Pisa and Chianti - towers, river walks and wine country

In brief: Pisa works by train and on foot; Chianti works best with a car and an appetite for detours. Start with the Pisa sights, then follow the Strada Chiantigiana south through Greve, Panzano, Radda and Castellina.

Pisa and the Field of Miracles

Pisa is more than the souvenir stalls around its famous campanile. The cathedral, baptistery and cemetery form the Campo dei Miracoli, or Field of Miracles, one of Italy's great architectural settings. The city also has an Arno riverfront, a university atmosphere and a quieter collection of medieval and Renaissance art.

Human settlement in Pisa may reach back to the Bronze Age. Etruscans lived here before Rome absorbed the city. During the early medieval period Pisa became a major economic power and, with the maritime centers of Amalfi, Genoa and Venice, formed the group of four republics. Florence took control during the 1400s. Pisa suffered heavy damage during the Second World War, but the Duomo, the Leaning Tower and other major Romanesque structures survived.

Getting to Pisa and walking the city

Pisa is about an hour from Florence by train. By car, the Firenze-Pisa-Livorno autostrada, commonly called the Fi-Pi-Li, provides the direct road. Trains between Pisa and Lucca run frequently and take about 30 minutes. Once in Pisa, walking is the easiest way to connect the main sights, and the broad views along the Arno are worth adding to the day.

The Pisa Tourism Office is at Piazza XX Settembre. The listed contact number is 050/550100.The Piazza del Duomo sites offer several combination-ticket options, so compare the available passes before buying separate admissions.

The Field of Miracles

• ✦Battistero - this Gothic building faces the Duomo and is especially known for Nicola Pisano's pulpit from 1260. Every half hour, a staff member closes the doors and sings or calls out to demonstrate the extraordinary acoustics. Admission starts at €8, with discounts for combination tickets; seasonal opening hours change.
• ✦Camposanto - the walled cemetery on the west side of the piazza is linked to a tradition that Crusaders brought its earth from the Holy Land. Frescoes include Benozzo Gozzoli's Drunkenness of Noah and the unsettling medieval Triumph of Death. Admission starts at €8.
• ✦Duomo - horizontal bands of marble, a motif influenced by Moorish architecture, give the cathedral its distinctive Tuscan Romanesque exterior. The transept doorway carries Romanesque panels of scenes from Christ's life, and Giovanni Pisano carved the elaborate 14th-century pulpit. Admission starts at €8.
• ✦Leaning Tower - work on the Duomo's campanile began in 1173, and the ground began settling while construction had reached only the third story. The tower stands 187 feet high. Later floors were adjusted to counter the tilt, but their extra weight worsened the problem; modern stabilization removed roughly 100 tons of soil from below the foundations. Reservations are essential, admission starts at €20, and children under eight may not climb.
• ✦Museo Nazionale di San Matteo - across the river on Pisa's northern bank, this quiet museum holds local Romanesque and Gothic works, including pieces by Donatello and Benozzo Gozzoli. Admission is €5 and the museum is closed Monday.
• ✦Piazza dei Cavalieri - Giorgio Vasari organized the Renaissance square around 1560. The Palazzo dei Cavalieri, Palazzo dell'Orologio and Chiesa di Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri recall the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen, founded as a coastal defense against Turkish attacks. The square also contains the Scuola Normale Superiore and a 1596 statue of Ferdinando I de' Medici. Dante's story of Ugolino della Gherardesca is tied to the tower at the edge of the piazza.
• ✦Santa Maria della Spina - this small 13th-century oratory is an especially delicate Tuscan Gothic church on the Lungarno Gambacorti. It has needed repeated restoration, including work after flood damage in 1996-98, and admission is free when the church is open. The Pisa Tourism Office carries local visitor information.

Pisa restaurants

• ✦Al Madina - a lively Middle Eastern restaurant at Via San Martino 41/45, serving falafel, hummus, shish kebab, dips, pita and fresh salads. The average main is €12; phone 050/20409; closed Monday.
• ✦Osteria dei Cavalieri - near Piazza dei Cavalieri at Via San Frediano 16, with fish, vegetarian dishes and tagliata. Sea, garden and earth tasting menus sit alongside an a la carte menu. The average main is €21; phone 050/580858; closed Sunday, for two weeks in August and from December 29 to January 7, with no Wednesday lunch.
• ✦V. Beny - an intimate fish-focused restaurant at Piazza Chiara Gambacorti 22, with an average main of €33 and phone 050/25067. It closes Sunday and for two weeks in mid-August, with no Saturday lunch. Check current details locally before going.
• ✦Vineria di Piazza - a lively restaurant in the historic market square at Piazza delle Vettovaglie 13, known for Tuscan cooking, bistecca alla fiorentina, inventive pasta and baccala. The average main is €20; phone 050/5207846; no dinner Sunday through Tuesday.

