Chianti Hilltowns - What can we see in 2 days?
Mar 31st, 2004 | 12:34 PM
#1
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Chianti Hilltowns - What can we see in 2 days?
My husband and I have 2 days with a car dedicated to exploring the Chianti area (Wednesday and Thursday). One day we will depart from Siena and need to end in Florence. The following day we will depart from and return to Florence. I am thinking of Radda, Gaiole, Castellina, Greve, Panzano. We also want to visit a winery for a couple of hours, possibly Volpaia, Castello Di Verrazzano, Castello Vicchiomaggio or Dievole.
We are interested in just walking around the towns to get a feel for them and we love to shop. How many towns can we reasonably stop at in 2 days? Are there other towns nearby you would suggest? Any comments on the winery? (We aren't wine experts, but we would like to learn more about wine making and tasting and buy a couple of bottles).
The rest of our trip includes Siena, Rome, Florence and Venice. Thanks for any suggestions!
We are interested in just walking around the towns to get a feel for them and we love to shop. How many towns can we reasonably stop at in 2 days? Are there other towns nearby you would suggest? Any comments on the winery? (We aren't wine experts, but we would like to learn more about wine making and tasting and buy a couple of bottles).
The rest of our trip includes Siena, Rome, Florence and Venice. Thanks for any suggestions!
Mar 31st, 2004 | 11:38 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
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if you're heading to Panzano I'd suggest you try to make it on a Sunday to check out the wares at the butcher shop. He has samples of things to eat which are all quite good and wine flows as well. Perhaps he will recite some Dante for you. Greve is a sweet town as is Castellina.Greve is bigger. There is a large wine tasting shop in Greve(again it should be pretty easy to find). With big places in our hearts for NY, we took numerous shots of Mr. Verrazano's statue in the town square. I think Castellina might be a shorter stay unless you have lunch. In Castellina make a stop at the wine, olive oil and balsamic vinegar shop. It will be quite easy to find. If part of that 2 day period is for Siena, I'd recommend spending more time there. It's captivating. We were only there for a day and it was not nearly enough time. For lunch, I'd recommend the Antinori Osteria in Badia in Passignano. It's about 1/2 hour south of Florence on the autostrada(Tavarnelle exit). FAX:Telephone: 055 8071278. Great food and good wine. They do have a wine shop attached to the restaurant. You can take a tour of the winery if you stay at the vineyard estate or if you are in the food and wine industry. PErsoanlly, I'd say go for lunch and buy some wine in the wine shop. It's a very good restaurant. If you are steak eaters, the steak florentine is delicious.We ate dinner there(splitting a steak) 1 pasta dish and some divine salads and dessert with bottle of wine for 90 euros 2 years ago.It would be a good place to stop for lunch when the towns fold up for the afternoons.
