Departing from your accommodation in Rome we take the A1 highway proceed towards Tuscany and the beautiful countryside of the Chianti region, and following the "Wine Road" between vineyards and olive trees, we'll reach Greve in Chianti, the small village, named after the nearby river, expanded considerably during the 14th & 15th centuries, where we find a monument to Giovanni da Verrazzano, the explorer who discovered the New York Harbour.
We see Piazza Matteotti with its porticoes, the Santa Croce church, the San Francesco convent and a series of pretty, tiny, shops and wine-cellars. One of the most famous is the butcher shop Falorni, which has been located in the piazza for 500 years. You can have free samples of many of their locally produced products.

Many famous people from Hollywood (and you thought they were vegetarians) order beef, salami, and ham from Falorni. To find out names, just pop in and ask. 
In Greve there is also the enoteca "Le Cantine" where you will be able to taste not only more than 100 different wines, but also olive oil, vin santo and grappa, all produced in the Chianti area. in reality a showcase for the region's wines.

After Greve, we depart for the magnificent Castle of Verrazzano, found on top of a gorgeous hill between Florence and Siena, in the heart of the Chianti Classico wine production area. It was originally an Etruscan settlement, then a Roman one, until becoming the property of the Verrazzano family in the 12 th century. Giovanni da Verrazzano, who discovered the bay of New York and the main part of the East Coast of America (the suspended bridge in New York with the longest span in the world bears his name) was born here in 1485. At the Castle guided tours can be booked to see the gardens, the centuries-old ageing cellars and, as a curiosity, the wild boars which breed naturally in the surrounding woods. Together with the world famous wines, all the various products of the farm can be tasted, including olive oil, salted meats, wild boar sausage and the area's other typical specialities (light lunch).

After the Castle the tour continues with a drive through the countryside and small villages like Panzano and Castellina in Chianti, with an additional stop for another wine tasting at the famous "Rocca delle Macie" wine shop. Before to reach Siena you will stop in Monteriggioni, without doubt one of the most classical and best known Italian walled town. The town was built by the Senesis in the years 1213-1219 on a hillock at dominion and overlooking of the Cassia Road. Its ideal position allowed controlling the Elsa and the Staggia Valleys in direction in Florence, the historic enemy of Siena.

After that, we'll proceed to Siena, where you'll immediately notice an ancient and mysterious atmosphere floating through the little, narrow streets and squares. You'll feel as if you've stepped backwards in time. Draped on its three hills, Siena is a very beautiful city to visit, a flamboyant medieval ensemble of places and towers cast in warm, brown, Siena-coloured bricks.
Its soaring skyline is its pride, dominated by the gothic cathedral (Duomo) and the taut needle of the Torre del Mangia and yet the shell shaped Piazza del Campo, probably captures the most attention and fame. It has been seen in films, photographs, and advertising campaigns.  The bricks cover the sweetly sloping land underneath and are witness to many events in history, but the most intriguing is the "Palio" horserace, one of the most important things in the life of a Siena native. In the piazza on 2 July and 16 August there is a bareback horse race that was first recorded in 1283, but may have had its origins in Roman military training. On those days mayhem takes over this small town and non-natives can observe local patriotism at its best and worst. Any and everything will be done passionately to bring home the prize. The prize is the "Palio", a banner to be shown off with pride for the whole neighbourhood it represents.
The duomo (1136 - 1382) is one of the most spectacular in Italy and one of the few to have been built south of the Alps in full gothic style. In 1339, the Sienese decided to build a new nave to the south with the aim of making the biggest church in Christendom. This plan comes to nothing when plague hit the city, killing off much of the population. The uncompleted nave now contains a museum of Gothic sculpture.