Christmas cheer in Montepulciano and Pienza, Tuscany

Earlier this month, I was in Tuscany for a weekend with my family, and we enjoyed seeing the cheery Christmas decorations.

They were especially pretty in the towns of Montepulciano and Pienza – two gorgeous Tuscan hilltowns.

Montepulciano is a steep medieval hilltown (bring good walking shoes), known for its long wine tradition. Montepulciano is a grape variety that produces a strong, red wine.

You’ll find the well-known local wines prominently on display throughout towns, and plenty of enoteche to try them out (makes a great break from all that hill climbing).

Another famous wine from this town is the Vino Nobile, which comes from another variety of grape.

As you can imagine, the town is filled with tourists and wine enthusiasts, and it was nice to enjoy it with all the Christmas decorations on display.

Pienza is another spectacular medieval town, only a few kilometers from Montepulciano. Although I hadn’t been back to Montepulciano in years, I’ve stopped by Pienza quite a few times since one of my sons went to a running camp near there.

Pienza is much smaller, but an adorable hilltop town. It was also pleasantly prepared for the holidays, getting us into the holiday spirit as we wandered its streets.

Montepulciano also hosts a Christmas market on its stunning Piazza Grande. It was quite crowded when we ere there during the day, but I imagine it’s even more of a draw with the sparkling Christmas lights during the long December evenings.

Definitely worth a visit if you’re passing through in December.

We enjoyed this visit to beautiful Tuscany – and even better, we enjoyed our dose of holiday cheer in these stunning medieval towns.