Forbes magazine has rated Gaiole in Chianti the most idyllic place in Europe: in short, the ideal place to live. Certainly, those who have visited Gaiole in Chianti do not need the advice of the authoritative magazine to understand that a lodging in the Chianti region is the top. The gentle slopes, the lush nature, the fields, the forests and the skilful human works that has modelled the landscape in the course of the centuries...

Even a brief stay in Tuscany suffices to appreciate what Gaiole and its surroundings offer: the peaceful marvellous landscapes, the small country parish churches and, above all, the castles, certainly Gaiole`s forte. In the Middle Ages many fortified hamlets were built in the whole Chianti region, fiefs of the most powerful families of the area, such as the counts Guidi and the Trebbiesi.

If you do not have much time, visit at least the castle of Brolio, the most famous castle of the Chianti region. Built by the Longobards, the castle began to play a crucial role when the present owners, the Ricasoli, acquired it. Then you can visit the castle of Meleto, which stands along the road that connects Siena and Valdarno, those of Montegrossi and Tornano and continue your tour of the castles until you decide to stop and have a glass of good Chianti wine.