Tuscany Walks & Chianti Wines

8 Days Excluding Flights From

8 Days from

£ 2399

Walking & Trekking

Activity Level

Easy & Moderate

Comfort Level

Classic

Ways to Travel :

Guided Group

Activity :

Walking & Trekking

Group Size :

4 - 16

Ages :

18+

Trip Code :

TDC2

Carbon Footprint :

25.3kg CO2e per person per day

Share the beauty of Tuscany with new-found friends on vineyard walks and expertly led wine tastings

The intoxicating beauty of Tuscany is there for all to see. But that’s just the start on this gentle small-group hiking adventure. Guided by an expert tour leader, we experience the Garden of Italy through the eyes of a local, staying in the small village of Pancole, where we’re treated to classic Italian hospitality by the Sabatini family. Our walks take us through beautiful vineyards and we explore the Renaissance cities of Siena and Florence with expert local guides. Of course, we also sample several varieties of the local chianti together, forging friendships that could last a lifetime.

Highlights

Experience classic Tuscany on foot: rolling vineyards, Renaissance cities and medieval villages
Sip chianti and other local wines on three separate tasting experiences
See Siena through the eyes of local on a history and culture tour with a local guide
Discover magnificent Florence on a walking tour with a local guide
Feel like one of the family with a stay in the Tuscan hills at Hotel Le Renaie

Key Information

Accommodation: 7 Classic nights (Hotel Le Renaie)
Five days of walking and sightseeing
Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 18

Countries visited: Italy

What's Included

All breakfasts, five dinners, three wine tastings
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Group arrival and departure transfers available

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations
Local taxes (approx. €10)

5 Days of Walking & Trekking

Pace:

Leisurely/Moderate

Terrain:

Paved tracks, forest trails and gravel

Day 2

9 km / 5.6 miles

Day 3

8 km / 5 miles

Day 4

8 km / 5 miles

Day 6

4 km / 2.5 miles

Day 7

10 km / 6.2 miles

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

TRIP

TDC2 - Tuscany Walks & Chianti Wines

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Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

For flights call us on 0203 733 5948 or enquire when booking online

Regional flights available

Competitive flight prices

Specialist Flight Support

ATOL protected

Itinerary

Pancole Pancole

Start at Hotel Le Renaie, our welcoming family-run hotel 4mi (6.5km) from San Gimignano. In the evening, our tour leader holds a welcome meeting to discuss the week ahead, give advice on the local area and answer any questions.

If you have extra days at hand and wish to extend your adventure, consider booking additional nights in Pisa or Florence. Speak to your sales representative for more information.

Meals included: Dinner

Get ready for a day full of history and nature as we explore one of the most popular sections of the Via Francigena, which links the villages of Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano. The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrimage route that links Canterbury in the UK to Rome; the full trip takes well over 90 days, but our section is far gentler, cutting through olive groves and vineyards.

Later in the afternoon, we head to Azienda Agricola Pietralta, a picturesque farmhouse in the heart of the countryside, where we enjoy three glasses of wine, a trio of cheeses and a tour around the farm.

Dinner this evening is back at the hotel, where we have time to relax, perhaps with a game of billiards or another glass of local wine on the garden-view terrace.

Distance covered: 6mi (9km)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we enjoy local history in the heart of the Chianti area, covering a scenic circular route. We cut through woodlands, where we can admire the emerald vineyard valleys. In the afternoon, you have some free time to wander around and maybe join an optional tasting of the much-acclaimed chianti classico at one of the many local wineries.

Distance covered: 5mi (8km)

Meals included: Breakfast

Head to Certaldo station and catch a train to Siena (approximately 45 minutes). This medieval city is dominated by impressive gothic monuments and is divided into 17 contrade (districts), each of which goes head-to-head in the twice-annual Palio, a thunderous horse race around the central square for which the whole city turns out.

