Itinerary:                

q       Day 1: Arrive Volterra via Pisa. Either bus or train is taken from Pisa to Pontedera, where you change onto a local bus service (not Sundays) to Volterra. Journey from the airport to the first hotel is not included in the tour price. The combined train and bus fare is around 16 Euros per person. It is possible to reach Volterra by public transport on Sundays, but by a more circuitous and expensive route.

q       Day 2: By road to Pignano, walk back to Volterra. One option for today, involving about four hours walking, is a short bus or taxi ride (1 Euro approx by bus, not included in tour price) to near the hamlet of Pignano, from where it is an easy walk back to Volterra, mostly along white roads which follow a broad winding and panoramic ridge. Halfway through the walk there is normally the opportunity to stop for a welcome drink at a retreat centre, from where you can contemplate exploring the steep and somewhat overgrown Monte Voltraio- a mysterious attraction on account of its peculiar truncated cone shape. A paleontologist’s dream as the ground appears to be scattered with fossils. On a hot day the less adventurous will be more inclined to continue onto Volterra. Overnight Volterra.

q       Day 3: Pignano to San Gimignano. About 4 hours’ walking (8 miles/12km). The hotel arranges for a taxi to take you to the starting point of the walk at Bivio di Castelvecchio  (taxi fare included in price of holiday). Alternatively you can be dropped off by the taxi at yesterday's starting point, Pignano, from where it is about 30 minutes' pleasant walking to Bivio di Castelvecchio. This extra half hour would enable you to cover the whole distance between Volterra and San Gimignano on foot in the course of days 2 and 3. You walk between vineyards and through oak woods with wild cyclamen in flower in autumn and fine views of the old ruined fortifications of Castelvecchio. You continue to the pretty village of San Donato and the small hamlet of Montauto with fine views of San Gimignano, before continuing by farm track and/or road to San Gimignano, known as the town of the beautiful towers that has dominated the hills south of the Elsa Valley since Etruscan times. There is much to explore in this small town in particular the narrow streets and squares of the medieval quarter. Overnight in San Gimignano.

q       Day 4: San Gimignano to Colle Val d'Elsa. 3.5 hours walking (10 miles/16km). You follow a white road along a broad panoramic ridge with fine views back to the towers of San Gimignano. On either side are vineyards (source of the local dry white Vernaccia), olive groves and cypress avenues. Later we climb up through shady woods to the small village of Montecchio and across level fields to Borgatello, and on into Colle Val d’Elsa, where the fascinating old town occupies the crest of a ridge high above the valley of the Elsa. Overnight Colle Val d’Elsa.

q       Day 5:  Colle Val d'Elsa to Monteriggioni. 6 hours' walk (12 miles / 20km). After walking out of Colle through the suburbs and then through attractive undulating woodland following at one point a beautiful clear stream; you cross a broad and mostly treeless agricultural plain, with farming hamlets such as Scarna and Acquaviva. As you approach the base of the densely wooded Montagnola Hills you reach the attractive village of Strove with the nearby manor house of Castel Petraia. At the village of Abbadia an Isola you should stop to see the abbey church. Eventually you arrive at the base of the little hill, clad with vineyards, on which is built the medieval walled village of Monteriggioni with its famous watchtowers.  

q       Day 6: Monteriggioni to S. Columba. 4 hours' walk (8miles 12.8 km).  From Monteriggioni we walk uphill past farmland through forests and descend through woods to the small village of Funghaia. We continue on small peaceful farm and forest tracks through farms to the village of San Colomba. A magnificent rennaisance villa and a church with lovely frescoes are situated here. From here we can take a taxi or bus into Siena (not included in the tour price). After setting in to the hotel you will find all the famous places of this city within walking distance, with the Palazza il Campo being the famous centre of this medieval city. There are many museums, churches, and the huge Pisa Romanesque and Gothic cathedral. You can easily get lost in the warren of streets all arranged into areas called "Contrada," as they have done for hundreds of years and from where the Sienese population gain their group loyalties and rivalries. Overnight Siena. 

q       Day 7: Six night walk ends after breakfast. 

Ten night walk starts with a taxi ride to the village of San Sano (included in tour price). From here we walk on white roads, farm and woodland tracks across undulating hills, covered with a patchwork of oak woodland, olive groves and 'Chianti Classico' vineyards to the hill-top town of Radda-in-Chianti (13km/4.5hrs walking). Overnight Radda-in-Chianti.

q       Day 8: A circular walk of about 12km/4hours from Radda-in-Chianti to Gaiole-in-Chianti and back, taking in the attractive villages of Vertine and Selvole. You may be tempted en route by the plentiful, luscious vineyards and succumb to the delicious local Chianti, for which the region is famous. Overnight Radda-in-Chianti.

q       Day 9: Today there is a choice of 3 routes of differing lengths, all finishing at the delightful hill town of Panzano. Starting in each case at our accommodation in Radda the longest of the three routes goes through the fascinating borgo (fortified village) of Volpaia and across the heathland and pine forest of Monte San Michele, the highest hill in the Chianti region, before a long descent past several delightful hamlets to the valley town of Greve-in-Chianti, from where you can either walk or catch a bus to the well-known hill-village of Panzano-in-Chianti, with its inspiring church and castle.

q       The shortest route takes a direct line past the pieve (isolated church and sanctuary) of S. Maria Novella and the vineyards of Castelvecchio to Panzano. From Panzano it is only a short bus ride or 1.5-hour walk to Greve-in-Chianti, another centre of winemaking and the birthplace of Giovanni di Verrazzano who first circumnavigated Long Island, New York.

q        The intermediate route includes both Volpaia and Panzano, between which you cross some high ground with fine views on the flank of Monte San Michele. Overnight Panzano.

q       Day 10: Bus from Panzano to Florence; about 2 hours' journey (fare not included). You will need to take your luggage on the bus with you. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this beautiful city at your leisure. Or you can do a walking excursion from Fiesole to Settignano (6-7 km, 2 hours). This is a panoramic walk through olive tree fields overlooking Florence and some of the most beautiful villas surrounding the city. Fiesole alone is worth visiting as it is an important archaeological site and has a Franciscan monastery. Overnight Florence.

q       Day 11: Train from Florence to Pisa (approx 1,5 hour) for your flight home [approx 2 hours]. You can check in for your flight at the train station in Florence before catching the train to Pisa.  This is subject to change depending on the security status at your time of travel.

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