Chianti’s wineries are spread across the hills between Florence and Siena, with no train line through the heart of the region. This guide explains the realistic options: a guided tour from Florence, driving the Chiantigiana road, regional buses, trains to nearby towns, and private drivers. It also covers meeting points, timings and the mistakes that cost people their tasting slot.
For most visitors, a guided tour from Florence is the easiest option: transport is handled and everyone can taste. If you are self-driving, the SR222 runs through the heart of Chianti Classico. Public buses reach the main villages, but not most estates.
Most half-day and full-day tours leave central Florence between about 8:30 and 10:00 by minivan or coach. They visit one to three estates and return in the late afternoon. Each operator uses its own meeting point, so the address on your voucher is what counts.
The SR222 winds from Florence through Greve, Panzano and Castellina to Siena, about 70 km, passing dozens of estates. It is the most scenic route and the most flexible, but the driver has to stay within Italy’s low drink-drive limit.
Autolinee Toscane line 365 links Florence with Greve in Chianti, Panzano, Radda and Gaiole. It works well for a village visit, a wine shop tasting or an estate within walking distance of a stop. Most wineries are too far from the road to walk to.
Siena is the natural base for the southern Chianti Classico, including Castellina, Radda, Gaiole and Castelnuovo Berardenga. Autolinee Toscane line 125 runs Siena–Castellina–Radda. Castellina is only about 20 km from Siena by car.
No railway runs through the core of Chianti Classico. Regional trains on the Florence–Empoli–Siena line stop at Poggibonsi and Siena. From there, a pre-booked taxi or driver can reach estates around Castellina or Castelnuovo Berardenga.
A licensed private driver (noleggio con conducente, NCC) picks you up at your hotel or villa and waits while you taste. It is the most comfortable option for families and small groups, and lets you choose the wineries.
If you are already staying in Chianti, many estates are 10–30 minutes away. Ask your host to book tastings and a local driver. Some tour operators also offer pickup at villas for an extra charge.
Several operators run guided e-bike and Vespa tours with transport from Florence or starting in Greve. They combine quiet back roads with one or two tastings, but you ride on shared public roads.
“Chianti wineries” is not one address. Each tour or estate has its own start point, and your booking tells you which. Reaching Florence or Chianti is only half the journey.
The operator lists a 9:00 am meeting time here, with return to the same point around 5:00 pm. The tour uses an air-conditioned 8-seat minivan. Via Curtatone is on the western edge of the historic centre, near Borgo Ognissanti, about a 10–15 minute walk from Santa Maria Novella station.
Tours sold through booking platforms use many different meeting points. They are often near Santa Maria Novella station, Piazza della Libertà or the Lungarno, and sometimes at your hotel. Some change the point seasonally or with traffic restrictions.
Estates often have a separate hospitality entrance or tasting room, sometimes kilometres from the villa or vineyard that shares the name. Use the address or map pin in your confirmation email.
In Florence’s centre, vehicles often cannot stop outside your door because of the ZTL (limited traffic zone), pedestrian streets and bus lanes. Drivers may choose a nearby legal stopping point instead.
Searching for the tour name or “Chianti wineries” on a map will not take you to your departure point. Use the street, house number and landmark from your voucher. Minivan tours usually leave on time, because the wineries expect them at a fixed hour.
Times are approximate and assume normal traffic. Chianti roads are narrow and winding, so allow extra time, especially on summer weekends.
| Destination | From Florence | From Siena | Main road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greve in Chianti | About 30 km · 45 min | About 45 km · 1 hr | SR222 Chiantigiana |
| Panzano in Chianti | About 36 km · 50 min | About 40 km · 50 min | SR222 |
| Castellina in Chianti | About 50 km · 1 hr | About 20 km · 30 min | SR222, or the Firenze–Siena highway (RA3) |
| Radda in Chianti | About 55 km · 1 hr 10 min | About 30 km · 40 min | SR222 to Castellina, then SR429 |
| Gaiole in Chianti | About 60 km · 1 hr 15 min | About 28 km · 35 min | SR408 from Siena |
| San Casciano in Val di Pesa | About 17 km · 25 min | About 55 km · 50 min | Firenze–Siena highway (RA3) |
Florence’s historic centre is a camera-controlled limited traffic zone (ZTL). Driving in without a permit brings an automatic fine, often sent months later via your rental company. Pick up your hire car at the airport or outside the ZTL.
