Florence & Tuscany
wine travel guide for 2025
Enjoy the finest Italian wines in one of Italy's most beautiful cities and regions. Compliment your stay in Florence and Tuscany with one or more remarkable wine tours and tastings. Time for yourself. Time to enjoy the beauty -and deliciousness- that Florence and Tuscany has to offer.
Edition 1.0: June 2024 - by Dennis Woudt
In this wine travel guide you will find...
In this unique wine travel guide you will find everything you need to discover the tastiest Tuscan wines, the nicest wine tours and the best wineries during your stay in and around Florence.
Wine in the city: Florence
Discover wine region Tuscany
The top Tuscan wines not to be missed
Tuscany is not only the beating heart of Italy in terms of tourism. When it comes to wine, you can find and taste the very best wines of Italy in Tuscany. The most widely grown grape in Italy is Sangiovese. This grape is used for three famous Italian wines from Tuscany:
- The Chianti and Chianti Classico
- The Brunello di Montalcino
- The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Tuscany also has another special type of red wines:
- The Super Tuscans
The so-called Super Tuscan wines are a story apart. Soon to be explained in detail on Avinturo. And why these are among Italy's best wines.
Moving on to the Tuscan white wines. If you are a fan of white wine, Tuscany is an excellent choice as well. The most famous white wines from Tuscany are:
- Vernaccia di San Gimignano
- Sant'Antimo (Bianco)
- And also the white wines from
Pomino and
Orcia
A Chianti Classico of the highest quality, the Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano from winery Antinori...
The very best white wine from Tuscany, the Vernaccia di San Gimignano (photo by the Consorzio...)
Wine highlights in Florence & Toscane
If you are not staying in Florence for a long time, you will have to make some choices. There are so many things to see and do, which doesn't make it easy to choose.
Florence's wine windows
Florence in itself is special and beautiful enough to spend hours walking around it. But what sets the city apart for wine lovers are its authentic wine windows, often hundreds of years old. Where the windows were originally intended for the direct sale of wine...
Photo courtesy by Annelies Kooijman
The cosiest wine bars
Do you really have very limited time in Florence and Tuscany? But do you still want to discover Tuscan wines? If so, choose one of the many wine bars in Florence to relax after visiting one of the many tourist sites. You'll still be able to taste some wine in beautiful Florence.
Photo courtesy of Oratio Wine Bar in Florence
From Chianti to Val d'Orcia...
Anyone a little familiar with wine and Tuscany will quickly think of the enchanting landscapes of the Chianti region. All the wineries will welcome you to taste their wine. Check out the Tuscan wine regions Montalcino, Montepulciano, San Gimignano & Val d'Orcia.
Photo courtesy by Valdichiana Living.
Remarkable Tuscan wine tours from Florence
In terms of wine tourism, Tuscany is the first mentioned region to stay in in most cases. The combination of a beautiful landscape, authentic culture, delicious food, pleasant temperature and, of course, the enchanting wines, make Tuscany indeed a jewel in the wine tourism world.
Therefore, you can expect the very best wine tours and tastings in Tuscany. From walking through the vineyard with a subsequent picnic, to an amazing Vespa tour that takes you through the characteristic landscape from one winery to another.
The best wine tours and tastiest wine tastings...
In the city centre of Florence
PRIVATE TOUR
Wine tour in Florence with a sommelier as guide
sommelier - wine bars - wine tasting
More information...
From $ 135 (with 5-6 people)
Tour guide: Curious Appetite
HALF DAY
Wine Windows & wine tour in Florence
3 hours - wine & food tour - Florence hotspot
More information...
From € 270 (up to 5 people, excl. wine-food)
Tour guide: Unconventional Florence
AFTERNOON TOUR
Afternoon Florence Food & Wine Tour
3,5 hours - from apperitivo to dessert
More information...
From € 79 p.p.
Tour guide: Devour Tours
WORKSHOP
Making Fresh Pasta (and drinking Tuscan wine)
3 hours - three types of pasta - Tuscan wine
From € 79 p.p.
Tour guide: Florence with Elvis
The best wine tours and tastiest wine tastings...
From Florence to Chianti
HALF DAY
Chianti Experience from Florence
wine museum in Greve - 5 DOCG wines
More information...
From € 119 p.p.
Tour guide: Devour Tours
DAY TOUR
Vespa tour in the Chianti wine region
6,5 hours - light lunch - exclusive tasting
More information...
From € 129 p.p.
Tour guide: MyTour Italy
DAY TOUR
Wine & Hiking in Chianti Classico from Florence
9 hours - small group - active
More information...
From € 193 p.p.
Tour guide: Out of the Box Florence
DAY TOUR
Chianti Quad wine tour with Tuscan lunch
8 hours - wine tasting - Tuscan lunch
From € 220 p.p.
