Tours / At the Castle of Giovanni da Verrazzano: the Navigator and his Wine

Live in Chianti for one day and enjoy a panorama of hand-made, well-disposed rows of vineyards, along the cypresses and olive trees, the stone houses and ancient rural tradition.

You will surely feel at peace during this enjoyable Chianti tour with private driver, which will lead you to the discovery of a small town in Chianti where life has stopped many years ago. A ramparted village where we will listen only to the silence of a country church. We will stop at the Castle of the navigator who first arrived in New York, passing by what is now called Hudson Bay.

His name was Giovanni Da Verrazzano, a man who preferred adventure and discovery voyages y to the quiet life that was offered to him on his estate in Chianti. In his youth he traveled to the Middle East and Syria and then became a navigator in the service of the crown of France.

in 1522 he received from the king of France Francis I the task of seeking a passage to reach the Catai (term with which Marco Polo had called China in the Million).

He coasted the coasts of North America for 1,800 km and discovered Hudson Bay, where New York is located today.

Traces of him were lost in 1528, when he disappeared during one of his travels, perhaps to Brazil.

In 1964 the city of New York dedicated the Verrazzano Bridge to him, which connects Brooklyn to Staten Island, at the mouth of the bay he discovered.

His family made wine for centuries. This wine is now controlled and protected by the authoritative Chianti Classico Consortium.
We will then visit the gardens of the Castle and its wine cellars and understand the history of this famous explorer.
Chianti also means salami, ham, finocchiona and cheese.

Of course, you will also do a tasting of tuscan cold cuts and Chianti classico before leaving Chianti!

 

Info

Available days: Every day

Bookable Starting Time: 10:00 am

Duration: 6 hours

Available Languages:

English, Italian

Adult rate: The rate of the tour depends on the number of people. CALCULATE YOUR OWN RATE!

Child rate: From 6 years to 17 years with ID. Please insert number of people!

Meeting Point: At your Hotel

Additional Information: Departure from Florence by minivan or private car and driver Arrival at Castello da Verrazzano, visit of the gardens of the castle, the aging cellars and Chianti wine tasting. Lunch in the halls of the castle or under the pergola.
In the afternoon visit to the village of Montefioralle and of the Romanesque church of San Cresci.
Visit of the Mercatale of Greve in Chianti and Ancient Falorni Butcher's shop. Tasting of wine and cold cuts.
Return to Florence

The rate includes: 1) the activities are conducted in English at the Castle
2) Composition of the meal: Ham PDO, wildboar sausage and soprassata, lardin of the Val di Greve, fettunta; dish of pasta with sauce, flavorings, grilled meats (winter) - roast pork (summer) with salad and beans with olive oil and pecorino cheese tasting with vinegar “Balsamico of Verrazzano", "cantuccini" traditional Vin Santo, Grappa tasting, coffee.