Montalcino, home of world known Brunello wine.

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Montalcino, Tuscany, is one of the highlights of the Val D'Orcia area. It's a lovely medieval hamlet and an extraordinary artistic and architectural testimony of the past. You could spend hours wandering through its old streets and lanes.

But Val D’Orcia is not only one of the most beautiful places in Tuscany, it is also the home of some of the most prestigious and reputed Italian wines, among which the most famous is the Brunello di Montalcino.

Therefore, when you are done with history, you can dedicate yourself to the other Must Do in Montalcino: wine tasting.

Thanks to its worldwide renowned Brunello, Montalcino has developed an astonishing wine tasting industry. You will find tens of wine bars spread around the old town, where you will be able to sip the wine of your choice, while a passionate sommelier explains to you the subtle differences between the harvests of the past 20 years.

You will find one of the most famous Enoteca (“winehouse”) inside the 14th century fortress, and precisely in the donjon of San Martino. Just in front of the fortress, I suggest the Enoteca Franci, perfect to start your Tuscany Wine experience.

You will of course taste Brunello from different vineyards and harvests (focus on 2006 an 2007!), but don’t neglect the Rosso di Montalcino. This too is a Sangiovese Grosso in purity, but produced to be drunk young (and, by the way, much less expensive than his more famous old brother Brunello).

Insider's travel tip: Do you know that Italy owns its peculiar Sword in the Rock?

You can find it close to the awesome San Galgano abbey ruins. Galgano Guidotti, a knight and later a saint, stabbed it in the rock nearly 800 years ago as a cross pilgrims going to Rome could worhip.

San Galgano abbey and the sword in the rock in the nearby Rotonda di Montesiepi are an unmissable destination when exploring southern Tuscany.

It could be a delightful day trip while exploring Montalcino area.

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