15km (9 miles) W of Pistoia; 46km (28.5 miles) W of Florence; 330km (205 miles) N of Rome. The attractions of Monsummano Terme that will be of interest to tourists are, One, the curative powers of the sulfurous waters in its springs and caverns; and two, the scenic hilly countryside. Monsummano Terme is filled with natural Sauna caves and it is also home to Montecatini Terme, the grand-dame of Italian spas. There are a quite a few modern thermal centers that will help the tourist to relax tired muscles after a days sight seeing, though they may create an emptiness in your purse. But with all the commotion of the spas the hillside still remains magnificently peaceful, dotted with tiny medieval villages, the tourist will find it a pleasure to wander aimlessly on the mountain paths and the SS633 winds its way into the mountains north of Montecatini, and this provides a marvelous opportunity for holiday drivers to enjoy this gorgeous route. If you're idea is to experience complete relaxation, then remember both Montecatini and Monsummano become veritable ghost towns from mid-October to Easter.

Under the Medici, Montalcino went into a slow decline for many years, but things took a turn for the better in the 1960s, when the world discovered that the sangiovese grosso grapes that are known as "Brunello" to the locals, who had been quietly experimenting with them for about a century, made one of the premium red wines in Italy. Today, with an annual production of more than 3.5 million bottles of Brunello di Montalcino, and another 3 million bottles of the less known variety Rosso di Montalcino, Montalcino has become a flourishing town. It also has a white dessert wine called Moscadello and a fine honey.