In search of the "drunken road". Tuscany. Travel notes. Italy. Travel in Tuscany. The sights of Florence and what to see in the surrounding area. North Tuscany 2-Day Auto Route Orcia Valley Wine Route
In the famous Chianti valley in Italy, we managed to come in not the best weather. You can never trust the forecasts ... This summer does not make Italy happy with hot and sunny weather, it should be noted. At first, we were upset to see the sky in the clouds. But, gradually unsharp landscapes of Tuscany, washed out by high humidity and periodically beginning rain, we were simply fascinated.
The views were like on the paintings of old masters! As if the bright colors of summer have slightly lost their brightness from time to time ...
I deliberately did not improve the brightness in photos with Photoshop.
The first breath of autumn is already being felt in Italy.
It comes at the end of October, but already at the end of August we saw slightly yellowed trees.
Endless vineyards with juicy bunches of almost ripe fruits and olive groves in the rolling Tuscan hills - such is the Chianti Valley.
The grapes were grown here by the ancient Etruscans.
Medieval castles and farm houses, which often house cozy hotels; small wineries where you can taste all of the above wines, as well as local sausages and cheeses - you can get stuck here for a long time.
The Chianti Valley produces the famous Classico Chianti wines from Chianti grapes. And also wines Brunello di Montalcino and San Giovese from San Giovese grapes. The taste of the wine differs significantly in different parts of the Chianti Valley.
The Chianti Valley is located within the cities of Prato, Pistoia, and covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 90,000 hectares. We drove through the central part called Chianti Classico. In addition to the central part, there are several more areas in the Chianti Valley:
Chianti Montalbano is located near the town of Montalbano, north of Florence.
Rufina is located in the northeastern part of the valley.
Colline Fiorentini - South of the central part, in the Siena Hills.
Colline Aretine - east and southeast of the city of Arezzo.
Colline Pisane west of Chianti Classico, near Pisa.
Coline Montespertoli is located along the Montespertoli hills in the western part of the valley.
The Chianti symbol is the black rooster, which is featured on all wine bottles and numerous souvenirs. The rooster was raised to the rank of a symbol in the 13th century, when Siena and Florence were actively sorting out their relations over the borders of their territories. Then the black rooster of Florence sang before Siena, bringing victory to his city. (How simple territorial disputes were sometimes resolved in those days ...)
After such a "cock" victory, the city of Castellina and Gaiole united in the Military League of Chianti Classico and placed the image of the cock on their flag. Here we drove through the territory of this former league.
The classic Tuscan landscapes with cypress trees have never left anyone indifferent.
We stopped literally every kilometer to take a couple of shots.
The Chianti Valley has breathtaking heady fresh air.
In addition to vineyards, the Chianti Valley is famous for its olive groves and the olive oil produced here.
Sometimes cities and towns suddenly appeared among the vineyards. The capital of Chianti Classico is the city of Greve. Without exception, all graying in this area are called with the ending "in Chianti", so most often when communicating in the valley, this ending is omitted. seen from afar, it turned out to be quite large, in the central part there were some towers. We will definitely visit someday!
First impressions are always the strongest. The Chianti Valley of Italy in my memory will now forever remain in a shroud of rain.
The sun came out only once, showing what the valley looks like in bright light.
We will definitely come back here in sunny weather!
Chianti is exactly what you thought. The wine fully reflects the peculiarity of the region. Through it you can evaluate how sunny the days are in Chianti, how rich the aromas of its herbs, how clean the air and how measured life. The Chianti landscapes are endless vineyards, interrupted only by the houses of their owners, well-groomed greenery, one after the other hills lined with bushes. For lovers of such idyllic paintings, a special road was even built, which will lead through the best wine-growing lands directly to the homeland of the famous Chianti - the Brolio castle.
Scattered throughout the region are old towns that retain the atmosphere of rural life under the sun. The beauty of these places was appreciated by Leonardo da Vinci, it is hardly by chance that he painted the famous La Gioconda here. According to one version, Mona Lisa was originally from Chianti.
Flights to Chianti
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How to get to Chianti
By plane
The airport serving the Chianti region is 1 km from the center of Pisa and 80 km from Florence. There are no direct flights from Moscow, so you will either have to be content with connecting flights through Rome or other European cities, or use land transport.
By train
The railway network connects the cities of the Chianti region with each other and with neighboring provinces. Florence and Siena can be reached from Rome and Milan in a couple of hours.
