Planning a Trip

Getting Around

The only way to explore the Chianti effectively is by car. But know that many of the roads off the major SS222 (known as the Chiantigiana) are unpaved and sometimes heavily potholed. More importantly, wine tasting presents its own obstacles to driving, and so oenophiles might consider joining a wine tour. Local tourist offices, especially Siena, have a number of them from which to choose. One wine tour guide in particular is memorable: Dario Castagno, who wrote a well-received book called "Too Much Tuscan Sun," in response to Frances Mayes' best seller of a similar name. He now runs a company conducting the same tours he recounts in the book. Track him down at www.dariocastagno.com.

On the other hand, biking through the Chianti can be one of Tuscany's most rewarding and scenic strenuous workouts. Go on your own by renting a bike in Greve at Ramuzzi Marco, Viale Falsettacci 6 (tel. 055-853-037; turn right at tourist office -- it's down on the left); the cost is 20€ per day for a road bike or mountain bike, and 35€ a day for a mid-sized scooter. (There are discounts for multiple days.) The region's low mountains and stands of ancient forest are also excellent for hiking.

For exploring by any means, you'll need a good map; both the huge Edizioni Multigraphic (EMG) 1:50,000 map and the smaller free 1:70,000 sheet called "Il Chianti," put out by the Florentine tourist board, are excellent for back-road exploring. (Drivers be warned: These maps do, on occasion, mark dry streambeds as "unpaved roads.") I'd have to give the edge to the free map for detailed accuracy, but reading it involves a lot more squinting than with the EMG sheet, which is widely available in bookshops and souvenir stores in the Chianti, Siena, and Florence.

You can visit the major towns by bus, but be prepared to stay awhile until the next ride comes along. SITA (tel. 055-214-721; www.sitabus.it) from Florence services Strada (40 min. from Florence), Greve (65 min.), Panzano (75 min.), Radda or Castellina (95 min.), and Gaiole (2 hr.); it leaves at least hourly for stops up through Greve and Panzano and at least one to three times a day all the way through to Gaiole. Monday through Saturday, about eight different lines of TRA-IN buses (tel. 0577-204-111; www.trainspa.it) from Siena hit Radda, Gaiole, and Castellina; and, you can get to Impruneta with a CAP bus (tel. 055-214-637) from Florence.

Visitor Information

You can pick up some information on the Chianti at the Florence tourist officeor the Siena tourist office. The unofficial capital of the area is Greve in Chianti, and its tourist office (tel. 055-854-6287; fax 055-854-4149), in a modern little shack on the right just as you arrive in Greve coming from the north, makes an effort to provide some Chianti-wide info. From Easter to October, it's open Monday through Friday from 10am to 1pm and 3 to 7pm, Saturday from 10am to 1pm. In winter, it might keep shorter hours. You can also try www.chianti.it/turismo, a site with links to many hotels and restaurants in the area. Most importantly, it has a good list of the hundreds of rural bed-and-breakfasts that dot the local landscape. (Go to the pull-down menu and select the town, then select "agriturismi.")

Wine Festivals

The second weekend in September, Greve in Chianti hosts the main annual Rassegna del Chianti Classico, a bacchanalian festival of food and dancing that showcases wine from all the region's producers. Call tel. 055-853-295 for more information. Radda sponsors its own wine festival the last weekend in May, where buying the commemorative glass lets you sample 50 to 60 wines for free. There are also a free concert, snacks, and a communal grappa tasting.