Have you ever visited the Chianti region? It’s a magical part of Tuscany filled with pink skies, endless vineyards, pecorino and delicious Chianti Classico wine. Basically, all the good stuff. Whilst it is touristy, there’s something undeniably magical about Tuscany that leaves you wanting to return again, and again. The reason for our trip this time? A cena in vigna or dinner in the vineyards, but more on that later… Read on for my top tips on what to do in the Chianti region of Italy with a strong focus on food and wine (of course!)
Where is the Chianti region of Italy?
Chianti is part of Tuscany, Italy and in the most basic terms the area between Florence and Siena. It’s actually quite a large part of the region and stretches over 260 square kms! Unsurprisingly, much of the region is dotted with vineyards where the famous Chianti (Sangiovese) wine is produced. A smaller part of the Chianti region is the Chianti Classico wine region which comprises of these main towns; Greve, Panzano, Radda, Gaiole, Castellina and Castelnuovo Berardenga.
How far is Florence to Chianti?
I’m guessing many people will be travelling to Chianti as a side trip from Florence (unless you’re like us and coming from Turin!) Fortunately, Chianti is super close to Florence and just over 30kms away. If you’re driving, you can reach Greve in Chianti within 30 minutes or so, or you can try your luck with the bus which will take around an hour. I would definitely advise you to travel with a car or as part of a small organised tour as it can be difficult dealing with public transport in the countryside (especially if you don’t speak Italian). A car will give you the flexibility (and ease) to get off the beaten track and out to some wineries that might not be possible with the bus.
The Best Places to Stay in the Chianti Region
Our home base for this very quick trip was the beautiful Castellina in Chianti. In the province of Siena, it dates back to the Etruscans. The most important site in town is the old castle of which the town bears the name. We stayed in the outskirts at a charming B&B run by a very sweet Tuscan couple called Residenza Del Sogno. The main reason was because it was a quick 2 minute drive to the cena in vigna I mentioned earlier, but the homemade breakfast is another reason in itself to stay here. Think homemade breads, jams, cakes, the most delicious cured meats and pecorino all made by the lovely owner.
If you’re looking for more luxury accommodation, a few years ago when I visited I stayed at the truly breathtaking Castello La Leccia. You stay in the medieval hamlet and they have a fantastic restaurant on-site and their own vineyards too.
Our weekend in Chianti, Tuscany
Day 1:
We left on possibly the busiest weekend of the year (or so Andrea’s mum kept telling us except instead of busy she said ‘the worst’). It was just before Ferragosto, which is the big national holiday in the middle of August and when Italians all embark on their Summer holidays. She wasn’t entirely wrong and we got stuck in tons of traffic that turned a 6 hour drive into a nearly 9 hour drive. We ended up leaving the autostrada and took the (beautiful yet long) route through the Apennines. At a certain point the road was barricaded off due to a landslide so we had to backtrack at a tiny mountain town and ask for directions before setting back off again. When we finally arrived in Castellina, we were a little exhausted and had time for a quick swim in the pool before getting ready for our night in the vineyards.
Cena in Vigna at Querceto di Castellina
After probably years of dreaming about attending the cena in vigna at Querceto di Castellina, we were finally there! It was as dreamy and magical as you could possibly imagine and set-up like my dream wedding. The winery is completely biologico which means organic. This means that only organic farming methods are used on the grapes, and there are little chemicals added to the wine with a much lower amount of sulfites added compared to traditional wines. Their dinner in the vineyards is hosted once a month during the summer and catered by a local restaurant Ristorante Albergaccio di Castellina.
The dinner started with aperitivo on the terrace and their only white wine, Livia. We enjoyed fried dough with incredible prosciutto, a pecorino foam with pear sauce, and watermelon with red wine, duck prosciutto and mint.
Our first course was a tasty crepe filled with seasonal veggies and a Parmigiano Reggiano and saffron fondue sauce. Incredible! But next was perhaps an even tastier pasta dish filled with blue cheese on a puree of celery, thyme and fresh tomatoes. Our main course was a juicy and tender corniglio or rabbit with aromatic herbs, finocchiona and porcini mushrooms.
To end the incredible dinner, we finished on a sweet note with panna cotta with a mango and lime sauce. If you’re in Tuscany over the summer, I highly recommend booking in for this experience. It’s something I think I’ll remember forever.
Day 2:
After a delicious Tuscan breakfast, we took off for the Val D’Orcia. Okay I know I said this was about Chianti but I heard about a town where the streets literally smell of Pecorino from my friend Katy at Untold Morsels and I couldn’t help myself. I had to visit! That’s right, we took off for Pienza. This gorgeous town was literally remodeled to be the ‘perfect town’ by Pope Pius II in 1459. It’s filled with street names like ‘kiss street’ and ‘street of love’ and is utterly romantic with sweeping views of the countryside. You can happily spend your time wandering the beautiful streets, sampling pecorino (for which this town is famous for), and visiting the Palazzo which was the summer residence of the Pope.