Hotels in Chianti
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The Chianti region is dotted with hotels and guesthouses, the choice depends solely on the preferences of tourists and their transport options. Moving between towns by car is convenient, and then you do not need to be tied to large settlements. In this case, you can choose a picturesque house away from the noise, feel like the owner of vineyards, wake up and watch the slender rows of plantations from the window. Many hotels are occupied by old mansions, in which you can also pretend to be at least a duke. In this case, it is not necessary to empty your treasury clean up.
The minimum cost of living in Chianti is from 40 € per night for two. For this money, you can get a simple room in a house or hostel, for example, in Greve (Residence Casprini da Omero) or Gaiole (La Fonte Del Cieco, Villa Vittoria Gaiole In Chianti). In Gaiole, you can also stay like a king in the five-star Castello di Spaltenna Exclusive Resort & Spa (from 200 €), several similar places at once - in Castelnuovo Berardenga.
The cost of three-fours varies from 80 to 300 € per night.
Shopping in Chianti
Wine. Wine. And wine again. You can take it out even in boxes, the main thing is to check it in luggage, keeping within the standard of your airline. However, difficulties may arise at the entrance to Russia. According to the current customs rules, no more than 2 liters of strong alcoholic beverages per person can be imported into our country. In addition to wine, Chianti produces grappa, limoncello, and cognac. The marking - a red label with a black rooster in the center - speaks of high quality. A good wine costs from 10 €.
In addition to alcohol from Chianti, you can bring local olive oil, cheeses, sausages and wild boar delicacies.
Wine tasting in Chianti
Any institution will offer visitors local wine. But some places are especially loved by Italians and the interest of foreign tourists.
In Panzano, queues line up for Antica Cecchini. This legendary butcher shop is famous for its Florentine steak, where the owner reads excerpts from Dante's Divine Comedy and pours homemade wine from his own cellars. In the shop of the butcher Dario Cecchini there are autographs of fans of his creative approach to ink and work: Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, Elton John and other celebrities.
Castellina has two Michelin-starred restaurants, the chefs will prepare dishes that best match the Chianti of different harvest years.
In Radda, you can look into the Volpaia Castle, where tasting tours with freshly squeezed olive oil are held. Without a glass of wine, of course, they won't let you go either. The place of drinking will be an old church turned into a bar, or a picturesque garden.
In the castle of Meleto in Gaiole, after a tour of the castle and winery, they offer to taste wines, grappa, cognac with a snack of locally produced cold cuts. There is also honey and organic olive oil. Everything can be bought right there.
Chianti Classico is an area between Florence and Siena, which includes the settlements of Greve, Pandzano, Gaiole, Radda and Castellina.
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti / Shutterstock.com
Our journey cannot but begin from Greve, the gateway to the Chianti region. This lively town is known for its quaint triangular square, where local farmers have been selling their goods since the Middle Ages. The square is framed by porticoes on all three sides, which provide shelter from the heat or rain while shopping. In the center stands the monument to Giovanni da Verazzano, the designer of New York Harbor. In a narrow part of the square is the medieval church of Santa Croce, which houses several masterpieces of ecclesiastical art, including the triptych Our Lady of the Saints by Bicci di Lorenzo.
In Grezzo, you can taste traditional Chianti products and wines. Under the porticoes you will find local artisan shops, wineries and restaurants. Don't miss the Falorni butcher's shop, which offers an assortment of local delicacies. The Wine Museum is located a stone's throw from the square.
Panzzano in Chianti
Panzzano in Chianti / Shutterstock.com
The densely populated town of Pandzano is located a few kilometers from Greve. Since the 12th century, Pandzano has played an important role in the defense of Florence. Panzano Castle was a strategic point during the wars between Florence and Siena. The traces of the castle are clearly visible in the historic center. Nowadays, the center is dominated by the building of the Church of Santa Maria, founded in the 13th century, but significantly rebuilt in the 19th century in the neoclassical style. It is worth taking a walk through the city center, which has preserved the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, and a glass of wine in the central square. Here you will also find many restaurants and wineries where it is worth tasting local produce. Stop by the old Cecchini butcher's shop, which sells the famous Florentine steak.
A little further is the Church of San Leolino, the first mention of which dates back to 982. Despite the appearance of the Renaissance period (an elegant stone portal and arched gallery), its interior has been preserved in its original form, typical of a Romanesque three-aisled basilica. Inside, you can admire the masterpieces of church art by local craftsmen.