A Pisa hotel and an evening option

• ✦Royal Victoria - this Arno-facing palazzo hotel is about ten minutes on foot from the Campo dei Miracoli. Rooms range from period interiors to a charming old tower; prices start at €120, breakfast is included, and there are 38 rooms. Address: Lungarno Pacinotti 12; phone 050/940111.
• ✦Fondazione Teatro di Pisa - most of Pisa's performing arts take place at the Teatro Verdi, a theater dating from the 1800s. Its calendar usually covers music and dance between September and May; the theater is at Via Palestro 40 and the listed phone is 050/941111.Check the current program before planning an evening.

Chianti along the SR222

The Strada Chiantigiana, or SR222, is Chianti's scenic spine. South of Florence, the route passes Strada in Chianti and then Greve, where vineyards and wine shops become more frequent. West of Greve, the abbey at Passignano preserves a Last Supper from the 1400s painted by the Ghirlandaio brothers, Domenico and Davide. Farther south come Panzano and Castellina, with branch roads leading toward Radda, Gaiole and Castelnuovo Berardenga. The road is crowded in high season, but the slow traffic gives time to read the landscape.

Chianti is easiest by car. Wine estates, hilltop churches and small villages are spread across the countryside, while bus journeys can be slow and connections between towns are limited. Reserve winery tours and tastings in advance, particularly in summer and during harvest season.

Greve in Chianti

Greve lies about 28 km south of Florence and 40 km north of Siena. It is the practical capital of Chianti, with cafes, enoteche and craft shops around the central piazza. Visit Chianti provides local information; the listed Greve tourism office is at Piazza Matteotti 10 and can be reached at 055/8546299.

The SR222 reaches Greve from either Florence or Siena. Autolinee Toscane runs frequent Florence-Greve buses, while the Siena connection usually requires a change. Greve has no railway station.

• ✦Montefioralle - this tiny hilltop hamlet is about 2 km west of Greve and is associated with Amerigo Vespucci, the mapmaker and navigator whose name was later given to America.
• ✦Piazza Matteotti - Greve's asymmetrical, gently sloping main square is surrounded by an arcade of shops and holds a statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano. The Saturday morning market brings the piazza to life.

Eating and sleeping near Greve

• ✦Enoteca Fuoripiazza - at Via I Maggio 2, just off the main square, it works with local cheese and salami and serves pici alongside a long wine list. The average main is €18; phone 055/8546313; closed Monday and with no Sunday dinner.
• ✦Falorni - this butcher and restaurant at Piazza G. Matteotti 66 has operated since 1806. Look for taglieri of cured pork, soups, lasagna, tartares and sandwiches, with wines by the glass and outdoor seating. The average main is €13; phone 055/853029.
• ✦Ristoro di Lamole - reached by a winding road through olives and vineyards, this terrace restaurant serves carefully prepared Tuscan food. Try bruschetta with olive oil, marinated vegetables and rabbit. The average main is €20; phone 055/8547050; closed December-February.
• ✦Albergo del Chianti - central rooms and a swimming pool at Piazza Matteotti 86, from €215. The hotel has 16 rooms, includes breakfast, closes January to early March and is more practical with a car. Phone 055/853763.
• ✦Castello Vicchiomaggio - a fortified castle and wine estate at Via Vicchiomaggio 4, with spacious rooms, tastings and wide views. Rooms start at €231, there are 15 rooms, breakfast is included, and the property closes December to mid-March. A car is needed; phone 055/854079.
• ✦Villa Bordoni - a secluded 16th-century villa above Greve at Via San Cresci 31/32, where the 12 rooms have individual decor. Rooms start at €234 and breakfast is included. The rough access road makes a car essential; the property closes December to mid-March and the phone is 055/8546230.
• ✦Villa Il Poggiale - a 16th-century villa near San Casciano Val di Pesa, about 20 km northwest of Greve, with Renaissance gardens, a panoramic pool and 26 rooms from €220. Private transport is necessary; it closes in January and includes breakfast. Phone 055/828311.

Panzano and the old hill town

Panzano stands 7 km south of Greve and 36 km south of Florence, with views across the Pesa and Greve valleys. The new town gathers around triangular Piazza Bucciarelli. A short walk up Via Giovanni da Verrazzano reaches Panzano Alto, where part of the medieval wall survives and the former 13th-century castle has been absorbed into later buildings.

The SR222 is the straightforward road from Florence or Siena. Buses run frequently from Florence and less often from Siena, but Panzano has no railway connection. For current details, the Greve tourism office is the most useful local contact.

• ✦Pieve di San Leolino - a hilltop church probably dating from the 10th century and rebuilt in the 13th-century Romanesque style. Its 14th-century cloister, 16th-century terra-cotta tabernacles linked to Giovanni della Robbia and a mid-14th-century triptych are the highlights. Opening days vary, so check with the tourism office; admission is free. It is at Localita San Leolino, about 3 km south of Panzano; phone 055/852003.
• ✦Officina della Bistecca - Dario Cecchini's restaurant above the butcher shop at Via XX Luglio 11 offers two tasting menus, one meat-heavy and one meat-free, plus preserved vegetables and carefully developed bread. The average main is €50; phone 055/852020.It is especially popular in summer.
• ✦Solociccia - also at Via XX Luglio 11, this lunch-only restaurant offers a beef-centered set menu and a vegetarian alternative. Expect dishes such as musetto with beef broth and raw vegetables with olive oil and house herb salt. The average main is €40; phone 055/852020; no dinner.
• ✦Villa Le Barone - a 16th-century villa in cypress grounds at Via San Leolino 19, about a 15-minute walk from town. Rooms start at €272, there are 28 rooms and breakfast is included. A car is essential; the property closes November to early April. Phone 055/852621.

