I am planning on renting a car on my last day in Florence and drive to Panzano Chianti then on to Siena.
Do any of you have some recommendations for a scenic drive?
Is it a safe and comfortable drive?
Easy to navigate?
Will GPS work in the Tuscany area?
I am open to drives other than mine. Just so I end up in Siena.
Thank you very much!
Ciao for now.
Steve
Posted by
Rural Georgia
2213 posts
Steve,
Take the famous Chiantigiana Road. Be sure to plan enough time to stop and dawdle in the charming towns you'll pass through. To answer your questions:
It's a safe and comfortable drive. It is easy to navigate.
Your GPS will work fine. We also took a Michelin paper map.
I'll jump in before the alarmists respond. Driving in Tuscany is easy and pleasant, but there are a few things you need to do to make it so. If you don't have one, get an IDP. Study up on Italian road signage and rules of the road. Strictly obey the speed limit, especially in the small towns like Greve that you'll pass through. Remember that automated speed control, including cameras, is used extensively. If a resident wants to go faster, just pull over and let them by. You don't want to hurry anyway.
There are a few hill towns on the way that have ZTLs, but they are well marked. Just assume any area within the city walls is ZTL. There's ample parking outside the towns.
You could time your drive to reach Greve mid-morning. Spend an hour or so wandering this charming village, then take a tour and have lunch at Castello di Verrazzano. This was our home base for the 10 days we stayed in Tuscany. There wines are great and the food is wonderful.
Posted by
Austin TX after living in Boulder CO for 25 years
1175 posts
DougMac is correct - lovely drive and easy to navigate. We made a pit stop in every village !
Our problem was looking out at the vineyards and keeping our eyes on the road - it is hilly and as you come around curves, you need to watch for bikers....
Posted by
New York, NY
1586 posts
The SR222 ‘Chiantigiana road’ winds south from Florence to Siena. It’s probably the most famous of all scenic drives in Tuscany. And definitely one of the best ways to sample the beauty of Tuscany’s countryside. At the end of a day’s driving, you can taste some of the wonderful wines produced in the region.
Peaceful scenery is your companion on the drive from Greve in Chianti, the gateway to the Chianti area, to Panzano. The show carries on along the way to Castellina in Chianti, where the winding road embraces perfectly combed vineyards and silvery olive groves.
From Castellina take the SR429 to Radda in Chianti, the most scenic of all Chianti towns. Then go back to Panzano via the SP2bis, a lovely road that spirals through more vineyard and ancient woods.