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It sometimes seems as if every hill in Tuscany is crowned with a medieval town or village, all begging to be explored. Here is just a small selection.

A beautiful art centre in southern Tuscany, at the meeting point of four valleys. Noted for the Antiques Fair that takes place on the first weekend of every month, and for the colourful Giostra del Saracino, or 'Saracen's Jousting' that takes place on the last Sunday of August and the first in September. The poet Petrarch was born here.

A fortified hill town in the Chianti Classico wine-growing area. Fortified walls surround a handsome medieval centre. Splendid church and fine views.

A pretty medieval town built almost entirely of red brick. It can be reached by cable-car from the more modern town of the same name built below it.

The town is virtually three-in-one, with the old town divided into separate urban centres, perched on the hill above the more modern district. Today it is renowned for its production of glass and crystal.

Close to the border with Umbria, this strongly fortified town has some impressive Etruscan remains.

This small town overlooks Florence and has wonderful views over the city and countryside, as well as some fascinating museums and archaeological sites, Etruscan and Roman. Compared to the bustle of sophisticated Florence, it is quiet, quaint and very unspoiled.

Developed primarily as a market town, a function which it still performs today. The market is held in the unusual triangular square lined with colonnades. The town is virtually the gateway to the Chianti area and is surrounded by small towns and villages of great beauty and interest.

Less well-known than other Tuscan towns, Lucca lies off the beaten track slightly. An elegant town, it is dominated by a unique and very grand Romanesque church. A visit to this delightful town is not complete without strolling at least part of the way round the 4 kms city ramparts. The town was the birthplace of Puccini.

About 12 kms across the hills from San Gimignano, Volterra is remarkably uncrowded, with well-preserved Etruscan walls, a Roman amphitheatre and two medieval castles. It has been producing alabaster since the earliest times and is full of shops where the alabaster is still worked.

A charming, small medieval town, Volpaia has become famous for its wines, but it should also be visited by anyone interested in roses. One of its residents is a passionate rose-grower and collector, and has turned the village into a vertical garden of roses, including many unusual and very old varieties, at their best in May and June.

The landscape of this area is exemplified by flat chalk plains from which conical hills arise, crowned with fortified settlements ￿ an agricultural landscape which inspired many artists throughout the centuries. Here the hand of Man has created the perfect example of well-managed and innovative Renaissance land management.

The evocative and hauntingly beautiful ruins of the Cistercian Abbey of San Galgano, the most beautiful Gothic building of its time in Italy. San Galgano was a Saint, a young noble who renounced his violent life after experiencing a miracle. The round temple at San Galgano still contains a stone into which he plunged his sword, and the gruesomely chewed arms of a would-be assassin sent to kill him but waylaid by wolves, sent in an act of divine intervention.

A small town, its elliptical medieval shape still intact, it is situated on a hill covered with woods and vineyards.

A jewel of a town in the middle of a protected area in southern Tuscany, Pienza has been added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. It is a stunning example of Renaissance urban planning, and attracts students of architecture from all over the world. Built by Pope Pius II in his own honour, it was built according to great humanitarian principles in which balance and harmony rated highly. The region is also known for something very different but equally high in quality - its Pecorino cheese, sweet, aromatic and slightly spicy.

A particularly well-preserved town with many handsome Renaissance palaces. The area is noted for its red wines, especially the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The Contucci Wineries are based in the catacombs beneath the town. Don't forget to watch for the Pulcinella who strikes the hours opposite the Church of Sant'Agostino.

Surrounded by a double row of walls, octagonal in shape, this is one of the oldest towns in the region.

This is the name given to an entire region in the SW corner of Tuscany. Bordered on one side by the sea, it is a wild, empty region of rolling wheat fields and dense forests of oak and beech trees. In this area herds of cattle and horses roam, and some of Italy's finest Etruscan ruins are to be found including the strange canyon-like 'roads' (Via Cava) near Sovana, carved through the rock and hidden by forest. At Saturnia are the thermal waterfalls and hot springs that have drawn visitors since Roman times at least, and the region is home to a great natural wildlife park.