florence wine tasting tours

We're planning such a trip from Florence next fall to a Chianti winery that has generated positive reviews on the RS Helpline. The link is http://www.verrazzano.com/en. We haven't been yet, but looking forward to it. About an hour's drive from Florence, so you'd also have to hire a car/driver. We're doing that through Paola Barubiani, who is recommended in Rick Steves' Italy: [email protected].

Good luck!

Gio

Hi, just did the tour/wine tasting at Castle Vernzzano, and it was wonderful. You don't have to hire a driver, the public bus service is great and runs quite frequently. It takes about 45 minutes, and the cost is about 3 euro each way. It is a really nice experience, but let me tell you there is a long walk from the wine shop in Greve to the Castle, and I emailed them to have them pick me up at the bottom. They were quite accommodating. You will enjoy it, but no need for a driver.

Naomi, please tell more, I am looking for an affordable option using public transportation from Florence. Which tour did you do and what was included? When you left did they take you back down or did you walk? If you walked, how far is it, and did you carry wine? thanks

Here is the website, you can get any of the information here. You choose which activity, tour/lunch you would like. And, yes they did take me back down the hill, which is a LONG way, I would say about 1 mile, 15 minutes. So, check this, it has the most information. http://www.verrazzano.com/en/index.php?c=azienda, you may have to cut and paste, but it will give you everything you need.

While in Tuscany in May I booked the Verazzano wine & lunch tour and had a perfectly fabulous afternoon. I too traveled by the local bus - picked it up at the far end of the train station in Florence. The cost was minimal and not really a very long ride. Be sure and indicate to the driver where you want to get off. My plan was to have the winery personnel give me a ride up the hill and back but when I checked in the women in her wonderful Italian expressive self said "Oh impossible today." A friendly couple from Oregon offered me a ride as they were in the same tour. We had a wonderful afternoon together and I highly recommend Verazzano.

Unless you're actually planning to visit Florence during the ship's stop, you may instead want consider a wine tour from Pisa, which is fast and easy to reach from Livorno. Pisa would save you at least 2 hours of travel time that could be devoted to your wine tour. Plus, wine tours tend to leave mid-morning and that would be tight if touring from Florence. I cannot recommend any specific wine tours, but a quick Google search of "wine tours pisa" turned up a couple of winery tours in the Pisa hills that look interesting and might fit well with your time on shore.

We were interested in this trip and inquired about a tour on this Saturday. The contact at the vineyard replied that it would be difficult with pubic transportation. Maybe because it is Saturday and the bus schedule is mire spread out. He suggested using a car service and estimated it would be €180 round trip. Are there any other options to get there which are cheaper? Perhaps a less expensive car service? Thanks in advance for the help!