Hi there:
My family and I will be taking our first trip to Tuscany next year. We are staying in a farmhouse outside of Greve in Chianti and plan on cooking in and eating out while we're there. What are the best marketplaces for food, most fun wineries, restaurants and in general, the coolest things about the area? And where's that special place that made you say, "Oh my God, we are so lucky to be here." Thanks!

Greve is a perfect location for exploring the Chianti Region and beyond. They have a great outdoor market on Saturdays and a famous butcher to visit: Macelleria Falorni. Nearby is Castello Verrazzano for wine & balsmaic vinegar tasting. Good day trips to consider: Florence (of course!), San Gimignano, Siena.

I do a ton of work in the area, so if you need further assistance with trip planning, private excursions, etc., let me know! And have fun!

Thanks, Megan. Since you are an expert, I have a couple of specific questions. The Friday night before we arrive in Greve we are staying in Castellini at a place called Tenuto di Ricavo. I want to make sure to make it to the Greve Saturday market in plenty of time, so how far is it from Greve to Castellini? Thanks for the other suggestions, we are definitely planning lots of day trips.

Hmmm ! I guess you have not seen the book---TOP 10 TUSCANY---by Reid Bramlett---an excellent resource. Ironically, he has numerous lists of top 10 this and that, including his top 10 hilltowns to visit in Tuscany. You can buy it on Amazon--make it a point.

I agree with bob. I bought that book and it's a great resource .

thanks you guys -
I'll go out and get the book. I have some others but sometimes you get overloaded with too much info. This is a great sight I just discovered and I've found that people who post have such an emotional attachment to a spot that, to me, that's better than a book.

OK--here are my emotional places, but none are in Chianti:
Volterra
Pienza
Montalcino
Abbey St. Antimo
Abbey Oliveto Maggiore
Bagno Vignoni

Thanks Bob -
I took your advice and got Top Ten in Tuscany - it will help me find all of the places that you love - living in Los Angeles, nothing is too far away and just south of Siena sounds great. We are all very adventourous in exploring any where on our own, but would you recommend a car service for a winery tour? None of us want to navigate a small Tuscany road with lots of wine in us...

Thanks so much for your patience - silly things like my job keep getting the way of what I love to do best next to actually traveling. Pompeii coming up@

Please ignore! Posted on a wrong thread!

We stay in Radda for a month each year, and love long lunches and drives.

Our favorite restaurants:
All time best Cantinetta Rignana on a sunny afternoon. Great food, great waiters and great view. It is just up and over the hill from Greve in the town (2 houses) of Rignana.

Lamole is great. Risto Lamole to the southeast of Greve.

Il Vescovino in Panzano is great.

Al Chiasso dei Portici in Radda is very romantic.

Wineries:
Castello di Ama
Verezzano
Dievole

My favorite: A long lunch with great wine and food and talking to all the other Italians or Travelers.

Another: Ending up at an unexpected festival.

Another: Ending up in any location were you do not speak the language and you make yourself known anyway.

Great shops: there is a spectacular bread shop in Greve. Don't know the name but it is in the North West corner of the square (triangle). Good meat market in the same square... has a stuffed boar outside.

Castellini to Greve is about 20 minutes