What to see around
Nestled in the heart of the Chianti region, just a stone's throw from Florence and Siena, the Pieve Aldina Tuscany boutique hotel is the starting point for authentic Tuscan experiences. Wine tours in the most beautiful Tuscan vineyards of Chianti Classico, panoramic cycling itineraries, exploration of medieval villages, gourmet culinary workshops, discovery of the age-old art of terracotta, road trips along the most beautiful Tuscan roads and cultural escapades in Florence and Siena: every day promises rare emotions. Let yourself be guided: the beauty of Tuscany unfolds here, within easy reach of Pieve Aldina around Radda-in-Chianti.
The Tuscan Wine Route
Plunge into the heart of the Chianti Classico hills on an unforgettable wine route tour tailor-made with Pieve Aldina's concierge service. Your sommelier guide begins by tracing the history of the mythical Sangiovese grape variety and the iconic "Gallo Nero"We'll then take you along cypress-lined roads to century-old family wineries, where you'll taste several vintages and compare a powerful Super-Tuscan to a natural wine micro-vinified in amphora.
Lunch break in a panoramic osteria where bistecca alla Fiorentina is paired with a masterful Gran Selezione. In the afternoon, you cross rows of south-facing vines to understand the impact of altitudes and galestro soils on the balance of the wine, then finish at a small biodynamic producer who raises his wines under the constellations. Each Chianti tasting tells the story of geology, climate and passion: you'll leave with a wealth of candid aromas, privileged contacts and an intimate understanding of the Tuscan terroir.
Cycling in the heart of Chianti
From Pieve Aldina to Radda-in-Chianti, hop on your bike and let the scent of broom and the golden light of the hillsides intoxicate you. Soft" itineraries wind their way through olive groves and vineyards on ancient strade bianche; the more athletic tackle the twists and turns to Lamole or the mythical climb to Montefioralle.
Along the way, a small village grocery serves a lukewarm schiacciata, while a medieval fountain refills your flask.
With a e-bikeThe panoramas follow one another effortlessly: plunging views of the towers of San Gimignano, the silhouettes of fortified castles around a bend, fields of sunflowers swaying in the wind. Stops can include an artisanal micro-brewery or a vineyard offering a bike-friendly tasting, where cyclists swap their shoes for a glass of Chianti Classico. The experience, both sporting and contemplative, combines endorphins and perpetual wonder.
The most beautiful Tuscan villages
Every Tuscan village is an open-air history book: in CastellinaTake the Via delle Volte, a vaulted corridor carved out of the ramparts, dotted with artisan ceramic stores. À Raddataste the gelato saffron while gazing at the hills from the loggia of the Palazzo del Podestà. Montefioralleone of the "Borghi più belli d'Italia", reveals its maze of cobbled streets surrounding the church of San Stefano, a setting untouched since the Middle Ages.
Each stop offers a sensory immersion: the tinkling of bells, the fragrance of the pecorino the freshness of a troglodyte cellar where the wines of altitude rest. Between two studded wooden doors, a weavers' workshop perpetuates the panno casentino oranges, while an oenotheque comments on the individual vintages. You'll leave with a wealth of anecdotes about the noble families of Chianti, postcard-worthy snapshots and, very often, a bottle signed by the winemaker you meet along the way.
Explore Tuscan gastronomy
Enjoy a Tuscan gastronomic experience in the heart of Pieve Aldina: more than just a culinary workshop, it's an immersion in the art of Italian cuisine. Between the hills of Chianti and the scent of fresh herbs, our cooking classes invite you to discover the secrets of traditional Tuscan recipes, to work with local seasonal produce and to share a convivial moment around the Enoteca's large 1950s table.
Working alongside the Chef, the workshop begins with the selection of seasonal produce: sun-kissed beef tomatoes, fragrant basil and ricotta from the neighboring farm. Under the Chef's gentle guidance, you knead flour and water to create typical Tuscan pici, shape tortelli stuffed with pumpkin, or learn the knack of rolling cantuccini before it browns in the oven.
The magic happens when the ragù bianco sauce slowly simmers, releasing a bouquet of sage and white wine. While the pasta rests, a workshop on Pieve Aldina extra virgin olive oil introduces you to "fruttato verde" and "piccante".
Then it's time to taste your creations, accompanied by a Chianti Classico Riserva. You'll leave with a recipe booklet, unique techniques and the warm memory of an authentic moment.
Exceptional terracotta: immersion at Cotto Manetti
At the roots of Tuscan craftsmanship: to walk in Pieve Aldina is to tread on the unique terracotta of Cotto Manettiwhich cover the entire floor of the house. When you visit this emblematic Chianti factory, you'll discover the ancestral know-how behind each slab, shaped in clay and fired using techniques handed down for generations. An immersion in Tuscan authenticity, between architectural heritage and timeless design.
Following the road from Greve to Impruneta you reach the factory Cotto ManettiThis is where cotto comes to life: clay from the nearby hills is kneaded, molded by hand, then air-dried before being fired for six days in a monumental wood-fired kiln that reaches 1,040°C. The flames impart shades of red, pink and honey impossible to obtain otherwise.
The tour takes in centuries-old molds, paving stones commissioned for Florentine palaces and contemporary projects by renowned architects. A demonstration shows the thermal resistance of cotto, which is then laid in homes all over the world. In the store, you can buy a stamped tile or an amphora turned before your very eyes - a tactile reminder of Tuscan soil and its ancestral craftsmanship.
Tuscany by car
Take a road trip from Pieve Aldina to the heart of the Tuscan countryside. Switch on the ignition, lower the hood: the SR222 winds its way through valleys and lines of cypress trees before plunging into the lunar landscapes of the Crete Senesi. You cross cracked clay fields, then see the isolated cypress trees of the Cappella di Vitaletaone of Italy's most photographed views.
At mid-day, a stopover at an estate in the Val d'Orcia offers you a Tuscan lunch, pappa al pomodoro and a glass of Brunello di Montalcino, with a panoramic view of the rolling hills. In the afternoon, continue on to the monastery of Sant'Antimo where Gregorian chants still resonate, or branch off towards Bagno Vignoni to soak your feet in a Roman hot spring. Every kilometer unveils a setting worthy of a film, and the setting sun sets the return route ablaze, coloring the sky pink and gold: a condensed experience of pure freedom, punctuated by stops to taste and enjoy culture.
Florence & Siena,
emblematic Tuscan towns
A 1-hour drive from Pieve Aldina, start with a visit to the iconic FlorenceThis is the cradle of the Renaissance, where every stone tells the story of the artistic apogee of the Quattrocento. After climbing Giotto's Campanile for a 360° view, plunge into the Uffizi Gallery and admire Botticelli's Birth of Venus. Then cross the Ponte Vecchio, stroll through the goldsmiths' workshops of Oltrarno, and enjoy a schiacciata alla florentina in front of Santo Spirito Basilica, Brunelleschi's masterpiece.
Continue towards Siena35 minutes from Pieve Aldina, a rival and complementary town. The Piazza del Campo, a fan-shaped brick shell, hosts the legendary Palio twice a year; visit the Museo Civico to admire Lorenzetti's Buona Governo frescoes, an avant-garde political vision of the XIVᵉ century. In the black-and-white marble-striped Duomo, the Piccolomini library unveils resplendent illuminations. Between two churches, stop for a spicy panforte, a local specialty.
These urban escapades complement the winegrowing tranquillity of Pieve Aldina and offer a compendium of art, history and living traditions: a permanent dialogue between countryside and city for total Tuscan immersion.
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