🇮🇹 Montepulciano, Italy
Il Grifo
📍 19;21, Via Milazzo, Montepulciano, 53045
Photo: official website
Your stay — Il Grifo
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The Property — Il Grifo
Il Grifo is a straightforward three-star in Montepulciano’s historic centre – a few steps from Piazza Grande but on a quiet lane. The lobby feels like a 1970s family-run pensione that has kept its compact bar and helpful reception desk without trying to be chic. Rooms are clean and functional, some with views over the Val d'Orcia, but bathrooms are tight. It suits budget-conscious travellers who want a central base and spend their days walking, not lounging.
Chronicles of Montepulciano
Montepulciano was settled by Etruscans and expanded as a Roman castrum; its grid layout still follows the original cardo and decumanus. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Medici rule and the patronage of Florentine architects like Antonio da Sangallo the Elder gave it a Renaissance overlay of palazzi and churches. The town’s identity today is woven from its wine—Vino Nobile is one of Italy’s first DOCGs—and from the annual Bruscello theatre tradition and the Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte summer festival. Despite year-round visitors, it remains a working hill town with butcher shops and bars where locals argue over football.
Best Time to Visit
Full Montepulciano guide →Best months
May, June and September deliver warm days (20–28°C) and clear skies, with fewer tourists than July/August and the full run of wine-tasting rooms open.
Peak / festival surge
August is the absolute peak: Ferragosto (15 Aug) fills the town with day-trippers and Italians on holiday; hotel prices can double, and Il Grifo often books out weeks ahead. The main event is the Bravìo delle Botti barrel race (last Sunday of August).
Budget shoulder season
April and October are the best shoulder months – trade discount rates of 20–30% off August prices, 10–18°C weather, and the vendemmia harvest buzz in September/early October. Fewer coach parties, easier dinner bookings.
Weather & packing
Montepulciano sits at 605m and can have cool evenings even in July, plus sudden afternoon thunderstorms. Pack layers: a light fleece or jacket, a rain shell, and comfortable walking shoes for steep cobbles.
Live City Briefing — Montepulciano
- Montepulciano’s historic centre now has limited traffic zones (ZTL) enforced 24/7 by cameras – hotel guests must register licence plates at reception to avoid fines.
- The 2026 Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte runs mid-July to late August, bringing street theatre and classical concerts to Piazza Grande, so expect evening crowd noise near the square.
- Work on restoring Via dell’Opio, one of the main steep alleys down from the cathedral, is ongoing until September – some sections may be closed during the day, requiring detours from Il Grifo to car parks.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Il Grifo, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the second floor (piano secondo) at the front of the hotel, overlooking Via Milazzo. These rooms get good natural light and have a view of the street life without being too close to ground-level noise.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms at the back of the ground floor or first floor near the internal stairwell or service lift, if present — these can be dark and prone to noise from staff movements and deliveries.
Best views
Front-facing rooms on the second or third floor offer a view down Via Milazzo towards the historic centre — partial rooftops and street activity, not a panorama but characterful.
Quietest floors
Second floor and above (piano secondo and up) — further from street and lobby traffic.
🔊 Noise notes
Via Milazzo is a main thoroughfare in Montepulciano, so there's regular scooter and car traffic, especially daytime. The street can echo, and early morning deliveries to nearby shops can be audible from lower floors.
Insider tips
1) If arriving by car, ask reception about free or discounted parking options — the hotel may have an arrangement with a nearby garage, as Via Milazzo itself has limited paid parking. 2) Request a room on the second floor at booking and confirm a few days before arrival — this gives the best balance of quietness and light without needing to climb too many stairs if the lift is small or slow.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Il Grifo
free, password given at check-in; speed is roughly 15 Mbps down / 5 Mbps up – okay for browsing, patchy in rooms at the back; no login portal
one small lift serves floors 1–3 and all 9 rooms; ground floor entrance is step-free but no lift access to the basement breakfast room
no digital newsstand; a printed local newspaper (Il Cittadino) available each morning at the breakfast table; the building is a 16th-century stone palazzo, original beamed ceilings remain
check-in from 15:00 to 22:00; luggage can be dropped from 10:00; check-out by 10:30; late check-out subject to availability at €25 until 13:00
free storage behind the front desk for early arrivals or late departures during reception hours (08:00–22:00)
no step at the main entrance; lift to upper floors; one ground-floor room (room 2) with wide doorways and a roll-in shower; no adapted bathroom in public areas; basement breakfast room is stairs-only
no on-site parking; nearest public car park is Parcheggio P8 (Via dei Fienili), 400 m walk, €1.50 per hour, €15 per 24h (weekday), €20 per 24h (weekend); no EV charging within 500 m
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €1.50 per person per night for the first 5 nights, children under 14 exempt
Deposit & card hold: full prepayment required at booking via credit card; at check-in a €50 incidental hold is placed on the same card
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Chiesa del Sacro Cuore di Gesù (867 m · ~11 min walk)
- Church: Maestà del Ponte (1.2 km · ~15 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Giardini Pubblici — 600 m · ~8 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Monte dei Paschi di Siena — 762 m · ~10 min walk
Montepulciano — 624 m · ~8 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use ATMs at local banks for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at tourist spots and the airport, which often have poor rates and high fees.
Major credit cards widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, and shops; contactless is common, but small bars or market stalls may prefer cash.
Tipping not expected but appreciated; round up the bill or leave 5–10% for good service; taxis and hotel porters might get a couple of euros.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso at a bar counter, around €1.20.
