Villa Vignamaggio: Trails in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Vignamaggio

Trail Type: Short distance, 3 interconnecting circuits; variety of surfaces from paved to hard-packed, or loose, gravel, to grass; maintained, and well-marked.

Lengths:

V0: about 1.7 kilometers / 1 mile

V1: about 3.4 kilometers / 2 miles

V2: about 3.5 kilometers / 2.25 miles

Total: roughly 8 kilometers / 5 miles

Convenient to: Greve in Chianti, Florence, Italy

Marking: Square blue/green signs with white letters: V0, V1, V2

Trail Marking for V1 and V2
Trail Marking for V1 and V2

Trail Description: This private initiative on the wine estate of Vignamaggio (in Greve in Chianti) comprises 3 short circuits (V0, V1, V2 – the red, blue and green trails respectively), which interconnect at points, passing through a variety of landscapes: vineyards, forests, fields, along streams and through olive groves. It ascends and descends on medium gradients, and is (unusually) fairly shaded.

Trailhead: All trails begin at the lower parking lot, Vignamaggio Wine Estate, Greve in Chianti

Parking Possibilities:

At the trailhead, or slightly further up the road on the left.

Public Transportation Options:

Bus: Autolinee Chianti Valdarno (www.acvbus.it), Bus 365, services Greve from Florence (several times a day), and then Bus 365c services Vignamaggio (albeit much less frequently), at the stop of the same name.

Suggested Stages:

Start with V0, and circle around to connect with V1-V2 for the longest possible hike.

V0: The shortest trail

V1-V2: Both about the same distance, both follow the same path for most of the time.

Trail Itinerary-Reference Points:

V0 (Red trail): Lower parking lot, vineyard, gate, uphill, olive grove, woods, downhill, picnic table by a stream, along the stream, uphill, wooden risers set in steep hillside, vineyard and junction with V1 and V2.

V1 – V2: Lower parking lot, Casolese building, gate, woods, downhill, some small buildings, large lawn, through the area known as Molinetto, past the area (and Agriturismo) known as Poggio Asciutto, past a utility building, right up a small gravel path onto the main road and vineyards, right, following the main road uphill.

V2 (Green Trail): Continues straight at a curve (with a shrine), toward the Savignola wine estate, uphill through an olive grove, past Il Pozzo Vineyard, downhill to the parking lot.

V1 (Blue Trail): Continues further along the main road, then follows a path down into the vineyards, paralleling the road uphill to the parking lot.

Representative Trail Photos:

Trail Section V0
Trail Section V0

 

Trail Section V0
Trail Section V0

 

Section of V1 and V2
Section of V1 and V2

 

Restrooms: Open only for guests

Attractions on or near Trail:

Vignamaggio has beautiful Renaissance style gardens on its upper terrace and old cellars (accessible with a very interesting guided tour), a great restaurant, and a romantic hotel set in the villa.

Tasting along the Trail:

Vignamaggio’s on-site wine shop provides opportunities to taste and buy wine (and EVOO) every day.

Alternative Options:

Car: Strada del Chianti Classico

Additional Information:

Regional:

http://en.chianti.it/

Trail and estate information: http://www.vignamaggio.it/english/home.html

Comments:

These excellent trails showcase the nature of Tuscan land management and usages, as well as the beauty of the landscape.

Vignamaggio reserves access to these trails for Vignamaggio guests.

Please close the gates.