Castellina in Chianti
Castellina in Chianti / Shutterstock.com
Moving further towards Siena, you will find yourself in Castellina in Chianti, a town so ancient that its origins are lost in the darkness of centuries. In any case, the tombs at Montecalvario testify that people lived here already during the time of the Etruscans. The geographical position at the intersection of the four districts of the Chianti region made the town an important from a military point of view, a strategic point between Siena and Florence. Since the period of medieval wars, the Rocca fortress, dominating the central part of the city, and a covered passage (via delle Volta), crossing the city through and through, have been preserved here. Its windows offer breathtaking views. Walking through the city, you will see many magnificent palazzo that belonged to noble Sienese and Florentine. Don't miss the Church of San Salvatore, rebuilt after World War II, which has a magnificent late 14th century fresco by an unknown Tuscan artist. You should definitely visit the Chianti Senese Archaeological Museum, where Etruscan finds from the excavations in Montecalvario are kept, in order to get acquainted with the ancient history of this land.
As in other points of the route, here you can taste local wines in one of the many wineries and taste the famous sausages and ham from local pork.
Radda in Chianti
Radda in Chianti / Shutterstock.com
Leaving Castellina along Via Chiantigina, you find yourself on the SR429 highway, which leads to Radda in Chianti, a town that has retained its medieval charm. The city center - a labyrinth of concentric streets - is still surrounded by an old wall. The architectural center of the city is the Palazzo di Podesta and the Romanesque church of San Niccolò. The captain of the Chianti League sat in the palazzo for four centuries, which is reminded by the numerous coats of arms on its facade. On the outskirts of the city, you will find the old Franciscan monastery of Santa Maria in Prato.
It is pleasant to wander through the alleys of the center, where the gaze now and then opens up magnificent views of the valley surrounding the city. A glass of wine with panino will help you regain your strength.
Near Radda is the ancient fortress town of Castello di Volpaya. The fortress was built of dark sandstone, which makes it different from other fortifications in the Chianti region. Although the wars between Florence and Siena left their mark on him, the massive main tower and one of the smaller towers have survived to this day. Be sure to check out the former 14th-century church of the Commenda di San Efrosino, which now houses a winery. It is here that you should taste the famous local wines.
Gaiole in Chianti
Gaiole in Chianti / Shutterstock.com
Not far from Radda is the town of Gaiole in Chianti, founded during the Middle Ages. Due to its position halfway between Chianti and Valdarno, it became a trading platform where local feudal lords sold their products. Nowadays Gaiole has not lost its importance, being an important tourist center. There are many hotels and restaurants of the category "agritourism", wineries and farms, the owners of which will be happy to offer you their products and hospitality. In the vicinity of Gaiole, there are castles and fortresses, for example, Castello di Vertine, Castello di Meleto, Pieve di Spaltenna. Everywhere you can stop for the night and, of course, taste local products.
Traveling through the Chianti Valley and Siena in September is a great trip into the historic region of Tuscany.
Tuscan travel prices and options
- VISA TO ITALY - with delivery
- WHEN -
- TOURIST INSURANCE ITALY -
- HOW TO GET THERE - the capital of the historic Italian province of Tuscany - Florence, it is there that the airport is located, the region is enmeshed in bus routes and railway lines. There is also an international airport in Pisa, from which you can always get to Florence in an hour.
- FLIGHTS TO TUSCANA -
- TRANSFER -
- TRAIN TO TUSCANA - yes
- BUS TICKETS -
- TRANSPORTATION - while exploring the distinctive towns of Siena and Chianti, you can walk or use public transport to explore all the sights of the area, it is still more convenient to rent a car.
- CAR FOR RENT -
- TRAVELERS - to Siena and Chianti
- WEATHER - The climate of Tuscany is quite mild, it is warm here in September, and the average temperature of the air during the day rarely drops below +24 ... 25 ° С.
- WHERE TO VISIT - Florence, Radda in Chianti, Badia a Coltibuono, Greve in Chianti, Siena, Collegiate, San Gimignano, Montalcino, Montepulciano, San Agostino.
- EXCURSIONS - around Greve, Gaioli, Florence, Siena, Radda.
- ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD - While relaxing in Siena and Chianti, you can choose a cozy tiny hotel in the cities of Siena, San Gimignano, or in Greve in Chianti, accommodation is possible in picturesque rural guest houses, estates. Chianti has many Italian restaurants, where you can get acquainted with the national Tuscan cuisine.
- GUIDES -.
- HOTELS -, or.
Luxury of Tuscany - Chianti and Siena provinces
You can explore the distinctive corners of the Chianti region, explore the surroundings of Radda (formerly the former capital of the League of Chianti Cities), there is a medieval abbey called Badia a Coltibuono nearby, and in the evening it is better to leave for Siena and dine at a restaurant in Piazza del Campo.
