Badia a Coltibuono

This morning we went for a walk to the top of the Chianti hills, to the Badia a Coltibuono. It is a former monastery, founded in 1051 and owned by the Vallumbrosan order of Benedictine monks until 1810, when most Italian monasteries were closed by Napoleon.

Iits heyday was in the 15th and 16th centuries, when it came under the patronage of the Florentine, Lorenzo de' Medici, and his son Giovanni, who became Pope Leo X. It is now a private agricultural and wine-growing estate.

From mid March to mid November, there are guided tours, wine tastings, cookery classes, and a wonderful restaurant.

There are 2 more photos here