The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
September 30 - Crawlin Thru Chianti - Part 2
For some reason I don't equate woods with Italy, but we sure drove through a lot of them as we ventured deeper into the Chianti region. Then the landscape opened up to this incredible green patchwork quilt of vineyards and silver-green olive groves punctuated by picturesque stone villas and ageless stone villages.
The little village of Vertine sits on the hill above Gaiole in Chianti and just had a lovely feel to it. Margene said that it was one of the places Rick Steves spoke well of, so I expected to see at least a tour bus or two but we had it all to ourselves. Even the residents were nowhere in sight.
Radda in Chianti seems to be a regional hub ... and a tourist magnet judging from the shops along the main street. It is, however, a fairly small hilltop village and a good place to stop for lunch!
© 2008 Restaurant Doctor
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