Itinerary Include flights Expand all London to London Day 1 Arrive in Chianciano Terme Arrive at the Agriturismo La Pietriccia and enjoy a stroll to the old town, before your evening briefing by the owner, Stefano, and the first of many home cooked dinners. (Staying at the Agriturismo La Pietriccia for 7 nights, Half Board) Meals included: Dinner Day 2 Visit the Farms You’ll start this morning with a guided walk passing the different producers that make this a special part of the world, through fruit orchards and vineyards, visiting the Cinta Senese pigs, an area set up to allow truffles to grow, and finishing at Stefano’s own oil mill. From here you can continue your walk with great views of the Valdichiana up to Chianciano Vecchia or return to the hotel with the guide. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 3 A Walk to Lake Chiusi As you descend into the Valdichiana, a mix of quiet lanes and gravel tracks provide perfect views of the vineyards and over to Monte Rufeno. Passing pretty farmhouses you make your way to the small town of Montallese, and from here you pick up the Sentiero della Bonifica, a long-distance path between Chiusi and Arezzo. This leads you to the charming Lake Chiusi, where you can enjoy the birdlife and perhaps lunch at the lakeside restaurant. You will be transferred back to the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 4 Castiglioncello to the Hotel A short transfer takes you to the charming village of Castiglioncello; once abandoned it is now restored with a hotel and cafe, and the interesting Etruscan burial site. From the village you follow a trail through the forest to pass wonderful viewpoints of the area, dropping down to Poggio Pietraporciana, a Nazi gun point in the war. Continuing through the Pietraporciana Nature Reserve you pass the Rifugio Pietraporciana, once owned by the Marchesa of Val d'Orcia, Iris Origo, who during the war cordoned off this area to create a neutral zone, which the allies, Nazis and partisans all obeyed. From here, a forest track takes you past a charming argiturismo before a trail along a dried up river alongside rocky cliffs and on to the outskirts of Chianchiano. A narrow trail with wonderful views takes you past a model of an Etruscan farm, before arriving in Chianchiano Terme. Two choices follow the white gravel roads passing farms, or through the town to return to the agriturismo. This evening before dinner you have wine-tasting in a charming cantina in the old town. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 5 Afternoon Cookery Course This morning you have time to yourself, maybe walk into Chianciano Vecchia and visit the Etruscan Museum of Chianciano Terme, or use your voucher for the Theia Spa and relax in the healing waters or treat yourself to one of their many treatments. In the afternoon you begin your cookery class where you will learn classic Italian techniques and eat the meal you prepare for dinner. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 6 Walk to the Wine Town of Montepulciano A short transfer out of Chianciano to start the walk to the wine town of Montepulciano, where you will be rewarded with stunning views across the Valdichiana. Follow a chestnut-laden track to meet the forest road, then detour to the Convento dei Cappucini (optional), before following a track around the vines and farmlands up to Montepulciano. You will be picked up here, but before this, take time to explore the town, which is full of wine bars and shops and has plenty of tasting opportunities. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 7 Pienza to Bagno Vignoni After a short transfer to Pienza, take time to explore the town, it is one of the cheese capitals of Italy, and a beautiful mediaeval historic centre. Perhaps pick up a sandwich filled with porchetta or a slab of rich and creamy pecorino cheese. The walk takes you downhill from Pienza, crossing the stunning Val d’Orcia. It is an easy walk following a well-marked trail, giving you the chance to take in the views of mediaeval towns, rolling hills and rows of cypress trees. You will reach Bagno Vignoni then follow the river Orcia before climbing up to the town passing the spring baths and the old mill, before arriving in the Roman town, with its large baths in the centre of town. Perhaps treat yourself to the hot waters of the Hotel Posta Marcucci, where the baths come with a view! We transfer you back to the hotel for your final night of Stefano’s superb food. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 8 Leave Chianciano Terme We take you back to the train station where you could possibly head to Florence or Rome for extra nights. Meals included: Breakfast
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Hotel Your base for the week is the modest but comfortable Agriturismo La Pietricca, which stands on a hill with great views of Chianciano Vecchia. Stefano who runs the agriturismo will welcome you with his enthusiasm for everything to do with nature in the surrounding area. He will also lead the cookery course for you during your stay, and teach you all about the artisan products in the local area. The hotel produces 65% of what it serves on your table, and is surrounded by its own farm and orchards. There is a lovely terrace and swimming pool and lovely shady grassy area that looks out across the valley, where in the heat of summer you can take your dinner outside.
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Reviewed November 2018 Barbara Dolynchuk Trip: A Taste of Tuscany Walking HEADWATERS TUSCANY WALKABOUT The walkabout was lovely. The agritourismo, food, wine and walking were great. The problem with the walkabout is namely directions. The directions submitted by Headwaters need to be updated. Sometimes, they just DID NOT WORK. This is very frustrating when you're in a country that you are unfamiliar with, are on a walking trail that is already moderately difficult, and unsure if you are on the right trail (and sometimes we were not). In some instances street names which were available would have been useful. In other instances, it would have been nice if the directions had said, continue for 4 km or 3 miles (instead of just continue on until you get _______.). That was the biggest/only "frustration" of the trip. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The scenic views on the walks.....so astounding!!!! What did you think of your group leader? Stephano was fabulous. He is a very thorough and conscientious guy. Even with the language barrier, Stephano was easily able to make his directions or point of what he was discussing clear. He was ALWAYS on time for transfers etc and very easy to chat with from destination to destination. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? To do the walks you must be minimally in average shape/conditioning. Some of the hikes are easy but some (especially one) is quite steep and quite physically demanding!! Overall, Tuscany is very hilly so there is no getting around climbing!! Is there anything else you would like to add? Overall, a trip of my lifetime. I enjoyed it very much. The 4 course meals are fabulous....sometimes too much. For example on one of the days we do a wine-tasting around 5 pm and then headed back to the Agritourismo for our 4 course meal. In retrospect, I would have asked the kitchen not to prepare a meal for me that evening because the wine-tasting we experienced was #1. fabulous #2. lots of meats, cheese and bread was provided to enjoy with the tasting. We were stuffed when we left.