Hotels

In The Florentine Chianti

Besides the choices listed, the Castello di Vicchiomaggio wine estate (tel. 055-854-079; fax 055-853-911; www.vicchiomaggio.it), just north of Greve, offers seven basic self-catering apartments in a National Monument Renaissance castle. Each sleeps two to six and has a kitchenette, TV, hair dryer, iron, and safe. Most have a countryside view, and while there are no phones, there is a pool on a panoramic terrace. Prices start at 100€ per night for two people. During high season, they often require a 1-week minimum stay.

March through November, Castello di Verrazzano (tel. 055-853-211; fax 055-854-241; www.verrazzano.com) also rents seven double rooms in their agriturismo, breakfast included, at 77€ for one person, 103€ for two people, and 129€ for three people. Two apartments with kitchenette are available; one, for two people, is 103€, while the apartment for four people is 142€. The apartments require a stay of at least 3 nights. All units have TV and access to the gardens.

One of the largest vintners, Rocca delle Macìe, offers gorgeous one- and two-bedroom guest villas at Riserva di Fizzano (tel. 055-777-371; www.riservadifizzano.com). A two-bedroom apartment rents for 100€ to 180€ per night, while the three-bedroom is 150€ to 250€. The estate also houses the Culinary Institute of Tuscany, where chefs from the Olive Garden restaurants train, and the fruits of that same kitchen are served nightly at the restaurant. Dinner is 30€ to 50€, wine excluded.

Cheap Sleep! -- The Bar Lucarelli (tel. 0577-733-538; www.lucarelli.info) in the town of the same name midway between Panzano and Radda, offers clean, simple singles for 40€ per night and doubles for 60€. It's no frills, but a neat throw-back to the days when weary travelers spent the night at a room above the tavern.

In the Sienese Chianti

Besides the choices listed, the medieval Castello di Volpaia (tel. 0577-738-066; fax 0577-738-619; www.volpaia.com), listed as a winery, rents out five agriturismo apartments with kitchenettes and TVs and, in a few, working fireplaces (bookable from the estate) in the stony buildings of its 13th-century village for 570€ to 930€ per week for two people, or 1,000€ to 2,070€ for the room that sleeps six. Guests can take part in various programs, from self-guided hikes to cooking lessons, wine tastings, or dinner with the owner. They also rent two lovely villas (sleeping up to 8 or 11) with private gardens and pools with views (bookable only via the private agency Salogi in Lucca at tel. 0583-48-717 or fax 0583-48-727), and lease a casa colonica on a nearby hillock amid the estate's vineyards to a hotelier who operates it as the rustic chic La Locanda hotel (tel./fax 0577-738-833; www.lalocanda.it), with 200€ to 280€ doubles.