Just stay in Montaione and walk through the old streets of this medieval village observing the customs of the people.
and learn the tradition of its cuisine and its typical local products.
Festivals, events and markets are present all year round and most of the feasts are held to celebrate Tuscany's products like wine, olive oil, saffron and local delicacies.
This area is most renowned for the“cacio” production, the typical cheese of Montaione, the honey, and the white truffle. Montaione is one of the few Italian areas where white truffle is cultivated. This mushroom can grow only in areas without environmental pollution.
Montaione is in the heart of Tuscany, and it is exactly in this area that the first Etruscan colonies were located.
Over the centuries a lot of invasions occurred in this area: The Romans and the Gotis with Theodoric, ruleduntil the arrival of the Medici Family. Guests have the possibility to learn about the history of the most famous region in Italy, following an artistic journey from 6 B.C. to the Renaissance.
The town was first a fortified castle with a typical medieval plan surrounded by walls.
Its position on the top of a hill which overlooks the territory, still offers a wonderful panorama extending from the Apennines to the seaside.
The town has preserved the old walls, the Church of San Bartolomeo, the City Palace (Palazzo Pretorio) with the coats of arms of the Podestas, and not far away from the Florentine Door, the remains of the old Roman Church of San Regolo and the old Roman reservoir dating back to the third century AC. Today, small villages belonging to the municipality of Montaione – like a lot of other well-known communities and important tourist destinations such as Castelfalfi, Mura, Tonda, Santo Stefano, and Sughera – Montaione experienced the rivalry between the Guelfs and Ghibellinis and the power of Florence, San Miniato, Volterra and Lucca. These castles became their strongholds.
A few kilometers from Montaione, you can visit Jerusalem of Tuscany or Sacred Mount of San Vivaldo, surrounded by Selva di Boscolazzeroni, the reproduction of the Holy Land in miniature – today 20 little chapels in a wooded area – commissioned and realized in 1500 by Padre Tommaso of Florence, in the memory of the Franciscan friar Vivaldo Stricchi from San Gimignano, who died as hermit.
Besides the above mentioned localities, you have to visit Alberi in the valley of Torrente Egola and Iano, a small village where you can find the Chiesa di Sant’Andrea (Church of Saint Andrew) in Alliano and the Santuario della Pietrina (Sanctuary of the Stone), with a breathtaking view over the hills of Volterra.
Do not miss the most wonderful artistic cities in Tuscany: Florence, Siena, Lucca, San Gimignano, Volterra, Certaldo, and Vinci.

USEFUL LINKS:
http://www.sanvivaldointoscana.com/welcome.htm
http://www.visitmontaione.com/tuscany_travel.htm
http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/index.php
http://www.pisa-airport.com/index.php?lang=_en
http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it/EN/index.php?percorso=&ln=1&jk=&tipo=&curr=&opt=&id_impianto=