Many films have been shot among the Tuscan villages (see a selection of the films shot in Tuscany here). It is not a coincidence, because it is an area full of charm and beauty in each of its corners.
Many travelers stay in the two or three typical cities of the Tuscan route, which usually contemplate the city of Siena, Pisa or Florence. But if you have a car, we advise you to get to know the villages of Tuscany, which are not usually very far from each other.
Val d’Orcia
This area of Tuscany is full of villages, and views that take your breath away. Its gentle hills, its art-rich old town leaning on the tops of the hills, its hot springs and its rich cuisine have made it a top-notch tourist destination. The fact of having entered the UNESCO World Heritage Site certainly helps.
Its best known towns are Pienza and Montepulciano. This last town in Tuscany has been the place where Twilight was filmed, although in the series it turns out to be Vulturi (Volterra).
Volterra
It is probably the most underrated of the Tuscan villages. It does not have the fame it deserves, despite being a town that has it all.
It is located on the top of a rock, 600 meters high.
It is the ancient Vulturi, one of the capitals of the Etruscans, a population that lived in central Italy before the Romans occupied half of Europe.
Po supposedly has Roman remains, there are the ruins of a Roman amphitheater in the lower part of the town.
The whole historical case in the full medieval style, with a completely anarchic street structure.
Its main palace, the palace of the priori, is in the Renaissance style.
I mean … you have almost 2000 years of history on 4 streets.
San Gimignano
Of the Tuscan villages, it is the most famous. Surely the view of the town coming from the curvy roads that go up and down the neighboring hills, is one of the most impressive.
Many say it looks like New York, and the reason is simple … it has 14 towers that compete in height within a very limited walled space.
In the Middle Ages, 72 towers were counted, which over time have collapsed … this does not mean that it is not worth visiting from outside and from within.
Cortona
It is another of the towns to which more injustice is done at a tourist level. Located in the province of Arezzo, it became known throughout the world with the best seller by Frances Mayes that led to the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”, filmed in these beautiful landscapes.
