Imagine our excitement when we stopped in town to pick up some beer and wine for our fridge, and…read morestumbled into one of the highlights of our trip! We had been on the trek to Greve, and not purchased anything, nor had any great experiences. On the way back to our farmhouse (Antico Borgo San Lorenzo) we stopped in town to purchase some vino for our fridge. We walked in here, and were warmly greeted by Manuela. She insisted that we come sit at the rustic table, and try some wine with her. What an experience! Before we knew it, there were 5+ bottles open - plus olive oil, balsamics & bread. We were delighted as she guided us through local wines. It was a far better experience than we had found in Greve. After an hour we realized that locals were coming in & filling their own bottles with wine - something we had never seen. They have 2 reds, and 1 white on tap to "fill your own bottle" - for 1.5 euro a liter! You can purchase a bottle there, or fill your own. We immediately emptied all of our water bottles, and purchased straw covered chianti bottles to refill with house vino. The kids filled and corked bottles for the next 30 minutes. We left with: (3) 2 liter water bottles of their premium red, a giant chianti bottle of white, several bottles we enjoyed at their table, and the BEST balsamic we've ever tasted. But the biggest thing we left with was a smile. This place is the real deal, and worth a stop if you're in the Siena area. It's a fun little local find you'll want to treasure.

Delicious food, good wine and friendly service. Cozy little spot you might walk past but stop in!!!read more

We walked by this wine bar and store and decided to take a look inside. So much wine and liquor!…read moreIt's a cute store. We decided to take a break from walking and have a glass of wine. Wish we had more time to do their wine tasting. The man helping us with the wine was friendly and very nice. He was patient with us and helped us pick the wine to try. The two ladies at the entrance to the store weren't as friendly.

**I Girone de' Ghiotti -- Florence, Italy **…read more Before leaving Florence, we had to make a stop at the viral sandwich spot everyone seems to rave about--and I'll admit, we arrived before opening, second in line, slightly skeptical about whether the hype was actually deserved. **OH. MY. GOD. It was.** This was hands down one of the best sandwiches we've ever had. The bread was fresh and perfectly crisp on the outside while still soft enough to hold all the incredible fillings together. Everything tasted fresh, balanced, and thoughtfully put together. The menu has around 18 different combinations, and while they're happy to make some adjustments, I actually appreciated that they encourage you not to over-customize. Their combinations are designed so you can taste each ingredient the way it's intended. We went with **the Suicida and the Golosa**, and both were absolutely delicious. Each had its own personality, with layers of flavor that somehow worked perfectly together without becoming overwhelming. There's something about standing in line on a little Florentine street, watching these sandwiches being prepared, and then taking that first bite that makes the whole experience even better.

This was an off-the-beaten path/hidden gem that we stumbled upon when visiting Florence. My husband…read moreand I took the train in from the cruise port and ate an early breakfast on our ship. By the time we arrived and scoped out the Duomo, we were definitely ready for lunch. We were walking down the crowded cobblestone streets and decided that wanted a sandwich for lunch. We made a quick left turn and saw a line of people waiting. We weren't necessarily sure what they were waiting for until we inquired. Most people were waiting for sandwiches - SCORE! We decided to get in line and realized how quickly the line was moving. Traffic was being moved by their workers who were assisting with menu suggestions. We quickly got up to the front of the establishment and realized how tiny it is inside. It was so cool to see an actual Italian deli in action. From what I heard, they source their ingredients from local farmers, too! I ordered the La Rosa and my husband ordered the Gregorio (in honor of our friend Greg!). We waited outside for a few minutes while they prepared our order. The sandwiches were absolutely delicious and the bread was surprisingly crispy. The cost was super reasonable, too, for how much food you are getting. We will be back!

From the owner: In the University zone of Bologna you'll find fine wines from all Italian Regions, including…read moreBarolo, Amarone and Brunello di Montalcino. Here you also can find French wines, sparkling wines including Franciacorta and Champagne, raisin wines, grappa and other spirits at a friendly price! Vini scelti da tutte le regioni d'Italia, vini francesi, bollicine, vini passiti, grappa e altri distillati al giusto prezzo! Consegne gratuite a Bologna e Casalecchio di Reno per importi superiori a 30 Euro.

Our second time to Verrazzano and partook in a tasting/lunch this time. It was one of the best…read moretastings/lunches we've had. The staff is so nice and knowledgeable - Rebecca was great. The castle itself of course is lovely and so picturesque. Recommend when in Tuscany!

This was an amazing tour and total experience! Our tour guide, representative, wine educator, etc…read morewas excellent! Her knowledge of the property, the amazing history, and wine was so very nicely portrayed in her excellent tour. The history here is stunning too. Wines were so very good that we bought a case to be shipped back home, to the states. Check on buying wine, as they price it with shipping. The property is gorgeous and historic! Highly recommend this particular winery to visit and tour when visiting the area!

Gianni is the wonderful proprietor of this wine bar and helpful to non-…read moreItalian visitors. He recommended a nice Brunello Di Montalcino paired with local Tuscan cheeses, salami, prosciutto, dried tomatoes, bread and of course olive oil. He has many wines by the glass at super affordable prices and of course a deep selection of bottles. Can't go wrong here!

Looking for a really cute little place near San Lorenzo to snack on a yummy panino and a {really…read moregood} glass of wine? Then Casa del Vino is the place you want to be. I can't believe I have lived here this long and have never been...until now! Finding it can be a bit of a challenge due to it's umbiguous location amongsnt the market traffic in San Lorenzo but once you find it - you pretty much feel like you've discovered a pot of gold. Well at leats, if you are a hungry wino like me. Very small inside, not much space to sit but pick what kind of bread you want and get that panino made. I got one filled with sun-dried tomatoes, burrata (heaven) and prosciutto. Their wine selection is very decent and I got a lambrusco secco which was heaven in a world where normally Lambrusco sucks. Total price for my panino and wine? 7 euros. Which for Italian 'fast slow food' is a bit high but it was so good, I didn't even think about it. So when you are in the center searching for THAT tiny place with great wine and good crostini & panini - head over to Casa del Vino and trust me.. try that burrata..

This cafe in Siena is located on one of its twisty, inclined streets near Piazza del Duomo. There…read moreare three separate doorways; one seems to be for food, one for booze, and one for coffee and pastries. The coffee door is imprinted with "KAFA Forest Coffee". We were walking along and just wanted a coffee to sip as we sat and relaxed on their covered patio. It's a great place to people watch. I went inside and ordered 2 Americanos at the counter. The helpful barista understood my English perfectly and my cups of espresso were ready quickly to take out to the patio. The coffees were bold and strong; quite enjoyable. We sat for ten minutes or so until another customer sat at the table next to us and lit up a cigarette, smoke blowing in our faces (unintentionally). Smoking on a restaurant patio is fine in Italy. They also serve pastries, small sandwiches, and gelato.

Came to this spot to do a wine tasting however they couldn't take us the same day. We were just…read morelooking to try some wines of the area to make the right purchases. We ended up staying outside for drinks but the wine selection was limited. We liked the Rosso they had and got a bottle to drink there. We enjoyed ourselves sitting outside people watching and letting our feet rest.