Ever since “Under the Tuscan Sun” came out, I think we were all caught in the charm of this beautiful wine country just an hour outside of Florence in Italy. On my honeymoon in July of 2022, I got to explore this incredible wine region. Follow my 3 Day Tuscany Winery Guide below along with some tips on where to stay, eat, and how to travel in just 3 days.
Florence
We started our trip in Florence, Italy. An incredibly vibrant city full of so much history, and easily reachable by train from anywhere in Italy. I think if you are in the area you should definitely plan to stay a few days in Florence to check out the Duomo, see Michelangelo’s David statue, stroll along the Ponte Vecchio, eat a Florentine Steak (we had an incredible one at the restaurant Fuoco Matto https://www.fuocomatto.it/), and explore some of the intimate wine bars of the city (namely Il Santino, a must for a meat and cheese plate and a glass of wine in the coziest atmosphere).
We rented a car from Florence and then began our drive to Tuscany!
Day 1: Antinori nel Chianti Classico and Lamole
Just 30 minutes out of the city, right off the main highway, is the famous winery Antinori nel Chianti Classico, in a beautiful building with incredible architecture. We didn’t have a reservation for a tasting and tour which I’m sure would be great, but we did spend some time wandering through the vineyards and wine shop where you can taste many of the wines produced on the Antinori’s different estates in Tuscany including Tignanello, Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Marchese Antinori and more. It was a great first stop to explore one of the larger, more well known wineries.
We then drove 30 minutes to Castello di Verrazzano in Greve in Chianti, where we would be staying for the night in their adorable agritourism (which is like a Farmhouse) right on the vineyard. I highly recommend staying here for a beautiful, peaceful stay right in the heart of Chianti, waking up to the sun rising over the vineyards and no one around other than a couple cute cats. https://www.verrazzano.com/en/agritourism/ That night we went to dinner at Ristoro di Lamole https://www.ristorodilamole.it/, a wonderful Italian restaurant on a hilltop overlooking vineyards. The meal ended with a taste of their own locally made Amaro and Limoncello, quite the treat!
Day 2: Castello di Verrazzano and San Gimignano
The next morning we had a tour, tasting and lunch at Castello di Verrazzano and what a treat! The Castle has been around for around 1000 years, so you get an incredible sense of history walking the grounds. We got to see the rooms where they make their balsamic vinegar, as well as the rooms they dry the grapes in for their Vin Santo, which was fascinating as well. Lunch was another level, just course after course of cheeses, pasta, meats, and dessert, all paired with their delicious wines. Come hungry, and allow time for a nap afterwards!
For dinner that night we drove to San Gimignano which is a wonderful old medieval city, I would absolutely recommend allowing some time to wander through the cobblestone streets. We had dinner at Le Vicchie Mura https://www.vecchiemura.it/ which had the most beautiful sunset and delicious food, highly recommend! Make sure to have a glass of the region’s famous Vernaccia di San Gimignano while you are there!
Day 3: Tenuta di Arceno, Borgo Scopeto, and Siena
The next day we drove to Tenuta di Arceno https://www.tenutadiarceno.com/en in San Gusmè. Their Valadorna and Arcanum wines are some of my most favorite Super Tuscan’s (which are wines made in Tuscany from International grape varieties like Cab Sauv, Merlot, etc). This was a wonderful tasting including some back vintages and cheeses to pair.
We then drove to Borgo Scopeto in Vagliagli. We had a great tour of the winery and got to taste Borgo Scopeto Chianti’s as well as Caparzo Brunello’s that they own as well.
We stayed that night at the Borgo Scopeto Wine & Country Relais https://www.borgoscopetorelais.it/en/index which was such a luxurious stay with a great pool, extensive breakfast buffet and spa. After a quick nap at the hotel, we made it out that night to Siena and had a great dinner overlooking the Piazza del Campo, a really beautiful city.
The next day we made our way back to Florence to fly out, full of great wine, food, and wonderful memories! Hope this 3 day Tuscany Winery Guide helps you plan out your trip through Tuscany, exploring incredible wineries and medieval towns!
