Spa towns, famous wines and culture in Tuscany’s Va ldichiana Senese

BY PAMELA MCCOURT FRANCESCONE

MONTEPULCIANO - Montepulciano, nestled in a bucolic setting in the Valdichiana Senese in southern Tuscany, is a true oasis of peace with vineyards as far as the eye can see, and all the charm of a classic medieval Tuscan hill town It is also the land where Nobile di Montepulciano is produced, the famous red wine with the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), esteemed by connoisseurs and w i n e e n t h u s i a s t s t h e w o r l d over Mayor Michele Angiolini says the town and its surrounding area draw visitors looking for tranquility and relaxation, and that they also come to stay and t a k e t h e w a t e r s i n i t s s p a towns, Montepulciano Terme, San Casciano dei Bagni and Chianciano Terme «Visitors are very attracted by our nature and also by our foods and wines We have a wide range of accommodation in both hotels and non-hotel facilities PostCovid the hotels, which are mostly in Chianciano Terme, suffered somewhat while alternative facilities were in strong demand » Many of the cultural events organized in the area are concentrated in the summer months, «but our Christmas in Montepulciano draws thousands of peop l e f r o m N o v e m b e r r i g h t through to the end of the holid a y s e a s o n , » s a i d Ma yo r A n giolini «During Covid p f o r e i g n m a r k e t the US and Rus p e d c o n s i d e r a t o o k a d v a n t a g e o f t h o s e months to work, plan and invest in promoting our region, and this proved to have been a good move as it led to a rise in domestic visitors and also boos t e d a r r i v a l s f r o m p r o x i m i t y markets »