Essential Tuscany

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    [title] => Arrival day
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Welcome to Hotel Albergo Palazzuolo. Unpack and settle in.
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    [title] => Bagno Vignoni
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    [description] => 
The hot springs at Bagno Vignoni have been known since Etruscan times. Santa Caterina of Siena and Lorenzo the Magnificent were amongst those to have taken advantage of the therapeutic values of the waters. The Medici family built the splendid arcaded pool which sits in the middle of the village where you would expect to find the main square.
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                            [title] => A Castle and a Spa
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Distance: 6 miles (10km)
Total ascent: 700 feet (200m)
In summary: After exploring San Quirico with the easier group, we too head south, taking a loop out to the west via Forn del Chigi and Poggio Grande. We then head east past the ruins of the old bridge, swept away in 1929, and up the side of the calcite cliffs, past bathing pools, to arrive in Bagno Vignoni to join the easier group.
Highlight: Views to Monte Amiata, which forms the southern backdrop to the Val d’Orcia.
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                            [title] => A New Route to The Spa
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Distance: 4 miles (6½km)
Total ascent: 400 feet (120m)
In summary: We start our week with an exploration of San Quirico, a fascinating town in its own right with some spectacular views from the town walls. We then head south out of town through beautiful countryside to Vignoni Alta with its truncated tower. Our route continues descending towards Bagno Vignoni accompanied by great views to Rocca d’Orcia.
Highlight: Explore Bagno Vignone with its hot springs and interesting history.
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    [title] => Montalcino to Abbey of Sant'Antimo
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Montalcino is a Tuscan hill town with a full circuit of walls. It was permanently settled in 1,000AD by fugitives from the Saracens and their family groups, the Borghetto, Pianello, Ruga and Travaglio. To this day you will see rival flags outside the houses and they compete against each other in an archery competition. The final destination of both walks is the Abbey of Sant'Antimo with time to explore before enjoying refreshments in the village of Castelnuovo dell Abate.
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                            [title] => Montalicino to Sant'Antimo
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Distance: 8 miles (13km)
Total ascent: 700 feet (240m)
In summary: The harder walk begins at Montalcino where, after a chance to look around, we head off towards the Abbey of Sant'Antimo through undulating countryside, woodland and farmland.
Highlight: Villa a Tolli, an ancient hamlet of Etruscan origin.
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                            [title] => From the Castle to the Abbey
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Distance: 6 miles (10km)
Total ascent: 600 feet (180m)
In summary: Our walk starts with a bus ride to Montalcino where we can explore the town and enjoy a drink before re-joining the coach to take us to the start of our walk a couple of miles south. Our route takes us through forests, vineyards and farmlands as we make our way to our objective of the day, the Abbey of San Antimo. Our coach then picks us up at the edge of Castelnuovo dell Abate.
Highlight: Visit the attractive town of Montalcino.
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    [title] => Montepulciano to Pienza
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Pienza was once a small village named Corsignano, where Pope Pius II was born. When he became Pope in 1459, he commissioned the most famous architect of his day, Bernardo Rossellini, to create a city fit for a Pope on the site of his birthplace. Pius died within three years of the completion of the city, which was largely ignored by future Popes, leaving us with a beautifully preserved renaissance city not much bigger than a village.
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                            [title] => Montepulciano to Pienza
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Distance: 9½ miles (15km)
Total ascent: 1,700 feet (520m)
In summary: Our walk starts from Montepulciano. After a spot of sightseeing, we head east out of town towards Monticchiello and onto Pienza where we can join the easier group for refreshments.
Highlight: Pienza is an historical town with Romanesque architecture.
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                            [title] => Montepulciano to Montichiello
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Distance: 5.5 miles (9.6km)
Total ascent: 1000 feet (300m)
In summary: After looking around the beautiful city of Montepulciano, we start our walk across rolling countryside past the pilgrimage church of San Biagio. On reaching Montichiello, we reboard our coach for the beautiful walled hilltop town of Pienza.
Highlight: Monticchiello is a delightful walled village with a crooked watch tower and a 13th century parish church.