Radda in Chianti and the eastern branches

Radda sits on a ridge dividing the Pesa and d'Arbia valleys, about 26 km southeast of Panzano and 55 km south of Florence. The SR429 reaches it from Castellina, and its steep lanes include a covered 14th-century walkway, the camminamento medioevale, inside the walls. Cars can approach from Florence, Siena or the A1, while a few Autolinee Toscane buses run from Siena. There is no convenient direct Florence bus or train service.

The Radda tourism office is listed at Piazza del Castello 6, with phone 0577/738494 and local information through Visit Chianti. Radda also makes a useful base for the winery and castle stops toward Gaiole.

• ✦Badia a Coltibuono - a Romanesque abbey near Gaiole with a winemaking tradition going back to the 11th-century Vallombrosan monks. The family estate produces wine, cold-pressed olive oil and flavored vinegars; see the jasmine-covered courtyard and inner cloister. Tours and tastings start at €27 and reservations are essential. It is 4 km north of Gaiole; phone 0577/74481.
• ✦Castello di Brolio - built around AD 1000 and held by the Ricasoli family since 1141, this castle became Florence's southern outpost in Chianti. The grounds, a small family-history museum and the Barone Ricasoli winery are open through different visit options. Gardens cost €7; tours with tasting start at €45. The gardens close from mid-December to late March and wine tours require reservations. Address: Localita Madonna a Brolio, Gaiole; phone 0577/730280.
• ✦Palazzo del Podesta - Radda's town hall in Piazza Ferrucci has served that role since the late 1300s. Its facade displays 51 coats of arms, including the largest belonging to the Medici. The exterior is free to see, but the building is closed without official business.
• ✦Osteria Le Panzanelle - in the hamlet of Lucarelli, 8 km northwest of Radda on the road to Panzano, this small restaurant serves a short menu of home cooking. The average main is €16; phone 0577/733511; closed Monday and January-February, with no Sunday dinner.
• ✦La Bottega di Giovannino - nine simple rooms in central Radda at Via Roma 6-8, with views of the surrounding hills and rooms from €85. No meals are included; the property closes from mid-December to March. Phone 057/735601.
• ✦Palazzo San Niccolo - a restored town palace at Via Roma 16 retaining wood beams, terracotta floors and some frescoes. Rooms start at €144, there are 18 rooms and no meals are included. It closes November-March; phone 0577/735666.
• ✦Relais Fattoria Vignale - a country house at Via Pianigiani 9 with terracotta floors, stonework, a pool and a restaurant. Rooms start at €195, there are 41 rooms and breakfast is included. A car is necessary; it closes November to late March. Phone 0577/738300.

Castellina in Chianti

Castellina is 13 km south of Panzano, 59 km south of Florence and 22 km north of Siena. The village sits on a ridge above the Val di Pesa, Val d'Arbia and Val d'Elsa. Strong 15th-century walls and a fortified gate recall its role in the long Florentine-Sienese wars. In Piazza del Comune, a 15th-century palace and fort were built around a 13th-century tower that today functions as the municipal building.

The SR222 makes Castellina an easy drive from Florence or Siena, and Autolinee Toscane serves it from Siena. There is no direct Florence bus. The nearest train station is Castellina Scalo, about 15 km away. The local tourism office is at Via Ferruccio 40; phone 0577/741392; Visit Chianti provides regional information.

• ✦Albergaccio di Castellina - an intimate dining room with about 35 seats and a menu that shifts between traditional and creative. Mushrooms and chestnuts feature in gnocchi and ravioli in late September and October, while grilled meat and seafood are available year-round. The average main is €33; phone 0577/741042; closed Sunday.
• ✦Ristorante Le Tre Porte - a terrace restaurant at Via Trento e Trieste 8 specializing in grilled meat and rare bistecca alla fiorentina, with fresh porcini in spring and fall. The average main is €25; phone 0577/741163.
• ✦Sotto Le Volte - beneath Castellina's medieval walkway at Via delle Volte 14-16, this vaulted room serves Tuscan soups, pasta and herbed lamb chops. The average main is €20; phone 0577/741299; closed Tuesday and Wednesday and January-March.
• ✦Palazzo Squarcialupi - a 15th-century palace at Via Ferruccio 22 with spacious rooms, a spa, pool and valley views. Rooms start at €199, there are 17 rooms and breakfast is included. The property closes November-March and the street has no car access; phone 0577/741186.