Monteriggioni

The perfectly preserved village of Monteriggioni is almost a Tuscan cliché –it’s medieval, it’s walled and it stands on a hill coated by olive groves and vines. The fortified village was constructed in 1213 and formed the northernmost bastion of the Republic of Siena’s territory, often finding itself in the front line in the battle for power between Siena and its arch rival, the city of Florence. Its early 13th-century walls incorporate 14 towers and are all but intact; they are a joy to walk around and neatly enclose a couple of little cobbled piazzas, a delightful collection of higgledy-piggledy churches and Renaissance townhouses. Originally Monteriggioni served as a garrison for Siena’s soldiers and the main Piazza Roma was the vegetable garden that kept them fed in times of siege; today there is a scattering of bars, restaurants and souvenir stores to keep 21st-century invaders happy. The town hosts a Festa Medievale (medieval festival) in late July, which is one of the most famous medieval pageants in Italy, with music and dancing, feasting and great merrymaking.

Practical Info

Tourist office: Piazza Roma 23. Monteriggioni is car free and there is a parking lot at the foot of the hill leading up to the village. Access by car is from the Florence-Siena superstrada 10 km (6.25 miles) north of Siena.