Chianti Wine Region

Where to go and what to see in Florence to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Nicky Swallow.

Where to go and what to see in Florence to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Nicky Swallow.

A Swiss-owned Brancaia winery located near Castellina-in-Chianti. As well as cellar tours and tastings, they offer a ‘Blending Experience’ with the sommelier.

Lying directly on the SS222, hill-top Castellina was once a bastion of Florentine dominance as seen in the imposing fortifications and tower. It’s a very pleasant town to wander around and there are lots of places to buy and taste wine.

Ama is a tiny stone hamlet near Gaiole in a glorious setting. Apart from superb wines, Ama has an excellent restaurant, four lovely suites and one of the most important collections of site-specific artworks in Italy.

The aristocratic Marchesi Mazzei family have been making wine at Fonterutoli since the 11th century; it now boasts a state-of-the-art wine cellar where you can book tours and tastings. The superb wines pair well with the elegant-rustic dishes on offer at the Osteria.

A heady mix of incomparable Renaissance art, gorgeous palazzos, Tuscan cuisine and home-grown haute couture.

The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.

An ex-cinema houses the fabulous private model railway collection belonging to the late Marchese di San Giuliano. The centrepiece is a 280-square metre model, one of the largest in Europe; the landscaping (from mountains to seascapes) is exquisite.

The world’s greatest wine regions – where you can sip the world’s greatest wines at source, and tour the vineyards to learn how they’re made.