Pecorino Heaven at Caseficio Cugasi
Now whilst we were tempted to dig into some pecorino here (ok well we did have some in our panini at lunchtime), we held off on buying a few wheels. The reason? I had heard about a gem of a cheese farm nearby that are ‘super gold’ winners of the World Cheese Awards for their pecorino. Emiko had mentioned them on her Instagram a while ago and I just had to try their cheese too! So we drove off in search of the caseficio or dairy farm called Caseficio Cugasi.
Nestled between Montepulciano and Pienza it was pure heaven as you can imagine and we settled on buying a blue-cheese pecorino (exquisite), an aged pecorino, and a pecorino wrapped in fig leaves. A great activity you can do at the dairy farm is to curate your own picnic basket and then set off around the property and picnic with beautiful views of the Val D’Orcia in front of you.
A real Tuscan town
The day wasn’t over so we had a quick stop at Monticchiello, a tiny town I had never visited before. The drive there is beautiful- think winding roads through the vineyards, and the classic cypress trees that epitomize the Val D’Orcia. There’s not really anything in particular to see there (although you can spot some medieval fortress ruins). Simply wander through this Ancient town, and marvel at its utter beauty.
Dinner in Volpaia
We were back in Chianti for a quick splash in the pool and then ready for another incredible dinner. Back story- a few months earlier I had connected over Instagram with a fellow expat from ‘down under’. Anna from La Zuppa Inglese had invited me to visit her and her partner at the restaurant they manage in Volpaia if I was ever in town. The drive from Castellina to Volpaia through Radda in Chianti, was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever done. Imagine a burning orange sun that lights the entire sky pink and amber as you drive through endless fields of vineyards….I mean, sometimes I do have to pinch myself that I live here!
Volpaia is a teeny tiny town that’s super famous for its organic wine production and has three awesome osteria/restaurants in town. The town is basically owned by the one Tuscan woman in her 70s whose dad gifted it to her as a wedding gift (ahem, dad if you’re looking for any suggestions in the future…) Anna and her partner put on the most delicious meal for us complete with matching wines and we will definitely be back! The highlight for me was the pappardelle with ragu and the warmth of Anna herself. It’s funny how so often these Instagram friendships develop into real ones!
Day 3:
After another delicious homemade breakfast, it was time to pack our bags and hit the road. We had one final stop planned before heading back to Turin though. A detour to the gorgeous San Miniato and lunch with my friend Emiko Davies, a fellow Australian who has been living in Tuscany for over 15 years now. I first visited San Minato in November 2019 during her white truffle retreat and my memories were of a town literally dripping in white tartufi (what could be better?!) This time senza the truffle fair, we had a delicious lunch at the tiny Piccola Osteria Del Tartufo. I got to enjoy my favourite summertime lunch (hello carne cruda) topped with delectable truffles. What could be better?!
After a beautiful, yet short time spent in Tuscany, we headed home determined to visit again soon! Have you been to Chianti before? What were your favourite memories from your trip there? I’ve listed out all my recommendations below for skim readers who don’t have time to read through all of this waffle.
Visit Chianti on a day tour
Now if you’re not comfortable driving/want to enjoy all the wine and not worry about driving, then I suggest you book a day tour. Not all tours are created equally though and you want to be sure you’re going to the right wineries and are going to eat amazing food. Walks of Italy are one of the most reputable companies and I’ve done many of their tours and can safely say – they seriously know their stuff. If you’d like to enjoy an unforgettable day exploring Chianti, Siena, and San Gimignano (with a trip to a winery), you need to take their tour!! They have an option that leaves from Florence (extra convenient given shorter driving distance) OR an all day extravaganza that leaves from Rome. It would really be impossible to organise a trip like this on public transport, (let alone see so much even if you were driving) in just one day.
The Best Restaurants in the Chianti Region in 2023:
- Querceto di Castellina
- Ristorante Albergaccio di Castellina
- Osteria Volpaia
- Piccola Osteria Del Tartufo (not in Chianti but in San Miniato)
The Best Places to visit in the Chianti region:
- Castellina in Chianti
- Volpaia
- Pienza and the palazzo
- Monticchiello
- Caseficio Cugasi
- San Miniato
The Best Chianti Region Hotels in 2023:
- Residenza del Sogno
- Querceto di Castellina
- Castello la leccia
Liked this guide to Tuscany? Why not explore my complete collection of Italy travel guides now. If you’re a sucker for an Italian wine itinerary, take a look at my guide to Le Langhe too!
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