Festival weekend planner
Chianti Classico Expo — a 3-day weekend in Tuscany
12–18 September 2026. Greve in Chianti, Italy. 40 min from the airport.
The weekend, day by day
- Day 1
Arrive in Greve in Chianti
Land at Florence Peretola Airport (FLR), settle in and walk the old town in the afternoon. Light dinner near your accommodation — save your appetite for the festival day.
- Day 2
Chianti Classico Expo
Festival day — arrive early to avoid the lunchtime crowd. Insider tip: Purchase a tasting glass early and beeline for small producers like Volpaia or Vertine who pour limited-production single-vineyard bottlings unavailable in most markets; the mega-names' tables will be three-deep all day. Schedule a lunch reservation at a wine bar on Greve's main piazza where local sommeliers steer you toward underrated younger producers making exciting modern expressions of Classico.
- Day 3
Wine country day in Tuscany
Use the third day for a single winery visit (booked ahead) and a long lunch at one of the regional addresses below before heading home.
Where to stay
Three angles for the festival window. Festival hotels book out 6+ months in advance — apartments are the contingency when the main shortlist is sold out.
- Hotels in Greve in Chianti
Live inventory around the festival window — 2 adults, all star ratings.
- 4–5 star options near Greve in Chianti
Higher-end shortlist when you want the milestone weekend treatment.
- Apartments in Greve in Chianti
Self-catering option — useful when festival hotels sell out 6+ months ahead.
Booking.com links — we may earn a commission. We never recommend hotels we wouldn't use ourselves.
One winery worth a detour
Gravner
WTG pickThe birthplace of the modern orange wine movement — Gravner's qvevri cellar in a Slovenian border village is wine's most important pilgrimage.
- Address
- Località Lenzuolo Bianco 9, 34170 Oslavia, Gorizia, Italy
- Appointment
- required
- Tasting price
- Free tasting with cellar tour
- Website
- Visit
Where to eat
Trattoria Mario
€No-frills communal-table trattoria in Florence's San Lorenzo market, open since 1953
Must try: Bistecca alla fiorentina
More dining picks in Tuscany →Practical
- Nearest airport
- Florence Peretola Airport (FLR)
- Mid-range daily budget
- ~€220/day for two
- Festival site
- Visit official site
Insider tip
Purchase a tasting glass early and beeline for small producers like Volpaia or Vertine who pour limited-production single-vineyard bottlings unavailable in most markets; the mega-names' tables will be three-deep all day. Schedule a lunch reservation at a wine bar on Greve's main piazza where local sommeliers steer you toward underrated younger producers making exciting modern expressions of Classico.
Want a longer trip than the festival weekend?
The milestone-trip planner builds a 3–10 day Tuscany itinerary with accommodation, tours, and pacing options.
Plan a Tuscany trip →