Tuscany Wine & Walk |
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Wine and food, a perfect combination
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Visit Castello di Brolio, Chianti Classico
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Drying grapes for Tuscan Vin Santo
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Bruschetta bellissima!
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Start your trip in romantic Florence
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Tiptoe through the San Giovese grapes
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A horizontal tasting?!
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Classic Tuscan landscapes
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Banfi, makers of Brunello di Montalcino
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Tuscany Wine & Walk Itinerary
TOUR AT A GLANCE -
Duration: 8 days/7 nights
Departures: Private departures only, contact us for details.
Departing from: Florence, 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Day 2
Tour finishes: Chiusi train station 10:00 a.m. on Saturday Day 8
Price: €2,100 per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement €250.
Click on the Currency Converter to see the price in your local currency.
Wine and walking, the two do mix! Nearly all of our tours find us hiking and biking through Europe's most famous vineyards. We often stop to visit small wineries, whose excellent wines are unknown outside of Europe; other times we gain access to the more famous producers, like Château Beaucastel in Châteauneuf du Pape or Castello di Brolio in Tuscany.
Our "Wine and Walking" trip to Tuscany focuses on the wines and producers of Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, and the emerging coastal areas of Tuscany. We have also done wine-oriented trips in France, including Bordeaux-Médoc, Burgundy, Cahors, Alsace, the Loire Valley, and Provence. Our forte is in Tuscany and Provence since I have been living in Chianti for over ten years and Virginie, the manager of our French program, has lived all her life amongst the vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône. As a result, not only have we been sampling the wines of our home region but we have become friends with wine makers, big and small. This makes all the difference when it comes to gaining access to special wineries and special wines! Travelling by foot is the best way to discover Europe's beautiful wine
country. Not only will you see first-hand the different types of vines
and the pruning and trellising techniques, but the fresh air and
exercise will help you better enjoy the great food and wine on offer.
We also know the best local trattorias as well as
the fine dining establishments where you can combine wonderful wines
with excellent food. We would be happy to organize a private departure for you and your friends, and can tailor it to suit your interests and needs (for example, we can add a cooking course or upgrade the accommodations, etc.). Below is a sample itinerary, and we have many other ideas and possibilities for you to discover!
The Hotels - In Florence you spend one night at the Hotel Royal, an elegant 18th century villa that has been transformed into a lovely hotel with garden and pool (some departures stay at the charming Orto de' Medici nearby). We then stay three nights at the hotel La Fonte del Cieco, a restored house that was built 300 years ago by a prosperous local merchant. It is a small, cozy three-star hotel, whose rooms still have the original wood-beam ceilings and handmade terracotta floors. Of course, all the rooms have en suite WC and shower. Weather permitting, breakfast is in the pleasant front garden overlooking the piazza. Gaiole has four cafés, three banks, a pharmacy, a few grocery stores, and several wine shops where you can enjoy a tasting or two of the local Chianti Classico. In Montepulciano we stay at the three-star Albergo Marzocco which is located inside the medieval walls of the city. A family-run establishment with an old world charm, it is perfectly located to allow you to enjoy all the sights, tastes and treasures of Montepulciano.
Day 1 - Saturday: Arrive in Florence and transfer on your own to the Hotel Royal, located on a quiet street in the heart of historic Florence (some departures stay at the superior three-star Hotel Orto de’ Medici). It is only a three-minute walk from the Academy where Michelangelo's David is displayed, and a five-minute walk to the Duomo. Dine independently tonight. Overnight Florence. Hotel included.
Day 2 - Sunday: Meet your guides at 9:30 a.m. for a private transfer to Borgo San Felice and the start of our morning walk. Your bags will then be transferred by van to the hotel in Gaiole in Chianti. Our walk takes us through chestnut forests, then olive groves, and finally the vineyards of the Brolio estate. Our destination is the massive Castello di Brolio whose fortified walls have stood for 900 years. After visiting the park and gardens of the castle we have a short walk to a very special lunch with our friend Massimiliano Biagi. “Massi” is the farm manager at the famous Barone Ricasoli vineyards. He is responsible for the 2,500-acre estate of the Castello di Brolio, 500 acres of which are vineyards which regularly produce wines of exceptional quality, scoring consistent 90 plus points from the Wine Spectator. Massi’s other passion is cooking. He loves to share his passion and he will invite us into his garden for a special “picnic” that he has prepared. After lunch we can visit the cellars and enjoy a tasting with Massi. Afterwards, we have a short van transfer to Gaiole in Chianti where we will check into our hotel, the Fonte del Cieco. Keen walkers can do a late afternoon walk up to the medieval hamlet of Vertine, otherwise relax until we meet at 7 p.m. for an aperitivo in the piazza. Dinner tonight is in the village square at Trattoria Sfizio. Here the Bianchi family makes simple but tasty Tuscan dishes including excellent truffle ravioli or tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms. The walk: 1.5 hrs, relatively flat, but rolling. Optional afternoon walk 6 km loop, up and down. Overnight in Gaiole in Chianti. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 3 - Monday: Our morning starts directly from the hotel and leads us up into the Chianti hills to the tiny hamlet of Bricciano where we will meet Peter O’Kelly for a visit of his cantina. Yesterday we visited one of the largest producers in Chianti, today we visit with one of the smallest! Peter, originally from South Africa, has been living in Chianti for twenty years and his hobby and passion is his wine. He is intent on making world class wine and the result is very persuasive! After the visit we have a short walk to a private home where we have lunch. The afternoon walk takes us to the Castello di Meleto, a 13th century fortress that evolved over time into a Baroque summer residence. From here it is a short van transfer back to Gaiole.
