Greve in Chianti sits in the heart of the Chianti Classico wine country, roughly equidistant from Florence (30 km) and Siena (35 km). The town's triangular piazza, lined with arcaded shops and wine bars, is the natural gathering point and a good place to start tasting at the Enoteca del Chianti Classico or the century-old Macelleria Falorni.
The weekly market fills Greve's piazza on Saturday mornings, while Panzano in Chianti — a smaller hilltop village in the same commune — has its market on Sundays. Throughout the year the area comes alive with local festivals: the Chianti Classico Festival in the second week of September is the main event, but there are also antique markets at Easter and in October, a flower show in May, Panzano's Festa della Stagion Bona on 25 April, and a chestnut festival in Lucolena in late October.
The surrounding countryside is classic Tuscan postcard: rolling vine-covered hills, cypress-lined roads, stone farmhouses. The wine estates welcome visitors for tastings — the Castle of Verrazzano is one of the most historically significant — and the walking and cycling between the villages is superb. Just above the town, the perfectly preserved medieval village of Montefioralle rewards a short uphill walk with extraordinary views over the Chianti hills. Panzano is particularly known for its butcher, Dario Cecchini, who has turned the art of the bistecca fiorentina into a theatrical experience.