Top Florence Wine Tasting Tours - page 8

You can choose from a wide variety of wine tour options both in and near the city of Florence. Based on ratings and reviews, these are some customer favorites:

• Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience in the Tuscan Countryside
• Chianti Safari: Tuscan Villas with Vineyards, Cheese, Wine & Lunch from Florence
• Chianti Wineries Tour with Tuscan Lunch and San Gimignano
• Val d'Orcia Brunello Wine Tour with Montalcino and Montepulciano
• Small Group Chianti Wine Tasting with Seven Tuscan Wines

The cost of wine tasting in Florence depends mostly on group size and whether or not a meal is included in the experience. Expect to spend US$50–US$75 on a large-group tour with bus transportation or US$100–US$250 on a small-group tour with lunch included.

Florence wine tours are typically full-day, with most options ranging from 5–8 hours. Plan to meet at your pickup location between 8am and 10am, then head out to the countryside for lunch and wine tastings before returning to Florence in the late afternoon.

Florence is within driving distance of Tuscany’s most popular wine regions, which you can reach via bus, rental car, or with a tour group. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Chianti and roughly 1.5 hours to drive to Montalcino and Montepulciano.

No, there are no train lines connecting Florence and Chianti. The best way to get to Chianti is to drive. If you’re not joining a tour or renting a car, you can take the SITA bus from Florence to villages like Greve, Radda, or Castellina. However, not all bus stops are close to wineries, so be sure to map your route.

Tuscany’s best-known wines contain mostly sangiovese grapes. Taste them in lighter red wines, including chianti classico and rosso di Montepulciano, or go for more full-bodied (and expensive) varietals like Brunello di Montalcino. Vernaccia is the region’s best white wine, while vin santo is a famous dessert wine served with cantucci cookies.

There are tons of fun tours and excursions in Florence aside from wine-tasting tours. According to previous travelers, these are the best activities to book for your next trip:

• Cooking Classes

• Private Drivers

• Vespa Rentals

• Art Classes

• Day Trips

Florence wine-tasting tour prices vary depending on duration and inclusions. If you’re looking for high-quality experiences on the lower end of the price range, these are the best tours to book now: 

• Chianti Wineries Tour with 7 Wine Tastings from Florence

• Florence Wine Tasting Experience with Three Types of Tuscan Wine

• Wine Tasting Experience in Florence city centre

• Wine Tasting Experience in Ponte Vecchio: Best Tuscany selection!

• Half-Day Chianti Vineyard Escape from Florence with Wine Tastings

Spend some time reading through the many different options for Florence wine tours. Many experiences include round-trip transfers to the nearby Chianti vineyards, while some tours offer extra perks, such as Vespa rides or visits to cities like Siena and San Gimignano. Check for age limits if you’re traveling with kids—the drinking age in Italy is 18, and some wine tours don’t allow children to join.

Tips for your Florence wine-tasting tour include dressing for the weather: bring a hat and sunglasses on hot days and extra layers on chilly days. Check if your tour includes a meal and plan accordingly. If your wine tour leaves you with free time to wander around San Gimignano or another city, ask your guide for recommendations about where to explore.

September and October are the best months to book Florence wine-tasting tours, as the weather is generally warm and sunny. Plus, this period coincides with Tuscany’s annual grape harvest, and you may be able to see winemakers collecting grapes.