This summer, Dan and I went on an unforgettable two-week trip to Italy & France. We made stops in FIVE different areas, so over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some highlights from each place we visited. Planning a trip with this many stops can get complicated, so I’ll try to include some tips & logistics that were helpful to us. First stop – Tuscany!
We went to Tuscany on our honeymoon & fell in love with it. Tuscany is a massive region, so we knew we’d make our way back for more at some point (but we didn’t imagine it’d be less than two years after our first visit!). To kick off this European adventure, we decided to ease our way in & start with a somewhat familiar area. On our honeymoon we explored the Montepulciano area, so this time we opted to stay in Chianti, right near the town of Castellina in Chianti.
A few tips about Chianti/Tuscany as a whole:
- It’s a very spread out region – you will need a car to get around. We always rent a car & Dan braves the windy (and sometimes unpaved) Tuscan roads, but I’ve heard of people hiring car services to avoid driving. Maybe one day that’ll be in our budget. 😊
- The towns are almost always situated on top of the highest hilltops, surrounded by massive, ancient city walls. They’re kind of a pain to get to, but definitely worth making the trek at least once during your stay. This is where you’ll find charming cobblestone streets, restaurants/bars, & amazing views overlooking the Tuscan countryside.
- Most wineries in the area offer tastings/tours but they do require reservations. We always plan ahead and pick which ones we want to visit. Then we map out our days starting with the furthest winery, and wind back towards our hotel while stopping at our remaining destinations throughout the day.
We spent 3 days in Chianti – highlights:
- How to get there: Rent a car – we flew overnight from Atlanta to Rome, rented a car from Sixt, and drove directly to Chianti (about 3-hour drive).
- Where to stay: Locanda le Piazze – quaint, yet luxurious former farmhouse turned boutique hotel surrounded by olive groves, vines, & breathtaking Tuscan views. We spent two of our mornings relaxing by the pool & loved every second of it. The restaurant onsite, Tavola Di Guido, is also delicious & the chef is Michelin star-rated. …we had dinner there twice, no shame.
- What to do (aka where to drink wine):
- Pioggio Amorelli – beautiful terrace, tasting included lots of snacks (olive oil, balsamic, fresh baked bread)
- Gagliole – favorite winery of this trip, & they gave us a private tour of their beautiful grounds. This one is a smaller operation than the others we visited. They only do private tours, so you definitely need reservations in advance.
- Guicciardini Strozzi – huge estate, massive & impressive operation. Owned by the Strozzi family- one of the oldest, noble Italian families. We met one of the Strozzi daughters while we were there & she’s a legitimate princess AND related to the Mona Lisa (seriously – look it up. Mind blown).
- Tenuta Torciano – the grounds weren’t as pretty as some of the others, but the tasting came with a full meal (including the most delicious lasagna I’ve ever eaten) & Dan liked their wine so much that he bought a case while I was in the bathroom (cool, cool).
- Castellare di Chianti – we didn’t do a formal tasting here, but bought a bottle instead & enjoyed it from a terrace on their property to watch a rare Tuscan summer storm roll in – that was my favorite view of our whole time in Tuscany.
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi 
Chianti, Tuscany – Gagliole 
Chianti, Tuscany – Pioggio Amorelli 
Chianti, Tuscany – Tenuta Torciano 
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi 
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi 
Chianti, Tuscany – Gagliole Vineyard 
Chianti, Tuscany – Castellare in Chianti 
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi 
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi 
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi 
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi 
Chianti, Tuscany – Guicciardini Strozzi
- Where to eat:
- Pizzeria il Fondaccio – good lunch spot in Castellina in Chianti, we (obviously) ordered pizza & ate outside on their terrace
- Rosticceria Il Re Gallo – nice dinner restaurant on the square in Castellina in Chianti; had the best cacio e pepe of the whole trip here
- Tavola Di Guido – (restaurant at our hotel, see above)
Tavola Di Guido 
Pizzeria il Fondaccio 
Tavola Di Guido
- What to see:
- Castellina in Chianti – picturesque Tuscan hilltop town full of winding cobblestone streets, shops, restaurants, squares, bars, etc. perfect place to spend an evening wandering around & taking in the sights
We loved our days in Tuscany, and don’t think we’ll ever feel like we’ve had enough of it. It was the perfect way to ease into our European adventure, and we love the memories we’ve made there. If you have any questions about Tuscany, let me know! Up next, a few days in Florence.
Thanks for stopping by,
The Zs
ROWDY'S RANCH 