GuideGreve in Chianti, Tuscany, ItalyJul 13, 20268 min read

The Chianti Wine Road

Florence to Siena on the Chiantigiana, one village at a time

Adam Admin

forPublisher Demo Travel Agency

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Rows of vines on a Chianti hillside at sunset — Sunset over the Chianti hills. Photo: Julia Borst Brazas

Greve, Panzano, Castellina and Radda: how to drive, taste and eat your way through Chianti Classico.

The road between two rivals

For centuries the hills between Florence and Siena were contested ground, and the castles and fortified villages that dot them are a reminder of it. Today the border country is Chianti Classico, marked on every bottle by a black rooster, and the road that winds through it, the SR222 or Chiantigiana, is one of the loveliest drives in Italy.

The road is only about seventy kilometres long, but give it at least three days. Greve in Chianti is the gateway, with an arcaded, funnel-shaped piazza and a wine shop where you can taste dozens of estates by the glass. Panzano is known for its butcher, whose shop is equal parts deli, theatre and lunch counter. Castellina has a medieval tunnel street along its walls, and Radda is the quietest and prettiest of the hill towns.

The grape is sangiovese, and the wines range from bright, cherry-scented everyday bottles to long-aged Gran Selezione. Finish dinner the local way, with a glass of Vin Santo and almond cantucci to dip in it.

Evening in the vines

Vines on a Chianti hillside at sunset — The golden hour, from a terrace above Greve.

Villages along the way

Greve in Chianti: the market square and an enoteca with dozens of wines by the glass
Panzano: the butcher, and the church terrace view
Castellina in Chianti: the covered Via delle Volte
Radda in Chianti: a quiet hill town for the last night