Our pick
Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour to Tuscany, Prestige Rent
You meet at Piazzale Montelungo, the coach area beside Santa Maria Novella station, and climb into an air-conditioned minibus. Your English-speaking driver doubles as the guide and talks through the landscape on the 45-minute drive into the Chianti Classico area.
The first estate takes you through its cellars and pours three wines with its own olive oil. A short drive later, the second estate does the same, then sets out cheese, salami, cold cuts and bruschetta to go with more wine and oil. The listing counts six wines and oils in all.
The reds are Sangiovese-based Chianti. Depending on the estate and the time of year you may also taste a rosé or a white, but the listing does not promise one. The whole trip takes about 4.5 hours on GetYourGuide and 4 hours 45 minutes on Viator.
- Duration
- About 4.5 hours, back in Florence for the afternoon
- Wineries
- Two Chianti Classico estates with cellar tours
- Group
- Up to 25, or a semi-private option for up to 8
- Transport
- Air-conditioned minibus with a driver and guide
- Departure
- Piazzale Montelungo by the station; no hotel pickup
- Food
- Olive oil, cheese, salami, cold cuts and bruschetta
- Limits
- Age 12 and up, English only; not wheelchair accessible
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours before
How the day runs, step by step
This is the order the listing gives. The estates you visit can change from one day to the next.
In Florence
- Meet at Piazzale Montelungo, next to Santa Maria Novella station
- About 45 minutes by minibus into the Chianti Classico hills, with commentary
In the Chianti hills
- First estate, about 1.5 hours: the cellars, then three wines and olive oil
- Half an hour to the second estate
- Second estate, about 1.5 hours: cellars, wines and oils with a tasting board
- Back to Piazzale Montelungo, about 4.5 hours after the start
What the price covers
The fare pays for the minibus, the guide and two tastings with food. A full lunch and the ride to the station are up to you.
Included
- Air-conditioned minibus and driver-guide
- Guided visits to two wine estates
- Wines and olive oils at both, with local food at the second
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Extra food and drinks
- Tips
- Bottles you decide to buy
Between us, before you go
Eat breakfast before you leave. Reviewers mention a 9 am start, and six pours before noon land harder on an empty stomach. Nobody minds if you leave half a glass.
Vegetarian and gluten-free boards are possible, but only if you ask when you book. Luggage can ride on the bus, which helps on a check-out day. Where every tour starts maps both meeting points.
Why it beats the bigger coaches
Evidence and size. More than 13,000 reviews across the two sites average 4.9, and the listing caps the group at 25 where many coach tours run with 50 or 60. Minibus or big coach goes into the difference.
What you give up is a long lunch. The trail with three wineries and a three-course meal fills a whole day, and that is the one thing this morning does not try to offer.
Who we would not send on it
Travelers who want a sit-down Tuscan lunch, who will be happier on the wine and olive oil trail. Wine buffs after deep technical detail, since a few reviewers found the explanations light. And families with young children, because the minimum age is 12.
Book it if
You want a relaxed, well-run morning of Chianti tasting with a small group, then the rest of the day in Florence. It suits first-timers, couples and anyone who cares more about good pours and views than a long menu.
Skip it if
- Want a real lunch? Take the trail with three wineries
- Short on budget? Try Ciao Florence, from ~$55
- Rather ride? Book the Vespa tour
- Want Siena too? Read our hill-town guide first
Ready for the hills?
The tour is on Viator (4.9 from 8,500+ reviews) and on GetYourGuide (4.9 from 4,700+). Both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can wait for the forecast before you commit.
