The renaissance of Chianti classico

An area covering 70,000 hectares between Florence and Siena that could soon be awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Places to visit

The best architecture of the Renaissance on show in the castles and fortresses of Chianti guarded by garrisons of cypresses and rolling vineyards. This region has many unusual and in some cases unique sites on the World Heritage List, under consideration for World Heritage Site status. The administrators of the region, which covers some 70,000 hectares between Florence and Siena and which benefits from an economic engine driven by agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, nature and culture, as well as the Chianti Classico Foundation, all believe in the project. “The countryside is delicate yet fortunate to be close to a city like Florence”, observes Massimiliano Pescini, Local Councillor responsible for overseeing the development of the Chianti area. He adds that: “Tourism is no longer restricted to the English, who were the first to discover this elegant landscape and excellent wines produced by its vineyards. Chianti has changed; the quality of its agriculture has progressed immeasurably in the field of wine growing, olive growing and precision mechanics”. The tourist trail begins in Greve in Chianti, the Gateway to Chianti, before passing through Panzano, Castellina and Radda. Another of the area’s important municipalities is Gaiole, with its multitude of castles and Romanesque churches.