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Panzano in Chianti makes
an ideal
base for your holiday in Chianti. It is located exactly
halfway between Florence and
Sienna, with
a comfortable bus
connection to Florence (one hour). The altitude of Panzano ensures that it
avoids excessive heat during the Tuscan summer. The entire
surrounding territory consists of Chianti Classico vineyards,
olive groves and forest. Wine tasting opportunities abound at the Tuscan
wineries dotted throughout the countryside and in season
the forests a full of porcini
mushrooms.
The Chianti hills surrounding Panzano are
the location of many beautiful and economical vacation rentals (Tuscan
villas, Chianti agriturismi,
farmhouse and
village apartments and Chianti
Bed & Breakfast accommodations)
and there are two excellent hotels in Panzano, Hotel Villa Le
Barone and Hotel Villa
Sangiovese. The hotels have swimming pool, as do many of
the vacation rentals.
Panzano itself is quite small with a good range of restaurants, an
enoteca, a small supermarket (there's a larger Coop supermarket 10
minutes away by car in Greve in
Chianti), the famous Dario
Cecchini butchers shop and other useful supply outlets.
Panzano is the location of a very good folkloric festival
called the Festa
della Stagion Buona that takes place on 25 April, Italy's
national holiday, and there is a wine festival in Panzano called Vino al Vino that is held on the third weekend in September and the preceding two days.
These two feste count among the best small town festivals
of Tuscany.
Nearby Panzano (within walking distance) there are two churches
worth a visit by anyone interested in the architecture of Chianti.
These are the Pieve di San Leolino
and the Oratory of Saint Euphrosynus
(Sant'Eufrosino). Several other aesthetically and
historically interesting Chianti Romanesque Churches
are within easy driving distance of Panzano.
Worth a visit. More about Panzano. |
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