The territory of Gaiole in Chianti is a popular destination for several Italian and foreign tourists, who come to enjoy its landscapes and its artistic and historical memories, as well as its gastronomic products, first of all the wine Chianti Colli Senesi. Gaiole was settled between the thirteenth and fourteenth century for trading reasons: in fact at the beginning it was a "market place", a centre for collection and sale of goods, serving the many castles that dot the area. In fact, this territory is crossed by a real "Road of Castles", along which it is possible to admire many important buildings dating back to the stage of "fortification" during Middle Ages in Chianti area (among the others, the Castle of Brolio, the Castle of Meleto, now home of a farm producing wine, the Castle of Montegrossi, the Castle of Tornano, the Castle of Vertine). For these reasons, the centre of Gaiole, Via Ricasoli, is a street-square, along which the life of the town took place, and still takes place. The rolling hills around Gaiole, the mild climate and the provision of high quality food and wine make this town so popular for tourists: in fact, few other areas can boast as spectacular landscapes as those of the Chianti hills, which follow one another with their profiles covered with vineyards.