Driving through Chianti on Halloween - where to stop for lunch?
Aug 24th, 2014, 07:02 PM
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Driving through Chianti on Halloween - where to stop for lunch?
My Mom and I will be vacationing in Italy this year (my second trip - her first!) We'll have about 15 days at the end of October, beginning of November to enjoy ourselves - it's looking like this:
Land in Milan - train to Cinque Terre - 3 nights in CT apartment
Train to Florence (with a stop in Pisa on the way - Mom really wants to see the tower and a few other sights in Pisa) - 4 nights in Florence B&B
Rent car and drive to Podere Lucignano Secondo Agriturismo outside of Siena - 5 nights at agriturismo
Drop car at Orvieto and train to Rome - 3 nights in Rome (Trastevere) apartment
Fly out of Rome
I may have other questions later, but I just realized that we'll be driving from Florence to the agriturismo on Halloween. I'm assuming that this should be okay and that generally the towns through Chianti will be open for business - I know Halloween is not as big of a deal as All Saints on the following day in Italy (though I was in Rome on Halloween a few years ago and the kids were valiantly trying to get folks into the swing of things!) Anyone know if I'm wrong about this?
I'd like to take the scenic route through Chianti and stop somewhere for lunch and some sightseeing - we've got about 5-1/2 to 6 hours between the time we pick up the car and the earliest we can check into the agriturisimo. I would really like to stop in Castellina after lunch and before we head to the Podere (I am unashamed to say that I'm am dying to stop at the gelateria in Castellina). But if we picked one other place in Chianti to stop before that - what would you recommend? I'm not opposed to a winery, though I'll do no more than taste (I'll be driving), but that doesn't mean Mom can't enjoy! Or some shopping, pleasant strolls and a leisurely lunch in a place with character or/and a view would work as well. (FYI - my Mom is a very young 72 - she is very active and a lot of fun. No mobility or health issues - she just might be in better health than I am!)
Looking forward to your recommendations!
Land in Milan - train to Cinque Terre - 3 nights in CT apartment
Train to Florence (with a stop in Pisa on the way - Mom really wants to see the tower and a few other sights in Pisa) - 4 nights in Florence B&B
Rent car and drive to Podere Lucignano Secondo Agriturismo outside of Siena - 5 nights at agriturismo
Drop car at Orvieto and train to Rome - 3 nights in Rome (Trastevere) apartment
Fly out of Rome
I may have other questions later, but I just realized that we'll be driving from Florence to the agriturismo on Halloween. I'm assuming that this should be okay and that generally the towns through Chianti will be open for business - I know Halloween is not as big of a deal as All Saints on the following day in Italy (though I was in Rome on Halloween a few years ago and the kids were valiantly trying to get folks into the swing of things!) Anyone know if I'm wrong about this?
I'd like to take the scenic route through Chianti and stop somewhere for lunch and some sightseeing - we've got about 5-1/2 to 6 hours between the time we pick up the car and the earliest we can check into the agriturisimo. I would really like to stop in Castellina after lunch and before we head to the Podere (I am unashamed to say that I'm am dying to stop at the gelateria in Castellina). But if we picked one other place in Chianti to stop before that - what would you recommend? I'm not opposed to a winery, though I'll do no more than taste (I'll be driving), but that doesn't mean Mom can't enjoy! Or some shopping, pleasant strolls and a leisurely lunch in a place with character or/and a view would work as well. (FYI - my Mom is a very young 72 - she is very active and a lot of fun. No mobility or health issues - she just might be in better health than I am!)
Looking forward to your recommendations!
Aug 25th, 2014, 06:58 AM
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Nothing about Halloween will interfere with your trip.
If you have never driven in Tuscany before you may not understand that it is all beautiful and appealing and it often defeats the purpose of being there to fix on certain destinations for lunch at the expense of exploring and being spontaneous.
Lunch is served (as you know) between 12.30 and 1.45 or so. Fine to have more than one target or possibility for a lunch stop but wherever you go you will find places to eat. If you are planning on gelato before or after lunch that might affect how large a lunch you want to have.
There are a number of good guidebooks that outline scenic drives in the Chianti in some detail and it is good to have one in the car.
If you have never driven in Tuscany before you may not understand that it is all beautiful and appealing and it often defeats the purpose of being there to fix on certain destinations for lunch at the expense of exploring and being spontaneous.
Lunch is served (as you know) between 12.30 and 1.45 or so. Fine to have more than one target or possibility for a lunch stop but wherever you go you will find places to eat. If you are planning on gelato before or after lunch that might affect how large a lunch you want to have.
