Montelaterone: City Walls, Roccaccia and Chestnut Forests

Montelaterone on the sandstone ridge

Montelaterone lies on a sandstone ridge and is protected by a double ring of walls. Narrow, paved alleys characterize the town; the Vicolo del Bacio is also one of its noteworthy lanes. The landscape around Montelaterone is characterized by chestnut forests. The ring of walls and the alleys define the town’s inner area, while the chestnut forests shape the area around Montelaterone.

Roccaccia, San Clemente and Festa della pina

Montelaterone is home to the remains of the ancient Cassero di Montelaterone castle, known as the Roccaccia. The Roccaccia offers breathtaking panoramic views. This panorama provides a sense of openness alongside the narrow network of alleys.

The church of San Clemente houses valuable paintings by the Nasini painters. The work “Croce con San Giovanni e un Papa” is also located there. The Festa della pina is an old courtship ceremony held in front of the Pieve di Lamula and takes place on the second Sunday after Easter. The specific calendar date therefore follows the date of Easter and changes from year to year.

Trails between Montelaterone and Arcidosso

CAI Trail 615 passes through Montelaterone, is 39.1 km long and is rated E–MTB. CAI Trail 610C is a 1.9 km-long trail rated difficulty E and connects to Trail 615 near Montelaterone.

The considerable difference in length is relevant when planning a day stage: at 39.1 km, a different time frame must be allowed for trail planning than for 1.9 km. By connecting near Montelaterone, 610C provides a short link to the longer Trail 615. The E–MTB rating for 615 and the difficulty E rating for 610C supplement the distance information with the respective trail classifications.

The trail network of the municipality of Arcidosso makes it possible to reach the Pieve a Lamula in Montelaterone from Arcidosso. It is intended for trekking and cycling tours. For a connection from Arcidosso, the starting point is outside Montelaterone, while the destination is at the Pieve a Lamula in the town. The Pieve a Lamula is both the destination of the connection from Arcidosso and the site in front of which the Festa della pina takes place.

Mountains, monasteries and castles in the surrounding area

The mountain Monte Buceto is located in the immediate vicinity of Montelaterone. The mountains Monte Aquilaia, Monte Labbro and Monte Amiata are also located in the surrounding area.

The Castello Banfi castle, the Abbazia di Sant’Antimo monastery and the Abbazia di San Salvatore monastery are also located in the area around Montelaterone. The Fortezza di Montalcino fortress lies in the wider regional area. Castello Banfi and the two monasteries are therefore in the surrounding area, while Fortezza di Montalcino is assigned to the wider regional area.

Further exploration of the town

For further exploration of the area, you can also include Stribugliano in your travel plans.

For the higher-level travel overview: Arcidosso.