Local Life · ~15 min from Chianti
Chianti villages:
a different side of Tuscany
Greve in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, Radda in Chianti: three villages whose names speak of their roots. These are living communities, where mornings are spent shopping at the market, afternoons browsing artisan workshops, and evenings sitting in the square, watching the world go by. This is Tuscany at its most authentic, the side that hurried visitors rarely see.
Greve in Chianti: the heart of Chianti
Greve is the commercial and cultural heart of Chianti Classico. Piazza Matteotti, with its asymmetric arcades and statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano, is one of the region's most distinctive public squares. The Chianti market, held every Saturday morning, is not to be missed: local producers selling cheese, cured meats, wine, olive oil and honey, straight from the people who make them.
💡 Summer food festivals
In summer, Chianti's villages host food festivals and celebrations of local produce. From the wild boar festival in Greve to the Chianti Classico Expo in September and neighbourhood festivities in Castellina, check local calendars and plan an evening in a village.
Castellina in Chianti: the fortified village
Castellina is one of Chianti's best-preserved medieval villages. Its 15th-century fortress overlooks the Val d'Elsa, Val d'Arbia and Val di Pesa. Via delle Volte, a covered passage inside the medieval walls with arrow slits opening onto the countryside, is truly distinctive: a stone corridor where history feels within reach.
Radda in Chianti: an enduring local spirit
Radda is the least visited of the three villages, and perhaps that is what makes it feel so authentic. Its medieval walls are almost intact. You can walk through the historic centre in twenty minutes, yet it holds corners of rare beauty: the stone coats of arms on the Palazzo del Podestà, wineries selling directly to visitors, and restaurants serving food much as they did twenty years ago.
- Enoteca del Chianti Classico, Greve — More than 1,000 Chianti Classico wines, tastings and direct sales
- Macelleria Falorni, Greve — One of Italy's best-known butchers, making finocchiona and artisan cured meats since 1806
- La Via delle Volte, Castellina — Chianti's most atmospheric covered medieval passage
- Radda in Chianti — An excellent starting point for exploring the white gravel roads
"The real Tuscany lives in these quiet squares, where life still follows its own familiar rhythm."