There are a number of good guidebooks that outline scenic drives in the Chianti in some detail and it is good to have one in the car.
Aug 25th, 2014, 07:41 AM
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Aug 25th, 2014, 07:47 AM
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Definitely drive SR222 through Chianti. If you stop anywhere, watch out for the ZTL signs.
The views from the top of Panzano are really nice. The church is at the highest point, and nearby is a small bar/café where we had coffee on a small terrace. The barkeep was a real character, and we enjoyed chatting with him.
We enjoyed Castellini a lot. We did a little shopping for gifts to take home and had lunch at Antica Trattoria which I think has been mentioned here often. I thought the food was OK, the service good, but sitting outside on the main piazza was great.
In Radda, we parked on the road that loops around the city walls off SR 429. I wasn't as taken by Radda as I was Castellina, but we enjoyed a nice stroll around and had lunch at a tiny place on that loop road. Le Forche del Chianti. The food was average, the service was good, very friendly, and there was a view of the hills beyond the town.
It's a lovely area for driving. I hope you have nice weather to really enjoy the views.
The views from the top of Panzano are really nice. The church is at the highest point, and nearby is a small bar/café where we had coffee on a small terrace. The barkeep was a real character, and we enjoyed chatting with him.
We enjoyed Castellini a lot. We did a little shopping for gifts to take home and had lunch at Antica Trattoria which I think has been mentioned here often. I thought the food was OK, the service good, but sitting outside on the main piazza was great.
In Radda, we parked on the road that loops around the city walls off SR 429. I wasn't as taken by Radda as I was Castellina, but we enjoyed a nice stroll around and had lunch at a tiny place on that loop road. Le Forche del Chianti. The food was average, the service was good, very friendly, and there was a view of the hills beyond the town.
It's a lovely area for driving. I hope you have nice weather to really enjoy the views.
Aug 25th, 2014, 03:31 PM
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Ristoro Lamole just south of Greve is great. As is the beautiful drive up the hill. As is the view from the restaurant.
Villa Vignamaggio has nice tasting and wine tour. It is halfway up the road to Lamole.
Villa Vignamaggio has nice tasting and wine tour. It is halfway up the road to Lamole.
Aug 25th, 2014, 05:46 PM
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We stopped at Casa Emma, a winery with restaurant, just south of Florence and San Donato and just North of Castellina, on SP 76. We had a wonderful and educational wine tasting with Carlotta at the end of October last year. The weather was perfect, the views were beautiful and wine Always tastes better when you're looking at the vines the grapes came from! We did not stay for lunch but the menu looked interesting and tasty. You might consider a stop here on your way to Castellina for your gelato.
Another place we enjoyed on another day was our visit to Greve in Chianti on SR222 south of Florence and north of Castellina. We had a nice wander around the town and stopped for lunch at Nerbone (very good, reasonably priced meal). We spent a good part of the afternoon at the "Cantina", a unique venue with wine tastings of many, many wines. Probably not a stop if you're driving on, but a fun afternoon if you have the time and inclination. Enjoy your trip! Would love go back to visit Chianti - so beautiful, so much to see.
Another place we enjoyed on another day was our visit to Greve in Chianti on SR222 south of Florence and north of Castellina. We had a nice wander around the town and stopped for lunch at Nerbone (very good, reasonably priced meal). We spent a good part of the afternoon at the "Cantina", a unique venue with wine tastings of many, many wines. Probably not a stop if you're driving on, but a fun afternoon if you have the time and inclination. Enjoy your trip! Would love go back to visit Chianti - so beautiful, so much to see.
Aug 25th, 2014, 09:26 PM
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Wow! Thanks for the great suggestions - can't wait to start checking these out! It's always great to have a handful of options in mind so that we can follow through with what we're feeling on the day of...
Great reminder about the earlier sunset time, Jean. Check in time is 4:30, so we should be pretty safely there - at least that's the plan.
I've driven through Tuscany before, so I'm not horribly worried about it. At least this time I have a navigator! Last time I was traveling solo and truly had a revelation about embracing faith and letting go of what I thought I knew. (Like how to read a map.)
Great reminder about the earlier sunset time, Jean. Check in time is 4:30, so we should be pretty safely there - at least that's the plan.
I've driven through Tuscany before, so I'm not horribly worried about it. At least this time I have a navigator! Last time I was traveling solo and truly had a revelation about embracing faith and letting go of what I thought I knew. (Like how to read a map.)
