With an entire weekend available to visit Pitigliano, it is possible to fully immerse yourself in the beauties and peculiarities of the city of tuff and, above all, enjoy the three souls that characterize it: the historical, the naturalistic and the food and wine. It is advisable to divide your stay by dedicating one day to visiting the historic center and museums, the other to excursions and natural beauties. Assuming you arrive in the late afternoon, once settled in your accommodation you can enjoy a sunset, an aperitif and a dinner in the various local restaurants, each with its own history and particularity.
First day
The following morning, after a good breakfast, there is nothing better than a long and pleasant walk in the historic centre. Here you can get lost among squares, small squares, narrow alleys and monuments. Coming from Piazza Petruccioli, at the gates of the centre, there is a sort of natural route which touches all the points of interest: Via Cavour with theacquedotto mediceo, Piazza della Repubblica with Palazzo Orsini, Via Roma (the main street) which will lead you to Piazza San Gregorio VII where the Duomo to then go down to the oldest part of the center which is Capisotto. From here you can go back towards the center both via Vignoli (la Fratta) and via Zuccarelli, the Jewish ghetto, where all the most important testimonies of this community are found: Sinagoga, oven of unleavened bread, butcher and Kosher cellar.
Throughout the ancient part of the village it is also possible to discover sections of the Pitigliano underground, the part below the tuffaceous rock made up of hundreds of monumental cellars and various tunnels. The advice is to take this tour by choosing one of our authorized guides. Once you have savored the magical atmosphere that reigns in the alleys of the historic center, it will have been a certain time and you will be able to choose from the many restaurants, tasting something typical and more.
In the afternoon, the idea we give you is to discover the city’s exhibitions and museums. There are three in the historic centre: two inside Palazzo Orsini, one in the old Jewish quarter. They are a short distance from each other and each one shows three important phases in the history of Pitigliano. In Palazzo Orsini we find the Museo Civico Archeologico della Civiltà Etrusca “Enrico Pellegrini” and, opposite, the Museo di Palazzo Orsini; still in the historic building there is also the Municipal Library which is worth a visit. In the Jewish quarter, the Mostra Permanente di Cultura Ebraica. The average time to visit these sites is about an hour each; for more information, please visit the section dedicated to them. Here too the advice is to be accompanied by an authorized guide. After visiting the museums, you can enjoy some shopping in the various shops in the town.
We are in the evening. In Pitigliano there are various places including bars and cafes or wine bars where you can enjoy an aperitif ranging from the rich local enology to that of the Tuscan Maremma. The same venues are also interesting for a pleasant after-dinner drink, perhaps enjoying a good cocktail. For dinner you are spoiled for choice with restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias, to satisfy your every need. At this point you cannot miss Pitigliano illuminated at night: to do this you can go to one of the two main panoramic points outside the historic centre. The first is in via San Michele, a terrace/garden within walking distance; the second is the small square of the Madonna delle Grazie about a kilometer from the town. Wherever you go, taking a picture is a must.
Second day
The second day can be dedicated to the naturalistic and historical beauties present outside the centre. If you are passionate about trekking, you can try the Tour of the Vie Cave which will allow you to visit, in a single walk, all these fantastic places that characterize Pitigliano and its surroundings, perhaps accompanying it to a picnic. For more information, consult the section dedicated to the Tour of the Vie Cave which, if done in its entirety, will take you about half a day; you can also choose to visit one or more Vie Cave depending on the time available.
In the afternoon we move to visit the fourth museum of Pitigliano, the Museo Archeologico all’Aperto “Alberto Manzi”, within which it is possible to visit the last Via Cava not included in the tour, namely the Via Cava del Gradone. Another valid option for enthusiasts is to go to one of the many wineries or farms located in the countryside around Pitigliano and spend a couple of hours savoring an excellent glass of wine and local products.
Finally, a couple of culinary suggestions to try in city restaurants: pici, a type of hand-made pasta similar in shape to a large irregular spaghetti, acquacotta, a vegetable-based soup, and sfratto, the dessert typical Pitigliano based on walnuts and honey. And don’t forget to dress everything with extra virgin olive oil, another local excellence.
