Pievasciata – Art, History and Wine

Pievasciata brings together several specific interests to help you plan your trip: contemporary art outdoors, the architectural history of an old parish church, and wine experiences at Vallepicciola. If you are looking for a hotel in Pievasciata, these different highlights can help you tailor your stay to your own interests.

Contemporary Art in the Forest

The Chianti Sculpture Park (Parco Sculture del Chianti) is a permanent exhibition of contemporary installations and sculptures that brings art and nature together. As an open-air museum, it is set in a seven-hectare woodland. The walking trail is about 1.5 kilometres long and has gradients of up to 20 percent in places. It can be used with suitable strollers and wheelchairs. When planning your visit, you can consider the approximate trail length and gradient profile as separate points of reference.

The way the installations are integrated into their natural setting gives the park its distinctive character as an outdoor art experience. Pievasciata B.A.C. offers another artistic dimension: as part of the project, twelve artworks and large-scale sculptures are located in the village and along the surrounding roads. The collection may change over time.

The Parish Church and Its Architectural History

The Pieve di San Giovanni Battista is one of the oldest parish churches in Chianti; the first records mentioning it date back to 1086. Its architectural history includes several clearly distinguishable phases. Early medieval masonry is dated to the 8th to 11th centuries, and the bell tower dates from the 13th century. Significant interior alterations followed in 1748.

The later fortification is also part of the site’s history: after 1229, the Pieve was converted into a fortified complex. Features that survive include a second tower and a defensive tower. A ring wall still encloses a courtyard. The Pieve thus brings together early masonry, later structural additions, and interior alterations. Anyone interested in historic architecture can use the different dates as a guide to this development, without treating them as a single building phase.

Wine Experiences at Vallepicciola

Vallepicciola, on Strada Provinciale 9 di Pievasciata, offers several experiences with different itineraries:

• The Wine Safari Experience takes you by jeep through the vineyards and to the wine cellar. It is followed by a tasting of five characteristic wines with local cold cuts and cheese.
• The Truffle Hunting Experience combines a guided truffle hunt with a tasting of three wines and local dishes.
• The Grand Cru Experience includes a walk through the vineyards, a visit to the wine cellar, a tasting of four Cru wines, and a platter prepared by the chef.

The options differ both in activity and tasting: you can choose a jeep ride, a guided truffle hunt, or a walk through the vineyards. Experience details may change, so check the current arrangements before your visit.

These interests offer different starting points for planning your trip, and the visits are not interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Villa A Sesta, Monteaperti, Guistrigona, Pianella, San Gusmè, Quercegrossa, San Felice, Casetta.

For the broader travel overview: Castelnuovo Berardenga.