To the discovery of the Chianti Wine Road. From Florence to San Gimignano and Siena passing by way of Volterra E-Book

Danilo Papi

• Herausgeber: goWare
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Does another Chianti guide really make sense? It does, if written by an author hailing from Chianti. The author is indeed a real Chianti native who, with his camera, has traveled this territory far and wide to accompany us through its extraordinary particularities. Very often there is still a lack of adequate support to visit the so-called minor areas, which indeed are not minor, as shown by the Chianti territory so rich in art, breathtaking landscapes, history and food.
This guide wants to fill this void, accompanying us with simplicity and frankness through unusual itineraries, villages, churches and abbeys where, in addition to works of art, we will be able to learn about lesser-known glimpses, Tuscan expressions, owners of shops and clubs frequented by Chianti residents, the “chiantigiani”. Briefly, there is everything we need here: a local friend who, with suggestions, anecdotes and advices, accompanies us in discovering Chianti with some excursions to the nearby wonders of Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Certaldo, Volterra.

Leseprobe

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Introducing the book and the Author

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Table of contents

Thank you for buying this ebook by Danilo Papi To the discovery of the Chianti Wine Road. From Florence to San Gimignano and Siena passing by way of Volterra

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© 2017 goWare, 2019 first English edition

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ISBN: 978-88-3363-236-0

English Translation: Alessandra Baroni

Copyediting: Marta Cannata

Cover: Federica Buoncristiani

ePub developing: Elisa Baglioni

All the photos, including the cover picture, are by the author

For the photos of the castles: Gabbiano, Vicchiomaggio, Verrazzano and Querceto, thanks the photographic archives for the kind concession

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER

TITLE PAGE

COLOPHON

DESCRIPTION

TO THE READER

THE CHIANTI FIORENTINO

HISTORICAL OUTLINE

Black rooster legend


WINE, OIL, CURED MEATS. LOCAL FOOD DELIGHTS

Tuscan cuisine

Chianti wineries

VISITING CHIANTI

Plan your trip

Arriving in Chianti

Moving around Chianti

Staying in Chianti

Top must-sees in Chianti

Chianti paths: a world apart

Where to eat out in Chianti

SAN CASCIANO IN VAL DI PESA

Historical outline

San Casciano today

Useful addresses and contacts

Festivals and events

Gourmet food and…

Not to be missed

Near San Casciano

Mercatale Val di Pesa

Montefiridolfi

Bargino and surroundings

Cerbaia

Sant’Andrea in Percussina

Other things to do

Itineraries from San Casciano

What to see arrived at Tavarnelle

What to see in Barberino

Where to stay in San Casciano and surroundings

Excursions from San Casciano

GREVE IN CHIANTI

Historical outline

Greve in Chianti today

Useful addresses

Festivals and events

Food and…

What to see

Where to eat

Bars and ice cream parlors

Near Greve in Chianti

Panzano in Chianti

Lamole

Looking for a different Chianti

Cintoia

Lucolena

San Polo in Chianti

Strada in Chianti

Go for castles and cellars

Other things to do

Itineraries from Greve in Chianti

Where to sleep

Historic Houses

Around Greve

On the ancient Via Romana

Strada in Chianti

Greve center

Excursions from Greve in Chianti

Go to San Casciano

TAVARNELLE VAL DI PESA

Historical outline

Tavarnelle today

Useful addresses

Festivals and events

Food and…

What to see

Where to eat in Tavarnelle center

Where to eat in the surroundings of Tavarnelle

The surroundings of Tavarnelle

Passignano

San Donato in Poggio

Sambuca Val di Pesa

Where to sleep

Historic Residences and Luxury Resorts

At Tavarnelle

At San Donato in Poggio

Excursions from Tavarnelle

VISIT THE OTHER COUNTRIES OF CHIANTI

BARBERINO VAL D’ELSA

Historical outline

Barberino Val d’Elsa today

Useful addresses

Festivals and events

Festivals and events in neighboring towns

Where to shop

Where to eat in Barberino

Where to eat in the surroundings of Barberino

What to see in Barberino

What to see around Barberino

Where to eat in Vico D’Elsa

Go for castles and cellars

Where to stay in Barberino and surroundings

Excursions from Barberino

THE “GREAT BEAUTIES” AROUND THE CHIANTI Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Certaldo, Volterra, Monteriggioni