Italy’s limit is 0.5 g/l of blood alcohol, and zero for drivers with less than three years’ experience. Checks are common on wine roads. The driver should use the spittoon or skip most pours.
In village car parks, blue lines are paid (use the machine or an app), white lines are usually free, and yellow lines are for residents or permit holders. Wineries normally have free parking for guests.
Autolinee Toscane (AT) runs the regional buses. They are cheap and scenic, but infrequent, especially on Sundays and holidays. Use them for village visits and estates within walking distance of a stop.
This line leaves from Florence’s extra-urban bus terminus, currently listed as Firenze Hub Montelungo. It stops in Greve in Chianti and Panzano, and some runs continue to Radda and Gaiole. The ride to Greve takes about an hour.
This route links Siena with Castellina in Chianti and Radda. It is useful for travellers based in Siena who want a village day with a wine-shop tasting.
Routes, stops and timetables change, including temporary diversions for roadworks in Florence. Always check Autolinee Toscane line 365 and line 125 before travelling.
These are planning patterns, not guaranteed timings. Confirm live transport on the day, and use the exact meeting point or estate address for the final approach.
| Starting point | Simple route | Approx. time | Final step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence historic centre | Walk or taxi to your tour’s meeting point | 5–20 min | Match the street number and landmark on your voucher |
| Santa Maria Novella station | Walk to a nearby meeting point, or taxi | 10–15 min to Via Curtatone | Use the station’s side exits to avoid the crowds |
| Florence Airport (FLR) | T2 tram to Unità (next to SMN), then walk | About 20 min by tram | Drop bags at your hotel first if you can |
| Pisa Airport (PSA) | PisaMover + train to Florence SMN | About 1–1.5 hours | Only realistic for a tour the day after you land |
| Siena | Car, bus 125 or a Siena-based tour | 30–45 min to southern Chianti | Use your estate’s cellar-door address |
| Rome | High-speed train to Florence SMN | About 1.5 hours | Book a tour for the next morning rather than the arrival day |
| Chianti villa or agriturismo | Pre-booked taxi, NCC driver or tour pickup | 10–30 min | Share your villa gate pin with the driver |
Florence Airport (FLR, Peretola) is closest, just a short tram ride from the centre. Pisa (PSA) has more international flights but is about an hour further. Neither airport has direct public transport to Chianti.
The T2 tram runs from the “Peretola Aeroporto” stop to Unità, beside Santa Maria Novella station, in about 20 minutes. A single ticket costs €1.70, and trams run every few minutes from early morning until around midnight.
Taxis from Florence Airport to the centre charge a regulated flat fare, currently around €25–30 depending on the time and day. If you are driving, collect your hire car at the airport and join the motorway without entering the ZTL.
Flight delays, baggage and the transfer can easily push you past a 9:00 am departure. Book the tour for the following day, or choose an afternoon half-day tour if you arrive the day before.
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The main exit faces Piazza della Stazione. For western meeting points such as Via Curtatone, head toward the Lungarno and Borgo Ognissanti.
Most central meeting points are 5–15 minutes on foot. The taxi rank is outside the station if you have luggage or are running late.
There is no station in the heart of Chianti Classico. Trains to Siena or Poggibonsi help only if a driver is meeting you there.
Central Florence is compact, but pavements are narrow and crowded in the morning. Walking is ideal with a day bag. With suitcases, take a taxi.
From the Duomo area, allow about 15–20 minutes heading west toward Piazza Ognissanti and the Lungarno. Follow the street name and house number, then look for the café frontage.
Distances between wineries are usually several kilometres on roads without pavements. Some estates near Greve, Panzano and Radda can be walked to on marked trails, but only with good shoes, water and daylight.
Florence has plenty of white city taxis. In rural Chianti there are only a handful of licensed taxis and NCC drivers, so book both directions in advance.
Show the driver the street, house number and landmark, such as “Via Curtatone 9, Caffè Gamberini”. Use official taxis from ranks, or call a radio-taxi company.
For a winery day from a villa or rural hotel, book a licensed NCC driver. Taxi meters from Florence to Chianti can add up, and finding a taxi for the return is hard.
In Florence, ZTL rules, bus lanes and pedestrian zones limit where vehicles can stop. Your driver may drop you a block away from the exact address.
Many Chianti estates are historic farmhouses and castles with steps, gravel and underground cellars. Ask specific questions before booking.
