We will be taking a train from Cinque Terre to Firenze and have 3 days & 2 nights to spend in Florence. I would really love to spend a day wine tasting outside of Florence, but not sure where to g
We will be taking a train from Cinque Terre to Firenze and have 3 days & 2 nights to spend in Florence. I would really love to spend a day wine tasting outside of Florence, but not sure where to go based on what would be the best use of our time. I have been recommended to visit Siena and also the Chianti towns..I am leaning towards the latter, but we will not have a car, so Im not sure if thats doable...
Any smaller towns just outside of Florence you would recommend for an afternoon/day of wine tasting? or perhaps any wine tasting tours that are not as touristy (that probably sounds like a silly question)?
For many travelers, underlying the desire for wine tasting and visiting a winery is the desire to be out in the vinyards of the Italian countryside. For other travelers, wanting recomendations about where to go for a day of wine-tasting is more about furthering their education about the wines of Italy.
In reality, people staying in Florence who want to further their education about Tuscan wines should either stay in Florence and visit a variety of world-class wine shops that will allow you to taste wines from all over Tuscany, OR they should take a day trip to Siena to visit the national Enoteca of Italy, a non-profit organization that is very serious about helping everybody better appreciate the wine heritage of Italy. They have inexpensive wine tastings and help arrange visits to nearby wineries, most of which are not open to the public except by appointment.
For other people, a bus ride from Florence to a town like Panzano in Chianti -- which has a many wine shops -- gives them a chance to experinence both a small Tuscan town and taste many wines. Such towns have long been part of the mass tourist trade, although they can still be pretty and charming. You can also reach individual wineries by bus and train from Florence, but then you will only taste that producer's wine. It is hard to get around to more than one winery without a private car.
But if you want to visit a lot of different wineries in a single day while based in Florence. you either need to arrange for a tour, hire a private driver, or rent a car.
Great answer, I agree w/ previous post. it's sometimes hard to correlate the desire for a simple walk through a vineyard, getting a "feel" for Italian wines and all the culture and lore that goes with it, versus the quest for a sit down, wine tasting/comaprison/lesson. the logistics and distances between idyllic vineyards and more commercial "wineries" can be a challenge for those who can only stay a few days ... that being said, i have taken friends to both Siena's Enoteca and to local owned, family style, vineyards... since you don't have much time - i agree Siena's enoteca (great variety and service) is your best bet. next time (as i'm sure italy's magic will lure you back) you may want to try spending a few days at La Pievuccia with my friend Riccardo. friends and i have joined him for grape cutting, harvesting, processing, tastings, lessons... as well as cooking lessons. he's in the town of castiglion fiorentino, abut 20 minutes from cortona. over the top informative, tasty/delicious and fun. buon viaggio!
Hi, I was in Florence in April and also wanted to take a one-day wine tasting tour, I have checked with some people at the hotel and they recommended the 'Best of Tuscany tour' -which departs early in the morning from Santa Maria Novella train station, goes to Sienna, then lunch at local wine farm with wine tasting, stopping by the medieval town of San Gimigniano and then visit to the infamous Pisa tower before returning to Florence -I actually stayed in Pisa but had a great time and got to see many things that probably by myself I would have missed. Hope it helps!
We went to an excellent wine shop just a block or so off the Piazza Santa Croce. They will ship also (but it is expensive). Go to the Piazza and ask one of the shop keepers for directions. The shop is on the North side of the Piazza.
Vineyards in Italy are generally not "touristy" like Napa, California. Far fewer visitors. Some do specialize in tour buses. I have been fortunate to stay on the Chianti road for 5 days visiting wineries and olive oil growers. For do it yourself touring, a car is really necessary as wineries are spread out and off the road. Many require advance reservations. My suggestion is to email your hotel in advance for reservations or guided tours. If you want to just do tasting, a wine is a better bet.
The Castello di Verrazzano offers winery visits and tastings Monday through Friday. You can take the SITA bus to Greve and ask the driver to drop you off at the stop closest to the winery, which is about 2 miles north of the center of Greve. From that bus stop. the walk within the estate to the Castello is at least 1/2 mile uphill on their private road. This estate also offers a pickup service from Florence by reservation.
Another alternative is to take the SITA bus to Greve and then use the local taxi service to go to and from a winery in the area. The taxis in Greve are available by reservation. You can find out more about many of these services at www.greve-in-chianti.com.
There are excellent touring services available for such a visit, too, some with service to and from Florence, and I've listed many of them on my website under "What to Do Wine Tastings and Tours."
I have gone with Franco's wine tours..a van picks you up in Florence, close to your hotel and takes you on a wonderful day in chianti..radda,etc., he is a charming,polite and accomodating young man. We also met with Dario Castagna..the author who wrote A Day in Tuscany, as well as a couple of other books..for lunch. It was a day to remember. You can do just the wine part too and Iknow you will not be disappointed. Conversely, you can rent a car and go on your own..why not allocate at least one night to stay...I would recommend 3 days, but, whatever you do will be memorable....Italy is a delight!!! We did this a couple of yrs. ago and I still smile at the memories...Just Go!
are you crazy?? You can't get from one winery to another in tuscany without a car!! Were you thinking about using a city bus or a train or maybe walk????!!!!! Posted by lcheeley
Perhaps this traveler isn't as knowledgeable about Tuscany as you are. I applaud Dazzle's effort to learn about the region before going. Information and suggestions would be more helpful than sarcastic put-downs.
Dazzle, have a great trip no matter what you decide to do. Wish I were going to Italy this summer
Just want to mention here that we attended the Chianti Wine Festival (late September) several years ago that is held in Greve and it was extraordinary opportunity to taste hundreds of wines (if you have the stamina :) at a very reasonable price...if you are to be in Florence around that time it is well worth checking out and is a wonderful local festival with great pomp, wine and food.
I'd side with those who recommend tours. Renting a car and then tasting is somewhat dangerous in the narrow winding hills of Tuscany, unless you have a designated driver. Taking mass transit and/or cabs seems a bit daunting - especially on vacation.
Actually, to add on to harold warren's post, DUI laws in Italy are much more strict than in the US, and penalties are severe. Italy's legal breath alcohol limit is .05, compared to US states, which have a legal limit of .08 to .10. Anyone who will be driving and wine-tasting should keep their consumption at a very, very low level.
I took a 1/2 day afternoon tour of Tuscany; we went to Greve in Chianti. Went to a place that made their own wine and olive oil; sampled both....sampled some saffron products...apparently there is a small "micro climate" in Tuscany where you can grow saffron...who knew? Anyway, it was a nice tour, relaxing and we got to also stop at a typical small market town.
are you crazy?? You can't get from one winery to another in tuscany without a car!! Were you thinking about using a city bus or a train or maybe walk????!!!!! Posted by lcheeley
How was this useful at all? If you''re going to post a reply, at the very least don't be condescending and rude.
To others who posted, thank you for the information. I will be in Florence in mid September and will have one day to visit a winery. We don't want to rent a car as we'd like to enjoy the wine :) but also don't really want to take a tour. Information on other options would be greatly appreciated.
