Tuscany Travel Guide

Chianti Guide

Chianti
The 50 km (30 miles) between Florence and Siena is a storybook landscape straight out of a Renaissance painting's background: steeply rolling hills terraced with vineyards and olive groves, castles and bustling market towns. O The seductive beauty of this Tuscan Arcadia has drawn people since Etruscan times; indeed, today it is so popular with the English that it has earned the nickname Chiantishire. Greve in Chianti This town has become Chianti's unofficial capital. There are wine shops galore, but the most popular spot is Macelleria Falorni, one of Italy's great butchers, stuffed with hanging prosciutto. Ageing cheeses and free samples


The best of Chianti

Castello di Brolio
A vineyard since 1007, Brolio has been the soul of the Chianti region since "Iron Baron" Bettino Ricasoli, Italy's second prime minister, perfected the Chianti wine formula in the 1800s

Radda in Chianti
The only hilltop member of the Chianti league (great views) capped by he15th-century Palazzo del Podestà studded with stone coast of arms of past mayors. There's another good butcher/grocer's here called Luciano Prociatti

Badia a Passignano
The Antinori wine empire owns the vineyards round this 11th-centurymonaste Sunday tours (3pm) get you inside to see Domenico a Davide Ghirlandaio's Last Supper fresco and, in the San Michele chapel, baroque paintings by Ridolfo di Ghirlandaio and local boy Il Passignano.

Montefioralle
This14th-century hamlet, hovering directly above Greve, consists of a single circular street, two churches and fantastic views over the valley and on to the 10th-century Pieve di San Cresi church below the walls

Ipogeo di Montecalvario
A perfect 6th-century BC tomb, with four passages tunnelling into the burial chambers, There is a light switch beside the gate

Pieve di San Lolino
Just south of Panzano lies this little Romanesque church with several Senese paintings from the 13th to 15th centuries and a pretty little brick cloister

Badia a Coltibuono
This abbey from 770 includes an 11th-century Church, Lorenza de' Medici's cookery school and a classy restaurant run by her san Paolo

Castellina in Chianti
The most medieval of the Chianti League towns, with a glowering Rocca fortress. Via della Volte-a tunnel- like road pierced by "windows" overlooking the countryside-was a soldiers' walk when this was Florence's last outpost before Siena

Panzano in Chianti
This often-overlooked town is the home of Dario Cecchini (arguably Italy’s best butcher) and a couple of fine enoteche, where you can sample local wine with snacks.

Castellina in Chianti