We join a local guide on a tailor-made tour of the city, stopping at the landmarks, plus captivating sites most tourists normally pass by. Our tour includes a visit to a contrada museum, which is typically closed to the public, and dips into botteghe (small, traditional shops) to sample traditional local sweets. You may also opt to visit the medieval Siena Cathedral.

In the afternoon, learn about Tuscan wines during a one-hour lecture in the courtyard of Palazzo delle Papesse. Unlike traditional wine tastings, this expert-led experience is more educational, offering in-depth insights into Tuscany’s most important wines.

Distance covered: 5mi (8km)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today is free to rest by the poolside. Alternatively, your tour leader can advise on local chianti wine-tasting tours, cooking classes, e-bike and vespa hire or offer assistance for unguided walks or daytrips.

Meals included: Breakfast

Our destination today is Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. We reach Florence from Certaldo by train, approximately a one-hour journey. Most of the greats from the movement lived or passed through here: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli and more. Learn all about it by joining a guided exploration, which your tour leader can help to organise.

Join one of the morning tours and you’ll have time to visit the Uffizi, an art gallery housing works by Renaissance masters, including The Birth of Venus by Botticelli and the gruesome Medusa by Caravaggio. If you do wish to visit, we recommend prebooking your ticket online to avoid lengthy queues. An ideal time is around 2pm if you’re joining the morning walking tour. Tickets can be purchased at www.uffizi.it/en/tickets.

Distance covered: 2mi (4km)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Take a short transfer to the medieval town of San Gimignano, where we can visit the Palazzo Comunale, a 13th-century stone palace that’s home to the Pinacoteca (Art Gallery) and 177ft (54m) tall medieval Torre Grossa (you can purchase the €15 entrance ticket locally). There’s free time to wander and soak up the atmosphere. Before your farewell dinner, we visit the family-run Cesani estate, which produces some of the finest wines in the region. Here we enjoy an expertly led tasting, sampling three glasses accompanied by bruschetta, extra-virgin olive oil and a selection of Tuscan cheeses and charcuterie.

Distance covered: 6mi (10km)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

You’ve walked some of the most scenic trails in Tuscany and explored the local wine scene, but now it’s time to bid Hotel Le Renaie a fond farewell and begin your return journey home.

Alternatively, speak to your sales representative to extend your adventure and spend more time exploring the Renaissance flair of Florence.

Meals included: Breakfast

Extend Your Trip

Florence City Break Extension

Tuscany Walks & Chianti Wines

Extend your adventure and discover Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

Extend your love affair with Italy by crossing the Ponte Vecchio. Marvel at Michelangelo’s David, and climb the Duomo for sweeping views. With every cobbled corner tempting you to linger, and pit stops for carpaccio, ribollita or creamy gelato all but essential, it’s time to lean in and live your best dolce vita.

Stay for as many nights as you wish in a choice of hotels, including a boutique property within walking distance of major attractions or a luxury hotel with a rooftop terrace. Let us know your preferences and we’ll take care of all the details, including transfers.

Essential Info

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Walking profile: This trip offers a good mix of city and countryside walks. The terrain and path type include paved tracks, forest trails and gravel. The walks are not technically difficult, although there are some ascents and descents, so a reasonable amount of fitness is required. Please be aware, the Radda walk on Day 3 can be challenging due to the length and hilliness of the route. The area is quite hilly and most drives, although short, follow twisty mountain roads through wooden areas.

Climate: Tuscany can be very hot in summer, especially from June to August but heatwaves can also happen in April and May. Temperatures can reach the high 30Cs (around 100F). We try to start our hikes earlier to avoid the hottest hours of the day but temperatures and humidity will be high. You should feel comfortable walking in the heat. The number of mosquitos may increase (significantly) in summer, so we recommend bringing repellent.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Joining Instructions

Key information

Start hotel: Hotel Le Renaie, Località Pancole, 53037 San Gimignano (SI)
Phone: +39 0577 1607452
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately
Airport: Pisa (PSA)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 1hr 20min drive from the airport. We provide one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

The usual meeting point for the group transfer is Pisa Airport, where the guide will be waiting for you. Occasionally, unpredictable parking restrictions at the airport mean the group transfer includes a five-minute journey on the Pisamover from the airport to the railway station. In this case, the guide will still meet you at the airport on arrival and accompany you on the Pisamover.

Make your own way
It’s possible to reach the start hotel by public transport, but the journey is complicated. We therefore recommend joining the group transfer where possible. If not, you can pre-order a taxi through Exodus. This will take you from Pisa Airport directly to Hotel Le Renaie. It will take approximately 1hr 20min to reach the accommodation and costs approximately €200, paid locally.

If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.

Catching your return flight

There’s a group departure transfer to the airport for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.

Note on the group flights

The inbound flight can sometimes be late in the evening, especially during summer. In this instance, you will have additional time to spend in Pisa. The tour leader will take care of all arrangements in terms of transport from/to the airport and the city centre and luggage storage. It may also happen that, for logistical reasons, we must be at the airport earlier than normally scheduled on return. This will mean a longer waiting time before checking in.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Pancole
Location end: Pancole

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Passport

Remember to check the expiration date of your passport if travelling internationally. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after the date of your scheduled return.

Visa

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, five dinners and three wine tastings are included.

Breakfast is usually a continental-style buffet.

The five included dinners are taken at Hotel Le Renaie. Four meals consist of three courses, dessert and a glass of wine. On Tuesday evening, when the restaurant is closed to the public, you will be treated to a special pizza feast.

All meals are homemade and prepared using locally sourced ingredients and following traditional Tuscan recipes. For this reason, the menu doesn’t include fish-based options.

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free choices are available – please advise us of dietary requirements on booking.

Weather

Expect warm days in April and May. Although rain is possible, it seldom lasts long. Nights may be cool. We strongly recommend a fleece-lined jacket or warm sweater in these months.

June sees the start of summer and July and August can become quite hot by mid-afternoon, so this time is kept free for lunch. Although rain is unusual, torrential cloudbursts are not unknown. September and October are cooler and wetter, yet visibility is often better. Swimming is usually still possible.

TRIP

TDC2 - Tuscany Walks & Chianti Wines

Departure Date

Number Of Passengers*

Message*

To enquire about an existing booking click here

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Keep me up to date with news and offers from Exodus by email.

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Find out more about how we use your data

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Hotel Le Renaie, a family-run albergo in Pancole

Surrounded by Tuscan hills, Le Renaie occupies a privileged spot in the little village of Pancole, just 4mi (6.5km) from San Gimignano. Here, the Sabatini family has created an intimate, friendly retreat with 25 air-conditioned rooms and plenty of places to mingle.

Under the Italian summer sun, the swimming pool area (which has a separate hot tub) is the perfect place to cool down; alternatively, find a shady spot in the flower-filled gardens to sit, chat or read a book. Come evening, gather in the bar-restaurant for delicious Tuscan cuisine and a glass or two of local wine. It’s a popular stop for Pancole residents, so you know it’s good. There are also games tables to keep the entertainment going or you can take your drinks onto the bar terrace for views over the garden, which is filled with hydrangeas and citrus plants.

Tuscany Walks & Chianti Wines

Amenities

Swimming pool (usually open May to mid-October)
Restaurant serving traditional Tuscan meals
Bar/cafeteria for light snacks and lunches (open every day)
Games tables

Worth knowing

Upgrade to a room with a balcony (facing the pool or garden) – speak to your sales representative for more details
Our hotel is in a quiet area with just a couple of wineries and agriturismos nearby. If you did want to explore, San Gimignano is a short taxi ride away
Pool opening dates are subject to local weather conditions and pool maintenance requirements; cooler months may not be suitable for swimming