A small town in Tuscany of just 2,600 inhabitants, has topped Forbes’ list of the most idyllic places to live.
Gaiole in Chianti is at the top of a ranking of possible real estate in Italy, and Europe, ahead of towns and cities such as Saint Remy de Provence, Copenhagen, Kefalonia, Lubjana, Burford, Budapest, Sibiu in Romania, Rome, e Deia on the island of Maiorca.
History says that the town of Gaiole in Chianti was already around before the 11th century.
By 1215 it had become a centre of commerce in the surrounding valley, with a market square.
In 1300 it became part of the constitution of the Chianti League, with Gaiole becoming a small capital, together with Castellina and Radda.
Forbes believes that Gaiole would be an exceptional place to live, saying “it is now a sleepy and picturesque municipality.
It holds an annual wine festival in September and has an average temperature of 68º F (20º C).
A 17th century farmhouse high in the Chianti hills is likely to cost around 600,000 euros”.
With hilly countryside, nature, wine and history, there is much to explore, including the Abbazia di Coltibuono in the photo.