Via delle Cantine & the Pulcino Spring
Most visitors never leave the main Corso, which means the atmospheric Via delle Cantine — running along the outside of the medieval walls near Porta delle Farine — remains almost entirely to locals and the curious. Here, Renaissance-era cantinas are carved directly into the cliff face, and a short drive further brings you to the Fonte Pulcino, a natural spring with etruscan origins.
The Street of Cellars
Via delle Cantine is a narrow lane where wooden cellar doors are set into the rock at irregular intervals, some marked with hand-painted signs advertising Vino Nobile by the demijohn. The street is quiet even in August, shaded by the town walls above and smelling faintly of damp stone and wine.
Several small producers here offer informal tastings without reservations — simply knock and ask. This is the antithesis of the polished enoteca experience on the main Corso and all the more memorable for it.
Fonte Pulcino
About 2 km north of town on the road to Acquaviva, the Fonte Pulcino is a roadside spring where water flows year-round from a carved stone spout into a mossy basin. The spring has been used since Etruscan times, and locals still pull over to fill bottles with the cold, slightly mineral water.
The surrounding area is a lovely spot for a short walk through oak woodland and along the edges of Vino Nobile vineyards. In late September the vines turn gold and crimson — bring a camera and a picnic.
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