FLORENCE

Historical outline

Florence today

Useful addresses

Celebrations and anniversaries not to be missed

Getting around in Florence

What to see

From what originate some Florentine sayings

Where to eat: some good addresses

Bars and ice cream parlors

Where to park in Florence

SIENA THE CITY OF THE PALIO

Historical outline

The history of the Palio

The districts (Contrade) of Siena and their history

Addresses of the Contrade

Useful addresses

Getting around in the city

Not to be missed

Where to eat

Bar and ice cream parlors

Getting to Siena

Parking in Siena

Leaving Siena

MONTERIGGIONI THE FORTIFIED VILLAGE

Historical outline

Monteriggioni today

What to see

Festivals and events at Monteriggioni

Where to eat

The beauties of the Val d’Elsa

River Park of the Elsa river

SAN GIMIGNANO

Historical outline

The city today

Useful addresses

Festivals and events

What to see

Where to eat

Bars and ice cream parlors

CERTALDO ALTO

Historical outline

Certaldo today

To go to Certaldo Alto

Useful addresses

Festivals and events

What to see

Where to eat in Certaldo Alto

Eating out of Certaldo

Bars and ice cream parlors

VOLTERRA

Historical outline

Useful addresses

Festivals and events

What to see

Where to eat

Arriving and leaving from Volterra

PHOTO ALBUM

Figure 1 White road of Chianti between the Pesa and Virginio

Figure 2 Typical Casolare del Chianti

Figure 3 Colors of Chianti

Figure 4 His Majesty the Black Rooster

Figure 5 Steak, salami and cheese

Figure 6 Typical Butcher of Chianti

Figure 7 The brume in Chianti

Figure 8 Spring in Chianti

Figure 9 Autumn in Chianti

Figure 10 Via Machiavelli

Figure 11 Villa Le Corti

Figure 12 Vinsanteria Villa Le Corti

Figure 13 Castello di Gabbiano

Figure 14 Surroundings of Cerbaia

Figure 15 Mulinaccio San Vincenzo a Torri

Figure 16 Panoramic view of Val di Pesa

Figure 17 Pesa River

Figure 18 Farmhouse to Montepaldi

Figure 19 Sunset on Montepaldi

Figure 20 Pesa alla Botte

Figure 21 Fresco of tuscan unknown

Figure 22 Detail of the Castello di Poppiano

Figure 23 Castello di Poppiano

Figure 24 Farmhouse between S. Casciano and Mercatale

Figure 25 Farmhouse between S. Casciano and Mercatale

Figure 26 Square of Greve

Figure 27 Cave for storing cheese

Figure 28 Panorama of Montefioralle

Figure 29 Montefioralle

Figure 30 Vineyard near Panzano

Figure 31 Residence near Panzano

Figure 32 Church near Lamole

Figure 33 Castello di Mugnana

Figure 34 Sunset on Cintoia

Figure 35 Castello da Verrazzano

Figure 36 Castello di Querceto

Figure 37 Cellars Vicchiomaggio

Figure 38 Kiosk S. Piero in Bossolo

Figure 39 Badia a Passignano

Figure 40 Cenacolo del Ghirlandaio

Figure 41 Kiosk of Badia a Passignano

Figure 42 Panorama of San Donato

Figure 43 Parish Church of San Donato in Poggio

Figure 44 Porta Fiorentina

Figure 45 Church of S. Bartolommeo

Figure 46 Porta Senese

Figure 47 S. Arcangelo a Semifonte

Figure 48 Linari

Figure 49 Countryside surrounding Barberino

Figure 50 Duomo

Figure 51 Orsanmichele

Figure 52 Ponte S. Trinita

Figure 53 Bridges over the River Arno from the Vasari Corridor

Figure 54 Ponte Vecchio

Figure 55 Sunset on the Duomo

Figure 56 Torre del Mangia

Figure 57 Floor of the Duomo

Figure 58 Piazza della Cisterna

Figure 59 The course and the towers

Figure 60 Certaldo Alto

Figure 61 Palazzo dei Priori

DESCRIPTION

Does another Chianti guide really make sense? It does, if written by an author hailing from Chianti. The author is indeed a real Chianti native who, with his camera, has traveled this territory far and wide to accompany us through its extraordinary particularities. Very often there is still a lack of adequate support to visit the so-called minor areas, which indeed are not minor, as shown by the Chianti territory so rich in art, breathtaking landscapes, history and food. This guide wants to fill this void, accompanying us with simplicity and frankness through unusual itineraries, villages, churches and abbeys where, in addition to works of art, we will be able to learn about lesser-known glimpses, Tuscan expressions, owners of shops and clubs frequented by Chianti residents, the “chiantigiani”. Briefly, there is everything we need here: a local friend who, with suggestions, anecdotes and advices, accompanies us in discovering Chianti with some excursions to the nearby wonders of Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Certaldo, Volterra.

. . .

Danilo Papi was born in Reggello to a peasant family of 16 people. He moved since 1990 to the Chianti region , where he's currently living He worked for thirty years at the Urban Hygiene Company in Florence, dealing with the organization of city services. He is now retired and can devote himself totally to the discovery of Chianti along with his camera.

TO THE READER

This guide is designed for those who like to organize their own trip. We will try to offer you not only places but a territory, and together with things to see and not to be missed, we will provide you with practical information about the needs that may arise traveling. You will be informed about hotels, bed & breakfasts, cottages, restaurants, pharmacies, medical assistance centers, banks and shops. The author of this guide has been living in Chianti for over 30 years, knows the territory, and carefully inspected it to give you all the informations that may be useful for your holiday. Keep in mind that things are constantly changing, especially in the restaurant sector where changes in management, opening hours and menus are possible. We will also show you the typical places frequented by the inhabitants of the place, you can get in touch with the flavors, scents and traditions of the place, ensuring your travel an undoubted added value.

THE CHIANTI FIORENTINO

On the map

Tourists travelling to Tuscany are surely charmed by its cultured artistical perfection, represented by the stunning beauty of the towns and their world renowned monuments, and in particular Florence, birthplace of Renaissance. Travelers choosing a journey to Chianti pick over a different path, a different territory, maybe attracted by the green geometry of its wine yards, or the gently sloping hills [Figure 1 White road of Chianti between the Pesa and Virginio]. They will find out much more, realizing to cover an essentially untouched and unsullied land, only slightly narrowed by industrial development, where art expresses itself through the unique painting of its landscape shades palette, portraying wineyards, woods, sweet hills and perfectly renovated stone farmhouses; many of these have been turned into holiday farms, ideal solution that finds a perfect balance between conventional relaxing and enjoying country activities.