Tour guide: Happy in Tuscany
The best wine tours and tastiest wine tastings...
From Florence to Siena & San Gimignano
DAY TOUR
San Gimignano wine tasting tour with lunch
Transport Minivan - 3 ineries - lunch
More information...
From € 280 p.p.
Tour guide: Tuscany Tour Time
DAY TOUR
San Gimignano & Chianti wine tour with lunch
7 hours - 2 wineries - lunch
More information...
From € 200 p.p.
Tour guide: Italy & Wine
DAY TOUR
Luxury wine tour to Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti
9 hours - Siena - San Gimignano - Chianti - lunch -
More information...
From € 145 p.p.
Tour guide: The Tour Guy
MASTERCLASS
Masterclass Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine tour
2 hour - 6 wines - Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG -
Meer informatie...
From € 65 p.p.
Tour guide: Consorzio Vernaccia di San Gimignano
The best wine tours and tastiest wine tastings...
From Florence to Montalcino & Val d'Orcia
DAY TOUR
Val d'Orcia wine tour from Florence
11,5 hours - Val d'Orcia - Pienza - Montepulciano -
More information...
From € 95 p.p.
Tour guide: MyTour Italy
PRIVATE TOUR
Brunello wine tour with truffle hunt
truffle hunt - 4-course lunch - Brunello wine tasting -
More information...
From € 200 p.p.
Tour guide: MontalcinoWineTours
DAY TOUR
Brunello di Montalcino wine tasting by bike
6 hours - bike & helmet - Brunello wine tasting -
More information...
From € 160 p.p.
Tour guide: Anima Toscana
DAY TOUR
Vino Nobile and Brunello di Montalcino wine tour
9 - 10 hours - transport - 2 wine tastings
Ask for a quote
The best wine tours and tastiest wine tastings...
From Florence to Montepulciano
DAY TOUR
Cycling through the Montepulciano vineyards
eBike with helmet - guide - wine tasting
More information...
From € 169 p.p.
Tour guide: Valdichiana Living
FULL DAY TOUR
Montepulciano & Val d'Orcia winery tour
11,5 hours - Pienza (Pecorino cheese) - Montepulciano - Montalcino -
More info...
From € 92 p.p.
Tour guide: Ciao Florence
DAY TOUR
Elite Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine tour
9 hours - semi-private - 2 wineries - lunch
More information...
From € 285 p.p.
Tour guide: Grape Tours
DAY TOUR
Montepulciano 'Food & Wine' tour and tasting
7 hours - tasting in historical cellars of Montepulciano -
More information...
Ask for a quote
Tour guide: A day in Tuscany
Great vineyard wine tasting at Montalcino winery Franco Pacenti
Wine tasting in the city: Florence's wine windows and wine bars
For the most delicious wines of Tuscany, you can simply visit Florence, of course. You can visit one of the cosy wine bars in several places around the city. Some of them also offer special tasting menus. This will allow you to get a good impression of the different Tuscan wines in comparison to each other.
Besides the wine bars, Florence -and Tuscany- have also something very special. The so-called wine windows (called the Buchette del Vino in Italian). Of the almost 300 wine windows in Tuscany, no fewer than 180 can be found in Florence city itself. And at some windows, as in the past, you can also get wine. A brief explanation of Florence's wine windows.
Florence's unique wine windows (the Buchette del Vino)
To understand the origin of wine windows, we will go back in time to approximately 1530 a 1540. In this period during the Renaissance (1400-1600) the powerful Medici family ruled that the city's notables (including Palazzo owners with their own vineyards) were allowed to sell the wine they did not drink themselves. Rather than receive the buyers in their fine palaces and expensive mansions, they wanted the wine to be sold outside. The solution was a small window (of about 20x30 cm) in the outer wall or door of their residence. Wine buyers had to knock on the window before the bottle they brought could be filled with wine.
The sale of wine continued this way for a few hundred years, until the early 1900s. After that, this (sales) function disappeared, many windows were eventually removed. Recently, in 2015, an organisation was set up to map all wine windows for cultural-historical reasons. Under the inspiring leadership of Matteo Faglia, the Associazione Buchette del Vino ensures that we do not forget the wine windows. Actually, more and more are being discovered and mapped.
You can find a lot of information online. Or buy a book about them. Much more fun, however, is to take a tour in Florence itself along the various still -or again- active wine windows where you will be served wine " old-style " as it was served some 500 years ago. Of the more than 180 wine windows in Florence, 156 can be found in the historic city centre.
The
Associazione Buchette del Vino is offering organised tours. There are also several guides and tour operators who can tell you more about the wine windows and wine from around Florence.
A map of the active Wine Windows in Florence city centre (update 2024)
Wine festivals in Florence & Toscane
Wine events and festivals are from all times. In most cases, there is every reason to celebrate the grape harvest. In many villages and towns, wine lovers can visit wine festivals to taste wines and meet the winemakers who are seeing their hard work rewarded with the harvest for their new wines.
