Tuscany tour; Tuscan Dreaming
| country: | Italy |
| location: | Tuscany |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 26 Jul, 23 Aug, 20 Sep |
| price: | From £799 (11 days) excluding flights. Local payment €300, single supplement £230. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Inspired by the idyllic landscapes and relaxed atmosphere of Tuscany, this trip allows you to breathe in the beautiful natural scenery as well as explore the wonderful villages and cities dotted around the region. There's the chance to visit beautiful towns like Florence, Volterra, Siena and Montalcino and the famous monuments of Pisa, and hike in the spectacular countryside.
We spend 5 of the 10 nights in a 120 year old Tuscan farmhouse nestled in the Maremma hills. Each room is individually decorated in traditional Tuscan style, there is a pool with views across the valley and superb Tuscan food is served al fresco on a shaded terrace.
We spend 5 of the 10 nights in a 120 year old Tuscan farmhouse nestled in the Maremma hills. Each room is individually decorated in traditional Tuscan style, there is a pool with views across the valley and superb Tuscan food is served al fresco on a shaded terrace.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Florence. Arrive in Florence and check in to hotel. Time to relax or begin exploring this fascinating city. |
| Day 2: | Volterra. Travel to Volterra, an ancient town encircled by medieval ramparts and perched high on a rocky plateau. We spend two nights in a simple but atmospheric converted monastery. |
| Day 3: | Volterra. A full day to explore this lovely town. |
| Day 4: | Tuscan farmhouse. Transfer to our farmhouse hotel in the heart of the Tuscan landscape, our base for the next 5 nights. |
| Day 5-8: | Tuscan farmhouse. On one day we travel to San Gimignano, famous for its 14 towers and beautiful 13th century town square. On another day we enjoy a day trip to Siena, one of Italy's most enchanting cities. The other two days are spent hiking amongst the beautiful Tuscan hills or, if you prefer, relaxing at the farmhouse. There is a lovely pool for you to enjoy. |
| Day 9: | Florence. Travel to Pisa and visit the famous Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistry, before returning by train to Florence. |
| Day 10: | Florence. The capital of Tuscany and the heart of Renaissance Italy, Florence is packed with world famous museums, art galleries, cathedrals, piazzas and churches. We have a full day to discover the artistic and architectural wealth of the city. |
| Day 11: | Florence. Tour ends |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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In Volterra we stay for two nights in a converted monastery on the outskirts of the city rather than a large multinational hotel which helps to contribute to the upkeep of this historic building. Leaving behind the towns and cities we stay in a small Tuscan farmhouse (only ten bedrooms) owned by a local family. Although Tuscany is a well know tourist destination, the farmhouse is situated in a less developed area which is visited by far fewer tourists. The revenue generated by our visit is directed into the community from both the farmhouse (where all local produce is used to provide meals for the group) and at carefully chosen lunch stops during the day.
During the 5 days there are many opportunities for walking in the Maremma hills. For the majority of walks the group will be accompanied by our tour leader who takes active steps to ensure travellers behave in an environmentally responsible manner such as sticking to established trails, not leaving anything behind or removing any plants whilst hiking and walking through the parks. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |