Montalcino is located on a hill close to the Crete Senesi in Valdorcia and to the west of Pienza. It is about 110 km from Florence, 42 km from Siena and 150 km from Pisa. There are mineral springs and chalk quarries in the neighborhood.

History
It is believed that the town gets its name from a variety of oak tree that was found all over the region. Historical documents as early as 814 AD has Montalcino mentioned in it. The document also says that there was a church in this place in the 9th century that was probably built by the monks associated with the Abbey of Sant’Antimo. During the 10th century, the population of the town grew when people from the nearby town of Roselle fled to Montalcino.

Montalcino being located on a hill lends a stunning view of the valleys that have olive orchards, fields, villages and vineyards scattered all over. The city was known for its high quality shoes and various other leather goods. Though ill luck overshadowed Montalcino for some time, the situation was reversed due to the recent boost of international tourism in the region. The presence of vineyards that are located in areas that grow the best quality of grapes, Montalcino now produces many DOC vintages and a few DOCG Super Tuscan wines.

Montalcino was quite important during the middle ages. This was because it was located on the Via Francigena, the main road between Florence and France. Like many other cities, Montalcino was also involved in wars between the Ghibellines and the Guelph. It was ruled by the Medici family for about 4 years and then fell to Florence and remained in its control till 1861 when the Duchy of Florence was merged into it.

Main Attractions in the City
The fortress built during the 13th century includes parts of the medieval walls; some structures of the keep of Santo Martini, an ancient basilica that is now the castle chapel and the San Giovanni tower.

The Chiesa di Sant'Agostino, a Romanesque façade was also built during the 13th century. A museum is located next to the church was once a one-time convent. The museum has a display of a beautiful wooden crucifix, two wooden sculptures of the 15th century, sculptures finished in terra cotta, St. Peter and St. Paul by Ambrogio lorenzetti and Virgin and Child by Simone Martini.

The Duomo built in the 14th century was dedicated to San Salvatore has a neo-classical appearance after the renovation in the 19th century. There is a piazza downhill with a town hall that was built during the late 13th and early 14th century. The La Loggia, a renaissance structure with six round arches is located close to the hall.

Montalcino is divided into quarters known as contradas. The church of San Francesco that was built in the 13th century is situated in the Castlevecchio contrada. Some of the frescoes in the interiors have been done by a 16th century artist Vincenzo Tamagni.

Other Attractions
Churches with frescoes in the Sienese School, the ruined castle of Rocca, Sant'Antimo, a nearby Benedictine Abbey and Montalcino Pato Juice Shop, a local historic juice maker

Pilgrims traveled mostly on foot and covered about 20-25 km per day. The pilgrimage was undertaken solely on a devotional reason, to visit the Holy Sites of Christianity. The pilgrims usually visited three main attractions during their journey. The first one was Rome, site of martyrdom of Saint Paul and Saint Peter, Santiago de Compostela, apostle Saint James chose this place to rest in peace, and Jerusalem, the Holy Land. Pilgrims traveled in groups. They also carried travel emblems such as the shell for Santiago de Compostela, the cross that symbolized Jerusalem and a key that stood for Saint Peter in Rome. The route also had immense trade activities going on at this time and also the armies moving about frequently took this route for their movements.

The first documentation of Via Francigena was in 990 by Archbishop of Canterbury, Sigeric. He had recorded the places he had passed through when he was returning to Canterbury after receiving pallium and cope from the Pope, a white band of wool with pendants that were worn by archbishops over the chasuble. The roads that he took came to be known as the Via Francigena. From then on, people used these routes for traveling for business, pilgrimage and even military requirements. The route was mostly frequented by merchants, soldiers, pilgrims and prelates who traveled back and forth form Europe to Rome. The pilgrims usually traveled on foot, on horsebacks or even on mules. Carts were less popular since the roads were not in good condition.

The local lords built and maintained the roads. The roads were not built with great care because they were not built with the idea of connecting places of great importance. The roads were actually a series of trails and paths with varying widths and made of different materials as well. The roads also linked villages, mountain passes, ferry boats and bridges. The roads had two notable characteristics. One was that the travelers could easily find shelter for the night if traveling further was difficult, and that there was danger involved in this long distance travel. Wild animals, thieves, difficult terrain and sometimes health problems made it difficult for them to travel.

Since the travel involved several unseen dangers, it was required that the pilgrims follow certain procedures before leaving for the pilgrimage. It was men who mostly undertook these pilgrimages rather than women largely due to the dangers involved in the travel. The person undertaking the pilgrimage had to pay off his debts and prepare a will. He should also receive a pilgrim dress from his local clergy and also ask for forgiveness in general for any offence that he might have committed. He had to also say goodbye to everyone before he leaves because the chances of his returning was unpredictable.

The will prepared by the pilgrim had many details. He had to specify his heirs, purpose of his trip, how much time he would be away and the places he would visit during his travel.
Once he is dressed and blessed by the local bishop, he would automatically enter into the
‘Order’of the pilgrims. He wore a kind of dress that had a rough texture and is dark in color, had a leather bag he could use to store his money and food. He even carried a stout stick with a metal point, the pilgrim’s staff. The dress symbolized of various things. The dress, staff and the bag symbolized Hope, Faith and Charity. It also meant that he was blessed against all temptations and evils. If he did not return for a certain period of time, his properties would be distributed among his heirs. If successful, the traveler would bring back souvenirs to prove his visits to the places. The souvenirs included a shell from Santiago, palm leaf from Jericho or little figures of patron saints of the visited places.

