THE TUSCAN VILLAGES AND THE VAL D’ORCIA

Day 1: Arrival, Colle Val d’Elsa, Montereggioni

In the early afternoon, participants meet with the local guide at the hotel in Colle Val d’Elsa, presentation of the trip and guided walk to enjoy splendid panoramic views. This charming town has been famous for crystal production since the 17th century. Meeting with a local engraver artisans to learn about this centuries-old tradition. Continue to Monteriggioni, one of the most significant fortified villages in the area. The country it was built, following the natural conformation of the land, between 1213 and 1219 for purposes defensive and remained virtually intact. The gigantic towers that surrounded its walls they also impressed Dante, who remembers them in the 21st canto of Hell. Guided walk for discover the history and characteristics of the fortress by reliving its most important moments. To the end of the visits, return to the hotel in Colle Val d’Elsa and free evening.

Day 2: San Giminiano, Volterra

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, transfer to San Gimignano. With its forest of towers that stand out on the horizon, it is one of the oldest villages in , where you can immerse yourself in one magical medieval atmosphere. Unesco World Heritage Site since 1990, San Gimignano owes its fame precisely to the incredible amount of towers that soared on the roofs of the small town, even 65 in the heyday of the city. Guided tour of the Cathedral, considered one of the most prestigious in Tuscany. Time for lunch free. In the afternoon, departure for Volterra and guided tour of the ancient looking village unmistakably medieval, where it is still possible to enjoy an authentic atmosphere. Visit of the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum, a treasure chest of one of the most beautiful collections of Etruscan art. At the end of the visits, return to the hotel in Colle Val d’Elsa and free evening.

Day 3:

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Transfer to Siena, one of the most beautiful medieval cities of . The main point of the city is Piazza del Campo, the famous Piazza del Palio, the race of horses that takes place every year and whose origins seem to date back to the seventeenth century. The field it is dominated by the Palazzo Pubblico, built during the Government of the Nine, the economic and cultural splendour, and from its tower, the Torre del Mangia. Visit the Dome, in the Gothic style, which houses a large number of works by Donatello, Pisano and Michelangelo. Inside the Piccolomini Library you will admire the frescoes by Pinturicchio and an exceptional floor with marble inlays and commissaries. Free afternoon at your disposal to continue discovering the city of the Palio on your own enter the hills of the Crete Senesi, before reaching the fortified village of the

Castle of Gargonza to live a truly unique experience: here you will have the opportunity to stay overnight in the apartments of the village restored by the will of Count Roberto Guicciardini Salviati courses. A village enclosed by ancient walls that has managed to keep its charm original, leaving the peasant imprint intact and where the houses reflect authenticity of the people of Gargonza, who lived here and to whose name the houses are dedicated.

Day 4: Gargonza, , Montepulciano

Breakfast at the hotel and free morning at your disposal. In the afternoon, transfer to Petroio, for an independent walk in the picturesque medieval village perched on a hill that spirals around a single road and where the remains of the old walls, the ancient houses, palaces and churches have preserved the warm blond colour of the sandstone with which it is been built. An important artisan tradition is the production of terracotta artefacts. Transfer to Montepulciano, home of Vino Nobile one of the finest Italian red wine DOCG. The village is located in a splendid position on the crest of a hill between the Val d’Orcia and the Valdichiana. After a walk on your own, visit a local winery, followed by a child Montepulciano DOCG wine tasting. From here begins the journey into the surprising Val d’Orcia, a treasure chest of nature and hilly landscapes where the gaze is lost, until it reaches the farmhouse for overnight stays.

Day 5: Val d’Orcia

Breakfast at the hotel and free morning available. The beautiful landscapes of the Val d'Orcia are dotted with many small villages, each with its own incredible history, in which time still flows slowly. Afternoon dedicated to the autonomous discovery of , medieval town surrounded by walls, with towers and a 13th century keep, characterized by narrow streets intricate, steep climbs, very narrow streets and stone houses that offer sudden glimpses of the truly unforgettable views of the Val d’Orcia. Continue with the Rocca di Tentennano, a castle documented since 1100 which stands on a limestone spur in the heart of the Val d’Orcia. The imposing fortress always had an important strategic function for the control of the southern territory of the ancient Sienese state and offers an enchanting view on the valley. From here, a short walk leads to Castiglione d’Orcia, a treasure trove of beauty and of notable artistic works. The village finds its center in Piazza Il Vecchietta, suggestive heart of the village overlooked by the Town Hall and other medieval buildings. Free dinner and return to the farmhouse.

Day 6: , San Quirico d’Orcia, Sant’Antimo

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, guided tour of Pienza, a town with an unmistakable character artistic and historical beauty, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1996. Heart of the Renaissance city is the trapezoidal Piazza Pio II with the harmonious Cathedral tripartite facade with arcades on columns. Visit of Palazzo Piccolomini, inspired by the models of Florentine private architecture with ashlar facade. Built around a courtyard it has the fourth side overlooking a magnificent hanging garden overlooking the Val d’Orcia and the mountain Amiata. Pienza is also well known for its unique and inimitable pecorino. Visit of a small one local company, followed by a small tasting. In the afternoon, continue driving towards San Quirico d’Orcia, an ancient fortified village on the , with fifteenth-century walls almost intact and bordered by 14 towers, for a stroll in the historic center. Then crossing a territory dotted with vineyards, you reach the extraordinary Benedictine Abbey of Sant’Antimo, one of the most significant architectural testimonies of the Romanesque era, located on a plain and enhanced even more by the surrounding landscape, the pleasant valley of Starcia stream, where the presence of the olive tree is the characterizing element. At the end visits, return to the farmhouse and free evening.

Day 7:

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. To conclude the trip is a walk independently a Bagno Vignoni, a small spa of great charm all concentrated around the ancient large pool of sulphurous water, a sort of phantasmagoric and steaming square of beloved water also by Lorenzo the Magnificent and in recent times the scenographic background of numerous films. Impossible not to treat yourself to a morning of relaxation and wellness treatments to enjoy the benefits of these thermal waters. Autonomous return to the places of origin.