Visiting the beautiful medieval town of Montepulciano and looking for a fun hike? Then the trail to Montefollonico may be for you! Pass through countless vineyards and the rolling hills of Tuscany, as a path connects these two beautiful villages. Here’s all the best tips and photos of our morning hike from Montepulciano to Montefollonico Italy.
Montepulciano to Montefollonico Hiking Trail
The first thing you should know is that the hike from Montepulciano to Montefollonico is not an actual trail! It’s more like a dirt road than the traditional hiking path you may be used to.
That is until you reach the last section, where you will climb through the forest on your way to Montefollonico Italy. The entire path is 14.7 km (9.13 Miles) round trip, but could be longer depending on where you start from in Montepulciano.
Another thing to note about this hike is that it is very steep at times. Although the road is not tough to walk on, you’re essentially walking from one hilltop village through the beautiful valley that connects them.
Amazing Views Leaving Montepulciano
First off, we should mention that we took this hike during our month-long stay in Montepulciano! It’s a town with endless history, great restaurants, and delicious Tuscany wine. Read about all our favorite things to do in Montepulciano Italy before your visit.
On our way out of Montepulciano, we started walking onto a small dirt road that cut away from the village. The views along the entire Montepulciano hike to Montefollonico are stunning. It honestly feels like you’re walking through a live Tuscan fairy tale passing through the dreamy villas and vineyards.
As you’re leaving Montepulciano, make sure to turn back for an epic view of town you may have not had yet. We loved getting the shots from both sides of the hike, as they are unique in their own way.
Steep Path to Montefollonico
Once you cut through the vineyards, you’ll see the small village of Montefollonico getting closer in the distance. Normally a 1.5 hour hike would be nothing. However, the hot summer heat of July was definitely wearing us down!
As you start approaching Montefollonico, you will reach a fork in the road. There is a small pathway that goes up into the forest that you can take instead of staying on the main road. This will save you some time, but beware as it is pretty steep!
Exploring Montefollonico Italy
At the top of the trail you will reach the small hilltop town of Montefollonico Italy. It is made up of several colorful streets that spread out over the village.
As one of the smaller towns in the region, it isn’t as popular as nearby Montepulciano and Pienza Italy. Still, the size doesn’t take away from its rustic beauty! The fortress-like walls will take you back in time in this quiet Tuscan village.
Once we made it to Montefollonico, we were tired and certainly worked up an appetite. We ate the sandwiches that we packed made up of local bread and cheese from the market on a small bench near the Chiesa del Triano Chuch. It’s a beautiful spot to take a break or sit and enjoy your meal.
Since it’s very small, it won’t take you more than an hour to see all of Montefollonico. Before leaving town we stopped at Bar Sport which was the only place open.
For a village that was so quiet, we were surprised that almost every table was full! It looked like a mix of locals with some cyclists and fellow hikers.
We wouldn’t typically recommend having a beer halfway through the hike. Yet, they were ice cold, delicious, and just what we needed on a sizzling summer afternoon.
After all, you’ll certainly be enjoying the many wineries in Montepulciano while in the area. So a beer will also be a nice switch up on the hike.
More Tips for the Hike to Montefollonico
Pack Water & Lunch: There was only the one restaurant we mentioned above open in the middle of summer. Luckily, they had water for us to buy in addition to our Peroni beers!
If it had been closed, we wouldn’t have been able to get any more water or food during the hike. Make sure to bring plenty with you just in case.
Start Early: Even hitting the trail first thing in the morning, we encountered the hot Tuscany heat of the summer. With lunch, viewpoints, and exploring Montefollonico Italy, we didn’t make it back to Montepulciano until past 2pm.
We recommend starting as early as possible if you are hiking in the warm months of July and August.
One Way Montepulciano Hike: At the time of our visit, there wasn’t a public bus route between the two villages. The only option was a hop on hop off Tuscany bus that cost 12 Euros and stops at other beautiful towns.
If you time it correctly, it is possible to take the tourist bus back to Montepulciano after your hike. Either way, the hop on hop off bus is a lot of fun! You should save it for another day if you don’t mind hiking both ways.
Have any questions about the hike from Montepulciano to Montefollonico Italy? How about your own tips for this scenic Tuscany hike? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
Hello, nice to hear about your walk to montefollonico. I will also take that hike in near future. Did you start from the churh san bagio? Where there signs which showed you the directions?
Hope to hear from you.
Best regards
Geir Aarskaug from norway
Author
Hi Geir! We hope you like the hike. We started from the opposite side of town because that was where our hotel was, however you can certainly start from Church San Bagio. Once you get onto Via delle Colombelle you will see signs. However, we followed the route using the offline map we downloaded with maps.me which was helpful when the signs were not clear. Enjoy Italy!