Distances
• Closest commercial and private airport Florence 40 km - 45 minutes drive
• Badia a Passignano 7 km - 15 minutes drive
• Panzano 7.5 km - 16 minutes drive
• Greve in Chianti 8 km - 18 minutes drive
• Castellina in Chianti 22 km - 40 minutes drive
• Florence 35 km - 40 minutes drive
• San Gimignano 40 km - 50 minutes drive
• Siena 55 km - 50 minutes drive
• Volterra 65 km - 1 hour 20 min drive
• Pisa 95 km - 1 hour and half drive
• Lucca 110 km - 1 hour and 40 min drive
• Rome 300 km - 3 hour drive
Things to do
• The Chianti area: Famous for its wines - the Chianti Classico - this area of Tuscany has more than just world-class oenological pleasures to offer. The curious visitor will come across many delightful villages, each of them with a history of its own. Let us simply mention lesser known gems such as the romanesque church of Sant'Appiano, the Basilica of Impruneta, the fortified castle of Monteriggioni and the roofless romanesque abbey of San Galgano which are all close. And don’t miss the Saturday market in the small town of Greve.
• Badia a Passignano with its Abbey dated 395 A.C. and where one of the most famous Chiantis, the "Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva D.O.C.G."by the Antinory family is produced. Wine tour in the cellars of the ancient Abbey can be organised.
• The village of Montalcino, home to the famous Brunello di Montalcino stands hilltop covered almost entirely with vineyards and at its centre signature examples of Medieval architecture: the Palazzo dei Priori and the wonderful Rocca fortress, built circa XIV century. Nine kilometres to the south of Montalcino, in a timeless rural landscape surrounded by yet more Brunello vineyards, can be found the Abbey of Sant’Antimo.
• Impruneta, a typical Tuscan town with tidy streets and honey-colored stone buildings bunched together, has a lovely square, 3 restaurants, and two good spots for gelato. Impruneta is famous for terracotta and ceramic production.
• Florence: The city lies on the Arno River and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance; in fact, it has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages.[2] It was long under the de facto rule of the Medici family. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The historic centre of Florence continues to attract millions of tourists each year and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982.
• Siena: The Sienese have no doubt, their town is the most beautiful in all of Tuscany, if not all of Italy. Siena has remained a Gothic city. Renaissance, one of the major influences in Florence, hardly affected the urban development of Siena. The city unfolds around the main shell-shaped square called "Il Campo." Twice a year the famous horse race known as the "Palio" takes place here. The narrow streets are lined with old shops and small cafes, while churches and museums are real treasures of the fourteenth century.
• San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometers outside the town. The town also is known for the white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, grown in the area.
• The seashore: the sandy beaches along the coast of Versilia at turn of the century Viareggio and fashionable Forte dei Marmi with their trendy bars, designer shopping and some of the best seafood restaurants in Italy
• Restaurants: eating out is a way of getting to know the area. Simple local trattorias rub their shoulders with more sophisticated restaurants specialised in refined cuisine. Fresh local produce always plays the leading role.
• Local craftsmanship: hand-made terracotta pots from Impruneta, hand painted pottery from Montelupo, mouth-blown crystal glass from the neighbouring village Colle Val d'Elsa, not to mention the south bank of the Arno river in Florence where you will find a multitude of craftsmen working silver, leather, wood, glass, paper and metal.
