Meandering Through Monteriggioni

Monteriggioni is a tiny fortified town with a population of 48 people located on the Via Francigena, the pilgrim trail that stretches from Canterbury to Rome.

Instead of walking the 19 km leg from Sienna, we caught a local bus for 2 euros and walked the final 500 metres from the bus stop.

There is not a lot to see in Monteriggioni yet it is the most popular place we have visited to date. We inspected the tiny 13th century church (Monteriggioni dates from 1215) and walked along the walls with its views over the countryside. We strolled the narrow streets – there are no cars inside the walls – bought a few souvenirs and enjoyed the beauty of the smallest of the walled towns of Tuscany.

We enjoyed lunch in a delightful garden overlooking the wall, gelato from the gelateria and dinner at a. outdoor restaurant in the main piazza. It is in the late afternoon and evening when all the day visitors have left, that Monteriggioni is at its most beautiful. On our previous trip, we were among the day visitors.

Our accommodation is the best to date – beautiful rooms in a very old house that had once been the house of the carabinieri. The original 2 cells are still in the downstairs part of the house.

During the afternoon, we listened to the drummers practising for the Medieval Festival held here in July.