Furthermore, in this such suggestive landscape are set many ancient abbeys, churches and parishes (the last ones summarizing the religious practice to the function to keep the community together) with their hidden treasures of masterpieces from the greatest Renaissance artists from Florence and Siena; castles and fortresses testimony of a turbulent past. Travelers walking the roads of Chianti will see the placards portraying the “Black Rooster” (at the moment not visible for renewal), the very symbol of this region: the sight of the Black Rooster will let the travelers know they’re living a unique and leisurely experience that leads them to discover impressively fascinating places, for here everything is art. This guide will go along with you through the districts of Chianti Fiorentino (Greve in Chianti, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Barberino Val d’Elsa) and other world renowned places: Florence, Siena, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Volterra and Certaldo. This travel guide ambition won’t be limited in just taking the tourists by the hand guiding them to discover the countless, I’d say infinite, natural and artistic beauties of this enchanted land, that the whole world admires. The guide aims also to introduce you to the typical tastes and flavors you only can savor in characteristic places like ancient bakeries, grocery stores, butcher shops. You’ll realize that in such typical stores there is the chance, beyond buying delicious homemade charcouterie (cold cuts) and prosciutto or tasting excellent snacks (the Italian “merenda”) sitting at a table in front of a good glass of wine, to meet the local dwellers, and try to hold a conversation with them thanks to the warm conviviality of the place: this experience will surely enrich journey. This is the region you’re about to discover: it will get you in contact with Tuscan countryside, a land where absolute calm rules, but at the meantime allows, due to the relative closeness of the main places of interest, to visit the most captivating towns, traditional attraction for mass tourism, like Florence, Siena and San Gimignano, and other cities more off the beaten track, such as Certaldo and Volterra. Nothing better than a journey in the cradle of Renaissance to fully enjoy the peace and relaxing atmosphere of Chianti and its hills.

HISTORICAL OUTLINE

Chianti region has very long – standing roots. The first human settlements date back to the Third Millennium bc. It was only with the Etruscans, who reached the area in 500 bc and called it Clante, that agriculture and the cultivation of the wine were introduced: since then the vine became one of the territory symbols. The Romans further developed agriculture, introducing the cultivation of a plant meant to become the second symbol of Chianti: the olive tree. After the fall of the Roman Empire the area experienced centuries of decline. It’s in this period that the art of wine – making is developed and evolved by the Benedectine and Vallombrosan monks from the Coltibuono and Passignano abbeys. During the Middle Ages the area was a continuous battlefield for the fights first between Siena and Arezzo, striving for control over these lands; subsequently the latter was replaced by Florence. That was the dawn of the conflict that opposed the Guelfs, ally of the Pope and led by Florence, and the Ghibellines, loyal to the Holy Roman Emperor, whose leader was Siena. The competitors clashed repeatedly until the beginning of the xiii century, when a truce and a subsequent treaty established a definitive boundary line that, as a matter of fact, ratified the Florentine control of Chianti assigning to the town the majority of the contended territories. In the meantime, wine production spreads thanks to monks’ teaching ability, and wine starts to be made also outside the abbeys; a few family names, that were bound to make history in the Chianti region, the Ricasoli and the Antinori, began a regular activity of wine makers. The half of the xiii century sees the birth of the “Arte dei Vinattieri”: the first taverns open the doors, wine is discovered as a source of enrichment and from a rich prerogative beverage it converts to a popular drink, sometimes used either as nourishment either as medicine. Considering the popularity and the huge consumption of the product, in order to preserve its quality in 1444 the “Lega del Chianti” sanctioned the prohibition of grape harvest before the 29th of September. During Medici’s dominion (“Signoria”) the territory knew a flourishing period, briefly interrupted in 1478 by the invasion of Ferdinando i of Aragona: the aragonese invasion ended with the peace of 1480. In 1716 the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo iii issued two edicts for the preservation and conservancy of Chianti: one edict established a Board that controlled wine production, the other delimited the boundaries of the Chianti wine growing area. Anyway, we must tribute to the Lorena, Pietro Leopoldo and Ferdinando iii, enlightened sovereigns, the credit for having brought to new life the territory devastated by the last Medici rulers ineptness. The Lorena introduced the “mezzadria”, a sort of sharecropping, facing the strenuous opposition by the noble families landowners. Agricolture, thanks to sharecroppers and peasants work, gave rise to a development of the Chianti territory to a most productive use of farming resources, with one of the highest production of wine and oil. However, the originator of the Chianti Classico was the Baron Bettino Ricasoli, a politician, but also an expert agronomist and passionate enologist. After years of enological experiments and researches led by the best contemporary experts, he transformed the production standards proposing a specific combination of vine varieties: Sangiovese, Malvasia, Trebbiano or Canaiolo. The wine in 1867 was presented with great success and won the award at the Wine Exhibition of Paris. Other important dates for Chianti and its territory are: 1924, birth of “Consorzio del Chianti Classico”, the consortium of winegrowers and winebottlers, that nowadays consists of a 5,000 hectares viticultural area; 1967: Chianti attains the doc (“Denominazione di Origine Controllata”, Registered Designation of Origin); 1987: Chianti Classico is awarded with docg (“Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita”, Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin). The rest is the story of our times, and tells the tale of an essentially untouched land, able to square the progress demands with the environment safeguard: that’s the reason why it’s increasingly becoming one of the favorite choices for touristic journeys.

Black rooster legend


Like any ancient territory, also Chianti has its own ancestral tales. The most famous is the “Black Rooster” legend, black rooster that still in present times is one of the local main symbols. In 1200, after a long lasting and exhausting dispute, Siena and Florence called a truce to establish the new definitive borders of dominion and chose a very odd method to do that. It was agreed that two knights would depart from their respective county seat at dawn, and the signal to ride given by rooster crow: the point at where they met would have fixed the boundary point between Siena and Florence. Considering the circumstances, it’s quite clear how the choice of the rooster was of capital importance. The Sieneses chose a white rooster, and fed it properly. The Florentines, instead, chose a black one, which they kept in a dark crop and practically starved. On the fatal day, when the roosters were freed, the Florentine one began immediately to crow, allowing the Florentine knight to set off posthaste and much ahead of his Sienese counterpart. And since the Florentine knight had such a head start he met up with the other knight at Fonterutoli, a mere 12 kilometers from Siena.