Dinner tonight is al fresco at Ristorante Le Contrade. The walk: 1.5 hrs in the morning, 2.5 hours in the afternoon through rolling terrain. Overnight in Gaiole in Chianti. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 4 - Tuesday: Today we visit Siena, one of Italy's most beautiful and historic cities. A scenic 40-minute van ride takes us there. We have a guided visit with Rita, a native of Siena and our favorite city guide. Only a native of this Gothic city can explain the furor and passion that surround the famous bareback Palio horserace, which is run around the city’s 12th century Piazza del Campo twice a year. You will have free time to explore Siena's exquisite historic center and admire its Gothic architecture. Of course, you might get side-tracked by the shops and cafés along the Banchi di Sopra, Siena's main pedestrian shopping street. Lunch in Siena and then rendezvous in the Piazza del Campo for our return ride to Castellina in Chianti, where we will stop at what we consider to be the best gelateria in Tuscany. We then carry on the workshop and showroom of Rampini ceramics, arguably the finest producer of hand painted ceramics in Italy. The head designer will take time to explain to you how traditional majolica ceramics are made. For those who are interested there is also the showroom to explore! For those who want some walking, we can leave Rampini's on foot (1.5 hours) while others can return to the hotel by van. Overnight Gaiole in Chianti. Dinner tonight under a canopy of sycamore trees at Osteria Il Ponte. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 5 - Wednesday: Today we transfer from the Chianti region southwards to the hilltop town of Montepulciano and the region known as the Val d’Orcia (Valley of the Orcia River). It’s a beautiful drive, and we stop on the way for a pretty morning walk through the estate of the historic Villa Arceno to the charming village of San Gusmé, where we can enjoy a mid-morning cappuccino. A short drive takes us into the stark and gorgeous clay hills of the Crete Senesi, where we will stop for lunch in the walled village of Asciano. After lunch we have a beautiful walk to the village of Petroio, where we visit a producer of terra-cotta. This is quite different from the ceramics that we saw at Rampini's, since here they produce the huge planters and olive oil urns that have been used for centuries by the great "fattoria" and villas of Tuscany. We will arrive in Montepulciano in late afternoon so you will have time to explore this beautiful hilltop town, renowned for its Vino Nobile wine. Our hotel for the next three nights is centrally located within the medieval walls of the town. It has a charming, old world feel to it and Signora Laura welcomes us to her family-run hotel. Tonight's dinner is at the best restaurant in Montepulciano – which also happens to have a superb wine list and a selection of amazingly good grappa! Overnight Montepulciano. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Day 6 - Thursday: A 25-minute van transfer brings us to Montalcino, a small village famous for its powerful “Brunello di Montalcino” wine. We stop in the village for a coffee break and purchase our picnic lunch before we begin our walk to the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The walk takes us through Brunello vineyards, verdant woods, and rustic farming villages before we arrive at the abbey. Sant'Antimo is one of the most important and famous examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy. Then take a late afternoon walk to the small town of Castelnuovo dell'Abate where we will have the chance to visit the cellars of a local winery and taste a variety of aged Brunello wines. Or if you prefer, we can arrange a visit and tasting at Casanova di Neri, whose wines have won perfect 100 scores from the Wine Spectator as well as “Wine of the year.” You decide! We then transfer by van back to Montepulciano. Dinner tonight is at the Café Poliziano, the second-best restaurant in Montepulciano! Overnight Montepulciano. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Day 7 - Friday: A pleasant morning walk takes us past the imposing villa and fortress of Massaini. Then we continue to Castelmuzio for lunch followed by a visit of a very small olive oil producer who has won the top prizes at both Italian and international olive oil fairs and competitions. Here you will be schooled in the art of distinguishing characteristics of different kinds of olive oils. After your education (and indoctrination!) about the merits of Tuscany's olive oil, we can enjoy a short walk from the village of Castelmuzio to the monastery of Sant’Anna where “The English Patient” was filmed, or you can choose to return to Montepulciano. One last delicious meal awaits us at one of our favorite restaurants, the “Osteria Acquacheta.” Overnight Montepulciano. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Day 8 - Saturday: Transfer to Chiusi train station for morning trains to Rome or Florence.
See all of our tours by DESTINATION & ACTIVITY
See all of our tours by date: TOUR CALENDAR 2010
The walks in Tuscany
cover a variety of terrain, from trail to dirt road, with many rolling
hills to climb or descend. We have designed the trip so that
there is always some free
time in the late afternoon so you can relax, read, or enjoy the towns
where we stay.
Breakfast is included every day, and dinners reflect the excellent
traditional food of the region. Daily distance between 8 and 14 kms.
General Information
Qualifications: This trip is rated moderate to easy. We walk on wooded trails and farm roads over quite hilly terrain. We usually walk between
10-16 kms a day (6-10 miles), or 3-4 hours, divided between morning and
afternoon.
Trip Cost Includes:
All Accommodations (1 night Florence, 3 nights Chianti, 3 nights
Montepulciano); 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners; bilingual
guide(s); all van transfers and luggage transfers from pick-up in
Florence on Day 2 until Friday Day 7; guided visits and tastings as per
itinerary.
Booking: e-mail us to receive a booking contract (or use the "Reservation" page).
Insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of Trip
Insurance. We recommend "Travel Guard" to our American clients, just click on the logo below, while Canadian residents can click here. Australian, New Zealander, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers.
We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! |
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