Florence Countryside and Chianti

closest airport to the northern Chianti villages

wide choice of European and seasonal routes

good for long haul connections

practical when combining Rome and Tuscany

A lively market town with an arcaded, funnel shaped piazza and the region's main wine fair.

A small hilltop village above the Conca d'Oro, a natural amphitheatre of vineyards with some of the finest Sangiovese.

A compact walled village at the heart of the old Chianti League, cool in summer and surrounded by woods.

A fortified village with a covered medieval passageway along its walls, well placed for Siena.

Gateway to the castles of Brolio, Meleto and Vertine, set among thick oak forests.

Gentle countryside just south of Florence, ideal for combining villa life with city days.

Positions are approximate: the exact address is shared once your stay is confirmed.

The town's triangular arcaded square is lined with butchers, wine shops and cafés. Saturday morning brings the weekly market.

An eleventh century Vallombrosan abbey rising from vineyards, with towers and cypresses that look almost theatrical. The monastery refectory holds a Last Supper fresco by Domenico and Davide Ghirlandaio.

The ancestral seat of the Ricasoli family, where Baron Bettino Ricasoli set down an early formula for Chianti wine in the nineteenth century. The gardens and ramparts look out over vineyards towards Siena.

A tiny fortified hamlet above Radda, where cellars and a winery are hidden inside medieval buildings and a deconsecrated church.

A ring shaped walled hamlet above Greve, among the best preserved in the region and wonderful for a short evening stroll.

A golden bowl of vineyards below Panzano, at its most beautiful in October when leaves turn copper and amber.

On the western edge of the region, this UNESCO listed town preserves fourteen of its medieval towers. Visit late in the day once coach groups have left.

Tour historic estates and small family wineries, tasting Chianti Classico Riserva and Gran Selezione with the people who make them.

Join the pressing in late October and November and taste peppery new oil straight from the mill on toasted bread.

Search the woods for seasonal truffles, then cook them simply with eggs or fresh pasta.

Ride the gravel strade bianche between villages on an e bike or road bike, with luggage and tastings arranged along the way.

Drift above vineyards and castles as the morning mist lifts from the valleys.

Learn the art of the Florentine steak from a local butcher and grill it yourself over olive wood.

A short, gentle hike from Greve's hilltop hamlet to a Romanesque parish church.

A woodland and vineyard trail linking two of the most atmospheric villages.

The wooded ridge east of Greve and Radda, cool in summer and rich in wild boar and chestnut trees.

Ancient woodland near Castellina with marked trails and quiet clearings.

What to eat

What to drink

Renaissance masterpieces, artisan workshops and the Duomo.

A Gothic city with one of Italy's most beautiful squares.

Medieval towers and Vernaccia wine on a ridge above the Val d'Elsa.

A perfectly circular walled village crowned with towers, on the Via Francigena.

An Etruscan city famous for alabaster carving and dramatic hilltop views.

April and May bring wildflowers, poppies and fresh green vines, with cool evenings and quiet roads. It is ideal for walking and cycling.

Long, hot days are best spent by the pool, with tastings in the cool of the cellars and dinners outdoors. Hilltop villages stay pleasantly breezy at night.

The harvest season is the region's finest moment, with golden light, busy cellars and new olive oil from late October. Book early for September and October.

Quiet and atmospheric, with misty mornings, fireplaces and hearty cooking. Some restaurants and wineries close or reduce hours between January and March.