Italy Travel And Hotel Guide

A ridge 22km south of Greve is occupied by the well-heeled town of Castellina in Chianti : its walls, fortress and the covered perimeter path all bear testimony to an embattled past on the frontline between Florence and Siena, which lies a further 21km south. From Castellina, the SS429 branches easterly 22km to RADDA IN CHIANTI . The street plan of this minuscule but historic town is focused on Piazza Ferrucci , where the frescoed and shield-studded Palazzo Comunale faces a church raised on a high platform. Within the palazzo’s portico is the Pro Loco tourist office (Mon-Sat 10am-1pm & 3-7pm, Sun 10am-1pm; tel & fax 0577.738.494, proradda@chiantinet.it ), which will book rooms in the area for free. They also have maps outlining a series of scenic walks in the vicinity.

There’s a handful of well-kept rooms above the central Girarrosto restaurant, Via Roma 41 (tel 0577.738.010; L60,000-90,000/¬30.99-46.48), and simple comforts in the seven doubles above the 1950s-style Bottega di Giovannino , Via Roma 6 (tel & fax 0577.738.056; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98). One of the region’s quirkier agriturismi is La Penisola , 3km northwest of Radda (tel & fax 0577.738.080, www.chiantinet.it/penisola ; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98), home to a free-roaming herd of goats which wage milk (for soap) and cashmere (for hand-woven scarves and shawls). The unpretentious, family-run Girarrosto restaurant , Via Roma 41 (tel 0577.738.010; closed Wed), is packed at weekends but far from expensive. The Michelin-starred Ristorante Vignale on the main road at Via XX Settembre 23 (tel 0577.738.094; closed Thurs) is a more upmarket option. Bar Dante , at the entrance to Radda on Piazza Dante Aligheri, is a comfortable, convivial place to sample some wines or relax with a light lunch in the sunshine. Plenty of agencies in Radda act as tour operators for Chianti, reserving at agriturismi and conducting guided visits to country estates and wine-tastings; two of the biggest are A Bit Of Tuscany, Via Roma 39 (tel 0577.738.637, www.chiantinet.it/traveltuscany ) and ChiantiMania, Via Trentro e Trieste 12 (tel 0577.738.979, www.chiantiservices.com ). The latter also has Internet access (L4000/¬2.06 for 15min).