Day 4-5 - Siena
Stroll through ancient Siena, see Palazzo Publico, the Duomo, the Metropolitan Museum and the Civico Museum. On the fifth day, visit the Pinacoteca in Siena, see the interiors of the church of Santa Catarina, and then head to the ruins of the medieval abbey of San Galliano.
Day 6-7 - Collegiate, San Gimignano, Montalcino, Montepulciano, San Agostino
On the way back to Florence, visit the charming towns of San Gimignano, Collegiate, Montalcino, San Agostino, Montepulciano, Tuscan villages and admire the vineyards. , then halfway you can spend the night and continue your trip in Tuscany in the morning.
On our return to Florence, our journey through the Chianti Valley and Siena ended. We didn't see much in Tuscany, so maybe we'll come back again. New travels to you!
Siena (Siena) -Chiantigiana (Chiantijana) -Firenze (Florence) -70 km + 0 euro
It's time to say goodbye to Siena. We never saw our Dionisio again. They left him a farewell note of thanks and keys on the table. The door was slammed.
Further our path lay in Florence, but not along the highway, but along one of the most beautiful roads Chiantijana... On the map it has №222
... The plans were on the way to visit a couple of towns and, of course, wineries fattorie and buy a real Chianti Gallo Nero.
It makes no sense to talk about the beauty of this road. Some sources write that this is the most beautiful road, at least in Italy and even Europe. I'm not ready to agree with this, there are more beautiful ones. But the fact that she has a unique charm is undeniable.
After about 26 km from Siena, we drove into a picturesque town Castellina-in-Chianti... Walked along the covered walkway Via delle Volte... It is small but charming, with a lot of museums, designer shops and leather shops.
From the passage we went to the city center. 
There is a magnificent restored castle in the center of the city. Renovated so much that its antiquity is not felt. 
Local wine and olive oil is sold on every corner, for example Bottega del Vino Gallo Nero (Via della Roca 10).
But we decided not to buy anything in the cities, we wanted to get as close as possible to the natural, that is, we decided to stop by some farm. There were a lot of signs along the way "VenditaDiretta "(direct sales). We turned on one of these. For a long time we drove along a terribly dusty country road among the fields and already doubted that we would meet at least some kind of civilization. And, finally, we unexpectedly arrived at some small village and a rather pleasant building, where we understood the farm's sales department Santo Stefano. We were greeted by a friendly young girl and a man. They told about their wine, gave everything to taste, including olive oil, for which they served slices of delicious bread. 
We, of course, gladly bought both Chianti and white wine and oil. By the way, the Russians have not yet wandered over to them. They say that mainly French, British and Germans come.
Then we stopped at Greve-in-Chianti... A wine festival is held here. Somehow the town was not impressed and we drove further to the castle Verrazzano (Castello di Verrazzanj), which is located 4 km from Greve in Chianti. The castle also sells local wines and olive oil. You can get to the castle itself only with a guided tour and at a certain time. We photographed it from behind the bars, wandered around and admired the magnificent views of the Tuscan hills. 
Not arriving Strada-in-Chianti there is also a castle Castello di Mugnana, the best-preserved medieval castle, around which there are also a lot of fattorie, but we did not go there, but turned into another farm Tenuta Poggio ai Mandorli.
Our aunt met us, took us to the cellar, listed the wines and offered to try a choice of one, moreover, expensive wines (more than 10 euros) could not be tasted. We were surprised at this arrangement, but since we were not going to go anywhere else, we bought a couple of bottles from her. But among themselves they called her a greedy aunt. Apparently, the proximity to Florence affected, and she was not at all surprised to Russian visitors, she says that they often stop by. That's where the dog is buried! Probably tasted well at her place.
From this farm we went straight to Florence. I must say that on this day, despite the small mileage, we were completely out of the time schedule and arrived in Florence in the evening, closer to 5 pm.
We immediately stopped at piazzale michelangelo, which offers a beautiful view of the city with the huge Duomo and the Palazzo Vecchio tower, the Arno River with a series of bridges, including the Ponte Vecchio. 
The square has a huge free parking lot for vehicles, a lot of cars. And it was still very hot 41 degrees! In an open area on a hill, it is unbearable heat. 
Time was approaching evening, it was necessary to move in. We booked a hotel Hotel City (Via Sant "Antonio, 18), which is located in a very convenient location, near the railway station, the Medici Chapel, a few steps from the Duomo. Reviews of the hotel were excellent, which was confirmed in reality. A cozy home room of two rooms, with air conditioning, windows overlooking a quiet courtyard, an excellent bathroom with everything you need, a good breakfast and wonderful staff cost us 185 euros per night + 3 euros / person tourist tax. Parking is paid, the hotel has its own parking spaces at the station, it costs 25 euros / day, you can leave and call in as many times as you like. This is normal for the center of Florence during peak season. And for us, exhausted by the Siena Palio, everything seemed like paradise.