Wouldn't it be fun to visit a wine festival while you're around?
Check out the list of all Tuscany's wine festivals below (or see the complete list with
all Italian wine festivals on Avinturo).
Wine & Siena
Website Wine & Siena
Date: 27 - 29 januari 2024
Location: Siena
Vini Migranti
Website Vini Migranti
Date: 28 & 29 January 2024
Location: Florence
Chianti Classico Collection
Website Chianti Classico Collection 2024
Date: 15 & 16 February 2024
Location: Florence
Chianti Lovers & Rosso Morellino
Website festival
Date: 18 February 2024
Location: Florence (Fortezza da Basso)
Chianti Ultra Wine
Website festival
Date: 22 - 24 March 2024
Location: Radda in Chianti
Serravalle de Gusto - i Sapori del Montalbano
Date: 25 April 2024
Location: Serravalle Pistoiese
Orcia Wine Festival
Festival website
Date: 25 - 28 April 2024
Location: San Quirico
Regina Ribelle - San Gimignano Wine Fest
Website festival
Date: 16 - 19 May 2024
Location: San Gimignano
Pentecoste a Castellina
Festival website
Date: 17 - 19 May 2024
Location: Castellina in Chianti
Via Vinaria Montecarlo 2024
Festival website
Date: 18 & 19 May 2024
Location: Montecarlo
Toscanello d'Oro
Festival website
Date: 28 mei - 2 June 2024
Location: Pontassieve (near Florence)
Red Montalcino
Website festival
Date: 21 June2024
Location: Montalcino
Chianti Natural Festival 2024
Website festival
Date: 28 - 30 June 2024
Location: Radda in Chianti
Jazz & Wine in Montalcino
Check the website
Date: 23 - 28 July 2024
Location: Montalcino en Poggio alle Mura
Lamole under the Stars
Check the website
Date: 3 August 2024
Location: Lamole, Greve in Chianti
Calici di Stelle Montepulciano
Festival website
Date: 10 August 2024
Location: Montepulciano
Il Bravìo delle Botti of Montepulciano
Festival website
Date: 25 August 2024 (last Sunday in August)
Location: Montepulciano
Festa del Vino di Montecarlo di Toscana
Festival website
Date: 31 August - 10 September 2023
Location: Montecarlo di Toscana
Expo del Chianti Classico 2024
Website Expo Chianti Classico
Date: 5 - 8 September 2024
Location: Greve in Chianti
Vino al Vino
Check the festival website
Date: 13 - 15 September 2024 (3rd weekend of September)
Location: Panzano in Chianti
Festa dell’uva e del vino di Terricciola
Festival website
Date: 14 - 22 September
Location: Terricciola
Festa dell'uva e del vino
Website festival
Date: 27 - 29 September 2024
Location: Chiusi (SI)
Festa dell'Uva di Cinigiano
Festival website
Date: 28-30 September 2024
Location: Cinigiano
Grape Festival of Impruneta
Website Grape Festival
Date: 1 October 2024
Location: Impruneta (Florence)
Festa del Vino Montescudaio DOC
Festival website
Date: 5 & 6 October 2024
Location: Montescudaio
Terre di Pisa Food & Wine Festival
Festival website
Date: 18 tot 20 October
Location: Pisa
Benvenuto Brunello 2024
Check the website
Date: 15 - 20 November 2024
Location: Montalcino
Discover the Tuscan wine regions from Florence
Tuscany is not just the country's most visited tourist destination. It is also the region where you can find Italy's very best wine regions. Some wine regions are well known and popular. But you can also discover unknown gems you didn't know about yet.
On Avinturo you will find a comprehensive overview of the Tuscan wine regions, all wines and wine festivals.
The Chianti wine region. More than Classico.
The famous Chianti region is located in Tuscany, roughly between Florence, Siena and Arezzo. We refer to it as the original Chianti area, the Chianti Classico wine region. If you take the S222 -the Chiantigiana- from Florence to Siena, you will pass Greve in Chianti (also visit nearby Montefioralle!) and Castellina in Chianti. Just a little bit further on, with Radda in Chianti and Gaiole in Chianti, you have two other towns that are well worth a visit. But the Chianti wine region offers more...
Map of the Chianti wine region
Map of the Chianti Classico wine region
Montalcino
Montalcino and wine tasting. Definitely one of the best combinations in Tuscany. You are combining one of the country's very finest wines with a wonderful town in one of Tuscany's most beautiful regions, the Val d'Orcia. This region has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2004 for a reason....
Montepulciano
Located in the heart of Italy, Montepulciano offers an unprecedented mix of stunning culture, idyllic landscapes and -naturally- fantastic wines. Located between Val d'Orcia and Valdichiana, there are several palaces and cathedrals to visit in medieval Montepulciano.
