Greve in Chianti (the old name was Greve; in 1972 it was renamed Greve in Chianti after the inclusion of that area in the Chianti wine district) is a town and comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, Italy. It is located about 31 kilometres (19 mi) south of Florence and 42 kilometres (26 mi) north of Siena.
Sitting in the Val di Greve, it is named for the small, fast-flowing river that runs through it, is the principal town in the Chianti wine district which stretches south of Florence to just north of Siena. Until recently it has been a quiet, almost bucolic town because it was, and still is, well off the main roads.
Even in ancient days Greve was not isolated because it was well-connected by secondary roads to the Via Volterrana and via Francigena. Nowadays, it is connected to the A1 superstrada between Florence and Rome and the main road between Florence and Siena. The old road network ensured easy access to Florence and to other places such as Figline where its tradesmen and farmers found ready markets for their goods and produce.
History
The site of Greve and the surrounding territory has been long settled, probably well before the Etruscans and then the Romans dominated the area. Historical documents of the 11th century refer to an ancient monastic settlement on a nearby hill, which is now called the hill of San Francesco. Before the Franciscans established their monastery in the 15th century, an earlier monastery dedicated to Santo Savi had already been built, and also a small hospital. Larger scale settlement occurred in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Although an independent town for most of its history, Greve ultimately came under Florentine control and remained so until the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
With the enlargement of the Chianti wine district in 1932, Greve suddenly found itself in a noble wine area. The Chianti region supports a variety of agricultural activities, most especially the growing of the grapes that go into the world-famous Chianti and "Super Tuscan" wines. Olive oil production is another staple of the local economy. Extra virgin Tuscan olive oil is highly prized for its delicate flavor, as opposed to the stronger, thicker olive oils of the south. Truffle harvesting is a distinguishing feature of local food production. Both black and white truffles are hunted in Chianti. The region is also noted for its meat. The Cinta Senese pig is unique to this region and produces pork of superior quality. Wild game is a common feature on local menus, including rabbit, pigeon, venison, and, especially, cinghiale (wild boar). Greve is home to one of Italy's oldest and most renowned butcher shops, the Macelleria Falorni.
Due largely to this intense agricultural activity, and the wine and food production industries that have been built on top of it, since early medieval times, Greve evolved as the principal market town at the center of an (increasingly) densely populated area with an abundance of villages, parish churches, villas and castles. The latter were built mostly by the rich merchants and noble classes of Florence who enjoyed the country life, and developed their estates to earn additional income and also to supply their in-town tables.
The town of Greve's busy quaintness and the lushness and diversity of the undulating landscape which surrounds it, have long attracted tourists and travelers. The current flow of tourism to the area and the purchase of homes by both Italians and foreigners is fully integrated with viniculture, wine-making and various related enterprises to form a highly integrated and highly productive local economy.
Positano
Terrazzo at La SCOGLIERA BEACH CLUB
At The BEACH
La SCOGLIERA
The Restaurant
La SCOGLIERA BEACH CLUB
POSITANO
View from La SCOGLIERA BEACH CLUB
The AMALFI COAST
ITALY
Looking For a HOTEL
TRIPADVISOR
For ALL YOU"RE TRAVEL NEEDS
Swimming at La SCOGLIERA
.
POSITANO The AMALFI COAST
COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED to KNOW
NAPLES - CAPRI - The AMALFI COAST
ITALY
.
An island of rocky limestone, jagged coastline, and sandstone cliffs in the Gulf of Napoli, Capri has been a resort destination since the second century BC, when Roman emperors used it as a retreat and playground for what were rumored to be a wild slate of personal pleasures. Today, its natural wonders, medieval fortresses, rustic villas, posh shopping, and rugged coastline make it one of Italy’s most beloved travel destinations.
The center of social life on Capri is the popular Piazza Umberto I, “La Piazzetta,” which was once a fish market and now is one of the world’s most fashionable squares. It’s where locals and celebrities alike can be found sipping coffee or cocktails and people watching, surrounded by breathtaking views and architecture, including restored palaces, the Town Hall, and the famous Torre dell’Orologio, the clock tower that once was the bell tower of the Church of Santo Stefano.
In 1826, the re-discovery of the legendary Grotta Azzurra made Capri an even more desired destination. “The Blue Grotto” is a natural sea cavern and miracle of nature, where the water glows azure blue, illuminated by sunlight from an underwater cavity. Once feared to be the home of demons and spirits, it found new fame that drew artists, writers, and philosophers -- including Maxim Gorky, Henry James, Pablo Neruda, and Friederich Nietzsche – to the island, along with millions of tourists from around the world.
Dining on Capri can be as simple as a picnic of caprese sandwiches on the beach, a late-night pizza along Via Tommaso de Tommasi, or an unforgettable meal of authentic, artfully prepared delights at one of the island’s Michelin-starred destination restaurants. You can enjoy flawlessly prepared fish and shellfish in restaurants set in a lemon grove or on a cliff overlooking the sea – the options are as rich and delightful as the island itself.
“There is no spot in the world with such delightful possibilities of repose as this little isle.”
English writer and social critic Charles Dickens (1812-1870), on Capri
It’s fitting that an island famed for its beauty would give birth to one of Italy’s most iconic beauty brands: Carthusia.
Legend maintains that the father prior of the Carthusian Monastery of St. Giacomo on Capri was surprised by an unexpected visit from Queen Joanna I of Anjou in 1380. He scrambled to pick the most beautiful flowers on the island to present her in a bouquet. After the bouquet stood in a vase for three days, the water had taken on a haunting and beautiful fragrance – a scent of wild carnations that became the first perfume of Capri.
Whether there’s truth to this legend or not, in 1681, the monastery began distilling local flowers and herbs to create essential oils and fragrance blends. Those same, centuries-old formulas were rediscovered in the 1940s, and Carthusia uses them today to continue the tradition of limited-production, finely crafted, hand-produced fragrances of magnificent quality.
Here are three of Mozzafiato’s Carthusia favorites to bring the magic of Capri into your heart and home:
