A guide to the best of eastern Tuscany — the hilltowns, trails, food and artisan culture that most visitors never find. All within an hour of Il Vigno.
Eastern Tuscany has more medieval hilltowns per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in Italy — and far fewer visitors than the Chianti or Val d'Orcia. Caprese Michelangelo (birthplace of Michelangelo), Anghiari (battle site painted by Leonardo), Monterchi (home to Piero della Francesca's Madonna del Parto), Citerna, Città di Castello just over the Umbrian border — each one distinct, each one worth a half day at minimum.
The distances between these towns are short — most are within 30 to 40 minutes of Il Vigno — which makes it easy to combine two or three in a day without feeling rushed. The roads between them are scenic and largely free of traffic: switchbacks through chestnut forest, descents into river valleys, long straight stretches along the upper Tiber plain.
10 min · Birthplace of Michelangelo, medieval castle, chestnut forest walks, excellent trattoria.
20 min · Perfectly preserved medieval town, artisan workshops, battle museum, outstanding local food.
25 min · Piero della Francesca's Resurrection, working town, food market, no tourist crowds.
The landscape immediately around Il Vigno is extraordinary — ancient chestnut forest, natural waterfalls and swimming holes within 20 minutes on foot from the farm gates, and a network of marked trails that link the villages of the upper Valtiberina. Read our full hiking and nature guide for routes, difficulty levels and seasonal advice.
Food & DrinkThe food culture of the Valtiberina and the Casentino is serious, seasonal and entirely unselfconscious. Pappardelle with wild boar ragù. Bistecca from Chianina cattle raised in the valley. Truffle in season — both black and white. Aged pecorino from small producers. Wine from the Colli Aretini. None of it performed for visitors — this is simply how people here eat.
At Il Vigno, our Farm Fresh Feast dinners bring the best of this tradition to the farm table — organic ingredients grown or sourced within a few kilometres, cooked with care and served without ceremony at a long shared table. Read our full guide to Tuscan food traditions.
Artisan TraditionsThis region has maintained its artisan traditions with unusual tenacity. Textile workshops in Anghiari continue to weave on traditional looms. Ceramic makers in Città di Castello have been producing distinctive work for centuries. Smaller producers — leather workers, woodcarvers, paper makers — operate throughout the valley towns in workshops that have been in the same families for generations.
We keep an updated list of makers worth visiting at the farm and in the Info Hub — ask when you arrive, or visit the Info Hub for current recommendations.
Il Vigno is the ideal base for exploring eastern Tuscany — central, peaceful, and staffed by people who actually live here. We give all guests a personalised local guide on arrival. Book your stay and tell us what interests you most.
Il Vigno is an adults-only agriturismo in Caprese Michelangelo — perfectly placed for day trips across the region. Book direct and save 10% with code DIRECT10.
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