Chianti
The beautiful hilly region between Florence and Siena is known as the Chianti district. And you thought it was only the name of the wine? Come on our tour through this stunning part of the country and you will discover that there is a whole lot more to Chianti, than just the wine. (Do not worry though, we will stop and taste some on the way!)
The landscape of this area is characterized by numerous vineyards, orchards, olive groves and rolling hills. There are woods and fields as far as the eye can see, with many villas, churches, monasteries and castles throughout. So popular has this destination become with English-speaking tourists that have decided to buy property here, the area is widely known as Chiantishire!
The word Chianti probably comes from an Etruscan family name. It was them after all who introduced the vine here centuries ago. On this tour we can tailor the programme to suit individual tastes (wine tastes that is!). For example, we can visit a typical medieval castle such as Castello Vicchiomaggio, encircled by cypress trees on a hill with fabulous views. It is said that Leonardo da Vinci once stayed in the villa, and later on the powerful Medici family held spring banquets here.
Before reaching Greve, the centre of the wine industry, we can visit the charming little hamlet of Montefioralle, birthplace of the Vespuccifamily. Wine-tasting of course can be organised at various locations throughout Chianti, and after lunch at a typical trattoria the choice is yours: we can suggest more wine-tasting at local farms and wine producers, or a pleasurable visit to the small delightful village of Monteriggioni, built by the Sienese in 1203 as defence against the ever expanding Florentine republic.
Completely enclosed in its 13th century walls with 14 towers, Monteriggioni was described by Dante in his Divine Comedy. Wherever we go in this fantastic part of the world we are sure it will be an unforgettable experience (provided you go easy on the wine that is!).
Chianti, the area in which Chianti Classico wine has been produced for centuries, is that part of Tuscany that is bordered to the north by the suburbs of Florence, to the east by the Chianti Mountains, to the south by the city of Siena and to the west by the valleys of the Pesa and Elsa rivers. The area is traversed by the Superhighway of the Palio. It is a land of ancient traditions that was civilized in remote periods first by the Etruscans, who left many traces of their activity in the wine sector, and then by the Romans. In the Middle Ages, the cities of Florence and Siena battled for control over the zone.Villages and monasteries, castles and fortresses appeared during that period and many of them were later transformed into villas and country residences when times were more tranquil.It was then that spaces were cleared in the vast forests of chestnuts and oaks for the cultivation of vines and olive trees, an activity that progressively assumed major economic importance and established an international reputation.
San Gimignano
When you'll arrive in San Gimignano and walk through the ancient gates, you'll think the time had stopped many centuries ago. Inside the town-walls everything had preserved its Medieval shape, with the exception of the hotels where you'll find all the modern comforts and the restaurants where you'll taste the best Tuscan cousine with its very good wine.
The town of San Giminiano is probably of Etruscan origin. The first legend about the town can be dated back to the Roman period when Silvio and his followers are said to have settled here leaving Roma after Catilina’s conspiracy. Therefore Silvia, the ancient name of the town, probably came from Silvio. The town was later named San Giminiano after St. Giminiano, bishop of Modena, to thank him for helping its people to fight the Barbarians. After the Roman period the town was ruled by the Longobards and according to tradition King Desiderio stayed in the Pesciolini Tower. In 1227 the town had 7000 inhabitants and it was the most important producer of saffron that was exported to Pisa, Lucca, Genova and also to France and the Low Countries.
In the first half of the XIII century the most important buildings of the town were erected and the squares, with their fountains, were also planned. In the XIV century the town developed in trades and enjoyed a period of great splendour in poetry, art and architecture. The plague of 1348 caused the decadence of the town which decided to submit itself to Firenze in 1353. For this reason, San Giminiano lost most of its ancient autonomy even if many artists continued to work there.
In the XVI century the town completely lost its prestige and splendour. Here the plague raged again in 1464 and 1631, starting a period of decadence for the town: the town-walls fell to pieces, the Medieval mansions fell into disrepaire and no one had enough money to stop all this, as the richest and most important families had left the town because of the plague. Consequently, the architectural and artistic heritage remained untouched for four centuries.
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