Montepulciano is known for many things. The medieval and Renaissance hill town in the southern part of Tuscany sits high on a 1,985ft limestone ridge. It is known for its fantastic food and drink. Renowned for its pork, cheese, and honey, it is mostly known worldwide for its wine. Their native Montepulciano grape is considered among Italy's best.
When I first arrived in Montepulciano, the original vibe I got was that this town was going to be a snore. It is smaller and less active than the major cities I had been in previously. My trip had just taken a dramatic turn of go, go, go, to let's sit back and relax. Even the animals that wandered the streets seemed to have a lackadaisical attitude about them. I did not realize it at the time, but it was something I needed at this point in my vacation.
We arrived at midday to find our hotel tucked away from the main street. To get there, we needed to maneuver through streets only one car width thick. We had gotten lost a few times, and the service for the GPS was not available. My father had to ask around the town to find where we would be staying for the next few nights. Once we parked our car, we all decided to walk everywhere we could and try not to move it.
Montepulciano is built upon the top of a hill, so everywhere you were walking in the town was either uphill or downhill. As we explored the area, I found many side streets and alcoves that captured my eyes. I have always aspired to be a photographer, so the contrast of dark and light within these places seemed interesting to me and made me want to take a photo.
The restaurants here were phenomenal. Most had a magnificent ambiance where you felt like royalty. Montepulciano did not disappoint when it came to food and drink. Each meal at each restaurant we attended was equally as delicious. The wine was smooth and perfectly aged, while the food helped counter, yet complement what you were drinking. You could tell that this town praised itself upon its reputation for what they serve because there was nothing that disappointed me in the slightest.
When you reach the top of the hill it opens up to the main square of the town. You come across a very large building with a clock tower. It seemed familiar to me, but I pushed the thought aside because I must have been mistaken. I had never been to Italy before, so why would I have recognized it at all? The gothic-styled building, Palazzo Comunale, was built in the 14th century, and currently still functions as the town hall. I stared at it long and hard, and the thought kept returning to my head that I had seen it before. I must have been delusional because there would have been no possible way for me to recognize this building in a small town in Tuscany. We explored the sights from the highest point of the town and then ventured inside Palazzo Comunale to get a quick peek. Even the inside to me seemed familiar, and now the thought was bugging me. I had seen Montepulciano before, but where?
As I stared over the lookout spots from the top of the town, I started to brainstorm where I might have seen this area before. I was analyzing streets and buildings that seemed familiar, and even an aerial view of the city I had seen on a postcard had stuck out to me. I narrowed it down to this town that must have been in a movie. I had never physically been to this part of the world before. I had no friends I knew of who had visited Montepulciano, but I had seen many different movies. As I continued to admire the view, a character popped into my mind. Bella Swan. Now, if you aren't familiar with this character's name, you will be familiar with the Twilight Saga. The Twilight Saga became a popular series when the movie was released in 2008. I was the prime time target age for the films at the young age of 13. I was a fan instantly. In my life so far, I have watched the first movie a total of over 80 times (I used to have iTunes count for me). The second movie, New Moon, has a scene where Edward, the main character, comes to Italy to face a group of vampires. That is why I recognized Montepulciano. That particular scene was filmed there. I wasn't certain until I saw a bulletin board in Montepulciano, advertising that the movie was filmed there. The bulletin displayed photos of the actors and set. That is when my inner 13-year-old fangirl came back from the past, and I had realized I was in the same town where a movie was made, but not just any movie, a movie I grew up with and loved with all my heart.
What I thought was going to be a more boring stop on my Italy tour, ended up being a fantastic one. I was able to find inspiration for my photography, realize I was at a film location for one of my favorite movie sagas, and experience views like no other. The food and wine were delicious and pristine, and the overall feeling of relaxation I had not felt yet in Italy. It taught me to slow down, relax, enjoy the moment, and breathe. I will be visiting Montepulciano again in the future, and I cannot wait to explore more while I am there.
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