Nestled Between Florence And Rome Is Italy's Overlooked Town Full Of Medieval Charm And Mountain Views

Dozens of tiny, medieval towns are dotted throughout Tuscany. If you've ever traveled from Rome — one of the best places to start an Italian vacation — to Florence, you've likely stopped in Orvieto or Montepulciano (notable primarily for the red wine it produces). A hidden gem among them, this charming little town in between is often overlooked, sharing the same medieval architecture and mountain views the region is famous for: Città della Pieve.

Città della Pieve is located in the Province of Perugia, and is roughly two hours or less by car from both Florence and Rome, where you would be most likely to fly into if traveling from outside of Italy. Trains can be fewer and farther between in the countryside, which is why Rick Steves recommends renting a car if you plan on driving around Tuscany. However, you can arrive in Città della Pieve by train from major Italian cities.

A hotel in Città della Pieve will typically set you back anywhere from $84 to $183 per night on average, depending on the time of year you plan to visit. The busiest time to visit the area is in the summer, with peak crowds between June and September. If you're looking to beat the crowds and the heat, fall is a great time to visit Italy.

Dating back to as early as the seventh century, Città della Pieve is reminiscent of many medieval villages. A mixture of wide streets and narrow alleyways wind around open squares here, mimicking the town's original class structure of knights and peasants, with stunning views of hills and mountains visible through gaps in the town's walls. Baciadonne, one of Italy's narrowest streets, can be found in Città della Pieve. The alleyway is only 31.5 inches wide and has become a popular romantic attraction; this is because the name "Vicolo Baciadonne" translates to "Alley of the Kissed Women."

When you come to one of the town's many open squares, you'll find several historic buildings among the throng of shops and restaurants. The Palazzo della Corgna sits just across from Città della Pieve's Cathedral, and became one of the town's most important noble residences after it was built in the sixteenth century. It would be easy to spend a whole day wandering your way around Città della Pieve, but if you're looking for a more structured activity, cooking classes are very popular in this region. Classes typically last a few hours in the host's home and allow you to make pasta from scratch, the authentic Italian way.

Città della Pieve is a perfect town for strolling, browsing, and eating your body weight in gelato, but it also still puts on several traditional events every year during major holidays. The town annually displays a nativity scene during Christmas (in addition to erecting a traditional wooden Christmas market) and even has actors portray biblical scenes in a performance called Living Paintings during Easter. In the summer, when tourism is at its highest, you can plan your trip around the Palio dei Terzieri in August, a retelling and recreation of a bull hunt that dates back to 1250, or the Infiorata flower carpet festival in June. This festival is celebrated throughout the region, with towns covering their walkways in breathtaking displays made entirely of floral arrangements.

Beyond local events, the area has a rich history of cultivating artists. Italian Renaissance painter, Pietro Perugino was born in Città della Pieve. While he went on to help paint the Sistine Chapel and teach Raphael, this is where he initially began as an artist. Several of Perugino's paintings are preserved in the town. You can find his work in the Civic-Diocesan Museum of Santa Maria Dei Servi, Città della Pieve Cathedral, and the Oratory of Santa Maria dei Bianchi. In the Museo Civico-Diocesano, you'll also find work by other artists from the Gothic, Baroque, and Mannerist periods on display. Visiting an art museum in a major city is always a treat, but in smaller villages like Città della Pieve, you have a chance to experience work by artists local to the region and discover a fresco you may not have seen out in the world before.