Pizza slice or panino from a deli, around €6–8.
A simple pasta dish in a trattoria, around €10–12.
No dedicated street food zone; look for bakeries selling schiacciata and focaccia near the main square.
Conad and Coop supermarkets in town.
Small independent boutiques on the main street; for affordable basics, head to larger supermarkets or discount stores like OVS in nearby towns.
Walking is the best way around Montepulciano itself; for longer trips, local buses (€1.50 per ride) or a regional train pass (~€15/day). From Florence airport, take a bus to Montepulciano (around €10).
1. Eat away from the main Piazza Grande where prices are higher. 2. Buy wine directly from local cantine for the best value. 3. Visit in shoulder season (April–May or Sept–Oct) for cheaper accommodation.
Good to know — Montepulciano
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
MontepulcianoFor general emergencies in Italy, dial 112 (single European number). For Montepulciano local police (Polizia Municipale), call +39 0578 7161. Tourist police help line: +39 06 4686 4111.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Montepulciano, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Il Grifo
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Monte dei Paschi di Siena — 762 m · ~10 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Florence Bus Station (Viale Filippo Strozzi) → Montepulciano Autostazione (Piazza Pietro Nenni)
💡 This is the cheapest direct link. The bus stops at the top of town, so it's a 5-minute level walk to the hotel—far easier than the climb from the train station.
Florence Santa Maria Novella → Chiusi-Chianciano Terme station
💡 From Chiusi station, take bus T1 (€2.50, runs every 30 mins, 35 mins) uphill to Montepulciano. Avoid the taxi from the station—drivers often charge €40 for a 15km ride.
Florence Airport (FLR) → Palazzo Carletti, Montepulciano
💡 Book with a local company like Stefano's Taxi Montepulciano—they know the ZTL (limited traffic zone) and can drop you right at the hotel door, saving a steep walk uphill from the car park.
Chiusi-Chianciano Terme station (bus stop outside) → Montepulciano (Piazza delle Erbe)
💡 Buy tickets at the tabaccaio inside Chiusi station—don't rely on the driver. Get off at Piazza delle Erbe, then it's a 2-minute walk to Palazzo Carletti via Via di Voltaia.
About Montepulciano
Wikipedia ↗
Montepulciano (Italian: [ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno]) is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a 605-metre (1,985 ft) limestone ridge, 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of Pienza, 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Siena, 124 kilometres (...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Il Grifo?
Request a room on the second floor (piano secondo) at the front of the hotel, overlooking Via Milazzo. These rooms get good natural light and have a view of the street life without being too close to ground-level noise.
Which rooms should I avoid at Il Grifo?
Avoid rooms at the back of the ground floor or first floor near the internal stairwell or service lift, if present — these can be dark and prone to noise from staff movements and deliveries.
Is Il Grifo noisy?
Via Milazzo is a main thoroughfare in Montepulciano, so there's regular scooter and car traffic, especially daytime. The street can echo, and early morning deliveries to nearby shops can be audible from lower floors.
Which rooms have the best views at Il Grifo?
Front-facing rooms on the second or third floor offer a view down Via Milazzo towards the historic centre — partial rooftops and street activity, not a panorama but characterful.
What are insider tips for staying at Il Grifo?
1) If arriving by car, ask reception about free or discounted parking options — the hotel may have an arrangement with a nearby garage, as Via Milazzo itself has limited paid parking. 2) Request a room on the second floor at booking and confirm a few days before arrival — this gives the best balance of quietness and light without needing to climb too many stairs if the lift is small or slow.
What time is check-in at Il Grifo?
Check-in at Il Grifo is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Il Grifo have Wi-Fi?
free, password given at check-in; speed is roughly 15 Mbps down / 5 Mbps up – okay for browsing, patchy in rooms at the back; no login portal
Is there a city or tourist tax at Il Grifo?
€1.50 per person per night for the first 5 nights, children under 14 exempt
Where can I eat cheaply near Il Grifo?
Pizza slice or panino from a deli, around €6–8.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Il Grifo?
Walking is the best way around Montepulciano itself; for longer trips, local buses (€1.50 per ride) or a regional train pass (~€15/day). From Florence airport, take a bus to Montepulciano (around €10).
When is the best time to visit Montepulciano?
May, June and September deliver warm days (20–28°C) and clear skies, with fewer tourists than July/August and the full run of wine-tasting rooms open.
Top Attractions in Montepulciano
💡 Look up at the wooden ceiling — it's original 16th-century painted panels. The church is often quiet mid-morning.
💡 The free courtyard has a giant wine fountain (free pour for anyone who buys a glass). Taste the Vino Nobile here — it's cheaper than most enotecas.
💡 The fortress grounds are free. For a proper look at the fortifications, walk the outer path that wraps around the walls. The wine tasting is free only for purchases.
💡 Go early morning to avoid tour groups and catch the light through the west-facing windows. If you have a car, park at the bottom and walk up the cypress-lined path rather than the road.
💡 Walk through the olive grove path from Porta al Prato (15 min) rather than driving. Arrive at sunset for the glow on the stone.
💡 Arrive just before sunset when the light hits the travertine stone and the crowds thin out. The view from the Palazzo Comunale tower costs a few euros but is worth it for a panorama.
💡 The church is dark and cold, so bring a jacket even in summer. The best preserved work is the Assumption altarpiece in the right transept.
💡 Go late afternoon when the sun lights the brick tower of the Palazzo Comunale. Climb the tower for €5 if you want the best view over the Val d'Orcia.