As published in Art du Voyage’s Travel Notes, Fall 2007
For food and wine lovers, autumn is the perfect time to visit the Tuscan countryside and there’s no better place to start your journey than the village of Impruneta. Just 20 minutes from Florence, this charming town, considered the gateway to Tuscany, has held the Festa dell’Uva (Grape Harvest Festival), for the last 80 years. Every year, wine producers from the four quarters of the city dress in costumes and build floats dedicated to the local grapes and the main square fills with stalls selling local food, drink, and traditional products (like the city’s famed terra cotta). This year’s festival starts September 30th.
When the festivities die down, travelers should head south to the ancient city of Siena whose spectacular Piazzo del Campo has hosted the Palio horse race since the 11th Century. Located in the heart of Tuscany, Siena is the perfect base for travelers wishing to taste some of the best wine in the world. With Siena as your base, it’s easy to explore the amazing wines of Tuscany, including Chianti Classico to the North, Brunello di Montalcino to the south, and the Noble Wines of Montepulciano to the southeast – all a short distance from this breathtaking city.
Filed under: Europe, Italy, Uncategorized | Tagged: brunello di montalcino, chianti, Florence, Impruneta, montepulciano, palio, piazzo del campo, Siena, Tuscany, Wine Festival
