The Mona Lisa as a neighbour: a weekend in Greve in Chianti, in the footsteps of artists and navigators

What has New York got to do with the sweet Florentine landscape of Chianti? You just have to go to Greve in Chianti to find out: in the centre there is the statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano, the explorer who in the 16th century was the first to reach the bay of the Big Apple. A New York bridge is also dedicated to the great navigator who defied the ocean while always keeping the green hills of his native land in his heart, and probably also a few small barrels of good Chianti in the hold. Greve in Chianti is known worldwide for the production of Chianti Classico, but the extensive municipal territory, made up of many hamlets, also has a very rich historical and artistic heritage rooted in Etruscan and Roman culture. The itinerary we follow to discover these beautiful places is that of the Via Chiantigiana, which leads from Florence to Siena through the renowned wine-growing area.

The inhabited core of the town developed in the Middle Ages, a period in which Greve became an important commercial centre. The Mercatale, that is, the triangular central square surrounded by arcades, still recalls this characteristic of the village today. Nearby we visit the Museum of San Francesco, which houses many valuable works from the parish churches and churches of the area. Taking the car again, we reach the castle of Montefioralle in a few minutes, perfectly preserved within its walls. The houses entirely in stone and the low and narrow alleys make us feel in an evocative corner of the Middle Ages, where another great navigator also lived for a period: Amerigo Vespucci. A quarter of an hour's drive on the Chiantigiana takes us to the hamlet of Panzano, founded by the Etruscans on the top of a hill from which you can look out over the whole Val di Greve.

Here too, a well-preserved castle, next to which the church stands, plunges us into the atmospheres of the distant past. We tackle a steep road to reach the evocative Romanesque parish church of San Leolino, recorded as far back as 982 and preceded by a Renaissance portico. Inside we admire numerous medieval and Renaissance works. If we had travelled the road back towards Greve a few centuries ago, we might even have come across Lisa Gherardini, the famous Mona Lisa whose family lived precisely in Montagliari, the pretty hamlet in the valley below Panzano.

It is right here that we find our characteristic home for this weekend, at the Fattoria di Montagliari, made up of several restored ancient buildings, where an excellent Chianti Classico "Gallo Nero" is produced, but also the vinsanto with the traditional Tuscan method, as well as balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and other agricultural products. Welcoming us in the characteristic farmhouse is the Migliorini family, who run the establishment. After settling into our comfortable rooms (there are eight double rooms and three apartments), we move to the restaurant, where a fantastic dinner awaits us, devoted to the authentic flavours of the area. The cook is Mrs Bruna, very good at making fresh pasta: her hand-rolled sfoglia is legendary. "This place was born in the '60s as a meeting point for travellers' snacks.

We took it over in the '90s, turning it into a farmhouse and restaurant," the owners tell us as we begin to taste some delicious marinated anchovies with a chopped spice mix. We also taste a classic Tuscan starter, a platter of local cold cuts and cheeses with salt-cured olives of their own production. We continue with the "gnudi", a typical Tuscan first course. These are the filling of the ravioli, "naked" balls of ricotta and spinach, served with gorgonzola sauce. We also taste the exquisite pappardelle with wild boar sauce and the "farm pasta" is also a great hit, that is, the homemade lasagne with vegetables grown on the estate. We wash down these delights with the excellent wines produced by the estate, including the Brunesco di San Lorenzo, a particular I.g.t. Among the dishes we delight in the baked pork shank and the rabbit in porchetta, boned and stuffed with ham and liver pâté.

The side dishes are also mouth-watering: spring onions au gratin with parmesan and breadcrumbs, potatoes in ghiotta (roasted with herbs). Our vegetarian friends also enjoy a succulent dinner, and the evening ends for everyone with the fantastic house desserts, including apple cake with ice cream and balsamic vinegar and cantucci with vinsanto. We devote the second day of our weekend to lovely, regenerating walks, as well as a tour of the cellars, where Mr David accompanies us, letting us taste the Fattoria's products, of which we stock up before leaving: we already know that as soon as they run out, we'll be back again in the footsteps of the Mona Lisa.

Text: Francesca Bertha Consulting and photographs: Marco Mocellin

FOR INFORMATION:

Antica Fattoria Montagliari Località Montagliari, 29 Greve In Chianti (FI) Tel.: 055/852014