But the hotel had to be reached. It was complicated. We got to ZTL all the time. Circled, circled, spat and drove into the area, parked near the hotel. But it turned out everything is fine. They brought us to some base and said that since we live here, we won't get fines. And so it turned out later.
Hastily settled down and went for a walk. Since Katya and Victor had already been to Florence during the day, we ran away each in our own direction.
First I went to Church of Santa Maria Novella which was designed and built by the Dominican monks. Completely work on the construction of the church ended in the second half of the XIV century. The marble façade of the church, designed by Leon Battista Alberti, dates from 1456-1470.
The most interesting detail in the interior of the church is the pylons in the form of a bundle of columns, on which the pointed arched vaults rest. The church of Santa Maria Novella contains a large number of works of Florentine art of the 14th – 16th centuries by Vasari, Ghirlandaio, Brunelleschi, Giuliano da Sangallo, Ghiberti and other masters. 
From this church I went to the Duomo - Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Cattedrale di Maria del Fiore).
I immediately bought a ticket to Baptistery of John the Baptist (Battistero di San Giovanni) for 5 euros to see the famous dome of the Byzantine mosaics of the 13th century and the equally famous doors, the panels of which were created by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti according to biblical subjects. 
After that I went for a walk. How can you describe your feelings as a result of the walk? And I had a feeling of confusion. I wandered through the streets and realized that I was confused and ... depressed. For the first time, the city did not let me into its soul. As if the city has its own protective shell, and I am outside it. I sat down on the steps of a building and wanted to cry, or even better, home. Through strength I walked a couple more steps and met Katya and Victor. We walked until dark, but the feeling that you were a stranger did not disappear. Katya gave Florence a good definition: Florence is a lump. 
The next day for 12 days we bought tickets to the Uffizi Gallery. We bought it in advance through the website for 11 euros + 4 euros for a reservation. Therefore, in the morning I had to climb onto the dome of the Duomo, visit the Duomo itself, then pack up, load things into the car and run to the gallery.
In the morning the streets were still deserted, but there was already a long line at the entrance to the dome, which was moving fast enough. The ticket cost 8 euros. 
In order to enter the cathedral itself, you need to go down from the dome, go outside and stand in line again. You don't need to be afraid of the queue, it moves quickly. The entrance is free.
The dimensions of the Duomo are amazing: 153 meters long and 90 meters wide. Today Santa Maria del Fiori is the fourth largest cathedral in the world, second only to St. Peter's in the Vatican, St. Paul's in London and the Duomo of Milan.
In the Cathedral there is a museum that stores two priceless paintings - "Lamentation of Christ" by Michelangelo and "Mary Magdalene" by Donatello.
Despite the huge number of people in the cathedral, I still got great pleasure and examined it with interest. 
We quickly checked out of the hotel and walked to the Uffizi Gallery. Walking through Via De 'Tornabuoni, we looked into the church, which is located at the intersection with the street Via degli Agli... We noticed this church from the evening, but it was closed. Why she attracted our attention, I do not know, she did not differ in anything remarkable outwardly. Moreover, it is bypassed by guidebooks and on tourist maps, at best, it is simply marked with an untitled cross. So we entered it without knowing the name. Now I already know what it is church of Saints Michael and Gaetano (Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano)... Church of the 16th century. We were struck by the interior decoration with the use of magnificent textiles, as it turned out from the 18th century.
I highly recommend visiting it. It was only here that I felt that Florence had slightly opened its door to me. 
There was a huge queue to the gallery, as they had been warned. But for those who have paid for tickets, there is a separate entrance, completely out of line. We spent 3 hours in the gallery. Among the treasures kept in the Uffizi Gallery are masterpieces by Giotto, Caravaggio, Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Perugdio. Only in this Florentine museum you can see Michelangelo's famous work depicting the Holy Family, as well as works by Raphael, The Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabiano, The Birth of Venus and Spring by Botticelli. The best works of the greatest masters of the Renaissance - this is what the Uffizi Gallery is today. We saw all this, trying with all our might not to fall into a stupor from culture shock.
The gallery also offers beautiful views of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio, there are places to relax. 
So the first acquaintance with Florence ended. I came to the conclusion that Florence is one of the cities that must be viewed from the inside, where there is interesting architecture, but the main treasures are inside museums, cathedrals, galleries.
