Wine Holidays in Tuscany

Wine tasting weekends and winery stays in Tuscany

This page lists 13 wine holidays in Tuscany, from one night at a family winery to six nights between three hotels in the province of Siena. Most are around San Gimignano and in the south of the province, between Montepulciano and the Val di Chiana; others are in the Maremma and on the Colli di Luni, in the far north-west. Two trips start in Florence with a driver, one of them bound for the Barolo hills in Piedmont.

Where can you stay at a winery in Tuscany?

• Agriturismo Cesani, at Pancole near San Gimignano: the Cesani family's farm stay, with a winery visit, 5 organic wines, two of them Vernaccia di San Gimignano, and the pool in season.
• Terra Antica, near Montepulciano: one night with a tasting of 3 wines, breakfast, and access to the pool, jacuzzi and sauna.
• Cantina il Monticello, at Fosdinovo on the Colli di Luni, near the border with Liguria: 2 nights in an apartment with a pergola terrace and a tasting of 4 Vermentino wines.
• Poggio alla Rocca, at Civitella Paganico in the Maremma: 5 nights in an apartment on the farm during the harvest, with all meals and drinks, picking the grapes and following them into the cellar.

Which Tuscan wine holidays include a spa?

Stays at three places in the south of the province of Siena, an area known for its hot springs. Terra Antica has its own jacuzzi and sauna. Villa Vetrichina, at San Casciano dei Bagni, combines 1 to 3 nights with a Tuscan cooking class and dinners with local wines, and the two- and three-night stays add a day at the thermal pools of Fonteverde. Poggio Cantarello, near Chiusi, adds to 2 nights a candlelit dinner, an entry to the Theia thermal pools and a tasting of 4 to 6 wines at the Ricci winery in Montepulciano.

When is the best time to go?

May, June, September and October: warm days, cooler evenings and fewer visitors than in July and August. The harvest usually runs from mid-September into October, and it is the only time of year you can take part in it, as at Poggio alla Rocca.

Do you need a car?

For almost every stay, yes: the estates are in open countryside and transfers are rarely included. The two trips that start in Florence are the exception, with private transport throughout.