WINE, OIL, CURED MEATS. LOCAL FOOD DELIGHTS

Modern day Chianti Classico consortium is shared between the territories of the municipalities of Greve in Chianti, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Val d’Elsa (province of Florence), and Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Poggibonsi (province of Siena). The following are the most characteristic and renowned products.

Chianti Classico. Worldwide famous red wine, [Figure 4 His Majesty the Black Rooster] shows unique peculiarities that distinguish it from all the other wines bearing the same name, and mainly two: it’s made exclusively from red grapes, and its bottles are sealed with the label of the Black Rooster, trademark and historic symbol. It’s put on the market after a required minimum of twelve months ageing, thirty for the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. The members of the Consortium of Chianti Classico, under penalty of exclusion, have to respect strict production guidelines imposed by a rigorous protocol, in order to protect and valorize a product whose name, during the sixties of the xxth century, became overused: as a matter of fact, the majority of red wine produced in Tuscany was passed off as Chianti Classico. Nowadays, still exist other wines bearing the same name Chianti, but the name refers to bordering territories, for instance Chianti colli fiorentini, Chianti Rufina, Chianti Montespertoli and so on. These are good, sometimes excellent products, albeit having nothing in common with Chianti Classico.

Vinsanto. Another typical product, it’s a dessert wine made from selected grapes laid out on reed mats in special places for ageing and drying for many months. After the Christmastide the raisins are pressed and placed into special very small barrels called “Caratelli”. The product then is bottled and sold on the market after about three years of fermentation. Vinsanto is ideal to be paired with desserts, and that’s the reason why it’s mainly used at the end of a meal. The traditional pairing is with Cantucci, typical regional almond cookies: all you have to do is to dunk a cantuccino in a glass of vinsanto and you’ll taste a unique flavor.

Olio Extravergine d’Oliva. A regional product of excellence, is well known all over the world for its low acidity and its fruity and slight pungent flavor. Immediately after having been pressed in the oil-mill, it’s the main ingredient of the “fettunta”(a slice of tuscan bread toasted and topped with a generous amount of oil). In Chianti territory there are many oil-mills, but also many farmhouses and holiday farms producing and selling directly their own oil.

Cured meats. Pork butchery products are surely placed in a prominent position between Tuscan delicatessen. In Chianti region many butcheries hand-craft pork meat selected cuts, producing exquisite delicacies like Tuscan ham, salame, finocchiona, soprassata, that can be purchased directly where they’re crafted. We will supply to those interested in purchasing these deli foods a detailed list of the oil-mills and the butcheries with their relative locations.

Chianti region and, in general, Tuscany, are lands of great wines, and all of them world famous: in Gallo Nero territory is also produced the celebrated Tignanello, many times international awards winner, not to mention other outstanding red wines, Brunello di Montalcino, Sassicaia (this one made in Bolgheri), and Nobile di Montepulciano. Whilst they’re exquisite and celebrated, none of them strictly symbolizes Chianti territory, embodying its history and name.

Tuscan cuisine

Tuscany has always been a land with strong rural traditions, and this characteristic has deeply influenced its cuisine, closely linked to simple and genuine high-quality ingredients. Some of the most traditional meals originated from “cucina povera” which literally translates to “poor cooking”, food that in past times was cooked easily and inexpensively in large amounts to feed large families: the main ingredient was bread, used in many popular dishes that in present days are a symbol of Tuscan style: minestra di pane, ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, panzanella and, in Arezzo and Grosseto territory, scottiglia and acqua cotta. This simple food was sometimes complemented with other meatbased courses, cooked using the tough cuts, offal, chitlins and leftovers. Nowadays Tuscan cooking can rely also on higher quality ingredients; nevertheless, in its evolving, never forgot its ancient roots: that’s the reason why Tuscany food is celebrated the world over. The following are the most famous Tuscan dishes.

BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA It’s the most famous course of Tuscany cuisine, taken from the loin of the young steer (vitellone), preferably from the cattle breed Chianina, and has a “T” shaped bone with the fillet on one side and the sirloin on the other. It’s normally 3-4 cm high and 800 g heavy, but its weight can also abundantly get above 1 kg. [Figure 5 Steak, salami and cheese]. Cooking procedure is very simple: it’s just set on a charcoal barbecue grill without naked flames and served well browned on the outside and rare inside. When cooked, it’s salted and seasoned with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some pepper.

FETTUNTA I’s a freshly toasted slice of homemade Tuscan bread generously rubbed with garlic, lavishly drizzled with “olio nuovo” (the first extra virgin olive oil off the press each season) and sparingly sprinkled with salt.

PANZANELLA Tasty summer salad made with stale bread soaked in fresh water, squeezed out and then seasoned with garden vegetables, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

RIBOLLITA Another great dish originating from “cucina povera”: every Friday a great amount of soup was prepared with the simplest ingredients ever: stale bread, beans, “cavolo nero” (or other type of kale), potatoes and tomatoes; the leftovers were cooked again in the following days, from which the term “ribollita”, literally “re-boiled”.

PAPPA AL POMODORO Savory stale bread recipe: bread is soaked into vegetable or chicken stock and then added to a sautée made with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onion and tomatoes.

FEGATELLI ALLA FIORENTINA Pork liver sliced coated with salt and pepper, wrapped in caul fat and cooked in a pan with a sprinkle of olive oil and bay leaves, the last ones giving a unique and unusual flavor.

