Durante il tuo soggiorno presso Castello Banfi non mancare una visita ai borghi più suggestivi della Toscana. Ecco i nostri consigli.
5 borghi da non perdere in Toscana
Florence, Pisa, Siena and Lucca are cities rich in art and history that attract tourists from all over the world. However, the cities of art are not Tuscany's only attraction. On the contrary, more and more Italian and foreign travellers are choosing to escape the big cities and take refuge in the tranquillity of Tuscan villages, fairy-tale places where time seems to stand still.
The number of small villages to visit in Tuscany is very large: some famous, such as Montalcino, others lesser known but equally evocative, such as Rocca d'Orcia, are ideal destinations for those who love walking through narrow streets and stone stairways, for those who want to admire breathtakingly beautiful landscapes all year round, 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 planted with vineyards and olive groves, or perched around a medieval fortress, here are some of the most beautiful villages to visit in Tuscany in the vicinity of Castello Banfi Wine Resort.
Montalcino
Montalcino owes its fame to the famous Brunello and other fine wines that are born on the hills surrounding this village, as well as being one of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany to visit. In fact, it is a place full of charm, with evocative landscapes and historical monuments, but also culturally lively, not only for those who love good wine.
Il principale punto d’interesse è l’imponente fortezza di Montalcino, una rocca che domina la vallata sottostante e che in estate diventa la location d’eccezione per il Jazz & Wine in Montalcino. Altri luoghi da visitare assolutamente sono il Duomo di Montalcino, che ospita un bellissimo organo a canne, e il Palazzo dei Priori (oggi sede del Comune), con una torre alta e stretta tipica dell’architettura comunale.
Sant'Angelo in Colle
A few kilometres from Montalcino lies the medieval village of Sant'Angelo in Colle, one of the Tuscan villages to visit when travelling in this region. The village stands on a hill in the heart of the Val d'Orcia, surrounded by vineyards and cultivated land.
Tourists who enter the gates of this village will feel as if they have stepped back in time: they will be welcomed by a large stone tower (this is what remains of the ancient city walls), they will be able to stroll through the medieval alleyways and admire the small Piazza Castello, with its churches and historical buildings, the beating heart of artistic, cultural and gastronomic tourism in this Tuscan village.
Castiglione d'Orcia
Castiglione d'Orcia offers those visiting the villages of Tuscany one of the most breathtaking views in Italy: in its hamlet of Rocca d'Orcia stands the Rocca di Tentennano, a once impregnable fortress along the Via Francigena and today an exceptional vantage point from which to admire the hills of Tuscany from above.
The village looks like a picture postcard landscape, with rural houses climbing the hill around the Rocca Aldobrandesca, symbol of the feudal family that ruled these lands and now emblem of the village itself.
Santa Fiora
The village of Santa Fiora is a small jewel set in the Tuscan hills, surrounded by chestnut trees and watered by the Flora river. It is an ideal destination for those who want to take a dip into the past and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature.
Among the small Tuscan villages to visit, that of Santa Flora is in fact an interesting combination of history and wilderness: walking through the uphill lanes, you can admire the terziere di Castello, the oldest part of the historic centre with its fortifications, or you can dedicate yourself to trekking and hiking on the nearby Monte Amiata.
Castello di Poggio alle Mura, today better 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 very ancient, if one takes into account the remains of a Roman villa discovered right under the castle. Its heyday dates back to the Middle Ages, thanks to its strategic position between the Maremma and the Val d'Orcia.
Visitors to this village in Tuscany cannot fail to be captivated by the beauty of Castello Banfi, a superb medieval stronghold perfectly integrated into the landscape, casting its reassuring shadow over the entire hamlet. The castle currently houses the Museo della Bottiglia e del Vetro (Museum of the Bottle and Glass) named after J. Mariani, where some unparalleled glass artefacts from the Roman era and Picasso's beautiful 'Portatrice' are kept.
Where to stay to visit villages in Tuscany?
Within the village of Poggio alle mura is the Castello Banfi Wine Resort, a luxury hotel with every comfort, a perfect place to stay to visit the surrounding Tuscan villages and 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 in the shade of Castello Banfi by swimming in the beautiful heated outdoor pool or savouring a glass of Banfi wine on the panoramic terrace as your gaze wanders over the beauty of this Tuscan village.
