The Terra Di Siena Self-guided Tour (Tuscany, Italy)
The Tuscany that you have always dreamt of
You will walk in the rolling hills very often portrayed in renaissance paintings and filmed in today’s movies, a landscape with a deep blue sky, golden ochre and lush greens. From the famous vineyards of Vino Nobile and Brunello to walled medieval and renaissance boroughs, visiting superb churches and abbeys with comfortable accommodations and typical restaurants and locandas.
Tour Highlights:
♦ Montepulciano: a medieval walled town built on a limestone ridge. Renaissance style Palazzi and Chuches.
♦ Pienza: a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
♦ Bagno Vignoni: roman and Renaissance thermal baths; thirty-six springs rise from 100 m below ground at a temperature of 50oC.
♦ Siena: the best preserved medieval city in Europe, ”the Medieval Pompeii” a true masterpiece of art and architecture with its gothic duomo, the museums and famous buildings.
Itinerary:
Day 1. Montepulciano
Arrival at Montepulciano by public transport. Introduction meeting and overnight.
Day 2. Montepulciano – Pienza
Today's hike is interesting for its varied and green landscape. You will pass through small plots of land with olive groves, vineyards, the typical Mediterranean woods, heather, broom and agriculture lands. The trek ends in Pienza which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walking distance: 15km; walking time: 3-4hrs; uphill walk: 150m; downhill walk: 200 m.
Day 3. Pienza – Bagno Vignoni
The beauty of this unique landscape has been quite often portrayed by Hollywood movies. Here you have the typical Tuscany landscapes with lines of cypress and hilltop country houses. The trek ends at Bagno Vignoni in the Orcia river valley. Walking distance: 14km; walking time: 3-4hrs; uphill walk: 220m; downhill walk: 200 m.
Day 4. Bagno – Vignoni – S.Antimo
This is the hike with most of trees along the way. The area is quite rich of wild life like wild boar, roe buck dears, foxes, badgers. You will do several uphills and downhills, cross a river and reach the centre of S. Antimo, where you stay overnight. Walking distance: 13,8km; uphill walk: 300m; downhill walk: 225 m.
Day 5. S.Antimo – Montalcino
From the vineyards and olive groves around the Abbey you will move towards the holm oak (Quercus ilex) woods that cover the hills between the Abbey and Montalcino. Further on up the road you will pass by some archeological excavations of remains of a 4th C B.C. Etruscan fortress. You will reach the beautiful Medieval town of Montalcino where today's trek ends. Walking distance: 10 km; walking time: 3,30 hrs; uphill walk: 350m; downhill walk: 115m
Day 6. Montalcino – Buonconvento
Varied hike through some local wine estates and lands under cultivation. The area is greener than the Val d’Orcia thanks to the river Ombrone, Arbia and water reservoirs. You'll arrive in Buonconvento for overnight.
Walking distance: 16 km; walking time: 4,30hrs; uphill walk: 100m; downhill walk: 300 m.
Day 7. Buonconvento – Monte Oliveto Maggiore – Siena
The hike starts on a dirt road in an open field with some agriculture lands and then becomes narrow path submerging into a large forest area. After one/two hour’s walk through the forest, you reach the Monte Oliveto Maggiore Abbey. Transfer is arranged to the beautiful city of Siena where you stay for the last night of this lovely walking trip. Walking distance: 13.2 km; walking time: 3,30-4hrs; uphill walk: 200m; downhill walk: 130 m.
Day 8. Departure
Departure by public transportation on your own.
Luggage transportation: Every day in the late morning a driver will take care of your luggages and deliver them to the next inn. You need only a small rucksack with the necessary luggage for the daily hike.
Included in the price: ► You will stay 7 nights at 2-3 star hotels, most of them family run all centrally located ►Breakfast is included on all days as well as 4 evening meals (days 1,3,5,6) ► Luggage transportation on each of the days (except for day 8) ► Detailed roadbook and map in English► Transfer to Siena on Day 7 ► NOTE! The price is per person sharing a double room accommodation. Single traveler who has ordered a bed in a shared double room must be prepared to pay for a single room if a room-mate cannot be arranged.
Not included: ► Flight tickets ► Tickets for the public transport ► Alcohol drinks ► City tax in Montepulciano (1 Euro/pp/night) and in Siena (1,5 Euro/pp/night) paid directly to the hotel► Other personal expenses.
Other expenses: Single supplement: 225 Euro/person ►Arrival in Chiusi and transport on your own by taxi or bus to Montepulciano, 20 km drive – bus ticket 6-7 Euro/pax; taxi – 40-50 Euro/car ► If you break the trip plan you pay on your own the extra expenses for transport and accommodation.
We recommend trip in the period: May – October
Vacation Extensions:
The Cinque Terre Self-guided Trek (Liguria, Italy)
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