Minivans often have a high step and no ramp. Ask the operator about boarding, space for a folding wheelchair, and whether an accessible vehicle can be arranged.
Many cellars are down stairs. Ask whether the tasting room is on the ground floor and whether there is step-free access or a lift.
Vineyard walks and gravel paths are uneven. Many estates offer a seated tasting only if you ask in advance.
A private driver and a private tasting give the most control over pace, rest breaks and access. They are often the best option for reduced mobility.
Minivan tours have limited space, and there is nowhere to leave suitcases during the day. Bring only what you need for the tastings and the weather.
Most tours cannot carry large luggage. Leave bags at your hotel, or use a luggage-storage service near Santa Maria Novella station before the meeting time.
Wineries can wrap bottles or ship them. On flights, wine must go in checked baggage, because liquids over 100 ml are normally not allowed in hand luggage.
Cellars are cool even in summer, and vineyards are hot and dusty. Bring a light layer, a hat, water and comfortable shoes.
Mobile signal can drop in the Chianti hills. Save your voucher, the meeting-point address, the operator’s phone number and each winery’s address before you leave your hotel.
Tour meeting times are firm, because each winery expects the group at a set hour. For self-guided days, book tastings with enough time between them for the winding roads.
For a 9:00 am meeting, aim to be there by about 8:45. Full-day tours usually return between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, and half-day tours after about 4–5 hours.
Many estates offer tastings between about 10:00 and 18:00, often with set start times. Lunch is usually served from about 12:30 to 14:30. Many small wineries close on Sundays and public holidays.
A street name or road sign beats a general map pin. Use these references to confirm your route in Florence and Chianti.
This is the western edge of the historic centre, near the Arno, and the area of the Chianti Wine Tour meeting point.
Florence’s main rail hub and T2 tram terminus (Unità). Many tour meeting points are a short walk away.
Signs for the SR222 or “Chiantigiana” mark the scenic route south from Florence through Greve, Panzano and Castellina.
Greve’s arcaded main square is a common meeting place for local guides and drivers, a short walk from the bus stops.
These signs mark tastings and direct sales at estates. Hospitality entrances are often signed separately from the private villa.
The Gallo Nero on road signs and estate gates tells you that you are inside the Chianti Classico zone.
A correct route only helps if it ends at the right place at the right time, with a plan for getting back.
Use the latest voucher or operator message, not an old calendar note.
Keep the meeting point, or each winery’s cellar-door address, offline.
If nobody wants to stay sober, book a tour, a private driver or a taxi for both directions.
Know your tour’s return time or the last bus back before you start tasting.
If you are driving, collect the car outside the centre and route around the ZTL cameras.
Many small estates close on Sundays and public holidays, and some close in winter.
Leave suitcases at the hotel. Minivans have little luggage space.
You may need your voucher, maps, the operator’s number and your ride home.
Short answers to the questions travellers ask most often.
Yes. A guided tour from Florence or Siena is the easiest way. Bus 365 reaches Greve, Panzano and Radda, but most estates are too far from the stops to walk to.
No railway runs through the heart of Chianti Classico. Trains reach Siena and Poggibonsi, and from there you need a taxi or driver.
About 45 minutes to Greve in Chianti along the SR222, and about an hour or more to Castellina, Radda and Gaiole.
Each operator has its own meeting point. For example, Chianti Wine Tour meets at Via Curtatone 9, outside Caffè Gamberini, at 9:00 am. Always use the address on your voucher.
Not into the historic centre, which is a camera-controlled ZTL. Pick up and drop off your car at the airport or outside the zone.
Yes, for most estates. Tastings are usually by appointment, and many small wineries close on Sundays.
Use the meeting point on your voucher, or each estate’s cellar-door address if you are driving.
A tour or private driver if everyone wants to taste. Car or bus only with a sober driver or a village-only plan.
Know when and how you are getting back before the first glass is poured.
Images via Wikimedia Commons: vineyard in Chianti by Francesco Sgroi and landscape near Greve by Rob & Lisa Meehan (CC BY 2.0); Radda panorama by LigaDue (CC BY-SA 4.0); Santa Maria Novella station by Richard, enjoy my life! (CC BY-SA 2.0). Tour details from chiantiwinetour.com; bus information from Autolinee Toscane. Timetables and fares change, so check before you travel.
