Volterra
As befits a town that's hewn the precious material from nearby quarries since Etruscan times, Volterra is the proud possessor of an alabaster museum. It's…
Must-see attractions in Central Tuscany
Siena
Remarkably, this vaulted space under the duomo's pulpit was totally filled with debris in the late 1300s and was only excavated and restored in 1999…
Siena
Completed in 1348, this 87m-high red-brick-and-travertine bell tower commands magnificent views from its highest levels. Its name (The Tower of Eater)…
Chianti
Medieval Montefioralle crowns a rise just east of Greve, and can be accessed via a 2km walking path from the town centre (head up Via San Francesco, off…
San Gimignano
Protected and opened to the public by the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), the Italian National Trust equivalent, this art- and antique-filled tower house…
Siena
Nestled in the shadow of the huge Gothic church of San Francesco, this 15th-century oratory is dedicated to St Bernardino and decorated with Mannerist…
San Gimignano
The name of this 13th-century church refers to its original location next to a drawbridge (ponte means bridge) leading to the bishop's castle. The…
Chiesa di San Pietro alla Magione
Siena
Serenely beautiful, this Romanesque church was built in the 10th century and used by the Knights Templar in the 12th century. It then passed to the…
Biblioteca Comunale degli Intronati
Siena
Occupying 13th-century buildings once used by the University of Siena, this municipal library was established in the 1750s. Its labyrinthine structure…
Siena
Sheltering behind an anonymous facade, this Ashkenazi synagogue in Siena's former Ghetto once serviced a community of 500. Sadly, a mere 50 Jews now live…
Abbazia di San Michele Arcangelo a Passignano
Chianti
The four Vallombrosan monks who call this medieval abbey home open their quarters to visitors on regular guided tours. The highlight is the refectory,…
Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo
Chianti
An 11th-century church on this site was destroyed in the 13th century and replaced by this structure, which was subsequently heavily altered over the…
Montepulciano
Elegant Piazza Grande is the town's highest point and main meeting place. If you think it looks familiar, it might be because it featured in New Moon, the…
Chiesa di Santa Maria in Portico a Fontegiusta
Siena
This three-aisled 15th-century church was built on the site of Porta Fontegiusta, one of the original gates in the city walls, to thank the Virgin Mary…
Volterra
Local, Sienese and Florentine art holds sway in this modest collection in the Palazzo Minucci Solaini. Taddeo di Bartolo's Madonna Enthroned with Child …
Siena
Operated by a social cooperative that gives support and employment to people with disabilities or dependency problems, this urban oasis is home to a small…
San Gimignano
Works of medieval religious art from San Gimignano's key churches are on display in this modest museum. Particularly beautiful items made from precious…
Montepulciano
Montepulciano's 16th-century duomo is striking, largely because its unfinished facade gives the building a stern, heavily weathered look. Inside, don't…
Siena
For an unforgettable view of Siena's unique cityscape, head up the 131-step, narrow corkscrew stairway to walk atop the unfinished facade of the Duomo…
Val d'Orcia
The future Pope Alexander VI, then just Cardinal Roderigo Borgia, was gifted this palace by Pius II and subsequently modified and enlarged it in 1492. It…
Montepulciano
Designed by Antonio da Sangallo (Sangallo il Vecchio) and constructed in the late-16th century, this splendid Renaissance church in the valley below the…
Siena
One of the city's most handsome medieval buildings, this 14th-century Gothic-style fortified palace was built for the Salimbeni family, wealthy Ghibelline…
Montepulciano
From the central Piazza Grande, Via Ricci runs downhill past Palazzo Ricci, now home to the European Academy for Music and Performing Arts. The street…
Montepulciano
Built in the 14th century in Gothic style and remodelled in the 15th century by Michelozzo, the Palazzo Comunale still functions as Montepulciano's town…
Siena
This towering Gothic structure with double lancet windows was built in stone between 1205–1212 for the Tolomei family, Guelph bankers. It now houses the…
Siena
The baroque facade of this church dates from 1613, but the church itself is much older, having been constructed in the 12th century. Inside are works by…
Volterra
Just west of the cathedral is the 13th-century baptistry with a small marble font (1502) by Andrea Sansovino.
Siena
Siena is unusual in that unlike many Tuscan cities, it isn't located next to a watercourse. To compensate, it has a unique historical network of…
Azienda Agricola Frantoio Pruneti
Chianti
Gionni and Paolo Pruneti's family business has produced top-quality olive oil for over a century. Their 28,000 olive trees are hand-harvested between mid…
Museo della Cattedrale e Labirinto di Porsenna
Chiusi
This church museum houses the usual array of religious artefacts, but differentiates itself with its Labirinto di Porsenna, a series of tunnels (not for…
Chianti
Site-specific contemporary artworks created by artists from over 20 countries are scattered throughout this 7-hectare wood, including a glass labyrinth by…
Val d'Orcia
This magnificent palace was the residence of Pope Pius II, and is considered Bernardo Rossellino's masterpiece. Built on the site of the pope's family…
Central Tuscany
Built by the Republic of Siena in the 13th century as a defensive outpost against Florence, Monteriggioni's castle resisted a number of sieges and attacks…
Casa Santuario di Santa Caterina
Siena
St Catherine once lived here with her parents and 24 siblings (locals joke her mother must have been a saint too). Now a pilgrimage site overseen by nuns…
Siena
This 16th-century gate replaced its medieval predecessor, which was the major northern entrance through Siena's medieval city walls. The structure has…
Siena
The largest medieval fountain in Siena, Fontebranda was built in the 13th century and features three wide Gothic arches, crenellations and water jets in…
Volterra
The grassy ranks of seating and towering columns of Italy's finest and best-preserved Roman theatre makes this a particularly evocative archaeological…
Val d'Orcia
Look out for this Romanesque church at the western edge of Pienza. It dates from the 10th century, when Pienza was called Corsignano, and boasts a strange…
Volterra
Volterra's 13th-century town hall is the oldest seat of local government in Tuscany. The staircase bears a fresco of the Crucifixion by Pier Francesco…
Chianti
In the small village of Pievasciata, near the Parco Sculture del Chianti, the streets are home to an ever-growing number of site-specific contemporary…
