Hall of the Five Hundred (Salone dei Cinquecento) which is adorned with stunning frescoes by Giorgio Vasari, depicting scenes from Florentine history. Marvel at how it was built in only seven months by Simone del Pollaiolo by will of Girolamo Savonarola. Look up to see paintings hat celebrate the life of Cosimo I. Throughout the Palazzo Vecchio, encounter an impressive collection of art and sculptures, including works by renowned artists such as Donatello and Verrocchio. Take in statues that represent the “Labours of Hercules” abd Vasari frescoes that represent the successes of Cosmo. Gain a deeper appreciation of Florence's rich history and the city's role as a cultural and political center during the Renaissance.

Learn about viticulture in the picturesque vineyards of Montalcino. Join your guides along the Brunello Cru path through the vines, as they show you different terroirs and introduce you to the philosophy and biodynamic approach of these vineyards. Enjoy a tasting of 6 wines with food pairings. Meet your guides and head down the Brunello Cru path. The path leads to the cross-vaulted cellar, where the wines can mature in a balanced way. Learn about the different steps of winemaking and why wine ages in wood, concrete barrels, or amphoras. After the detailed tour, a nicely arranged table awaits you in the tasting room. During a guided tasting, enjoy 6 wines in 3 flights. Each of the wines will be paired with a specially created gourmet bite. Discover how harmony with nature can influence tastes. For this wine experience, you can choose between 2 tasting options: Dynamic Brunello Cru Tasting: This tasting concentrates on Brunelli and its different single vineyards. • 6 Brunelli: 1 vintage Brunello, 3 Brunello Cru & 2 Brunello Cru Riserva • Signature Corte Pavone Tasting: Get the perfect overview of the Corte Pavone range and learn how so many different wines from 1 grape variety can be produced in Sangiovese. • Le Perle di Pavone Spumante, Rosso di Montalcino, Levante, Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello Cru, Brunello Cru Riserva

Visit the Paradiso di Cacuci winery located in a charming corner of the northwestern area of Montalcino. Learn more about the winery on a private guided cellar tour, followed by a private tasting session of 5 different wines, served with snacks of local Tuscan products. Upon arrival at the winery, embark on a guided tour of the cellar to learn about the intricacies of the wine production process. With the expert winemakers, discover the unique characteristics of Brunello di Montalcino wine firsthand. After your tour of the cellar and grounds, enjoy a private wine-tasting session in beautiful surroundings. Taste 5 different varieties, namely Rosato Toscano, Rosso di Montalcino 2020 DOC, Brunello di Montalcino 2018 DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino 2015/2016 DOCG, and Super Tuscan. Pair the wines with a selection of delicious, local Tusan appetizers. Taste some delicious Pecorino cheese as well as a range of bruschetta cold cuts including Tuscan salami, ham, capocollo, and finocchiona.

The first part of your full-day tour begins with a visit to the walled medieval town of San Gimignano, the City of Fine Towers. Armed with helpful information from your tour escort you’ll have free time to explore the town’s historical center and browse its artisan shops. Visit San Gimignano, the birthplace of Vernaccia, a white wine produced exclusively in the area. The wine is noted for its high quality and for being the first Italian DOCG wine. Afterwards, stop at a winery for an optional lunch of salami, cheese, and other local products, accompanied by Chianti tasting.  Discover Val d’Orcia, another Tuscan jewel and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue on to Montalcino, perched on a hill overlooking 1,500 hectares of Brunello vineyards that have contributed to the area’s international reputation. Finally, enter a local wine cellar, where you’ll have a chance to taste the renowned Brunello of Montalcino, rated among the finest Italian DOCG wines. Sample other typical local products as well.

Brunello, considered the best wine in the world, has its ancestral roots in the passion of the inhabitants of Montalcino and in the ancient winemaking tradition, handed down from one generation to the next. The town of Montalcino, with its Sangiovese grapes the wine is produced from, stands on a charming hill that lets you relish its natural wholesomeness. The town, its ancient fortress, and one of the best wineries in the world are the focus of this specialized tour. The winemaking process which includes a long maturation in casks made from valuable wood, make Brunello the “Italian ambassador in the world of our winemaking reality.” Taste prestigious wines from some of the finest wineries in Montalcino and enjoy the wonderful surrounding area.