Santa Maria a Monte seems designed to represent the kind of medieval Tuscan village that lives in the collective imagination. Just one street winds through the town, forming a fascinating spiral as it twists up the hill. The houses, some of which are adorned with colourful facades, lean against one another. Looking at it from afar, it seems as if the hill that the town sits on is topped by a regal crown.
The largest and most priceless gem here is the archeological area at the fortress, the highest and oldest part of the village, built as a strategic stronghold and bringing visitors on a journey to the past as they gaze at the incredible view down below. But there’s more to this place than what meets the eye: in addition to the impressive sites Santa Maria a Monte has to offer, there’s an underground city waiting to be explored, comprised of tunnels leading from one part of the town to the other, probably meant for military purposes originally. These galleries dug into the tuff rock correspond to the medieval defense walls, allowing the town to be accessed without running any risks. Given the presence of some cisterns in the area, another hypothesis includes the possibility of the tunnels being used for water storage.