Guide to Tuscan wines: choosing and tasting by style

To walk around the village and reach the main viewpoints, allow about one hour as a benchmark. It is not a schedule to be kept to the minute: Montepescali is best discovered by walking along its enclosure, and stops to look at the plain can easily lengthen the visit. The route follows the Mura di Montepescali, a medieval enclosure with an elliptical shape. It is not signposted, but keeping the walls within sight helps you find your way between the gates, towers and narrow streets of the centre.

You can start near the gates, spot the Porta Nuova, then continue towards the Torre del Belvedere et la Torre del Guascone. Save the Baluardo a tre punte for the end: this bastion added in the 16th century now serves as a panoramic terrace, and its view is the highlight of the walk. If you like to take your time or photograph the landscapes, allow yourself more than an hour, especially in fine weather. The point is not to tick off each landmark quickly, but to walk along the walls without rushing and let the light change over the Grosseto plain before heading back.

The viewpoint to aim for is the Baluardo a tre punte, at the end of the route along the walls. From this panoramic terrace, the gaze stretches over the Grosseto plain to the sea, and the horizon may reveal the Arcipelago Toscano as well as Corse. Visibility, however, depends on the conditions of the day: it is better to consider these islands as a possibility tied to the clarity of the horizon, not as a view guaranteed on every visit.

The other parts of the village also allow you to look at the plain and the distant coastline, but the broadest panorama is found at the bastion. That is why it is better not to stop at the first openings between the houses: follow the enclosure and save the Baluardo for the end. The nickname Balcone della Maremma then takes on its full meaning, with the countryside spreading out below and the sea closing the view. To enjoy the view, choose a moment when you can linger rather than scheduling an express stop. Even if the islands cannot be clearly made out, the walk remains interesting for the contrast between the perched stone village, the great plain and the line of the coastline.

A tour of the walls gives a good overview of the fortified history of Montepescali, without needing to enter any specific monument. The enclosure, the gates, the towers and the bastion form the main landmarks of the walk. The Porta Vecchia collapsed in the 19th century: so do not expect to find it intact. The Porta Nuova, built between the 16th and 17th centuries, is another point to spot as you walk along the walls.

Continuing on foot, you can look for the Torre del Belvedere, then the Torre del Guascone, before arriving at the Baluardo a tre punte. Added in the 16th century, it now mainly serves as a panoramic terrace. The elliptical enclosure helps you understand the shape of the village, whose houses are packed behind the walls on the ridge. Since the route is not signposted, move along at a relaxed pace and use the walls as a guiding thread rather than expecting detailed signage. Montepescali particularly suits travellers who enjoy observing the visible traces in the fabric of the village and imagining its defensive role, more than those looking for a guided tour or a succession of monumental spaces inside.

After the panorama of the Baluardo a tre punte, take the time to head back towards the historic centre and spot a few places connected with the religious and civic memory of the village. The church of San Niccolò deserves particular attention for its cycle of frescoes by the Sienese school, some of which date back to the late 14th century. The exact date of the building itself is harder to establish. You can also walk past the church of Saints Stephen and Lawrence, another religious landmark of the centre.

To complete the walk, look for the Cassero Senese and its clock tower, then the Palazzo dei Priori, the former municipal seat. The Museo di storia locale Ildebrando Imberciadori is devoted mainly to rural life and offers another perspective on the territory. These stops give substance to the visit, but the village remains quiet and does not necessarily lend itself to a very packed programme. The origins of Montepescali go back to the early Middle Ages, without any founding date being universally agreed upon. Its history passes notably through the Aldobrandeschi, Siena, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Roccastrada and then Grosseto. It is better to explore these places without trying to do everything at a brisk pace, leaving time for the narrow streets and the views between two stops.

Yes, if you appreciate stone villages, quiet strolls and panoramas rather than a list of activities to tick off. Montepescali is above all a village perched above the Grosseto plain: its main appeal is walking along the walls and reaching the Baluardo a tre punte. The view stretches over the countryside to the sea, sometimes with a perspective extending towards the Tuscan archipelago and Corsica depending on visibility. The centre also preserves a few historical landmarks, such as the churches, the Cassero Senese and the former Palazzo dei Priori.

A walking visit lasts about one hour if you move along without long breaks, but half a day leaves you free to take photos, stop at the various viewpoints and visit the museum devoted to rural life if it matches your interests. On the other hand, do not come expecting lots of shops, a dense cultural programme or a succession of monuments open to visitors: the charm of the place lies in its calm and its commanding position. If you are travelling in the Maremma and want to take a break between Grosseto and other discoveries of the region, it is a detour suited to a slow outing. Just plan the journey up to the village, because Montepescali station is actually located in Braccagni, in the plain.