Aug 26th, 2014, 08:19 PM
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Oh gosh - yes, All Souls Day! Well... I knew it was something with an All in it. 
Not so much that anything particular happened, just remember that I was in Rome on All Souls Day a few years ago and some of the offices closed for the holiday (at least the office of the friend that I was staying with anyways). But maybe I'm just remembering it as a bigger deal than it actually was.
Not so much that anything particular happened, just remember that I was in Rome on All Souls Day a few years ago and some of the offices closed for the holiday (at least the office of the friend that I was staying with anyways). But maybe I'm just remembering it as a bigger deal than it actually was.
Aug 27th, 2014, 12:00 AM
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Customs may differ from region to region but around where I live most everything is closed on Nov 1 to give families time to visit cemeteries. Afterwards they tend to get together for lunch at the local restaurants so if you have your heart set on a particular restaurant for lunch that day then you should make a reservation.
Where I live doesn't have many museums so I don't know if they are closed or not around Tuscany. I wouldn't think so but I don't know and very small ones might close.
Where I live doesn't have many museums so I don't know if they are closed or not around Tuscany. I wouldn't think so but I don't know and very small ones might close.
Aug 27th, 2014, 12:02 AM
#13
No I've got it wrong Saints is on the 1st November, Souls is on the 2nd of November, I don't think there is a Christian festival on the 31st October, so what "devil worshipping" is this Halloween?
Aug 27th, 2014, 12:05 AM
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(For what it is worth: All Saints Day is a perfectly good translation of the Italian. Even Google agrees.. It is also sometimes referred to as the Day of the Dead in Italy But I would not translate the italian as "All Souls". )
Aug 27th, 2014, 12:09 AM
#15
Ah, i understand now
According to many academic scholars, All Hallows' Eve is a Christianized feast initially influenced by Celtic harvest festivals,[9][10] with possible pagan roots, particularly the Gaelic Samhain
It turns out there are three days
The converted pagen festival of All Hallows Eve 31st Oct
The Christian festival of All Saints 1st Nov
The Christian festival of All Souls 2nd Nov
Makes as much sense as normal, probably all are converted festivals anyway, a sort of "eat the last fresh veg feast before the winter"
According to many academic scholars, All Hallows' Eve is a Christianized feast initially influenced by Celtic harvest festivals,[9][10] with possible pagan roots, particularly the Gaelic Samhain
It turns out there are three days
The converted pagen festival of All Hallows Eve 31st Oct
The Christian festival of All Saints 1st Nov
The Christian festival of All Souls 2nd Nov
Makes as much sense as normal, probably all are converted festivals anyway, a sort of "eat the last fresh veg feast before the winter"
Aug 27th, 2014, 12:18 AM
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No, Sandra, the Day of the Dead (il Giorno dei Morti, o dei Defunti) is November 2nd, known as All Souls in English. It used to be a holiday in Italy, and some private businesses still close for at least a half day. It was traditionally the day for visiting cemeteries and sprucing up the graves, but now that it's not a holiday, many people do that on All Saints or on an adjacent weekend.
Aug 27th, 2014, 12:45 AM
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The idea behind All Saints is that there are many saints whose names are unknown. The known saints each have their own feast days, and this is for all the others.
All Souls is for all the other dearly departed, who may have been no saints.
These holidays were instituted in an attempt to Christianise the Celtic Samhain festival, which began at sunset on the 31st and ended at sunset on the 1st. The attempt was only partially successful.
Christmas was a more successful attempt to Christianize the various pagan winter solstice festivals. An early bishop, or maybe a pope, whose name I don't remember, gave explicit instructions to missionaries not to try to suppress pagan festivals, but to give them a Christian significance.
All Souls is for all the other dearly departed, who may have been no saints.
These holidays were instituted in an attempt to Christianise the Celtic Samhain festival, which began at sunset on the 31st and ended at sunset on the 1st. The attempt was only partially successful.
Christmas was a more successful attempt to Christianize the various pagan winter solstice festivals. An early bishop, or maybe a pope, whose name I don't remember, gave explicit instructions to missionaries not to try to suppress pagan festivals, but to give them a Christian significance.
Aug 27th, 2014, 05:19 AM
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Back to your original question - we stayaed not far from Panzano and loved a small restaurant there. We ate twice at Oltre il Giardino, once inside and once in the lovely garden. The restaurant is a couple of blocks off the main square.
