When you hear the word Chianti, the first thought runs immediately to wine and oil. In fact, the hills, vineyards and olive groves have shaped the Chianti landscape to the point of making it a true world icon. But there is another typical element that, in the good season, in particular in the month of May, adds brushstrokes of colour to the green hills of Chianti: it is the iris, also called "giaggiolo".

There is a place in Tuscany, in the municipality of Greve in Chianti, where the hills and terraces take on the shades of the pale iris. It happens in San Polo in Chianti where the spring green alternates with the purplish-blue of the iris.

We will explore this particular area of Chianti to admire the views, the scents of irises in bloom and discover the little secrets hidden in the heart of this valley that has been a real crossroads for the shepherds who from the ridges of Mugello and Casentino travelled along the ancient Maremma roads.

The highlights that we will visit in this proposal:

The iris blooming

Pieve di Rubbiana, a thousand-year-old Romanesque building linked to the diocese of Fiesole.

Poggio di Firenze, the highest point of the excursion

Fonte Santa, ancient crossroads and precious ecological niche

Sasso Scritto, border between Fiesole and Volterra

Palazzaccio di Marcignano, ancient castle in ruins on the Via Maremmana

The natural terrace on Brunelleschi's dome

The panoramic point of Montemasso

Here's a curiosity:

Perhaps it was from a stylized iris - not from the lily as everyone believes - that the symbol of the city of Florence was born, not by chance in the Tuscan capital there is an entire garden dedicated to this magnificent flower.

Prices include

Organization

Assistance of environmental hiking guide legally qualified under L.04/2013 and L.R. 86/2016

RCT policy

Note: the assurance does not cover damage from random accidents derived by way of non-exhaustive example only; stumbles, slips or falls from overcoming obstacles. With the registration, the participant took vision of the program and the regulation, which form a single inseparable object takes note implicitly to be aware of with express waiver of recourse.

Plan

Length: 16 km

Difficoltà: Escursionistico

Difficulty: excursionist

Route type: ring, naturalistic and historical interests

Beginning: 9:30 AM

Meeting point: San Polo in Chianti, at the Via del Palagione parking lot.

The tour will be carried out at the achievement of a minimum of four individual participants or private group or on request at the achievement of the minimum number of four people

What to bring: packed lunch, 1 litre of water per person, hiking or trail shoes, long pants, layered clothing (microfleece, windproof, shell or k-way), cap, backpack and charger.

The guide reserves the right to make changes to the excursion to ensure the safety of the group, or to cancel the excursion in case of bad weather and/or alerts.