Hiking and walking in the Mounts of Chianti

Tennis with view on the Chianti Hills (Monti del Chianti) Villa le Barone

A stay at boutique hôtel Villa Barone, in the heart of Chianti, offers many opportunities for hiking and walking in the Mounts of Chianti and, for instance, discovering and admiring how nature and human presence have superbly combined over the centuries.

The Mounts and hills of Chianti, (I Monti del Chianti), a short mountain range of about 35km, are located between the provinces of Florence, Siena and Arezzo. They include three main Mountains:  Monte Cavolo, Monte Luco, and the highest, Monte San Michele (893 meters) close to the town of Greve in Chianti; these hills can be seen from the gardens and tennis at Villa le Barone. Mount San Michele is at the heart of a natural park of over 800 hectares. Its flanks are largely covered with forest of oaks, holm oaks, pines, chestnuts trees, the latter reflecting  the historical presence of man and his impact on the landscape, as they were cultivated for their fruits. It is also possible to gaze at typical rural architecture in a few hamlets in the center of olive crops and to admire small churches, nowadays sadly closed.

View on the Chianti Hills (Monti del Chianti) from Villa le Barone

During a walk or a hike, it is possible to observe many animal species, such as wild boar, deer, roe deer, hare, fox, porcupine (last year porcupines even came into the gardens of Villa le Barone and ate all iris rhizomes: they love them!). There are also many birds’ species: jay, hoopoe, cuckoo, owls… Many small streams descend from the mountains of Chianti that come pouring into the Greve River, itself a tributary of the Arno River.

Guests of boutique hotel Villa le Barone find upon arrival detailed itineraries, specially prepared for them, to help  them discover not only the delicious wines of Chianti Classico, but also all the wonders of Chianti, a part of Tuscany, which combines so well art architecture and nature.