Looking For Montezara? This Is The Italy You've Been Dreaming About

As we watched the movie La Dolce Villa on Netflix, we couldn't help but reminisce about our past road trips to Central Italy. We came across several towns that could have been the fictional Montezara from the movie!

Here are our most memorable picture-perfect towns that fit that description and are located between Rome and Florence.

Quick Resources

Heading to Italy on short notice? Make sure your hotel rooms and tours are sorted before you leave. Here are a few I recommend:

🛏️ Recommended Agriturismo:

Casale Terre Rosse (We adored the place, rooms, and views.)
Palazzo Carletti (Luxury Hotel in a Medieval Palace)
Aurora Agriturismo Termale (Roman thermal waters next door)

🧭 Top Related Tours in the Area:

Tuscany Full Day Guided Trip (from Civitavecchia)
Winery and wine tasting tour (priced red wines of Montepulciano)
Tuscan cooking class (a unique intro into the local cuisine)

🚗 We recommend cruising the countryside by renting a smaller car because village roads are narrow.

Sorano

Sorano is often called the “Matera of Tuscany” due to its cliffside settings and cave dwellings. The medieval town, with the Orsini fortress, was built right on top of the raw rock along the ancient Etruscan road.

The caves, which you can see in the image behind the town, are Etruscan caves from antiquity, which were made up of a network of tunnels. They predate the Roman Empire.

We loved taking a walk along the narrow alleyways in a village that feels authentic and where real life still happens.

Sovana

We drove along the century-old Etruscan roads, through valleys and over hills. This is when we stumbled upon Sovana.

Sovana is near Sorano, and you should definitely make this village your base if you seek the Montezara experience from the La Dolce Villa Netflix movie. I was instantly transported back to Sorano as we watched it.

Here you will find, a church, uniquely paved streets, a mechanic at work, a castle ruin, an inviting restaurant, and 2–3 boutiques selling handmade local items from the region.

Pitigliano

We almost missed Pitigliano because we were so enchanted by Sorano and Sovana, but that would have been a real loss because Pitigliano is a picture-perfect Tuscan cliff-side town.

Pitigliano is also a very popular tourist attraction, and the old town is certainly all the busier compared to other historic places nearby.

Nonetheless, we loved taking a stroll through the historical center, stopping at several shops, and we ended up buying organic wine from the regional vineyards and high quality olive oil.

Montemerano

We discovered Montemerano thanks to a tip from our helpful Agriturismo host, Daniele, at the Casale Terre Rosse.

The town is located a drive away from the famed open-air Saturnia thermal waters (more about that another time). A short drive up the hill, and you get to a sleepy village known as Montemerano.

We encountered a few tourists and a truly enchanting village with little maze-like alleyways and stone built homes. Local kids were playing football, and you could smell freshly prepared pasta as the bell tower rang for the midday meal.

Civita di Bagnoregio

Tucked between Lazio and Umbria, sits a tiny village on a volcanic rock known as Civita di Bagnoregio.

You can only access the village, with its handful of inhabitants, as a pedestrian over a long bridge. Cars and modern elements won't disturb your movie-like bubble in this isolated village.

Incidentally, the village is popular with day trippers, and there is a fee to access the bridge and village. The proceeds help preserve the crumbling, dying town.

Cetona

We traveled up the green vineyard and olive tree orchard dotted hills of Monte Cetona without any specific expectations and were rewarded with a historically charming village center.

The history of the settlement has unfolded over centuries and has been influenced by the Etruscan, Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance cultures.

Known as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Cetona is also home to the lucky few that can afford to buy a villa or farm plot with a view.

Orvieto

We visited Orvieto in April this year, and the hilltop view as we arrived was something else. The striped cathedral shimmered in the afternoon light, and we ended up spending more time underground than we thought.

There's a whole network of old tunnels and caves under the city, dug into the soft rock over centuries.

Back above ground, we wandered through narrow streets where cliffside houses drop straight into the valley. The views from the edge are unreal, especially when the light hits the rooftops just right.

Montepulciano

You might know Montepulciano from movies such as the romantic fantasy production Twilight: New Moon.

In contrast, if you are a wine aficionado, you will have caught wind of this city and its legendary red wines, the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Take a scenic walk through the town, and you might get invited by one of the locals to discover their underground wine cellars on a wine-tasting session.

If you find yourself in Montepulciano in August, don't miss the quirky, fun barrel rolling race known as Bravio delle Botti. The barrels are taken down the steep streets, and it's quite a spectacle!

San Casciano dei Bagni

People have been coming to San Casciano dei Bagni for over 2600 years to bathe in its healing hot water sources. Archeological excavations are still held at some ancient baths there.

Fortunately, this town has a whopping 42 hot water springs, with some left open to the public free of charge and others that have been turned into luxury spa retreats.

The charming hilltop village is also known as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and it has been named “Best Tourism Village” in 2024 by the UN Tourism for its blend of culture, sustainability, and tradition.