During your stay at Castello Banfi, don't miss a visit to the most picturesque villages in Tuscany. Here are our recommendations.

Tuscan villages: here the ones you cannot miss

Florence, Pisa, Siena and Lucca are cities full of art and history that attract tourists from all over the world. However, art cities are not the only attractions in Tuscany. More and more Italian and foreign travellers are choosing to escape the big cities and take refuge in the tranquillity of the Tuscan villages, fairy-tale places where time seems to have come to standstill.

The number of small villages to visit in Tuscany is significant. Some villages are famous, such as Montalcino, others less known but equally charming, such as Rocca d'Orcia. They are ideal destinations for those who love to stroll on narrow streets and stone stairways and wish to admire breathtakingly landscapes at any time of the year, and for those who want to retrace the history of the Chianti and Brunello region.

The most beautiful villages to visit

Whether surrounded by hills cultivated with vineyards and olive groves, or perched by a medieval fortress, these are some of the most beautiful villages to visit in Tuscany in the vicinity of Castello Banfi Wine Resort

Montalcino

Montalcino owes its popularity to the renowned Brunello and other fine wines produced on the hills around this village, in addition to being one of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany to visit. In fact, it is a place full of charm, between extraordinary landscapes and historical monuments, but also culturally lively, not only for those who love good wine.

The main point of interest is the imposing fortress of Montalcino, a fortress that overlooks the valley below and that in summer becomes the exceptional location for the Jazz & Wine festival in Montalcino. The Cathedral of Montalcino, which houses a beautiful pipe organ, and the Palazzo dei Priori (now the town hall), with a tall, narrow tower typical of municipal architecture, are other landmarks that deserve a visit.

Sant’Angelo in Colle

A few kilometres from Montalcino one can find the medieval village of Sant'Angelo in Colle, one of the Tuscan villages to visit when travelling in this region. The village is located on a hill in the heart of the Val d'Orcia surrounded by vineyards and cultivated fields.

Tourists who cross the gates of this village will feel as if they had just stepped back in time: they will be welcomed by a large stone tower (it is what is left of the ancient city walls), explore the medieval alleys and admire the small Piazza Castello, with its churches and historical buildings, the beating heart of artistic, cultural and gastronomic tourism of this Tuscan village.

Castiglione d’Orcia

Castiglione d'Orcia offers those visiting the villages of Tuscany one of the most breathtaking views in Italy: the  Tentennano Fortress stands in its hamlet of Rocca d'Orcia, a fortress that in the past was unconquerable located along the Via Francigena and today an extraordinary panoramic viewpoint from which to admire the hills of Tuscany from above.

The village is picture-perfect with its rural houses climbing the hill around the Aldobrandesca Fortress, symbol of the feudal family that ruled these lands and now symbol of the village itself.

Santa Fiora

The village of Santa Fiora is a small jewel nestled in the Tuscan hills, surrounded by chestnut trees and crossed by the Flora River. It is an ideal destination for those who wish to experience the past and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature.  

Among the small villages in Tuscany to visit, Santa Fiora is an interesting combination of history and wilderness: exploring the uphill alleys allows admiring the terziere di Castello, the oldest district of the historical centre with its fortifications, or you can dedicate yourself to trekking and hiking on nearby Mount Amiata.

Castello di Poggio alle Mura, now known as “Castello Banfi”

Poggio alle Mura, in the province of Siena, is among the most characteristic villages to visit in Tuscany. Its history is ancient: ruins of a Roman villa were discovered just below the castle. Its greatest splendor dates back to the Middle Ages, thanks to its strategic location between Maremma and Val d'Orcia.

Those who visit this village in Tuscany will be fascinated by the beauty of Castello Banfi, a beautiful medieval fortress perfectly integrated into the landscape, which casts its reassuring shadow over the entire village. The castle currently houses the Museo della Bottiglia e del Vetro (The Museum of Bottles and Glass) named after J. Mariani. The museum hosts unparalleled glass finds from the Roman Age and Picasso's beautiful "The Bearer Pitcher."

Where to stay to visit Tuscan villages?

In the village of Poggio alle Mura stands Castello Banfi Wine Resort, a luxury hotel with every comfort, a perfect place to stay to visit the Tuscan villages in the surrounding area and to enjoy the region's gastronomic delicacies.

Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, in the heart of the Banfi estate, Hotel Il Borgo offers the opportunity to stay in elegant rooms tastefully furnished in perfect Tuscan style and to relax under the shadow of Castello Banfi by swimming in the beautiful heated outdoor swimming pool or savouring a glass of Banfi wine on the panoramic terrace while admiring the beauty of this Tuscan village.