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Started By
Message
Italy experts: Off the path Tuscany...
Posted on 3/14/25 at 4:15 pm
Posted on 3/14/25 at 4:15 pm
I have been to Italy a few times now and consider myself pretty well traveled there, but I was wondering if there were any specific small towns, wineries, or experiences that really blew you away. We will be staying in a Villa in Greve Chianti for about 10 days in November. Anything within a 3 hour drive is on the table.
Some of the areas we have already been and do not plan on visiting this trip:
Rome
Amalfi Coast
Venice
San Gimignano
Milan
Portofino
Terme San Fillippo
Chiusi
Pienza
Areas we have been and will visit again this trip:
Florence
Montepulciano
Some of the areas we have already been and do not plan on visiting this trip:
Rome
Amalfi Coast
Venice
San Gimignano
Milan
Portofino
Terme San Fillippo
Chiusi
Pienza
Areas we have been and will visit again this trip:
Florence
Montepulciano
6
Posted on 3/14/25 at 4:56 pm to jsquardjj
I love Greve. Jealous. Greve has the best enoteca in Tuscany outside of La Fortezza in Montalcino. I think the butcher shop in Greve is one of the oldest butcher shops in Italy.
Radda is great. There’s a fantastic ceramic shop just outside of Radda.
Gaiole in Chianti is my favorite little town in Tuscany. I Sodi is a great little vineyard there. I have several cases of their wine in my collection.
San Sano has a great restaurant and the frozen lemon dessert filled with lemon sorbet is one of my favorite desserts.
Dario the Butchers restaurant isn’t far and is a great time. Be forewarned, if people in your party don’t like rare meat it’s not the restaurant for them.
Radda is great. There’s a fantastic ceramic shop just outside of Radda.
Gaiole in Chianti is my favorite little town in Tuscany. I Sodi is a great little vineyard there. I have several cases of their wine in my collection.
San Sano has a great restaurant and the frozen lemon dessert filled with lemon sorbet is one of my favorite desserts.
Dario the Butchers restaurant isn’t far and is a great time. Be forewarned, if people in your party don’t like rare meat it’s not the restaurant for them.
This post was edited on 3/14/25 at 5:03 pm
Posted on 3/14/25 at 6:51 pm to jsquardjj
Greve is home to my favorite wine bar in the world - Enoteca Falorni.
My second favorite is the one inside the fort in Montalcino.
In Montepulciano, the wineries are outside of town, but they have tasting rooms in ton on top of the hill with wine cellars carved in to the limestone hill.
Don't forget Siena and you can visit Volterra which is not far from San G.
Tuscany is one of my favorite vacations. Been there 4 times.
If you are going to Portofino, look into the Cinque Terre. Smaller version of the Amalfi Coast.
My second favorite is the one inside the fort in Montalcino.
In Montepulciano, the wineries are outside of town, but they have tasting rooms in ton on top of the hill with wine cellars carved in to the limestone hill.
Don't forget Siena and you can visit Volterra which is not far from San G.
Tuscany is one of my favorite vacations. Been there 4 times.
If you are going to Portofino, look into the Cinque Terre. Smaller version of the Amalfi Coast.
Posted on 3/15/25 at 12:13 pm to VABuckeye
Thank yall. This is exactly what I was looking for.
I will definitely check out both of those enotecas.
I will definitely check out both of those enotecas.
Posted on 3/15/25 at 12:32 pm to jsquardjj
Absolutely.
The one in Greve invented and holds the patent on those machines that take debit cards and spout out wine samples. Last time I counted about 120 of them in there. Chianti Classico is their specialty.
The specialty at the one in the Montalcino Fort is Brunello.
There are a lot of great wineries around there that are small and family owned. If you are looking for the big, visitor friendly, corporate wineries, three we enjoyed were Antinori, just south of Florence, Banfi near Montalcino and Dievole, north of Siena.
Also, when you go to Montalcino, go up the hill to the Sant Antimo Abbey. 1000 year old church in a beautiful setting where you can listen to the monks sing Gregorian chants.
The one in Greve invented and holds the patent on those machines that take debit cards and spout out wine samples. Last time I counted about 120 of them in there. Chianti Classico is their specialty.
The specialty at the one in the Montalcino Fort is Brunello.
