If the Chianti Classico had an unofficial capital, it would be Greve in Chianti. Not the most famous, not the most beautiful in absolute terms, but the one that more than any other manages to embody the character of the territory: the square with its arcades, the wine shop, the butcher, wine everywhere.
From Poggibonsi, Greve is about 30 kilometres along the SS222 Chiantigiana, one of the most scenic roads in Tuscany.
If the Chianti Classico had a capital, it would be Greve. Not the most beautiful in absolute terms, but the one that more than any other manages to embody the character of the territory: the square with arcades, the wine shop, wine everywhere.
Greve in Chianti: the unofficial capital of Chianti
Greve is the largest municipality in the Chianti Classico. Its central position within the DOCG zone makes it the reference point for wine tourism in the area. Every year it hosts “Chianti Classico Expo”, the Chianti wine fair that attracts producers from across the zone and visitors from all over the world.
The town has about 14,000 inhabitants and a historic centre that develops around the main square. It is not a museum-village: it is a real community with schools, supermarkets, garages - which makes it more authentic than many Tuscan villages that seem built for tourists.
Piazza Matteotti: the arcaded square
Piazza Matteotti is the most characteristic element of Greve. It is not rectangular like most Italian squares, but triangular - or rather, shaped like a widened funnel, wider at one end and narrower at the other.
The arcades surrounding the square on three sides are asymmetrical: each owner of the building below constructed their own loggia with their own style and dimensions, without imposed uniformity. The result is a square that seems to have grown organically - not planned - with arcades of different heights and arches succeeding one another.
Under the arcades you find shops selling local products, wine shops, small restaurants. It is a place where you stroll, sample things, sit down. The square has a daily character that many Tuscan squares have lost.
The Chianti Enoteca: how it works
The Enoteca Falorni, in Piazza Matteotti, is one of the most comprehensive wine shops in the area. It offers tastings of Chianti Classico from dozens of different wineries - both at the counter and in structured tours - and the opportunity to purchase bottles to take home.
How it works: choose a tour (from 2-3 wines to 6-8), pay a fee of between €10 and €25 per person, and taste the wines with descriptive tasting notes. Staff are generally knowledgeable and happy to answer questions.
For those who do not want a structured tour, many wine shops in Greve - not only Falorni - sell single glasses of the main local labels, allowing free and informal tasting.
The surroundings of Greve: Panzano and Montefioralle
A few kilometres from Greve you find two destinations worth combining:
Panzano in Chianti is about 5 kilometres from Greve along the SS222. It is famous for its panoramic position overlooking the “Conca d’Oro” - the valley that takes its name from the golden colour of the vineyards in autumn - and for Dario Cecchini’s Macelleria Cecchini, which has become a global gastronomic-cultural phenomenon.
Montefioralle is a small medieval village perched on a hill 2 kilometres from Greve, reachable on foot in 30-40 minutes or by car. It is one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” and is almost perfectly preserved: a handful of medieval houses, the walls, a small church. Tourists are few.
The Greve wine market: when it takes place
The Chianti Classico Expo is usually held in September, coinciding with the grape harvest. Wineries set up stands in the square and along the town’s streets; it is possible to taste dozens of wines in a single day, meet the producers and buy directly.
It is one of the most frequented wine events in Tuscany, but maintains a genuine character - far from an anonymous commercial fair.
How to get there from Poggibonsi
From Poggibonsi, Greve in Chianti is about 30 kilometres. The most beautiful route is the SS222 - take it from Castellina in Chianti or from San Donato in Poggio and follow it north. The landscape is that of the Chianti Classico at its finest.
The journey takes about 35-40 minutes. The road is winding - continuous curves - so it is not suitable for those with problems on mountain roads.
Parking in Greve is available outside the main square, usually free or paid during central hours.
Planning a trip to Tuscany?
Hotel Alcide is in Poggibonsi, in the heart of the Val d’Elsa.
25 km from Siena, 12 from San Gimignano, in the heart of Chianti.
The Ancillotti family has welcomed guests here since 1849.
