One of the best aspects of running a tour company is getting to know small regions of the world really well. I can’t say I know all of Europe or even all of Italy, but in the areas we run tours, we get to know the paths, hotels, restaurants, people, and culture fairly intimately.
In Italy, the central provinces of Tuscany and Umbria are two of my favorite regions. Here, there is nothing so sublimely beautiful as the Val d’Orcia, the rural valley that lies to the southeast of Siena in the heart of agricultural Tuscany, and no better way to see it than on foot.
(For many more great images of this region, just type Val d’Orcia into your web browser and click on Images. Practically every photo you see is of jaw dropping scenery.)
This October 25 – 31, you will have the opportunity to visit the Val d’Orcia on our new Tuscany Walking Adventure. Here are just some of the highlights of the tour:
- Rolling countryside with fields of wheat, cypress-lined ridges, and rust-colored farmhouses.
- Countryside abbeys, sheep farms producing pecorino cheese, and small pasticcerias (bakeries)
- Beautiful hilltop towns including Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino
- The action of the relatively bigger city of Siena, chock full of history and culture
- The naturally hot spring spas of Bagno Vignoni
- Some of the most luscious wines in the world, including Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino
Our daily walks average about 14 kilometers (8.5 miles per day), enough mileage for most people but not too much to complete. (We will also have a support van if you’d like to shorten your mileage.) While my tastes often run to more adventurous tours, I have to say walking through this region of Tuscany is sort of my dream vacation.
I think you will love it too.
Please run this again. I have already booked another trip at that time.
We would love to do so, Leslie!
Allan