There are a lot of great wineries around there that are small and family owned. If you are looking for the big, visitor friendly, corporate wineries, three we enjoyed were Antinori, just south of Florence, Banfi near Montalcino and Dievole, north of Siena.
Also, when you go to Montalcino, go up the hill to the Sant Antimo Abbey. 1000 year old church in a beautiful setting where you can listen to the monks sing Gregorian chants.
Posted on 3/15/25 at 1:12 pm to geauxpurple
The other big vineyard in the area is Baron Ricasoli. Excellent wines and a gorgeous castle and grounds with great views. Be sure to find the parking lot on the top of the hill. There are a bazillion steps to walk up if you park in the lower parking lot (ask me how I know).
Posted on 3/15/25 at 2:39 pm to VABuckeye
Yes.
I have also been to Ricasolli..
Iconic setting in a castle on top of the hill.
The original owner invented the recipe for Chianti Classico that is still used today.
We toured parts of the castle then had a tasting in the facility at the bottom of the hill.
I have also been to Ricasolli..
Iconic setting in a castle on top of the hill.
The original owner invented the recipe for Chianti Classico that is still used today.
We toured parts of the castle then had a tasting in the facility at the bottom of the hill.
Posted on 3/15/25 at 11:14 pm to geauxpurple
Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano
As the other people said the fortress in Montalcino is an incredible wine bar. Also in Montalcino Enoteca di Piazza has the same system of scanning cards and wine pours
In Panzano is Dario’s butcher shop. If you’re staying in a place that you can cook one night - go buy a steak and his olive oil and seasoning and cook at home. Also he has a food truck on the outskirt of Panzano that serves burgers that are good and different
If staying in Greve - there’s a couple restaurants in Montefioralle that would be worth the walk or quick ride. Start with a tasting at the Montefioralle winery
As the other people said the fortress in Montalcino is an incredible wine bar. Also in Montalcino Enoteca di Piazza has the same system of scanning cards and wine pours
In Panzano is Dario’s butcher shop. If you’re staying in a place that you can cook one night - go buy a steak and his olive oil and seasoning and cook at home. Also he has a food truck on the outskirt of Panzano that serves burgers that are good and different
If staying in Greve - there’s a couple restaurants in Montefioralle that would be worth the walk or quick ride. Start with a tasting at the Montefioralle winery
Posted on 3/17/25 at 9:06 am to jsquardjj
quote:I highly recommend Civita di Bagnoregio. It's very unique and picturesque.
I was wondering if there were any specific small towns, wineries, or experiences that really blew you away
Posted on 3/19/25 at 12:22 pm to jsquardjj
Siena Italy. Osteria da Divo is a restaurant in an Etruscan cave that I highly recommend
Posted on 3/19/25 at 2:29 pm to Man4others
quote:I have been there. Good food in unique and historic surroundings.
da Divo
There are several excellent restaurants in Siena that are built among old Etruscan ruins.
Posted on 3/21/25 at 11:35 am to jsquardjj
Cortona is very nice. Marco Molesini has built quite a wine-oriented tourist business. There is a Molesini family connection to NOLA. Other Tuscan cities are an easy train ride away. For any U.Ga fans, a small U. Ga campus has been in Cortona for 50 years.
Posted on 3/21/25 at 1:41 pm to Tree_Fall
We have been twice to Tuscany. One of our favorite days was strolling Volterra and getting the museum pass for the town.
It was just fun walking all of the small streets .
Etruscan ruins at the top of the town where you can go into the ancient water cistern via spiral staircase.
Alabaster Museum was very good and the roman Amphitheatre is cool.
We had a couple of meals at the local cafes that were really good. I am terrible at getting their information.
Also they have this tiny chapel in town that the doors barely close on. The mosiacs inside were done by an artist that has some of his work in the Louvre. The name of the chapel is Oratorio di Sant' Antonio
Volterra link.
It was just fun walking all of the small streets .
Etruscan ruins at the top of the town where you can go into the ancient water cistern via spiral staircase.
Alabaster Museum was very good and the roman Amphitheatre is cool.
We had a couple of meals at the local cafes that were really good. I am terrible at getting their information.
Also they have this tiny chapel in town that the doors barely close on. The mosiacs inside were done by an artist that has some of his work in the Louvre. The name of the chapel is Oratorio di Sant' Antonio
Volterra link.
Posted on 3/21/25 at 9:15 pm to jsquardjj
Siena very old world feel
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