PEPOSO This beef stew came into being in Impruneta, a little town just outside of Florence, renowned for its terracotta floors. The peposo was made as a poor-man’s dish to feed the “fornacini” (kiln workers) during the long sessions in the kilns. The fornacini used to put forequarters and meat scraps in terracotta pots, smothering the meat with black peppercorns and celery, and, over it all, glugging liters of red wine. Then the pot was put inside the kiln. This peculiar recipe was noticed by Filippo Brunelleschi during one of his visits the terracotta factories to supervise every step of the production process of the bricks used to build the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral, better known as Duomo di Firenze. The great master introduced this dish as a typical meal for the workers: it was cooked directly on the scaffoldings, and that expedient dramatically decreased the time spent for lunch, normally consumed in surrounding taverns. In the xix century tomato was added as an ingredient of peposo, and with this variation is nowadays cooked.

TRIPPA ALLA FIORENTINA The tripe recipe is a dish made from the muscle wall of three of the four stomachs of the cow, reduced into stripes and then slow cooked with herbs, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and completed with grated Parmigiano cheese. You can find this typical plate not just in restaurants, but also as street food: in the squares of Florence and in some Chianti cities, there are plenty of carts named “I Trippai”, specialized in the cooking and sale of tripe.

LAMPREDOTTO Another sort of street food, and popular local delight, normally is sold in Trippai carts. Anyway, it starts being popular also in restaurants. It is made with the fourth stomach of the cow, boiled in large pots with herbs, striped and served hot in special buns called “Semelle”, flavored with pepper or chili.

FAGIOLI ALL’UCCELLETTO Stew the cannellini beans until get tender but not completely done. In a saucepan, sauté sage and garlic with olive oil, then add the beans and let them develop a richer flavor; finally, cover them with tomato puree and season with salt and pepper or chili.

WILD GAME MEAT In Chianti a vast number of taverns and “trattorie” offers delicious courses like stewed wild boar, roe deer or hare, excellent also with pasta and in particular with pappardelle. Very famous are the “pappardelle sulla lepre”, very wide egg noodles in strong sauce made from wild hare.

CURED MEATS In Chianti district there are many groceries and butcheries where cured meats are hand crafted and sold directly to customers: we will recommend you the best addresses in the following pages. You will find many types of cold cuts: different kind of hams, many varieties of salami, pork, wild boar or “cinta senese” sausages. “Cinta senese” pig, once supposed to be extinct, stands out for a notably fine and tasty meat.

• Finocchiona Typical Tuscan salami spiced with fennel seeds instead of peppercorns, in past times very expensive. Recently this salami has been awarded with the pgi European quality label.

• Sbriciolona Softer and almost spreadable version of finocchiona: normally it’s served in thicker slices because it has very short times of ageing so that it tends to crumble at slicing.

• Soprassata Traditional Tuscan cold cut, it’s made from pork scraps cooked and mixed with spices, lemon zest and minced parsley.

• Lardo di Colonnata This fine cold cut was born in the namesake little town located in the Alpi Apuane. It’s made from pork lard layers alternated with pepper, salt, cinnamon, cloves, cilantro, sage, rosemary and cured in local marble basins. The maturation process can last from 6 to 10 months. The Carrara marble used in the curing process is also rubbed with garlic and the layers of lard are stored and covered with a marble sheet.

DESSERTS Here are reported only few typical Tuscan desserts: they are a sort of “poor man’s” cakes and pastries, reflecting ancient Tuscany cooking traditions relying on few and simple ingredients. Naturally, for what concerns modern pastry-making, there are excellent patisseries in all places mentioned in this guide.

• Castagnaccio Characteristic winter cake made with chestnut flour (chestnut means “castagna”), flavored with raisins, pine nuts, rosemary, a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil and then cooked in oven.

• Schiacciata fiorentina Typical Florentine dessert, it’s a tasty sponge cake widely consumed during Carnival. Schiacciata is made with white flour, eggs, baking powder and orange peels. The dough is cooked in oven and then covered with icing sugar.

• CenciCenci is another sweet typical of the Carnival period. Cenci literally means rags, since the sweet is made with stripes of dough like bits of rags. They are made with white flour and eggs, and the pastry obtained is cut out in thin stripes to be fried in a generous amount of oil and then sprinkled over with icing sugar.

• Ricciarelli Almond sweets typical of Siena, these cookies are made with flour, almonds, caster sugar and grated peel of orange, then oven baked and covered with icing sugar. They are traditionally associated with Christmas festivities, but you can find them in bakeries and pastry shops all year round.

• Panforte One of the most famous products of the Sienese gastronomy is Panforte cake, typical during Christmas time; it’s a dough of refined ingredients such as flour, honey, cinnamon, almonds, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, coriander seeds, candied orange, citron and pumpkin, baked in oven and then topped with a layer of vanilla-flavored sugar.

• Cantucci Simple Tuscan dry biscuits, they are made with plain flour, eggs, butter and almonds, and then baked in oven. Cantuccini are traditionally served at the end of a meal with a glass of Tuscan dessert wine, Vinsanto, for dipping.

Tasting Chianti specialty foods

As we already mentioned, Chianti offers special places able to inspire you and add preciousness to your trip, places where you can savor the landscape atmosphere, taste a delicious sandwich rather than a focaccia bread stuffed with local produced cold cuts, or a various selection of cheeses and typical dishes. We will point out the farm houses and holiday farms with their own oil-mills (producing oil exclusively with olives from their personal olive groves), groceries, bakeries, ancient butcheries, workshops where cured meats are hand-crafted following the local tradition. All these local enterprises resisted the spreading out of Mass Market Retailers, and the reason why is simple: they have a soul in harmony with the territory, and it’s there that the locals hang out with each other; such an experience will surely make your journey more authentic and original [Figure 6 Typical Butcher of Chianti].

Chianti wineries

These historic wine – producing estates are an absolute must visit during you tour: they contain the history of wine preserved throughout the centuries, as you can sense visiting their cellars. Sometimes these estates are real architectural masterworks. Wineries are spread out over all Chianti territory, often located in castles, old farm houses, ancient villas or dwelling houses. Visiting a few of these wineries, you’ll probably ask for information (if you’re not interested in going for a tour of the historic estates, the local atp will provide you all the necessary information services to take a look at old cellars in holiday farms or farm houses, maybe less known by tourists, but indubitably worth a visit). After this experience you will understand how wine and territory are deeply bound and what Gallo Nero means for this land [Figure 13 Castello di Gabbiano].

VISITING CHIANTI

Plan your trip

Your choice mainly depends on the type of journey you’re planning: each season has something special to offer, that’s why it’s impossible to define which is the best time of the year to visit it. [Figure 7 The brume in Chianti]. What we would like to suggest you is an ideal holiday period, in order to let you admire its enchanting landscape and at least two of the main towns in the surroundings. In our opinion your journey should be at least ten days long; that would let you spend your time varying your itineraries in a mix of natural sceneries sightseeing and cultural tourism in the splendor of cities of art. We try to provide you with useful informations [Figure 8 Spring in Chianti]. The season going from the end of March to the end of September is the most popular, the vineyards are green, nature is flourishing and the days are longer. Then there are numerous initiatives, feasts, gastronomic festivals and “wine glasses under the stars” event, to enjoy wine outdoors in the summer nights (all these initiatives will be specified in the various entries “feasts and celebrations” of the various municipalities) [Figure 9 Autumn in Chianti]. However it must be considered that in July and August the weather can be torrid, moreover in these months the prices are higher. In autumn the climate is pleasant, you can watch the spectacle of the vintage, the vineyards and the woods are tinged with the typical autumnal colors offering stunning visions, the days are shorter, the prices lower, and while walking through the villages near the cellars, it is not uncommon to smell the fragrance of fermenting wine. You can also enjoy the Vino Novello, a fresh and peppy red, fragrant of aromas and perfumes. It is marketed by the first November about a month and a half after the harvest. At Christmas time the countries shows the typical atmosphere of these festivities and there is a discrete presence of tourists who choose to spend in peace and relax the New Year Day holidays.

In winter sometimes snows, temperatures are lower, and prices are cheaper. Not many tourists choose to visit Chianti, however even in these months the season gives fascinating spectacles, the days have a special light and the fog sometimes give the traveller sublime visions and details.

Arriving in Chianti

BY PLANE For tourists arriving by plane there are three possible alternatives: car hiring, taxi or the most convenient bus. Other than taxies (quite expensive), the bus service runs from Vespucci Airport to central Florence Piazza Stazione. When the tram track works (still in progress at the moment) will be over, it makes available for tourists a much faster link between the Airport and the center of Florence. The bus stop is immediately outside the Airport. Once you have arrived in central Piazza Stazione, at the corner with Via Santa Caterina da Siena there is a bus terminal: these buses link with regular day runs Florence trough intercity routes with Greve, San Casciano, Tavarnelle, Barberino Val d’Elsa.

BY BUS The bus terminal is in Florence, Via Santa Caterina da Siena, close to the main central railway station. Bus Italia connects Florence with Greve in Chianti, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Barberino Val d’Elsa, and bus itineraries link also all these towns with each other. Here we’re not providing the relative timetables, because they differ markedly between working days (Monday to Friday), working days excluding Saturday, and Sunday and holidays, and may vary on year or season basis. If you’re interested in using bus as means of transport, we suggest to consult www.acvbusacvbus.it website or call the toll-free number 800373760, active from 5.30 am to 8.30 pm. Bus Italia agency is associated with Siena bus services provider Siena Mobilità, so through further routes you can reach many localities of the province of Siena. You can get to the town of Siena directly by way of sgc fi-si, for there are frequent non-stop bus runs leaving from Siena Mobilità terminal. Siena Mobilità Company links Siena with the rest of Tuscany and its terminal is located in Via Lombardi, close to Florence central railway station; destinations operated include Siena, San Gimignano and other towns of Sienese Chianti with express (non-stop) and average runs with stops. To get accurate information we suggest to call toll-free number 800922984 from local cabin booths with a prepaid phone card, call centers or your hotel phone, for they are local calls (for mobile calls 199168182; be aware that mobile calls are routed internationally so they can be very expensive for a local call) every day of the week including Sundays from 7.30 am to 7.30 pm, or send an e-mail to [email protected] and visit the website www.tiemmespa.it.

BY TRAIN Florence’s central train station is Stazione di Santa Maria Novella, and it’s located exactly in the city center. Rail travelling to get to Florence is absolutely comfortable and pleasant. Travellers on the route to Chianti can, as we previously said, head to the close bus terminal in Via Santa Caterina da Siena, just around the corner from Piazza Stazione. Travelling by train is also a convenient solution for those who will pick out Panca, Dudda and Lucolena aera and subsequently intend to visit Florence. Going to the close Figline Valdarno railway station, accessible by car or bus runs in about ten minutes, you will arrive in Santa Maria Novella within 35 minutes: be aware, anyway, that train services on this route are not very frequent.

BY CAR OR MOTORCYCLE Car and motorcycle are with no doubt the best means to visit Chianti; the territory is provided with a quality road network, allowing you to easily move around getting just about anywhere. Smaller roads, especially in rural areas, may be sometimes narrow and curvy (this can happen also on larger two-lane main roads, the so called Strade Statali): anyway, this inconvenience can easily turn into an advantage, considering that slower speed allows to admire every single landscape detail.

