A Self-Guided Chianti Wine Tour

A Chianti wine tour comes next after you have visited the beautiful city of Florence.

Driving south from this city to the Chianti region, you will discover some of the most stunning landscapes in the world, and places that are so full of history that being there is to be transported to another era.

You will need a few things for this trip - a rental car, two to three days time, a companion, a GPS (a map and compass will do if you are more adventurous), and since this driving tour will take place in Chianti, the wine producing region of Italy, you will also need a strong will to resist getting drunk.

The drive will pass through woods, wheat fields, vineyards on hillside slopes, walled villages, castles, abbeys and churches, and some of the best restaurants in Italy.

So let's get started.

The itinerary for this Chianti wine tour, starting from Florence is as follows:

• Florence to Impruneta - 14 km.
• Impruneta to Greve in Chianti - 16 km.
• Greve in Chianti to Radda in Chianti - 21 km.
• Radda in Chianti to Badia a Coltibuono - 10 km.
• Badia a Coltibuono to Gaiole in Chianti - 5 km.
• Gaiole in Chianti to Castello di Brolio - 11 km.
• Castello di Brolio to Castelnuovo Berardenga - 12 km.
• Castelnuovo Berardenga to Siena - 21 km.
• Siena to Castellina in Chianti - 21 km.
• Castellina in Chianti to Florence - 50 km.

Chianti has about 70,000 hectares of vineyards scattered among 800 farms and estates. Some of these you will unavoidably pass. Enjoy the ride.

Attractions

Just follow the links above (I know you did already), for the attractions, descriptions, and festivals in each of the stopovers.

How to Get There

Having a GPS is a big advantage. I highly recommend it.

As this Tuscany driving tour is just 10 stages, you can consult the various resources on the web for detailed directions. For example, Yahoo Maps and Google Maps offer directions to all of these destinations. You can print the directions (around 14 pages) before embarking on this self-guided driving tour.

Or you can take a Tuscany map (preferably from the Touring Club of Italy) with you and a compass. Learning to speak a little Italian would also help, but ahhh, that is another story.

The first stop of your Chianti wine tour is the town of Impruneta - the nearest town from Florence that celebrates an annual wine festival during the last weekend of September.

And please, drive safely, follow traffic signs, don't get drunk, don't get a ticket, enjoy your Chianti wine tour.

Useful Links:

Advice from www.winetoursbordeaux.info: Whether you are on an elaborate wine-tasting vacation, or just enjoying wines at your local restaurant, it is a good idea to make a note of the types of wines you enjoy.