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Walled Cities and Towers of Tuscany: Montalcino, San Quirico d'Orcia, and Montepulciano with Kate Bolton-Porciatti

Walled Cities and Towers of Tuscany: Montalcino, San Quirico d'Orcia, and Montepulciano with Kate Bolton-Porciatti


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Cultural historian Kate Bolton-Porciatti continues her virtual visits to some of Tuscany’s most atmospheric walled towns. Today, she explores Montalcino, Montepulciano, and San Quirico d'Orcia.
In this seminar, we visit three walled towns in the UNESCO-protected Val d’Orcia: a hauntingly beautiful landscape of sandstone badlands sculpted by the elements and dune-like hills on the crests of which rise some of the most beautiful hill towns in all Italy. Our journey takes us from Montalcino, a prosperous medieval city built around an imposing fortress and girdled with vine-draped hills, to San Quirico d’Orcia and Montepulciano–towns whose history and architecture have been shaped by popes and dukes and the passage of merchants and pilgrims.
Led by an expert on Italian cultural history, Kate Bolton-Porciatti, this interactive seminar will explore the social, geographical, cultural, and architectural background of these three jewels of Tuscan civilization. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of the area’s historic towns and their relationship to the surrounding landscape.
This conversation is part of a series on the walled cities and villages of Tuscany with Kate Bolton-Porciatti. Each session is designed as a stand-alone seminar as well as part of the series.

Kate Bolton-Porciatti is a professor of Italian cultural history and music at the Istituto Lorenzo de'Medici in Florence, where she teaches BA and MA courses in the humanities. She also lectures at the British Institute, Florence, and at the Chigiana Music Academy in Siena. Kate has published extensively as an academic and a journalist; she is a music critic for BBC Music and a travel writer for The Daily Telegraph, UK. Before moving to Italy permanently in 2005, she was a senior producer and broadcaster for BBC Arts & Classical Music in London and has won prestigious Jerusalem and Sony Awards for her programs. She did her M.Phil. thesis in Italy, exploring the musical culture of early Renaissance Florence.

Not suitable for children under age 13 (sensitive content).

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 32 reviews
94%
(30)
6%
(2)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
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E
E. (Fairfield, US)
Walled Cities of Tuscany

Kate gave a fabulous tour, as always.

M
Marnie Parsons (Conception Bay South, CA)

Guest did not leave comment

J
Joe Hnilo (Mountain View, US)
Excellent

Excellent information—I have visited both Montalcino and Montepulciano but learned so much more about these cities through your presentation!

K
Kevin Murphy (Yonkers, US)
Brilliant, Educational, Entertaining, -

Truly enjoyable visit to this fascinating and beautiful part of Val D Órcia. While I have been fortunate to visit this area before, this presentation greatly increased my appreciation and insight to the glorious history. Thank You

L
Lois Marks (Winter Haven, US)
Very Interesting

I found this very interesting. Presentation was excellent, enjoyable plus educational!

Customer Reviews

Based on 32 reviews
94%
(30)
6%
(2)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
E
E. (Fairfield, US)
Walled Cities of Tuscany

Kate gave a fabulous tour, as always.

M
Marnie Parsons (Conception Bay South, CA)

Guest did not leave comment

J
Joe Hnilo (Mountain View, US)
Excellent

Excellent information—I have visited both Montalcino and Montepulciano but learned so much more about these cities through your presentation!

K
Kevin Murphy (Yonkers, US)
Brilliant, Educational, Entertaining, -

Truly enjoyable visit to this fascinating and beautiful part of Val D Órcia. While I have been fortunate to visit this area before, this presentation greatly increased my appreciation and insight to the glorious history. Thank You

L
Lois Marks (Winter Haven, US)
Very Interesting

I found this very interesting. Presentation was excellent, enjoyable plus educational!