From Florence you'll follow
the signs for Impruneta along
the provincial road passing
Galluzzo and San Felice a Ema
where you'll start to climb
the hills passing through Pozzolatico
and Mezzomonte. Arriving in
Impruneta you will find in the
center of the square, the church
of Santa Maria, of the 'VIII-IX
century.Located in the piazza
Buondelmonti, Santa Maria all'Impruneta
is a primitive construction
which was consecrated in 1060.
Actually, the Basilica does
not have much of its original
construction but has been expertly
restored. The restoration brings
to life the original romanesque
design with three aisles, three
columns and three apses. The
arcade is the work ('600) of
Gherardo Silvani. The Basilica
contains many works of art and
of particular importance, inside
the Basilica itself there is
the Museum of the treasures
of Santa Maria all'Impruneta,
inaugurated in 1987. The Museum
houses miniature manuscripts
and holy objects which came
from the church itself and other
surrounding areas. Of particular
interest is the section with
silver objects.
From Impruneta following the
south-east road you will enter
onto the state road No.222 Chiantigiana
which will bring you to the
town of Greve in Chianti. In
the characteristic square Matteotti
there are shops along the portico
lined elongated triangular center.
You are in the heart of the
wine producing region of Tuscany,
Chianti Classico. Every year
in September, the traditional
wine festival is held in this
center.
From Greve follow the two km
road which will bring you to
the parish of San Cresci. The
square stone structure reveals
its original romanesque origins.
The inside of the church is
no open to visitors, but the
facade, with its to mullioned
windows and small narthex, merit
a visit.
Following the central road from
Greve that leads to the right
of San Cresci, you will reach
the castel of Montefioralle,
surrounded by stone walls it
is a charming little village
of stone houses. In the center
is the church of S. Stefano
remodeled between '600 and '700,the
church contains some interesting
works of art, a Madonna and
il Bambino by a florentine painter
from the end of the XIII century
and a 4th century tablet with
Trinita and Saints attributed
to Maestro dell'Epifania di
Fiesole.
From Greve, taking the provincial
road 117 of Testalepre, you
will arrive in the town of Panzano
or San Leolino. The parish has
existed since the X century,
but was reconstructed in the
romanesque style in the XIII
century the portico is from
the '500 and contains various
art works one of which is a
precious tablet with the Madonna
in throne, Saints Peter and
Paul and stories of the two
saints attributed to Meliore
Florentine painter from the
second half of the XIII century
and a trilogy with the Madonna,
il Bambino and Saints Peter
and Paul by Maestro di Panzano
(second half of XIV century)
From Panzano it is possible
to return on the Via Chiantigiana,
or else take the road in the
direction of Grignano, and follow
to the right the road for San
Donato in Poggio and continue
with the following itinerary.