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is not only known for its 14 characteristic towers that rise far above the medieval town. When it comes to wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a quality white wine that is entitled to bear the highest quality label DOCG. While red wines dominate in Tuscany, this white wine is definitely one to taste and remember.
Bolgheri
In the wine renaissance of the 20th century, Bolgheri was one of the two locations where the Super Tuscans originated. The Sassicaia (and the Tignanello from the Chianti region) proved a real sensation in the late 1960s. By deviating from the usual quality standards (they used the French Cabernet grape), the top wine was initially marketed as a table wine. By now, the connoisseurs and wine lovers know better...
1001 wineries in Tuscany to visit for a wine tasting tour
With more than 46 wine regions (out of a total of 358 in whole Italy) in Tuscany alone, you can visit one of the region's many wineries for a tour and wine tasting. If you have plenty of time in your holiday, it's a great idea to visit several of them. Alongside well-known ones like Chianti, Montalcino and Montepulciano, there are plenty of less well-known regions to discover where the wines are certainly not inferior. Below are some suggestions of the many different Tuscan wineries.
MONTALCINO
Podere le Ripi
Visit the website
Discover the wine tasting tours
Check out all Montalcino wineries.
CHIANTI CLASSICO
Antinori nel Chianti Classico
Visit the website
Discover the wine tasting tours
Read more about the Chianti region.
MONTEPULCIANO
La Ciarliana
Visit the website
Discover the wine tasting tours
More on Montepulciano wines and tours
Wine resorts in Tuscany to stay overnight (after your wine tasting...)
What could be more relaxing -and safer- than staying overnight at a winery itself. Particularly in Tuscany, there is a wide range of accommodations at the wineries themselves. From a luxury wine resort to an affordable agriturismo linked to one of the region's many wineries. Below are a few options to choose from. The complete list of all wine hotels throughout Tuscany will be online soon too. If you have any additions to this list, send me a quick message. I'll update the list straight away.
NEAR MONTALCINO
Borgo Canalicchio Di Sopra Relais
Restaurant: yes
Swimming Pool: yes
Discover the wine tasting tours
Visit the website
NEAR MONTEPULCIANO
Villa Svetoni -
Wine Resort
Restaurant: yes
Swimming Pool: yes
Discover the wine tasting tours
Visit the website
CHIANTI COLLI FIORENTINI
Villa Il Palagio
(Sting & Trudie)
Restaurant: no
Swimming Pool: yes
Discover the wine tasting tours
Visit the website
NEAR SAN GIMIGNANO
Agriturismo - B&B
Tenuta Sovestro
Restaurant: yes
Swimming Pool: no
Discover the wine tasting tours
Visit the website
And for some very lucky wine lovers:
Vineyard wedding venues in Tuscany
Just as a dessert of this guide, here are some great suggestions if you're considering getting married in Tuscany. There are several beautiful locations for your unforgettable day. If you're also a wine lover, it's great to combine them all. Below are a few suggestions of the very best wedding venues on a vineyard in Tuscany....
Memorable wedding venue in Tuscany, Castello di Vicarello
Castello di Vicarello
Location: near Cinigiano - Grosseto
Website - Experiences (wine tasting tours - cooking classes - cycling - truffle hunting...)
Information on weddings and events
Castello di Vicchiomaggio
Location: near Greve in Chianti
Website - Experiences (wine tasting tours ...)
Information on weddings and events
Borgo Il Palazzo, Agriturismo & Winery
Location: near Arezzo
Website - Experiences (wine tasting tours and cooking classes ...)
Information on weddings and events
Fattoria di Corsignano
Location: near Siena
Website - Experiences (wine tasting tours, cooking classes, harvesting olives ...)
Information on
weddings and events
Borgo Scopeto Wine & Country Relais
Location: near Siena
Website - Experiences (too much to mention ...)
Information on weddings and events
Poggio ai Laghi
Location: near Siena
Website - Experiences (wine tasting tours, tours, vineyard dinner ...)
Information on weddings and events
Querceto Di Castellina
Location: near Castellina in Chianti
Website - Experiences (wine tasting tours ...)
Information on weddings and events
Il Borgo di Vignamaggio
Location: near Panzano in Chianti
Website - Experiences (wine tasting tours ...)
Information on
weddings and events
Off to Florence and Tuscany...
As you have read there is plenty to choose from in Florence and Tuscany to enhance your holiday with one or more unforgettable wine adventures.
And if you're still missing something you know where to find me.
Have fun.
Ciao.
About the author
Dennis 'Riserva' Woudt - Wine Travel Expert (... since 2013)
What started as a fun -and tasty- trip on one of our holidays in Italy has turned into a serious hobby. With over 10 years of experience with tours, wine tastings and wine holidays in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, South Africa but above all Italy. Read the whole story...
