Palazzo Contucci
On the east side of Piazza Grande, directly across from the duomo, Palazzo Contucci presents three floors of increasingly refined stonework — severe ashlar at street level, then five aedicule windows with triangular pediments and Ionic half-columns, then a brick cornice with ornamental windows that feel almost like an afterthought. Most of the building is still a private family home, which means the part you can actually enter is the ground floor: a working enoteca and a set of wine cellars built into city walls that predate the palazzo by four centuries.
Those cellars are the reason to come. Three floors of large barrels holding Vino Nobile di Montepulciano age in stone rooms that were already old when Sangallo drew up his plans. You can walk in freely during opening hours, or book the two-hour guided tasting to go deeper into both the architecture and the wine.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who return tend to book the Contucci Experience rather than just browsing the enoteca — the guided format gets you into barrel rooms that feel genuinely ancient and earns you a proper sit-down with Rosso and three Nobile labels alongside pecorino and cured meats. The panoramic garden, if the weather holds, looks out over the Valdichiana all the way to Lake Trasimeno.
The story behind Palazzo Contucci
Cardinal Antonio Maria Ciocchi del Monte commissioned the palazzo in 1519 — his coat of arms is still carved into the second-storey corner facing the duomo — with Antonio da Sangallo il Vecchio as architect. The internal courtyard, paved in Tuscan terracotta and travertine, is Sangallo's work; the mezzanine above the piano nobile is attributed to Baldassarre Peruzzi, who likely completed the project.
The Del Monte family held the palace for over a century, during which time it served as residence for both Pope Julius III and Grand Duke Ferdinand I. In 1642 it passed to the Contucci family, who commissioned Andrea Pozzo to fresco the Sala delle Feste in 1701–1702 with the illusionistic perspective scenes that still cover its walls. The Contucci name appeared in connection with Vino Nobile as early as 1773, and the family has been making wine in the same cellars ever since.
Good to know
Montepulciano's train station sits 8 km below town; aim for the bus from Chiusi-Chianciano Terme or the Tiemme service from Siena. Drive up to parking lot P8 near the fortress if you want to start at the top and walk downhill. The cellar visit is free; the guided tasting runs around €40 per person and is worth booking ahead.
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What travellers say about Palazzo Contucci
Magnificent building on a beautiful square, at the very top of the village. Very beautiful lounge and pianoforte concert.
Very nice
Antigo e bonito, mas nem tanto
Situated at the highest and most picturesque point in Montepulciano, Palazzo Contucci is a jewel originally designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in the 16th century and later frescoed by the master of Baroque perspectivism, Andrea Pozzo. Its special feature? The Contucci family has lived there and tended its vineyards for centuries, offering an experience that combines hospitality, art, and a thousand-year-old winemaking tradition. Staying or visiting the palace means finding yourself right in the heart of Piazza Grande, with an unparalleled view of the city's rooftops and the Tuscan countryside. The Salone delle Feste, an absolute masterpiece of Andrea Pozzo's secular art. The play of perspective and trompe-l'oeil are literally jaw-dropping; the room's geometry is designed to create a unique visual wonder. The "monumental" cellars located beneath the palace and built on the ancient 13th-century medieval walls are among the oldest in Montepulciano. The tour is a fascinating journey through enormous oak barrels where the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG rests. The rooms and apartments retain the charm of the historic residence, combining period furnishings with modern comforts. Highly recommended.
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