Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany

Transcription

1 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) View of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 8/28/2015 Travel to Florence, Italy Travel to Florence, Italy on your own. Most flights arrive in Florence in the morning of the following day (8/29/2015). Airport transfer on your own. 1 8/29/2015 Saturday Arrival in Florence, Italy Our trip begins when we meet at our hotel at 4:00 p.m. for a quick briefing. We ll enjoy a welcome dinner (with wine) at a local restaurant serving specialties of the region. After dinner we ll walk up to the view point at Piazzale Michelangelo for stunning views over the city (and perhaps get some gelato along the way!) Ribollita is a famous Tuscan soup, a hearty potage made with bread and vegetables. There are many variations but the main ingredients always include leftover bread, cannellini beans and inexpensive vegetables such as carrot, cabbage, beans, silverbeet, cavolo nero, and onion. Like most Tuscan cuisine, the soup has peasant origins. It was originally made by reheating the leftover minestrone or vegetable soup from the previous day. Some sources date it back to the Middle Ages, when the servants gathered up food soaked bread trenchers from feudal lords' banquets and boiled them for their own dinners. (Ribollita is just one of many local specialties!) Florence airport to central Florence travel options: us 16 minutes, ~$3 Taxi 12 minutes, ~$15 Hotel e La Ville Florence e.it/ A 4 star gem of peace in the heart of Florence. Welcome dinner with wine together at a local Florence restaurant, serving specialties of the region. Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 1 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)

2 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 2 8/30/2015 Sunday In Florence After breakfast, we ll have a short guided tour of the central historic area of Florence. From there we ll visit the uomo, including a visit of runelleschi s dome (463 steps), Giotto s Tower (the Campanile or bell tower, 414 steps), and the aptistery. Florence has many excellent restaurants, so participants are free to select and enjoy lunch and dinner from among them. Hotel e La Ville Florence The uomo in Florence The historic center of Florence and the oboli Gardens are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Lunch on your own in Florence. guided tour and uomo visit. inner on your own in Florence. Castle Vincigliata 3 8/31/2015 Monday Hike Fiesole hills (~7 miles) Today we ll grab a local bus to the nearby town of Fiesole, high in the hills above Florence. We ll enjoy a hike that includes a stop at Castle Vincigliata (now a popular wedding venue), and if it s open, we ll have a brief look around and a picnic there. We ll continue down through the hills where we ll grab a local bus back to Florence. The remainder of the afternoon and evening are free for participants to explore the many wonders of this beautiful Renaissance city. Remember to sample the gelato! Hotel e La Ville Florence L picnic on the hike. inner on your own in Florence. Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 2 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)

3 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) The uomo in Siena The historic center of Siena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 4 9/1/2015 Tuesday Travel to Siena Today we ll travel by bus to the nearby magical city of Siena, the home of the Palio horse race (in July and August) and the location of many interesting Renaissance sights. We ll take a self guided walking tour of the city center, including a visit to the uomo with its amazing mosaic floor. Lunch on your own in Siena. uomo visit. dinner together at a local Siena restaurant. Hotel Chiusarelli Siena A 3 star neoclassical villa built around 1870 and completely renovated in 2013, keeping it in harmony with the original style of the palace with its magnificent frescoed rooms. The Cloistro Grande at the Abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore 5 9/2/2015 Wednesday Transfer Siena to Monte Oliveto Maggiore Participants will have the morning free to continue explorations of Siena. After lunch, we ll meet our local driver who will transport us (and our luggage!) to the enedictine Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, where we can explore the church and grounds, visit the ispensary, and attend Vespers with Gregorian Chants. We ll have dinner together after the mass at a restaurant adjacent to the monastery. Lunch on your own in Siena. dinner together at the adjacent restaurant. Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore omaggiore.it/lang1/inde x.html A monastery of the Olivetan community, which traces its foundation to asic accommodation at the monastery. Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 3 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)

4 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) uonconvento ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 6 9/3/2015 Thursday Hike Monte Oliveto to uonconvento (~7 miles) After breakfast at the restaurant adjacent to the monastery, we ll take an easy walk descending into the town of uonconvento a picturesque village that has medieval city gates of iron bound wood and a fine medieval quarter that will be interesting to explore. The village has many interesting restaurants participants are free to choose their own dinner. convento one of the most beautiful villages of italy/ Hotel Ghibellino uonconvento ino.it/hotelbuonconvento.html Lunch on your own (from your daypack or in uonconvento). inner on your own in uonconvento. Fortezza in Montalcino 7 9/4/2015 Friday Transfer uonconvento to Montalcino Hike Montalcino countryside (~3.5 miles) Today our driver will collect us in uonconvento and transport us to the village of Montalcino, where we ll spend the next two nights and from which we ll begin our village to village hike. We ll visit the ramparts of the Fortezza, after which we ll enjoy a light lunch (and perhaps a light wine tasting) before setting out for a short hike in the countryside around the village. lunch at the Fortezza. Fortezza visit. dinner together at a local Montalcino restaurant. Hotel ei Capitani Montalcino t/web/ Situated in part of the eighteenth century Catasto Leopoldino in the historic center of Montalcino. The hotel has fabulous views of the Tuscan hills and a swimming pool! L Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 4 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)