BY BIKE If you are in good shape, physically fit and healthy, and enjoy cycle-tourism, you can choose between two options: get to the location chosen by different means of transport (car, motorcycle, bus) and then rent a bike once you arrive there (we will supply addresses and phone numbers of many local bike rental services) or, on the other hand, carry your own bicycles on trains or buses and then direct to the place where you intend to start your bike tour from. Be aware that on trains you may be required to transport your bike assembled and on buses normally you will have to put them in the cargo area underneath, on its side. The routes can be practiced with racing bikes, hybrid bikes and mountain bikes, although the topography of the area lends itself to be traveled by mountain bike or good trekking bikes, depending on the many challenging climbs of the routes. In any case, cycle tourism is an ideal way to discover Chianti, rewarding the cycle riders with the countryside great views; there are many accommodation types along the routes, guest houses, bed and breakfasts (B&B), and holiday farms (the so called “agriturismi”, rustic country houses or working farms offering rooms, most of times family run and often providing breakfast and dinner). Booking your accommodation in advance is highly recommended (especially in busy periods), according to the itinerary you have planned; check the websites of the sort of accommodation you prefer for good – value deals, and to find the cheapest rates.

Moving around Chianti

GETTING TO PISA AND LUCCA As we mentioned before, it’s possible to make use of the extensive bus services and train networks, but in any case first you have to reach Piazza Stazione in Florence and, from there, take the train to your destination, or the bus instead, from the terminal at the corner with Via Santa Caterina da Siena. This way of travelling risks to turn into a tour de force, especially for the down times or delays that may occur between linked bus rides. Undoubtedly the best option is, if possible, travelling by car; from wherever you are you can reach both Pisa and Lucca within a couple of hours or less.

To reach Pisa move straight to Highway A1 at its entrance Firenze Impruneta, then take the exit Firenze Scandicci and enter the sgc fi-pi-li (Strada Grande Comunicazione Firenze Pisa Livorno, toll free, dual lane) towards Pisa, where you will get in around 50 minutes: take the exit in the direction of Pisa Centro. Near to Piazza dei Miracoli there are many pay and display parkings: we recommend you a free car park, around the same zone, in Via Pietrasantina; it’s always very bustling but it’s worth a try.

Heading to Lucca take A1 Highway at Firenze Impruneta intersection and, once arrived to Firenze Nord enter A11 Highway towards Pisa Nord: you will get to Lucca Est exit in about 40 minutes. Close to the walls there are pay and display parkings but also, surprisingly, some free car parkings: three free parkings quite close to each other are in Via N. Sauro, Via F. Filzi and Via Pubblici Macelli. To reach these streets skirt the walls on the right hand side, it will take a little time to get there.

If you’re staying in Volterra or San Gimignano, you could contemplate taking a trip to Pisa travelling the regional highway (Strada Regionale, sr) No. 439: this road, passing through Peccioli and Navacchio, takes about 70 minutes to Pisa, and can also be evaluated by travellers heading to Lucca, quickly accessible trhough A11 from Pisa.

GETTING TO SAN CASCIANO For travellers driving from both northbound or southbound directions, merge onto Autostrada A1 and exit at Firenze-Impruneta. Subsequently to proceed to San Casciano Val di Pesa enter at the interchange the Superstrada Firenze-Siena (a dual carriageway linking Florence to Siena) and drive until the San Casciano exit. From this little town are reacheable neighboring hamlets like Greve in Chianti, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Barberino Val d’Elsa. If you’re coming from West, take the A12 Highway (direction Genova-Livorno), exit at Pisa Centro and enter the sgc fi-pi-li towards Florence; then take the exit Ginestra Fiorentina and follow the markers to San Casciano, approximately 15 km far.

GETTING TO GREVE IN CHIANTI For those coming from both northbound or southbound directions of A1 Highway, take the exit Firenze Impruneta or, as an alternative, the exit Valdarno and then merge onto sgc fi-si; then, take the first exit, San Casciano and follow the markers towards Greve; another possible option is, when you reach the junction, to take the second exit on the right and merge onto Via Cassia, pass Tavarnuzze small town and later The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial, and simply move straight on: getting to your destination from the Highway exit will take about 30 minutes. The third chance is to take the exit Firenze Sud from Highway A1, and after the toll booth take the first turn on the right, pass the Conference Florentia Hotel, former Sheraton Hotel, and once reached the junction turn left towards Grassina and Greve in Chianti, that’s approximately 25 km away.

GETTING TO TAVARNELLE VAL DI PESA For those coming from both northbound or southbound directions of A1 Highway, take the exit Firenze Impruneta, then at the junction merge onto the Superstrada Firenze Siena (sgc fi-si) towards Siena; take the exit Tavarnelle and go ahead following the markers for about 4 km until you reach Tavarnelle.

GETTING TO BARBERINO VAL D’ELSA This little town is just 4 km away from Tavarnelle, so, for drivers coming from sgc fi-si, the exit to take is the same. Otherwise, coming from Certaldo, San Gimignano or Poggibonsi, you can get to Barberino Val d’Elsa taking the Via Cassia, the run is about 9.5 km. If you’re coming from Siena, eventually, you have the option to merge onto the sgc fi-si, take the exit Poggibonsi Nord and then follow the markers to Barberino Val d’Elsa.

