I recently stayed in Montepulciano, a town in southern Tuscany, famous for its “Nobile” wine. On the drive there, looking out the window, I was hypnotized by the harmonious landscape: there was something almost spiritual about it, and it was easy to understand how and why the Renaissance was born in these parts.

Today, Tuscany a Unesco protected area, and looks untouched, like a landscape painting. It is situated on the tops of hills and seems almost mathematical in proportion.

Montepulciano itseld lies on a hilltop, offering panoramic views, surrounded by fortified walls. Once inside, I walked through the cobblestone streets uphill to my friend’s castle door; a large key was needed to let me in, it was the kind of key you never risk losing.

My friend Alex, who was also staying in the castle, was house-hunting in the region. A more appropriate term might be wreck-hunting, because he was looking for an old farmhouse to reconstruct with two other architect friends. Read More »