Piazza del Popolo is Montalcino's main civic square, a compact space where the town feels most like a living hill community rather than a wine label. Cafés, stone façades, and the rhythm of passers-by make it a natural pause.
Use it as your orientation point. From here it is a short climb to the fortress, a short walk to the museum complex, and a tempting distance to another glass of Brunello.