Montescudaio is a small town in the hinterland of the Etruscan Coast and has been included in the list of the most beautiful villages in Italy; from the old castle walls you can see the Tyrrhenian Sea and its islands. Its name derives from the Latin Mons scutorum which means Mount of Shields.

The first inhabited nucleus was formed around a Benedictine monastery, founded in 1091 by Count Gherardo Della Gherardesca. It remained there for a long time under the dominion of this family and thanks to its strategic position it became an important village. In this small Tuscan village it seems that time has stopped, and the town still preserves today among the wedged streets, the flavors of that now remote Middle Ages.

The perimeter of the castle is surrounded by imposing walls, up to 15 meters high, which retain the original masonry in the north and south sections, and in particular in the Guardiola, the only remaining watchtower. From here you can enjoy a wonderful panorama that ranges from the Cecina plain to the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the center of the town is Piazza Matteotti with the birthplace of the famous sculptor Italo Griselli.

In addition, you can admire the palaces of the city's noble families, such as the Marchionneschi, the Ridolfi and finally the Palazzo Guerrini, now the seat of the municipality. Do not miss the Church of the Santissima Annunziata, the Piazzale del Castello with the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, which dominates the village from a panoramic position.