Tuscany walking holiday, Italy
| country: | Italy |
| location: | Tuscany |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 5 Apr, 19 Apr, 10 May, 31 May, 21 Jun |
| price: | From £795 - £835 (8 days) excluding flights. Price includes tour leader, twin accommodation (comfortable hotel), transport, most meals (7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners) and sightseeing. |
| offers: | 10% off new bookings only, made and deposited by 12 December 2008. Discount applies to all 2009-10 departures only. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Fabulous walks following rolling trails across picture-perfect landscapes in and around Volterra.
Florence, the starting point is a treasure-trove of Renaissance art, history and architecture and has captured the imagination of travellers for centuries. In perfect contrast to the grandeur of Florence are the peaceful Tuscan hills north of Siena. Arguably Italy’s most enchanting medieval city, Siena boasts splendid redbrick streets and an elegant public square set in front of the glorious Palazzo Pubblico.
A few kilometres to the west is Volterra, an Etruscan settlement that enjoys a commanding position perched on a huge plateau, our base for most of the week, and certainly one of the highlights of Tuscany. Nearby is the celebrated town of San Gimignano – known for its signature towers and rightly celebrated as Tuscany’s best-preserved medieval market town.
For nearly 30 years, we have led the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
Florence, the starting point is a treasure-trove of Renaissance art, history and architecture and has captured the imagination of travellers for centuries. In perfect contrast to the grandeur of Florence are the peaceful Tuscan hills north of Siena. Arguably Italy’s most enchanting medieval city, Siena boasts splendid redbrick streets and an elegant public square set in front of the glorious Palazzo Pubblico.
A few kilometres to the west is Volterra, an Etruscan settlement that enjoys a commanding position perched on a huge plateau, our base for most of the week, and certainly one of the highlights of Tuscany. Nearby is the celebrated town of San Gimignano – known for its signature towers and rightly celebrated as Tuscany’s best-preserved medieval market town.
For nearly 30 years, we have led the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | (Sun) Arrive in Florence. |
| Day 2: | A morning orientation walk around Florence introduces us to the highlights of Florence. Afternoon free to explore. |
| Day 3: | Travel to Siena and explore this delightful town. Its heart in every sense is the famed Piazza del Campo, a grand fan-shaped public space built on the site of the old Roman forum. Toward the end of the afternoon we head to our base at Volterra, situated high on a plateau with sweeping views of the valleys below. |
| Day 4: | Walk through Etruscan landscapes of restful chestnut groves and follow centuries old Etruscan walls before walking up a gentle slope to the hamlet of Prato d'Era. Climb up towards Porta Selci near the Etruscan Acropolis (10km). |
| Day 5: | Walk west through forest and open countryside, enjoying spectacular views of the soft rolling Tuscan hills all the way down to Saline. Visit the medieval village of Montecatini (12km). |
| Day 6: | Drive to Colle di Val d’Elsa and walk to San Gimignano, a place sometimes referred to as having the only 'skyscrapers' in Tuscany. Afternoon free to explore (10km) |
| Day 7: | Walk towards Monte Voltraio and explore the abandoned medieval building of the Casale Rocca. Walk to the Villa Palagion and explore the buildings and Italian gardens (16km). |
| Day 8: | (Sun) Trip ends in Volterra this morning. |
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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See Tuscany through the eyes of a local, as your Italian tour leader gives you a first-hand insight into the exotic and colourful tapestry that makes up this vibrant area. Wandering around historic towns and visiting secluded hilltop villages imparts to travellers an awareness of these valuable historical gems and the importance of them being preserved and protected, so that they can be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations. The people living in the region also have a rich and enduring culture, which is unveiled on this trip. Equally important, your local tour leader helps you to understand the traditions of these proud people, ensuring you don’t commit any cultural ‘faux pas’.
To support tour programs in Italy this operator is training their tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. By only employing tour leaders born and bred in the regions they visit, they are supporting local economies. This operator prefers to give their patronage to small owner-managed hotels rather than those from international chains, as they feel these places offer quality and character and also directly benefit local people. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities. |
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. |