ITINERARY | HIGHLIGHTS | WEATHER | ACCOMMODATION & ADDITIONAL INFO

Italy - South to Siena 2008

TUSCANY: from Montepulciano to Siena
- a self-guided walking holiday through a Renaissance landscape

This is the Tuscany that you have always dreamt of. You will walk among the rolling hills of Renaissance paintings, a landscape of blue sky, golden ochres and lush green; from the classic vineyards of Vino Nobile and Brunello to walled medieval and renaissance towns, and visiting superb churches and abbeys. At the end of each day, comfortable accommodation and good food.

PRICE

£555.00 per person - staying in mixture of 2 and 3 star hotels (single supplement £115.00) or £595.00 per person - staying 3 star hotels (single supplement £145.00)

INCLUDED

7 nights accommodation with 7 breakfasts and 4 dinners. Transfers as noted in programme. Walking notes and maps and luggage movement from hotel to hotel. Emergency back up.

NOT INCLUDED

Transport to Montepulciano and from Siena, meals not mentioned in the programme, drinks with meals, insurance.

Departure dates 2008:

April to end of October - start on the day of your choice.

To book email: walking@star.co.uk
T: (44) (0)1242 254353

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ITINERARY

 

Day 1: Arrive at your hotel in the centre of the medieval walled town of Montepulciano, built on a limestone ridge with marvellous views over the surrounding countryside. Then enjoy an excellent dinner at the hotel. Overnight Montepulciano.

Day 2: Montepulciano - Pienza (15 kms/9.4miles. Height gain 490m.) This walk is interesting for its varied landscape: from Montepulciano to Monticchiello you walk through countryside with olive groves, vineyards. walnut and fig trees and through typical Mediterranean woods, with holm oaks (evergreen oak 'Quercus Ilex'), heather and broom. From Monticchiello to Pienza you walk on the balcony of Val d'Orcia, a valley among beautiful rolling hills, framed by wheat fields, and occasional dark green pinnacles of cypress.
Overnight in the beautiful Renaissance town of Pienza.

Day 3: Pienza - S.Quirico D'Orcia - Bagno Vignoni (14 kms/8.75 miles. 415m) The walk today is classic Tuscany as portrayed in films (The English Patient, Bertolucci's Sleeping Beauty for example), through rolling hills with lines of cypress and hilltop country houses, to the pretty little medieval town of Quirico d'Orcia on the Via Francigena (the old pilgrim route) and on to Bagno Vignoni, famous for its Roman and Renaissance thermal baths. Overnight Bagno Vignoni

Day 4: Bagno Vignoni - S.Antimo (15 kms/8.75 miles. 585m) The walk today takes you through a holm oak wood which separates Bagno Vignoni from Ripa d'Orcia. The area is rich in wild life - wild boar, roebuck deer, fox, badger. On arrival in Sant Antimo visit the beautiful Romanesque abbey - it has been both Benedictine and Guglielmite in its time, and it currently houses a French pre-monstratensian (Norbertine) community - built in the l2th century atop foundations that date to Charlemagne in the early 9th century.

Day 5: Sant Antimo - Montalcino (9.10 Kms ./ 6.25 miles, 300 m) From the vineyards and olive groves around the Abbey you walk towards the holm oak wood that cover the hills between the Abbey and Montalcino. From the meadows on the top of the hill, enjoy outstanding views of Val d'Orcia and the extinct volcano of Mt. Amiata (1700 m., located south of St. Antimo) . Overnight in the medieval hilltop town of Montalcino, famous for its Fortezza, Brunello red wine and honey.

Day 6: Montalcino - Buonconvento (Pieve a Salti) (14kms/8.75 miles. 300m) Walk from Montalcino passing through some famous local wine estates such as Baricci and Casato Prime Donne. After 5km the landscape changes and you will notice more meadows for sheep farming, and plots of land for crops like corn, tobacco, wheat and barley. The area is greener than the Val d'Orcia thanks to the river Ombrone. Overnight in the charming small medieval town of Buonconvento on the via Cassia.

