Tuscany · Siena
Montalcino
A walled hill town at 564 meters above the Val d'Orcia, the last fortress to hold out for the Sienese Republic and the birthplace of Brunello.
By Peter Benei
Written about. No. 42.
The letter
Montalcino got its letter. One town at a time, free. The photo, the food, the festa.
Visiting
- Best time
- Apr–Oct
- By car
- 1 h 7 min from Siena
- Population
- 5,569
- J9°
- F11°
- M13°
- A16°
- M21°
- J27°
- J32°
- A31°
- S25°
- O20°
- N14°
- D10°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime air temperature, averages for 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
Why come
Montalcino sits at 564 meters on a hill south of Siena, the centro storico ringed by walls and crowned by a pentagonal fortress built in 1361. When Florence took Siena in 1555, the Sienese exiles regrouped here and held out for almost four years; the Rocca itself never fell. That date matters less to most visitors than 1980, when Brunello di Montalcino was named one of the first four Italian wines to receive DOCG status.
The vineyards run from the town at 600 meters down to plots at 200, on stony galestro soils that ripen Sangiovese Grosso into a wine that ages for decades. The Abbey of Sant'Antimo, ten kilometers south, is a Romanesque church first documented in 814 and tied by local legend to a vow by Charlemagne. The town also produces miele, olio, and the white truffles of the surrounding woods. It holds seven designations at once: UNESCO (as part of the Val d'Orcia), Bandiera Arancione, Città del Vino, Città dell'Olio, Città del Miele, Città del Tartufo and the Via Francigena.
How to get there
From Pisa (PSA), about 2 h 48 min by car.
Bologna (BLQ) is about 2 h 59 min away.
By car from the center of Siena 1 h 7 min, Perugia 1 h 42 min or Florence 1 h 59 min.
Coming from Florence?
First time driving in Italy? Read our complete manual.
What to see
Rocca di Montalcino
Pentagonal fortress built in 1361 by Sienese architects Mino Foresi and Domenico di Feo, refuge of the Sienese Republic after 1555.
Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
Romanesque abbey ten kilometers south, first documented in 814, set among olive groves below the town with Gregorian chant still sung.
Palazzo dei Priori
Thirteenth-century town hall on Piazza del Popolo, slender tower attached, civic seat of the medieval commune.
Duomo di San Salvatore
Neoclassical cathedral rebuilt in the 1820s on the site of an earlier Romanesque church, the parish seat of the centro storico.
Museo Civico e Diocesano
Civic and diocesan museum in the former monastery of Sant'Agostino, holding works by Bartolo di Fredi and Sano di Pietro.
Fairs and festivals
We give the month rather than the date, because the date moves and the month rarely does. Check with the organizer before you plan a journey around one.
Sagra del Tordo
Usually held in October
Tordo means thrush, but the climax is an archery contest. Each of the town's four quarters fields two archers, who shoot at a wild-boar target below the bastions of the 14th-century fortress, and about 150 people parade in early 1400s costume. The quarters run open-air kitchens in the gardens in front of the fortress, cooking pappardelle with hare and grilled meats. The tournament is ticketed.
From the guides
Where to eat and stay
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
Campo del DragoRistorante
Two Michelin stars for Campo del Drago, along with two Gambero Rosso forks (85/100) and a place in L'Espresso's Top 300, among other nods.
La Sala dei GrappoliRistorante
One Michelin star for La Sala dei Grappoli, and two Gambero Rosso forks (81/100).
Alle Logge di PiazzaWine Bar
Alle Logge di Piazza holds two Gambero Rosso bottles.
18 more places the guides name in Montalcino
Boccon DiVinoRistorante
A spot in the Michelin Guide, at Boccon DiVino.
Caffè Fiaschetteria ItalianaCaffè
Caffè Fiaschetteria Italiana carries a place on Italy's historic-locali register.
Drogheria FranciRistorante
Drogheria Franci has one Gambero Rosso fork (78/100) to its name.
Il GiglioTrattoria
Il Giglio holds two Gambero Rosso prawns.
Il Passaggio by CapannaRistorante
Il Passaggio by Capanna has a place in L'Espresso's Top 300 to its name.
