We are staying in a villa outside of Florence. It is 20 minutes south in a place called Impruneta, which is part of the Chianti region. The house is beyond beautiful and afford us the option to have in villa dining as well as a cooking class if we want. I am wondering what anyone who has stayed in a villa in this region has decided to do with their time. We have five nights. We definitely want to spend a day perhaps two days in Florence and then the rest relaxing at the villa as well as checking out local countryside - towns and wineries. We will need to rely on a private driver to either take us to Florence, where many tours originate, or to take us on private tours, that we arrange ourselves with the house hosts help. The house host has been wonderful, but because we are coming in early March, some of the places, she normally steers, her guests are not open. She is willing to help me through us both doing mutual research but I’m trying to narrow down where I actually want to go and I don’t know the area so I’m not sure what should be on my list of must see s. For example, the town of sienna looks amazing as well as it’s cathedral and I’ve also heard great things about San Gim. I am wondering if we are getting too aggressive to try to do more than those two locations in addition to Florence. Has anyone stayed in a Chianti Villa and how did you spend your time? What would you do with five nights?
Posted by
11500 posts
You have five full days? Or less?
Florence- One full day. You’ll miss some of the villages if you go to Florence on two of your five days. Or stay in Florence before or after your Villa stay. That is what I recommend.
Siena- 1/2 day to a full day.
Chianti villages- Castellina, Radda, Panzano, Greve etc. The villages are on the historic Chiantigiana, the road that connects Siena and Florence. We have stayed in many of these villages and keep returning, 5-6 times.
. Charming, small markets and the ceramiche, ceramics shops. I have a lot of these ceramics.
Volterra- stunning hill town.
Sam Gimignano- Amazing towers to climb.
You will see signs for wineries everywhere.
We ended up at one where they only spoke Italian. We did order a case from them and had it shipped home, all went well. Price of the wine equaled the shipping cost.
We always rent a car.
Every day when we had our whole family, grandkids, teens too we would go to a village, have lunch and explore. Then return to the villa for a swim (June). Repeat the next day. When we had the whole family we had to have three cars.
I doubt that you will want to rest at the villa during the day, too much to see and experience!
Our hosts always have been very helpful too.
Have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
Rural Georgia
2176 posts
We spent 10 days at an agriturismo just outside Greve and had a wonderful time. Like Suki we had a car and visited all the places she mentioned.
It looks like it's about 30 minutes from Impruneta to Florence by bus. I'd check on the details with your host. You could easily travel from Florence to Siena by bus. I'd then arrange for a day tour of San Gimignano and Volterra. You can have a wonderful trip just doing that. You didn't say how long you have. That's a busy week's worth right there. If you had two weeks, I'd still pretty much just stick to that.