Whatever road you take when leaving Montalcino - you're in for some of Tuscany's most magnificent drives. The obvious choice is to cruise the hills of the Val d'Orcia, with pit stops in San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza on route to Montepulciano. Then there is that breathtaking round trip towards Castelnuovo dell'Abate with Romanesque Sant'Antimo abbey, Castiglione d'Orcia and the Bagno Vignoni hot springs. However, travelers exhausted from too much Brunello tasting should consider a much simpler option, which is also perfect for sunset lovers and improvised photographers.
The 20 minutes drive from Montalcino via Tavernelle to Camigliano, takes the seasoned traveler along Tuscany's usual suspects: vineyards, olive groves, cypress lined roads and vineyards again. Here and there bits of forest are strewn into the mix, but the best part of this drive lies in the gorgeous views towards the hills and mountains of the Maremma (the area stretching along Southern Tuscany's coastline).
If you have time at your hand come in the mid afternoon for a stroll around lovely Camigliano where you can have lunch, dinner or aperitivo in the village bar. Just make sure you've got your camera ready for sundown.