5 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) Sant Antimo Abbey ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 8 9/5/2015 Saturday Hike Montalcino to Sant Antimo Abbey (~7.5 miles) Walking out of Montalcino, we ll follow a well marked trail through wooded slopes that will bring us down to the stunning 12 th Century Abbey of Sant Antimo, considered one of the finest Romanesque churches in Italy. Monks live in the monastery adjacent and if we re lucky, we can hear them chant. We ll enjoy a picnic lunch on the Abbey grounds before grabbing a local bus back to Montalcino. e sure to visit any of the many wine shops, taste some of the fabulous runello wine that is famous in the region, and perhaps arrange for some to be sent home! Hotel ei Capitani Montalcino Lunch on your own (bring picnic food to share). dinner together at a local Montalcino restaurant. runello wine! Typical Val d Orcia scene The Val d Orcia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 9 9/6/2015 Sunday Hike Montalcino to San Quirico d Orcia (~8 miles) We say goodbye to lovely Montalcino and leisurely descend to the River Orcia, enjoying views across the Val d Orcia along the way. We ll arrive in San Quirico d Orcia, an ancient town that was a focal point for many historic events including the papal legate in It has a certain sense of faded grandeur, with its 17 th Century Palazzo and quiet paved streets. We ll spend two nights here. Lunch on your own (from your daypack). dinner together at a local San Quirico restaurant. Palazzo el Capitano San Quirico apitano.com/en/index.h tml A charming Hotel with furnishings that are inspired by the tradition of Tuscany, where modern comfort blends perfectly with old world charm. Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 5 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)

6 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) agno Vignani baths (no longer for public use) ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 10 9/7/2015 Monday Hike agno Vignoni (~4 miles) Today we ll take a short walk past rustic farms and through shaded forest to the nearby town of agno Vignoni. uilt on natural geothermal springs, traces of the original Roman structures remain. The village has been rebuilt many times over the centuries, most notably by the Medici family. A large outdoor pool, which graces the center of the village and has a charming loggia at one end, was built by them. quirico.com/bagno_vignoni.htm#.vlxxzns3zfg We ll enjoy some time at the baths before grabbing a local bus back to San Quirico. Remember your swimming suit! Palazzo el Capitano San Quirico Piscina Val di Sole baths Lunch on your own at agno Vignani. visit to the geothermal baths. inner on your own in San Quirico. Pienza streets The historic center of Pienza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 11 9/8/2015 Tuesday Hike San Quirico to Pienza (~5 miles) As we walk East today the Tuscan countryside unfolds around us, with rolling hills covered with wheat and hay and dotted with cypress trees and old farmhouses. We ll arrive in Pienza, the new town built by Pope Pius II, and some of the finest Renaissance architecture anywhere in Italy. The soil in this area is not good for growing grapes; instead, we see heather, wildflowers and native grasses. The local sheep graze on this and the milk they produce results in extremely flavorful pecorino cheese, for which Pienza is also famous. After our walk, we ll taste some of these cheeses at a local shop. Hotel Corsignano Pienza nano.it/hotel.aspx A comfortable 4 star hotel set in the frame of Tuscany's most beautiful and unspoiled area. The hotel was recently renovated and was certified a Green hotel. Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 6 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)

7 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) Church below Montepulciano Chiusi underground city ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 12 9/9/2015 Wednesday 13 9/10/2015 Thursday Lunch on your own in Pienza. cheese tasting at a local shop. inner together at a local Pienza restaurant. Hike Pienza to Montepulciano (~8.5 miles) Our final walk takes us down into the valley and then back up again into the village of Montepulciano, the highest of the Tuscan hill towns. It s a long steady climb with grand views of several of the towns we ve passed through on this journey. There is a small village about half way along anyone feeling tired may grab a taxi from there back to Multepulciano. Montepulciano owes much of its recent fame to its exceptional fullbodied red wines, the most notable of which is the Vino Nobile. We ll have ample opportunity to taste the wine as there are many wine cellars here, many of which were excavated from the same rocks in which the ancient Etruscans built their tombs. Montepulciano offers many fine restaurants, from which you are free to choose for your dinner. Lunch on your own (from your daypack or the village en route). inner on your own in Montepulciano. Transfer to Chiusi and Florence irectly after breakfast we ll be transferred by our driver to the local town of Chuisi, where we ll leave our luggage and explore the town. Chiusi is one of the top Etruscan sites in this part of Italy and has some very well preserved artifacts and museums. In fact, we ll take a guided tour of a labyrinth of underground tunnels that were used to transport water to the palaces of the town, ending in an underground lake or cistern. After our tour and some lunch, we ll grab a local bus to the larger town of Chianciano Terme, where we ll catch a train back to Florence for our final evening together. Remember to grab your luggage! Albergo uomo Montepulciano ntepulciano.it/?lang=en The uomo hotel, in Montepulciano s old town center near the Piazza Grande, is a small, welcoming family run hotel situated in an old Renaissance Palazzo. Hotel e La Ville Florence Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 7 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)

8 August 29 September 11, 2015 (14 days, fit or C hiker) ay ate Activity (distances are approximate) Accommodation, Notes Meals 14 9/11/2015 Friday Lunch on your own in Chiusi. underground city/labyrinth tour. Farewell dinner with wine together in a local Florence restaurant. Home or onward travel After breakfast in our hotel, we say our goodbyes and head onward to home or our next destination. It s been a fabulous trip! Hiking the Hill Towns of Tuscany Page 8 Itinerary (mod 2/5/2015)