Monticchiello (6 km), in Etruscan and Roman times the town was at the centre of an important crossroad connecting towns and villages in the area. In contrast to the distinct Renaissance atmosphere of nearby Pienza, Monticchiello has a decidedly Mediaeval feel to it. The sturdy walls and the castle tower dominating the town are signs of the town’s intense history as a fortified outpost of the Republic of Siena.