AUTOVELOX: WATCH YOUR SPEED! As well as in the rest of Italy, on Chianti roads sides there are “Autovelox”, fixed and mobile speed camera devices checking if you’re staying into the speed limits. Obviously, to avoid fees and enjoy your staying, go the speed limit. The speed limits are the following: 50km/h (31 mph) inside built up areas (cities, towns and villages), 70km/h (44 mph) on two lane regular non urban roads except where otherwise posted, 90 km/h (56 mph) on the toll free 2 lanes highways sgc Firenze-Pisa-Livorno and Firenze-Siena. On toll highways (“autostrade”) the speed limit is 130 (81 mph) or even 150 km/h (93 mph) but only on certain sections; 150 km/h speed limit signs will be in place – but do not assume you can travel at 150 km/h (pay attention because certain sections of highways may have speed limits lower than 130 km/h). In addition to the roadside speed cameras, in many highway sections is active the speed Safety Tutor system, whose devices usually hang beneath autostrada bridges (it tracks your average speed over various tracts of highway). Here we supply a list of the devices currently known as active on the routes included in this guide, warning you anyway that these informations may vary or not being up to date due to changes of locations disposed by Italian State Police.

Autovelox on sgc fi-pi-litowards Florence: before Livorno/Stagno at km 77; between Vicarello and Lavoria at km 63; before Montopoli Val d’Arno at km 45; between San Miniato and Empoli Ovest at km 32; after Ginestra Fiorentina at km 8. towards Pisa/Livorno: between Lastra a Signa and Ginestra Fiorentina at km 12; after Montelupo fiorentino exit; between Santa Croce sull’Arno and Montopoli val d’Arno at km 41; between Montopoli val d’Arno and Pontedera at km 47; between Pisa Nord and Airport Galileo Galilei exit at km 73.

Autovelox on sgc fi-sitowards Florence: between Badesse and Monteriggioni at km 4.1; between Monteriggioni and Colle Val d’Elsa at km 12.7; Colle Val d’Elsa at km 15.7; exit Tavarnelle Val di Pesa at km 40.6; after San Casciano in Val di Pesa at km 49.8. towards Siena: after the exit Tavarnelle Val di Pesa at km 40.5; after San Donato in Poggio at km 31.5; after Poggibonsi at km 21.2; between the exits Colle Val d’Elsa and Colle Val d’Elsa Sud at km 16.6; between Monteriggioni and Badesse at km 6.8.

Tavarnuzze Via Cassia direction Siena-San Casciano on both entry and exit lanes, that means positioned to the left and right of the two lanes traffic flow.

San Casciano in Val di Pesa Via Volterrana, direction Cerbaia, Chiesanuova point at km 3.5, near the entry point of the town and near Mulino di Sugana point at km 6.5; Via Certaldese towards Certaldo; San Pancrazio at km 2.5 before Ponte Rotto; Via Empolese in the stretch around San Casciano; Cerbaia, Talente point at the end of the hill after Montepaldi, two speed cameras on both directions of motion; another speed camera after 1 km towards Cerbaia and yet another one in the same direction after the cemetery at 1.5 km circa; provincial highway 92 outbound San Casciano towards Mercatale.

Greve in Chianti Via Chiantigiana, Strada in Chianti point towards Florence; state highway 222 near la Presura point and between Chioccio and Greti places towards Florence; Via Cassia, il Ferrone point, two speed cameras on both directions of motion.

Tavarnelle Val di Pesa provincial highway Morrocco near to the village with the same name, two speed cameras on both directions of motion; state highway towards the centre of the town one device on both directions; provincial highway Pietracupa/San Donato in Poggio direction Castellina in Chianti.

Barberino Val d’Elsa Via Cassia towards the town centre one speed camera on both directions of motion.

Staying in Chianti

Chianti offers a wide range of accommodation options: you can choose between fine or even luxury lodgings, from villas, castles and resorts (obviously more expensive) to hotels, B&Bs and rustic farm-houses converted into holiday homes (“Agriturismo”, or “agricultural tourism/agritourism”), the most typical and characteristic accommodations where oil, wine and other typical specialties are directly produced and sold. Some are provided with excellent onsite restaurants. Due to the limits of this guide we will recommend you only a few. Regardless of the price, all accommodations suggested respond to specific service quality requirements: courtesy, welcoming atmosphere, cleanliness, and all comforts that may be required from heating and air conditioning, bathrooms with shower or bath tub, direct telephone and in many cases free wi-fi. Excellent, good or discrete is the value for money. The price range is divided schematically in high/middle/cheap. Obviously the matter is more articulated because, regardless of the level of the accommodation you prefere, it can happen to grab a good offer also in some historic abodes that generally submit higher prices, suitable to the type of accommodation. However we chose not to provide detailed prices, inevitably meant to rise with the passing of time. In fact, stressing the seriousness and the accuracy of the research carried out, the traveller must take into account that in accommodating facilities as well as in restaurants, pubs, cafés variables are always possible (management change, activity liquidation etc.). Fundamental are the search and comparison of your ideal accomodation to succeed in finding a desirable and advantageous houseroom, because various are the possibilities to take advantage of (need to lease the last available room, tourist presence lower than expected etc.). We suggest you to carry out your research on various Internet sites, you will thus also have the not insignificant advantage to verify the characteristics of what you have chosen. Some facilities include in the price the sojourn tax, around €1,5 per person per day, in effect from March to October. You should also know that from any destination you choose you can easily reach any locality, because Chianti is really at the center of a world and distances are minimal, so you can wander as much as you like from the florentine to the Sienese Chianti without necessarily having to change accommodation. We will provide you even the addresses of some campsgrounds even if these structures are not many.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES In case of an emergency for immediate medical attention call the free public first-aid number 118. Ambulance service is provided by the volunteers of Arciconfraternita della Misericordia, Humanitas and Croce d’Oro. The volunteers of these associations work alongside high level medical and paramedical personnel, able to manage basic and advanced levels of emergency medical assistance: in case of necessity they will transport the patient to the nearest hospital. These organizations represent a network presence in all Tuscany territory, from big towns to small villages, provided with a pharmacy (opening hours 9 am-1 pm and 4 pm-8 pm) and where the night doctor on call service is operational.