Rising from a volcanic cliff is the town of Pitigliano the best non-touristy town in Tuscany, Italy. See why it makes the perfect day trip from Florence with photos and video from Pitigliano.

Pitigliano Best Non-Touristy Tuscan Town

Pitigliano was recently named one of the 19 most beautiful villages in Italy! See the most beautiful non-touristy town in Tuscany. Photos of Pitigliano, Italy.

Pitigliano, Italy dates back to 1636! This means the centro (city center) streets are too small for modern cars. The silence is poetically peaceful in Pitigliano making it one of my favorite non-touristy towns in Tuscany and apparently one of Lori Zainos as well. She recently named Pitigliano one of the 19 most beautiful villages in Italy. So why have so few American tourists heard of Pitigliano?

Getting to Pitigliano from Florence

Location! Pitigliano is one of the sides of Italy that fewer American tourists have the time to see because of its remote location.

Getting to Pitigliano from Florence takes two and a half hours by car, and five hours by train. Getting to Pitigliano from Rome takes two hours by car and an inexplicable six hours by train. Plus, parking in Pitigliano is minimal and most of it is outside the city center (centro).

Unless one is prepared to drive in Italy, this gem might indeed remain hidden. The reward for those willing to travel out of the way just a bit? Pitigliano is the Loveliest Non-Touristy Town in Tuscany!

Pitigliano Walking Tour Video

Why Pitigliano is the Best Non-Touristy Town in Tuscany

Known as Italy’s “Little Jerusalem,” Pitigliano rises out of volcanic rock, a village founded by the Etruscans that once had a thriving Jewish community. A walk through the Jewish quarter is a must, as well as a trip to the Orsini Palace and Museum.

Lori Zaino for The Points Guy

I wholeheartedly cheer Pitigliano’s inclusion in the list of Italy’s most beautiful villages because it’s one of the least touristy villages on the list. Pitigliano is also one of the architecturally most stunning towns in southern Tuscany. Driving into town, Pitigliano rises out of the side of a tuff spur. Like Sovana and Sorano, Pitigliano is a city carved out of Tufaceous or “Tuff” rock (volcanic rock). Collectively these cities are known as Città del Tufo (Cities of Tufo).

Medici Aqueduct of Pitigliano

This is the Acquedotto Mediceo (Medici Aqueduct) of Pitigliano at sunset. I love the poetic empty space. In Italy, even when no one is around, water still flows from the fountains. It’s hard to believe something so graceful can be so strong and so old! Curious how old or maybe what an aqueduct actually is? Read on to find out!

An aqueduct is an artificial channel for conveying water, typically in the form of a bridge across a valley or other gap.

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Non-Touristy Sights to See in Pitigliano

Made entirely from locally sourced volcanic tuff rock, the Medici Aqueduct is one of the most iconic monuments in Pitigliano. Built between 1636 and 1639, the Medici Aqueduct brought running water to Pitigliano. Commissioned by the Medici family it has remained an artfully built example of early aqueducts. 13 small arches were added during 18h century restorations, connecting the aqueduct to the walls of Pitigliano.

Fun fact, the first aqueduct in Tuscany was Asciano Aqueduct in Pisa, Italy dating all the way back to 1592. Curious to see a giant aqueduct? Paolo also captured pictures of the Spoleto, Italy Aqueduct in Umbria.

I’m dying to hunt down details around Pitigliano like this fountainhead that I saw on the Medici Aqueduct. Can’t you just see getting your daily water supply from this guy?

For Italian villages, there is no correlation between beauty and the number of tourists who get to see it. If anything there is a correlation of opposition. The more beautiful a little village in Italy is, the fewer tourists get to see it. There are sides of Italy only revealed to people who live here. Those who are not in a rush and have no other place to be.

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