Apart from tourism and the production of olive oil and wine, handicraft is certainly an important income source for the Chianti region. Here ancient trades are still practised following traditional processes. During your holidays in Tuscany, a tour at discovery of these historical trades perfectly matches with a food-and-wine tour in the Chianti area.

It will be a tour at the discovery of the Chianti region, of its small villages with their narrow streets full of handicraft workshops. You will soon realize that most craftspeople in the Chianti region are carpenters and blacksmiths or coat demijohns and flasks, the traditional Chianti bottles, with straw. If in the past many of these activities were performed by peasants in the farms and farmhouses in the Chianti region, nowadays, after a period of decline, some young craftspeople have decided to retrieve these ancient trades, which are the very essence of the Chianti region.

Other more artistic activities, such as embroidery, ceramics and restoration have been brought back to life as well. Tavarnelle Val di Pesa is famous for its embroideries, whereas Impruneta is renowned for its pottery. You will hardly resist the temptation to buy some of these wonderful handmade products, which will remind you of your holidays in the Chianti region when you will be back home.