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In the cold season nature rests, but Chianti knows how to offer many opportunities, perhaps even more suggestive in these months. From dining to hiking, let’s discover the winter surprises of this territory.
Winter in Chianti: a season full of wonders
Chianti and winter, at first glance, may seem like two opposing concepts: a land that prides itself on nature, with a vocation for wine and olive oil, where the pleasure of walking and enjoying the landscape go hand in hand, is a land to be appreciated with its mild climate and warm sun.
True, but Chianti is also a place that knows how to surprise, and the silence and quiet of the cold season can reserve many pleasant surprises for those who decide to spend a few days here in winter. Indeed, they are able to offer suggestive atmospheres and unique pleasures.
Chianti cuisine
Winter in Chianti is the ideal time to savour some of the area’s typical specialties, which are well suited to the cold temperatures: from peposo (made with red meat, red wine and, of course, pepper), to wild boar stew, to ribollita, Tuscany’s most famous soup.
And for those who love the culinary arts, a few days in Chianti is an opportunity to learn the secrets of local gastronomy: for example, the winery’s Rosso del Chianti in Panzano (open year-round) organizes cooking classes featuring these and other typical winter dishes. On the pastry front, the advice is not to miss the Panfioralle, the Christmas panettone made in Montefioralle by chef Gian Luca of Al Canto del Forno, a true multi-sensory experience!
And if winelovers will find wine cellars and wines ready to welcome them even in winter, beer lovers will not remain ‘dry-mouthed’ either. One of the most interesting proposals is the Chianti Brew Fighters, a brewery opened by three friends in 2016 that soon won praise and recognition (listed among the ‘best 50 breweries in Italy’). From the 4 beers of the first year, today the original recipes produced by the artisans of Radda in Chianti have become more than 20, including ‘Bestemmia di Natale’, one of the latest releases.
Would you like to find out more about Chianti cuisine? Discover WeHike’s culinary experiences.
Christmas in Chianti with events and hikings
But, from December to March, Chianti is not just a place to sit at the table and eat. Around the many villages there are many events that accompany the winter season: from nativity scenes (such as the artistic ones in Panzano) to markets especially in the run-up to Christmas – to concerts, shows, workshops for young and old, perhaps from late afternoon when the sun goes down.
Because before that, you can take advantage of itineraries and trails, just like in spring or summer. With a few extra shirts on, hiking or trekking through villages, hills and valleys has an unmistakable flavor, that of nature resting and allowing itself to be admired even more willingly.
Among the many possibilities, we would like to highlight a couple of them.
One not to be missed is the hike to Monte San Michele (the highest in Chianti), which is not uncommon to find white with snow. The perfect pairing is with a good snack right on the mountain, where Villa San Michele stands.
The other is the Chianti Ultra Trail, in March: a race divided into races with different distances and difficulties depending on the level and experience of the runners (but you can also walk).
Chianti is truly a land for every season! Would you like to know more? Read this article and immerse yourself in the Chianti region.
