by Maureen C. Bruschi
Tuscany has so much to offer, sometimes it hard to decide where you should spend your precious hours each day. If it’s your first visit to Italy, you’ll probably want to study the Renaissance paintings, sculptures and architecture of Florence, and explore Siena’s Piazza del Campo’s ring of medieval palaces.
However, when you need a break from Tuscany’s dazzling art and architecture, head to Greve in Chianti. This historic town is located halfway between Florence and Siena and will give you a real flavor of Tuscany, with its vineyards, olive groves, Chianti wine, and Saturday morning market.
You won’t want to miss out on Tuscany’s fine leather handcrafts. My family stopped in Greve’s LBG leather factory outlet and walked away with 4 wallets and 2 belts. They have over 1,000 articles from ladies handbags to traveling bags and briefcases. If you like the feel and smell of leather jackets, LBG’s prices can’t be beat.
Our next stop was Piazza Matteottti, Greve’s triangular piazza in the center of the village. The piazza is lined with arched loggias and porticoes that provide shade to shoppers in the mid-summer heat.
You’ll discover shops filled with Tuscany’s famous alabaster (the only translucent stone existing in nature) and Chianti wine, and ceramics, furniture, and handicrafts. If you visit on a Saturday morning as we did, you’ll get a chance to wander around their large open market where you’ll find fruits, vegetables, clothes, tools and kitchen items. The weekly Saturday morning market stays open until about 1:00PM.
We stopped in a specialty shop and examined all sorts of items made from alabaster including animals, vases, clocks, lamps, and chessboards. My sister Sue and her friend Lil purchased a decorative plate of fruits (apples, grapes, pears, plums and cherries) all made from alabaster.
In the southern tip of the piazza you’ll see the 11th century neo-classical facade of the Church of Santa Croce (rebuilt in 1325 after a fire). Here you’ll discover paintings of the school of Beato Angelico and a triptych by Bicci di Lorenzo. On the other side of the piazza sits a statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485-1528), the first explorer to sail into the New York Harbor. Giovanni da Verrazzano was born in Greve in Chianti.
Often called the “city of wine,” Greve in Chianti is well known for its dry, ruby red Chianti wines, the most famous of Italy’s red wines. Greve’s vineyards help produce the world-famous Chianti and “Super Tuscan” wines. The town hosts Chianti’s largest wine fair every year during the second weekend of September.
In addition to Greve’s Chianti Wine Festival, the town celebrates a number of festivals and events throughout the year, including the Antiques and Collectors’ Fair on Easter Monday and the second Sunday of October; Plants and Flowers Market Exhibition the first Sunday in May; and the Grape Harvest which generally takes place in late September or early October.
IF YOU GO:
GETTING AROUND:
By Air:
Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci Airport (Peretola Airport) is about 31 Km (19 miles) north of Greve in Chianti. But it’s a tiny airport operated by a limited number of small international and U.S. airlines. We flew into Pisa’s Galileo Galilei Airport, about 105 Km (65 miles) northwest of Greve in Chianti. Pisa’s airport is served by major European and U.S. airlines
Driving:
We rented a car and took side trips during our stay in Tuscany. As you map out day trips throughout Tuscany, keep in mind that the roads are narrow and windy. A trip of 15 to 20 miles might take an hour or longer, so plan accordingly.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
LBG Leather Factory Outlet, Via G. Pastore, 3/A, Greve in Chianti, Florence; www.lbgitalia.com
Where to Stay:
My family stayed in a villa on the outskirts of Montespertoli, a small village in Tuscany with a view of rolling hillsides full of Chianti vineyards. Six of us in a villa was definitely cheaper than staying in a hotel. If you’re interested in renting a villa, check out VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owners) Vacation Rentals. There are hundreds of villas to choose from in Tuscany. Costs vary by season and size of the villa. The website is www.vrbo.com.
Where to Eat:
I’Barbagianni, Via Luca Cini N.S., Greve in Chianti. A great place to sit outside and relax during lunch. Serves sandwiches of your choice (picture fresh tomatoes, meats and cheeses drizzled with Tuscany olive oil) topped off with a glass of Chianti wine. Within walking distance of the Piazza Matteotti.
www.janeandken.com/Greve/GreveRestaurants.html. Good reviews and photos of restaurants in and around Greve in Chianti. (Piazza Matteottti also offers a number of great places to eat.)
RSS
