Tuscan hill towns: choose a slower day

San Gimignano’s towers and lanes reward a slower town visit. Use parking outside the historic core, and choose between the town and Volterra when arriving from the Ligurian coast.

Volterra is a hill-town outing west of Siena with Etruscan and later history. It adds a separate approach to a coast-to-countryside transfer; choose it instead of treating it as a compulsory stop before San Gimignano.

Give Pienza time for its compact Renaissance centre and views over Val d’Orcia. It pairs naturally with a slower countryside day; the source group does not put it in Montepulciano town.

Choose Montepulciano for steep historic streets, Piazza Grande and wine-focused stops. Plan parking outside the restricted historic core and arrange cellar visits before making them part of a driving day.

Pitigliano stands above tuff cliffs in southern Tuscany. Its historic Jewish heritage and town streets deserve a dedicated visit; compare the journey to your overnight before adding Orvieto or Saturnia.

Choose Cortona for a hilltop town visit above the Valdichiana. The railway stations are down in the valley, so include the onward uphill connection when planning a visit without a car.