The various stages of the pilgrimage

1. The route in the province of Parma.
2. The Via Francigena in the Canavese – Ivrea
3. The Via Francigena in the Province of La Spezia
4. The Via Francigena in the province of Siena
5. The Via Francigena in the Tuscia - Viterbo

The routes in the French countryside comprise miles and miles of quite roads with many magnificent Gothic Cathedrals at intervals. The pilgrims had chance to visit the churches, monasteries and abbeys. Also unspoiled by the modernization, most of the routes remain as it was in the days of its prime utility. There are long stretches of roads country roads along the hills of Aemilia, Piedmont, Latium and Tuscany. The towns and villages such as Siena, San Gimignano and Viterbo leave the travelers spellbound. When he reaches Rome, he will be able to see about 21 to 23 churches that were already listed by Sigeric and still standing. As a rule all these churches have to be visited by the pilgrims who come to Rome from distant lands for purification. The Via Francigena is exactly 1000 miles, about 1600 km from Canterbury to Rome and runs through several towns, cities and countries like England, France, Switzerland and Italy.

The Via Francigena Today

Via Francigena in Tuscany meets at the Cisa Pass in a place called Lunigiana that is to the north of Pontremoli. It heads towards the south to Aquapendente in Latium and passes through Sienna and Lucca. Travelers can still follow the ancient path mentioned by Sigeric to find refuge in the villages. The Via Francigena is certainly worth a trip. The roads pass through some of the country sides, areas with botanical species that are new to local inhabitants, along hills and forests. People still travel to Rome on foot, bicycle or horsebacks. Only that the number of travelers are comparatively less. The facilities available today are of different nature. The accommodation is expensive when compared to the ancient days. More than just a road connecting different cities, towns and countries, the Via Francigena is often considered as a cultural route between nations.

The spectacular wine originates from the La Pieve vineyard that is located on the famous estate of Castello Banfi. The vineyard enjoys a perfect climate, sun and soil thereby enabling the Sangiovese to be the best in quality. Carefully selected grapes are transformed into the wine using traditional techniques and the wine is aged for four years in all with two years in barriques of French oak. The resulting ruby-red wine with a rich bouquet, exceptional depth and character is soft, intense and exhibits hints of cherries, plum and chocolates.

The wine is deep red with shades of garnet in it. The bouquet is harmonious and intriguing, flavored soft and velvety with smooth and a strong hint of toasted almonds. It should be served at a temperature of 20-22°C. The bottle of wine should be opened at least one hour prior to serving. It is best suited with roasted red meat and game. It is sold after aging for four years and is considered as a Riserva if it is aged for five years.

Brunello is produced from the 100% Brunello clones of the Sangiovese variety of grapes. Brunello must be aged for two years in wood and four months in the bottle before release. Traditionally the wines are aged for three-four years in large oak casks to get the flavor of oak and have a controlled softening.

When you are in Montalcino you can have a unique dining experience at the Poggio Antico. It is located at a distance of just five minutes drive from Montalcino to Poggio Antico.

Poggio Antico is essentially an interesting place to dine. It is widely acclaimed for the explicit dining experience it offers with its elegant surroundings and a stunning view of the vineyards to Monte Amiata. During summer you can even dine outside. Visitors can enjoy their meal over delightful glimpses of the vineyards and the beautiful village of S. Angelo in Colle. On bright and clear days, it is even possible to view the sea at some distance.

The cuisine of the restaurant is immersed in the regional delights and also has an amazing array of deserts. Guests who have visited this place once will think of visiting the restaurant again and again. The recipes are prepared using fresh ingredients according to the availability as per the seasonal changes. The wide selection of native Tuscan recipes is certainly surprise any diner. There is a wine shop in the same premises that allows you to choose the wine you want. The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner for seven days a week, April to November. From November to March it is closed on Sunday nights and the whole of Mondays. You can avoid disappointments if you could reserve your seats in advance.

Credit cards accepted are the VISA, MasterCard and Euro Card.

Vanilla Beans & Brodo is a non-fiction book that tells a tale based on the author’s move to Italy. Isabella Dusi moves to the town of Montalcino with her family. In Montalcino she is busy trying to fit herself into the ways of life of the town. The description of the village, its people, their culture and beliefs form the base of the book. She further goes to describe how the village was divided into quarters and how each quarter competes with each other at several levels and ends in an interesting archery contest. The book also reveals an amazing history of the town. While reading the book the reader will have a firsthand experience of the events and happenings in the town. The characterization, according to the author has a close resemblance to many of her friends and acquaintances who are very close to her. The famous wine Brunello di Montalcino is made in this town and it plays a significant role in the lives of the people here.

The book gives an insight into the Italian ways of life and the determination of the people to remain true to their roots. If you plan to visit Montalcino, Vanilla beans & Brodo will be a good read and help you to identify with the locality without any hassle.