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    [title] => Free day
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    [description] => 
Each week there is a free day when no guided walks are offered. This is an ideal opportunity to relax around the hotel, walk independently or visit local places of interest. If there is sufficient demand, leaders can organise a visit to San Gimignano.
San Gimignano: This is a fascinating hilltop town with a breathtaking skyline of towers. You can enter the town through the Porta San Giovanni and then head to the Piazza del Duomo. The Duomo has an exotic interior containing fresco cycles of the Old and New Testament stories. It is worthwhile visiting the Rocca and ramparts which offer extensive views across the countryside. The church of St. Augustine is well away from the crowds and has frescoes on the life of Saint Francis. On the return to San Quirico you could stop at the heavily fortified small town of Monteriggioni, once the border of the Florence and Siena republics.
Villa La Foce: Visit this villa and its gardens, made famous by Iris Origo’s book War in the Val d’Orcia – An Italian Diary 1943-44.
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    [title] => Pietraporciana Nature Reserve to Sarteano
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Located on a ridge that separates the Val d'Orcia and Valdichiana is the Piertaporciana Nature reserve known for its rare flora, we finish in the pretty hilltop town of Sarteano with it castle looming over.
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                            [title] => Le Foce to Sarteano
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Distance: 7.5 miles (12 km)
Ascent: 1,280 feet (390m)
In summary: A short bus ride from the hotel, we start the walk at Le Foce an impressive country house with beautiful gardens. A gentle climb takes us into the Pietraporciana nature reserve passing low lying Beechwood, we pass the small visitor centre once a hideout for partisans in the world war. We then make our way through this idyllic reserve to the pretty medieval village of Sarteano and time for a small exploration.
Highlight: Explore Sarteano a real treat off the tourist trail
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                            [title] => Le Foce to Castiglioncello del Trinoro Sarteano
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Distance: 9 miles (14.5km)
Ascent: 1650 feet (500m)
In summary: We start our walk at Le Foce, and begin our gentle climb into the Pietraporciana Nature Reserve, with its rare flora. We then pass the visitor centre and café, and make a delightful detour to the medieval town of Castiglioncello del Trinoro before dropping down into beautiful Sarteano.
Highlight: Explore Sarteano a real treat off the tourist trail
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    [title] => A view from the Rocca
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    [description] => 
Today we travel south to the castle keep of Tentennano, known locally as Rocca d’Orcia. The harder walk is circular, starting and finishing at the Rocca and taking in three castles. The easier walk takes in a beautiful stretch of the Via Francigena heading for the little village of Gallina which sits on the 43rd Parallel. Both groups walk through undulating farmland and woodland where wild game, such as deer and boar have been seen. At the end of both walks there will be the opportunity to climb the tower of the castle keep and/or take refreshments at the café nearby before we return to the hotel.
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                            [title] => From the Rocca to the 43rd Parallel along the Via Francigena
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Distance: 7½ miles (11.5km)
Total ascent: 400 feet (120m)
In summary: Today’s walk begins with a circuit of the beautiful village of Castiglione d’Orcia before walking through Rocca d’Orcia village and picking up the Via Francigena which we walk almost all the way to Gallina. After a short refreshment stop we will board the coach to return to our starting point and meet up with the harder walkers at Rocca d’Orcia.
Highlight: Castiglione d’Orcia is an ancient settlement first referenced in 714AD.
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                            [title] => Rocca D’Orcia Circular – A Three Castles Walk
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Distance: 8 miles (13km)
Total ascent: 1,640 feet (500m)
In summary: The walk starts by wandering through the medieval streets of Rocca d’Orcia village. An old road, now just a track takes us down to the Orcia River with views of Ripa d’Orcia. We follow the river for a while before gaining height to join a ridge with stunning views of Monte Amiata to the south. The return allows us to explore the village of Castiglione d’Orcia and its castle – the Rocca Aldobrandesca. Finally we return to Rocca d’Orcia to join the easier party with time to explore the castle and/or take refreshments.
Highlight: Take in views of three medieval castles.
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    [title] => Departure day
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    [description] => 
We hope to see you again soon.
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