Il PozzoTrattoria
Il Pozzo carries two Gambero Rosso prawns.
Maccari - Pura CrocusAgriturismo
Maccari - Pura Crocus holds a Gambero Rosso listing.
Mastrojanni RelaisRistorante
Mastrojanni Relais holds one Gambero Rosso fork (79/100).
Taverna del Grappolo BluRistorante
Taverna del Grappolo Blu carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Vineria ApertaWine Bar
Two Gambero Rosso bottles, at Vineria Aperta.
Vineria Le PotazzineWine Bar
Two Gambero Rosso bottles, at Vineria Le Potazzine.
Castello Banfi - Il BorgoHotel
Castello Banfi - Il Borgo has one Michelin Key to its name.
Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood HotelHotel
Three Michelin Keys, at Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel.
Mastrojanni RelaisHotel
Mastrojanni Relais holds a place in the Michelin hotel guide.
Rosewood Castiglion del BoscoHotel
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco holds a La Liste score of 99.
Villa le Prata - Residenza del VescovoHotel
Villa le Prata - Residenza del Vescovo carries one Michelin Key.
Casanova di NeriCantina
A top-100 spot on the World's Best Vineyards, at Casanova di Neri.
Castello BanfiCantina
Castello Banfi carries a top-100 spot on the World's Best Vineyards.
Before you sit down: how to order at a restaurant, how to spot a tourist trap, what aperitivo is and how the Italian bar works.
Signature product
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
100% Sangiovese, aged five years, the wine that put Montalcino on the world map.
See the towns we cover in the zone of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG.
Living here
Could you live here?
Montalcino meets 1 of our 2 rules for a small town.
- 5,569 people, inside our sweet spot of 5,000 to 20,000: a real town, still one community.
- Siena, a city of 52,990, is 1 h 7 min by car. Further than our 30 to 60 minutes, a long way for the hospital visit or the monthly shopping.
The rules come from our series Where to Move in Italy, written from the places we have lived: Part 1, The End of the Road · Part 2, The Small Town · Part 3, The City · Part 4, The Postcard · Part 5, The Other Half. The towns we would pick are in Part 6, The Best Towns.
- Population 5,569, down 7.2% since 2015
- Nearest city Siena, 1 h 7 min drive
- Nearest national health service hospital Castel del Piano, 15 km as the crow flies · how healthcare works in Italy
- Homes in the center: €1,600 to €2,200 per m² to buy, €5.20 to €7.10 per m² a month to rent
All the numbers Common questions, designations, lists and sources.
More about living here
- Remote
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Full fibre reaches 91% of homes
- Primary school in the comune
- Earthquake zone 3, low hazard
- Perugia airport (PEG), 1 h 51 min drive, the nearest with scheduled flights
- Regional capital Florence, 1 h 59 min drive
If you are moving here
Who lives here
15% of residents are foreign citizens, most often from Romania, Albania and Kosovo, against 9% across Italy. 132 of them come from English-speaking countries or western and northern Europe, mostly Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. There are 264 people over 65 for every 100 children under 15, against 216 across Italy. 44% of homes have no resident, holiday homes and empty ones counted together, against 27% across Italy. Siena province ranks 21st of 107 in Il Sole 24 Ore's quality of life ranking for 2025.
Health and schools
The nearest emergency room is in Castel del Piano, 15 km as the crow flies. The nearest major one is in Siena, 31 km away. The nearest children's emergency room is in Grosseto, 46 km away. The nearest IB school is International School of Siena, 34 km as the crow flies.
Information, not medical advice. Confirm with a professional.
Taxes
A home that is not your main one pays 1.06% a year in property tax, charged on the cadastral value rather than the price. A main home pays none unless it is in a luxury category. The town adds between 0.4% and 0.8% to your income tax, depending on your income, with nothing due on income under €15,000. 7% pensioner tax: this town is not in a qualifying area.
Information, not tax advice. Confirm with a professional.
What it costs
The average household in Tuscany spends about €2,410 a month, €540 of it on food, against about €2,170 across Italy. A family of three pays about €770 a year for water, on the Tuscany average. In Siena, the provincial capital, in September 2026, an espresso cost €1.28, a meal in a pizzeria €17.81 and a man's haircut €25.49.
Climate and risk
It is in climate zone E, on a scale from A, the warmest, to F, the coldest, and heating may run from October 15 to April 15, up to 14 hours a day, unless the mayor changes it. 2% of residents live in a zone the national maps rate high for floods, 4% in a high or medium one. 36% live in a zone rated high or very high for landslides.
These shares cover the whole comune, not any one street. Check an address on IdroGEO.
Moving from abroad? Which visa you need. Sources: ISTAT, the Ministry of Health, ISPRA, the Finance Ministry, the Ministry of Enterprise, Poste Italiane, the comuni, the IB, International Schools Database, Il Sole 24 Ore, Cittadinanzattiva.
Known for
BRUNELLO
Sangiovese Grosso wine that received DOCG status in 1980, grown on galestro soils between 200 and 600 meters around the town.
THE LAST FORTRESS
After Florence took Siena in 1555, Montalcino held out for almost four years as capital of the Republic of Siena in exile.
SANT'ANTIMO
Romanesque abbey ten kilometers south, documented from 814, tied by local tradition to a vow by Charlemagne.
Common questions
- What is Montalcino known for?
- Montalcino is a walled hill town at 564 meters above the Val d'Orcia, the last fortress to hold out for the Sienese Republic and the birthplace of Brunello.
- Where is Montalcino?
- Montalcino is a comune in the province of Siena, in Tuscany.
- What is the nearest airport to Montalcino?
- The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Perugia (PEG), about 1 h 51 min by car.
- How long is the drive from Siena to Montalcino?
- About 1 h 7 min by car.
- When is the best time to visit Montalcino?
- Best in Apr–Oct. July is the warmest month, averaging 32 degrees, and December the wettest, with about 11 rain days.
- Which other towns are like Montalcino?
- Volterra, Barga and Manciano.
- How many people live in Montalcino?
- 5,569 residents, by ISTAT's count on 1 January 2025.
- Is Montalcino a good place to live?
- By the rules in our Where to Move in Italy series, Montalcino is a small town that meets 1 of our 2 rules. The nearest city, Siena, is 1 h 7 min away by car. The nearest national health service hospital is in Castel del Piano, 15 km as the crow flies. Full fibre reaches 91% of homes.
Tags & data designations · numbers · sources
Recognized as
Landscape
The numbers
- Elevation: 564 m
- Population: 5,569
- Surface area: 310.31 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
The ranked lists
Lists Montalcino appears in
- The 6 best towns on a walking route that eat well in the province of SienaSiena provinceon a walking routeeats well6 towns · smallest 1,421 residents
- The best towns with a World Heritage site in the province of SienaSiena provinceWorld Heritage6 towns · smallest 1,044 residents
- The best towns with a World Heritage site that are worth a night in TuscanyTuscanyworth staying overnightWorld Heritage6 towns · smallest 1,928 residents
- The best towns on a walking route that are worth a night in TuscanyTuscanyon a walking routeworth staying overnight7 towns · smallest 1,421 residents
- The 8 best hidden hill towns on a walking route in TuscanyTuscanyhill townon a walking routehidden8 towns · smallest 1,044 residents
- The best hidden wine towns with a serious restaurant in the province of SienaSiena provincewineserious restauranthidden8 towns · smallest 1,421 residents
Near here, with a letter
- Written about. No. 41.
Castiglione d'Orcia
Province: Siena
A stone borgo at 540 meters in the UNESCO Val d'Orcia, with two fortresses guarding the road from Amiata to the Via Francigena.
12 km away
- Written about. No. 46.
San Quirico d'Orcia
Province: Siena
A walled stop on the Via Francigena at 409 meters in the UNESCO Val d'Orcia, where a twelfth-century Collegiata, a Renaissance garden and the Bagno Vignoni thermal pool sit within fifteen kilometers of each other.
23 min by car
- Written about. No. 44.
Pienza
Province: Siena
The first Renaissance ideal city, built from 1459 on the Val d'Orcia ridge.
33 min by car
The letter
Montalcino got its letter. One town at a time, free. The photo, the food, the festa.
Paid plans, the moving year and the books are on the membership page.