Sharing a carafe of Chianti while the autumnal Tuscan air swirls around you is one of life’s great pleasures. Of course, there’s more to Tuscan wine than the everyday Chianti, and fall is the perfect time to explore the region and its many vineyards.

Did you know that there are 14 wine routes in Tuscany, also known as Le Strade del Vino? By clicking on the image to the left, you can visit the Tuscan Wine Trails website, where, ostensibly, you can devise your own vineyard driving tour. (A note to technically-minded Italophiles: on my wishlist is a Google Maps mashup of these trails.)

The 14 wine routes are as follows. Thanks to waytuscany.net for sorting these out by province.

Province of Arezzo: Strada del Vino Terre di Arezzo
Province of Florence: Strada del Vino Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Strada del Vino di Montespertoli, Strada dei Vini Chianti Rufina e Pomino
Province of Grosseto: Strada del Vino Monteregio di Massa Marittima, Strada del Vino Colli di Maremma, Strada del Vino di Montecucco
Province of Livorno: Strada del Vino Costa degli Etruschi
Province of Lucca: Strada del Vino Colline Lucchesi e Montecarlo
Province of  Massa Carrara: Strada del Vino Colli di Candia e di Lunigiana
Province of Prato: Strada Medicea dei Vini di Carmignano
Province of Pisa: Strada del Vino delle Colline Pisane
Province of Siena: Strada del Vino Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Strada del Vino di Montepulciano

Happy sipping!

Photo © N1ck P Harris

Related posts

• What’s On in Italy: September 2008
• Keeping Up With the Antinori
• The Best Chiantis
• Italy’s Most Scenic Drives
• 2008 Year-End Article Round Up

If you’re the type of traveler who likes to go it alone and doesn’t mind injecting a little technological know-how into your trip, then a GPS-driven self-guided tour may be the ticket.

Information about Zephyr Self-Guided Adventures through Italy just crossed our desks over the weekend. The company offers walks, biking, and driving tours through Tuscany, Umbria, and parts of Lazio, all of which are powered by GPS navigation. According to a press release:

The GPS Navigation systems have pre-loaded waypoints along the driving routes and are designed to accompany written turn-by-turn directions. With simple touch commands travelers can easily get from one destination to another. These portable systems not only allow for a comfortable traveling pace, but are also a cheaper alternative to the typical guided vacation.

In addition to the GPS Navigation systems, these driving tours come with a “virtual tour guide” in the form of a Portable Media Player loaded with short videos. In these videos, Zephyr Adventures President Allan Wright gives a daily route talk summarizing what to expect for each day while certified Italian guide (and Zephyr in-country support representative) Giovanni Ramaccioni gives entertaining cultural and historical presentations about sights on the route. The cultural videos were filmed at the exact spots the travelers pass through.

The combination of these two technologies allows for the ultimate driving adventure.

While Zephyr may have touched on a rather novel concept, we also like the fact that they have worked in the price of hotels and rental cars, so you don’t have to do any extra legwork (unless, of course, you choose to walk or bike your way through central Italy). Rates start at $1,250 per person, not including airfare.

Related posts

• 2008 Year-End Article Round Up
• What’s On in Italy: June 2008
• What’s On in Italy: August 2008
• Unofficial Guide to Central Italy, 4th Ed., is Here!
• Ramble On: Tuscany Walking Festival

In case you missed these recent articles on travel to Italy…

New York Times
Sicily, Through the Eyes of the Leopard

The Washington Post
See Naples…And Eat

Sydney Morning Herald
Ready for Super-Bol (A Search for the Best Ragu in Bologna)

Los Angeles Times
Exploring Sun-Splashed Venice’s City Squares

The Guardian (UK)
Instant Weekend…Turin

The Boston Globe
Eat Them All, Pray For More, Love the Neopolitan Pie
Ancient Capri Still Casts Its Powerful Spell

Seattle Times (Rick Steves’ Europe)
For Italy In the Extreme, Go to Naples

The Independent (UK)
See Italy – From the Wheel of a Ferrari
Lyrical Charm in Capri

The Vancouver Sun
How To Enjoy Rome With the Kids

The Financial Times
Do You Need Another Reason to Visit Florence?

Related posts

• October 2008 Article Round-Up
• Italy Summer Article Round-Up 2008
• Italy Article Round-Up From the Past Few Months
• 2008 Year-End Article Round Up
• What’s On in Italy: June 2008

Today’s tip from Fodor’s looks at the best driving tours in Italy. They include the Via Aurelia, the Grande Strade delle Dolomiti, and – my favorite – the S222 through Tuscany, also known as the Via Chiantigiana.

I’m certain there are more than just three drives in Italy that will make your jaws drop. Did you know that you can chart your own course, with driving instructions and toll and gas information, on Michelin’s Via Michelin website? Besides providing excellent tips on hotels, restaurants, and travel throughout all of Europe, Via Michelin is a sort-of Mapquest for the continent, doling out info on the quickest, shortest, and most economical driving routes as well as the most scenic.

To test it out a sample “Discovery Route,” I searched for directions from Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano to Piazza San Giovanni in Florence. Okay…perhaps you wouldn’t want to drive right into Firenze’s Duomo (and with traffic patterns the way they are, you probably couldn’t), but this route is interesting, taking a driver along a few highways but also along the old Via Salaria and past the Certosa of Galluzzo outside of Florence.

In short, this is a great tool for a first-time driver in Italy or for someone who wants to check out some of the backroads of the Italian countryside. Do you know any other great driving tools or routes for Italy? If so, please let us know!

Photo from Fodors.com

Related posts

• Wine Routes in Tuscany
• The Ultimate Italian Driving Adventure
• 2008 Year-End Article Round Up
• What’s On in Italy: September 2008
• The Best Chiantis