Day 7: Buonconvento - Abazzia Di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (13kms/8.2. miles, 350m) Walk from Buonconvento to the monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. Start by walking through the Pieve a Salti estate, a large farm that cultivates mainly alfalfa, corn, and sunflower. Then after the "Podere Olimena" walk through fields and a small mixed wood until you reach the spectacular Crete Sienesi. Views of the Monastery and Chiusure.

Transfer to Siena and overnight

Day 8: SIENA and departure


Additional options
If you prefer it is possible to omit the walk from Sant Antimo to Montalcino and have a rest day in Montalcino. Price will be the same and a transfer will be arranged. Please ask.

We can also arrange for extra nights along the route - please ask for prices.

 

DIFFICULTY OF WALK

Level: easy, medium. Terrain: mostly farm tracks along open, rolling hills, Distance: average about 14 kms. per day.

 

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HIGHLIGHTS

If you have done this walk before we would like to hear of your personal highlights. Mail Us

WEATHER

Click here to view the weather forecast Link courtesy of uk met office

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ACCOMMODATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ACCOMMODATION

2 and 3 star hotels:

- Montepulciano (Hotel Marzocco*** (http://www.albergoilmarzocco.it)
- Pienza -B&B Il Giglio - (http://www.wel.it/Welcome/Toscana/Valdorcia/Pienza/Alberghi/Giglio/index.uk.html)
- Bagno Vignoni Hotel Le Terme*** (http://www.albergoleterme.it)
- Castelnuovo (Locanda Sant'Antimo - http://www.emmeti.it/Welcome/Toscana/Senese/Montalcino/Alberghi/Antimo/index.uk.html
- Montalcino (Hotel Il Giglio*** - B&B)
- Buonconvento (L'Albergotto B&B  or Hotel Roma)
- Siena (Hotel Cannon d'Oro -  www.cannondoro.com

all 3 star hotels - same as above except the following:

- Pienza (Piccolo Hotel La Valle - B&B)
www.pienza.info/piccolohotellavalle.eng.php
- Bagno Vignoni (Hotel Le Terme - HB)
- Castelnuovo dell'Abate (Locanda Sant'Antimo - HB) same address as above
- Montalcino (Hotel Il Giglio - B&B)
- Buonconvento (Hotel Ghibellino - HB) www.hotelghibellino.it
- Siena (Chiusarelli - B&B) www.chiusarelli.com

NATURE

Cypress, holm oak, pseudoacacia, broom, wild rose, helicrysus.

Agriculture: olive tree, vine, chestnut. Wildlife: wild boar, fox, porcupine, hedgehog, badger, buzzard, bee eater, and many other song birds

FOOD AND DRINK

Try the pici or pinci, a hard wheat homemade kind of pasta traditional to southern Tuscany with aglione (garlic) or with porcini mushrooms; the famous ribollita, a bread and vegetables soup; the Pecorino di Pienza (sheep cheese); and wild boar cooked in a variety of ways.

This is a wonderful area for red wine lovers - here you have the superb "Nobile di Montepulciano" famous since the Renaissance, and the outstanding "Brunello di Montalcino". Try the Cantucci di Siena (hard biscuits for dipping in vin' santo (sacred wine), a sweet liquorous wine); and Ricciarelli (soft almond biscuits).

GETTING THERE

Nearest airports: Florence//Pisa/Rome. It is an easy train journey from all three cities: It takes about 1h30 minutes by train from Rome or 2 hours from Pisa to Chiusi from where you may take a taxi to your hotel in Montepulciano.

Nearest railway station: Chiusi

WHAT TO TAKE:

Sturdy walking boots and walking socks (with a change of socks in rucksack), rucksack/day pack, swimming costume, 1 x water bottle with 1 litre capacity, insect repellent, sun glasses, sun hat, sun block/cream, rainproof, fleece, compass, torch and a first-aid kit.

 

INSURANCE

We recommend that you take out appropriate holiday insurance covering you against illness, injury, and loss or damage to luggage. This insurance should also cover the possibility of your having to cancel your holiday for whatever reason.

To book, contact worldwalks  at:
email:walking@star.co.uk
T: (44) (0)1242 254353

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