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The Tuscan HeartlandLand of olive groves & cypress trees
Nights: 7 (or you can choose a 10-night version that continues east from Montalcino)
Starting point: Hotel La Pace (3*), Asciano. Though located close to the town centre, this pleasant little hotel has been lovingly created from a former farmhouse, with pleasantly furnished rooms, extensive gardens, an outdoor pool and a welcoming restaurant with a rustic feel. Day 1: for your day in Asciano we suggest a circular route that introduces you to the timeless scenery of the Crete as it winds across undulating farmland to the delightful walled village of Serre Rapolano. Take time to explore before returning through light woodland to Asciano. (15km, 5hrs) Accommodation: Hotel La Pace, as above. Day 2: this long but easy and thoroughly enjoyable walk takes you through a magnificent patchwork of fields of sunflowers and wheat and fragrant pastureland. Castles, fortresses and isolated farmhouses are dotted along the way, and you pass through the charming hill-top village of Montisi. You can shorten the walk by up to 8km by taking a taxi part of the way (pay locally). (24km, 7.5hrs) Accommodation: Locanda della Moscadella (3*), Castelmuzio. This small hotel has been stylishly converted from a beautiful 16th-century stone farmhouse, the beamed ceilings, warm colours and traditional furniture lending much charm to the building. There are large communal rooms, including a sitting room and a cellar bar, while the restaurant is housed in the former stables, an atmospheric setting in which to enjoy traditional Tuscan dishes. The attractive gardens incorporate a panoramic swimming pool, while inside there is a small spa and gym. Day 3: from Castelmuzio you walk across gently rolling hills and open farmland. One of the highlights of the walk is the hamlet of Lucignano d’Asso, which has been lovingly restored and consists of two churches, a castle and a handful of houses. (16km, 5.5hrs) Accommodation: Fattoria Pieve a Salti Day 4: while at Pieve a Salti we recommend that you walk to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, surrounded by cypresses and famous for its early Renaissance frescoes. The first part of the walk leads past a string of small farms to the panoramic hill-top village of Chiusure, from where the path threads its way through woodland and over eroding cliffs to the abbey’s secluded location. Alternatively, you could spend the day at the Fattoria’s spa or hire mountain bikes to explore on two wheels (pay locally). (18.5km, 5.5hrs) Accommodation: Fattoria Pieve a Salti, as above. Day 5: the last walk is varied and rewarding. After a short transfer to the historic town of Buonconvento, you strike out past fields of sunflowers. The Crete begins to open out, stretching towards your destination, Montalcino, with Mount Amiata as a backdrop. Suddenly, after passing through a wildlife reserve in which you may glimpse roe deer and wild boar, the rolling farmland gives way to vineyards and olive groves which stretch as far as the eye can see and you finish with a sometimes steep ascent into the medieval streets of Montalcino. (19km, 6hrs) Accommodation: Hotel del Capitano (3*), Montalcino. Located in the historic
part of the town, the simply furnished hotel has been converted Day 6: spend your final day strolling along the ramparts and exploring Montalcino – among the many monuments are the pentagonal 14th-century fortress and the beautiful Palazzo Comunale, while the Museo Civico houses a fine collection of paintings. Alternatively, you could walk through the Brunello vineyards, olive groves and pastures to reach the Abbey of Sant’Antimo, one of the most outstanding examples of Romanesque monastic architecture in Italy. You continue the short distance to Castelnuovo and from here return to Montalcino by bus (pay locally). (12km, 3hrs) Accommodation: Hotel del Capitano, as above. Day 7: if you have chosen the 10-night option, you head east from Montalcino. You can either walk to Castelnuovo via the Abbey of Sant'Antimo (see walking option for day 6) or take a taxi (pay locally). From here, peaceful strade bianche (gravelled roads), farm tracks and woodland trails cross several small hills and remote parts of countryside as they lead down to the winding River Orcia to enter one of Tuscany’s most beautiful valleys. There is a distinctly Mediterranean feel to this enchanting route and its flora, and in clear weather you enjoy views of Mount Amiata. Take time on arrival to stroll through San Quirico's attractive medieval centre. (13km, 4.5hrs or 25km, 7.5hrs) Accommodation: Relais Palazzo del Capitano, San Quirico d'Orcia. This exquisite hotel is housed in an early 15th-century mansion, one of the oldest buildings in the village, and the bedrooms incorporate terracotta tile floors, antiques and wooden ceilings. Surrounding the hotel are grounds with vines, olive groves and an orchard. You stay on a bed and breakfast basis. Day 8: your route heads south out of San Quirico to reach the tiny hamlet of Vignoni which sits on a small promontory, dominated by several towers. Quiet tracks continue from here across open rolling countryside, offering spectacular views towards Pienza, your destination. It was in Pienza that Pope Pius II was born, and he dreamed of transforming it into a utopian city. (17km, 5hrs) Accommodation: Il Chiostro di Pienza (3*), Pienza. Chiostro means 'cloister', and the hotel is thus named because the building was once a convent. Original features – including the cloister arches – abound, lending the hotel great character. You can choose to dine at the hotel's own restaurant or elsewhere in the town (pay locally in both cases). Day 9: you may well want to spend your last day exploring Pienza to appreciate the magnificent architecture. Alternatively, a final, very varied walk crosses rolling hills to reach the tiny hill-top medieval hamlet of Monticchiello – one of Tuscany’s most beautiful stone-built hamlets. You then continue along little-used trails through light woodland to reach the hill-top town of Montepulciano, another jewel of the region. Return to Pienza by bus (pay locally) once you have finished exploring. (15km, 5hrs) Accommodation: Il Chiostro di Pienza, as above. Walking chart for standard holiday: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.
Recommendations for extra nights: the Locanda della Moscadella is a pleasant spot for a day of relaxation. Extensions: If you are flying via Pisa, spend 2 nights at the charming 3* Il Guelfo Bianco, in cosmopolitan Florence . Alternatively fly to Rome and spend 2 nights in this fascinating capital city staying at the 3* Hotel Mozart. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. Similar holidays: Hill-Top Towns of Tuscany (grade 1-2), A Stroll through History (grade 1-2), From the Tuscan Hills to the Sea (grade 1-2), In the Footsteps of Perugino (grade 2), Along the Tarn Valley (grade 2), Hill-Top Villages of the Luberon (grade 2) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airport: Pisa Extra night prices
> Any queries? Let us call you back > Booking form (if you want to book the extension, remember to state this in step 1)  |
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Cypresses,
olive groves, honey-coloured stone farmhouses, fields of sunflowers –
the undulating landscapes south of Siena hold a special allure. This is
the Crete Senesi, the quiet side of Tuscany, a timeless region of great
natural beauty and wide-open spaces. Our walk leads through archetypal Tuscan landscapes and
across the low ridges of pale clay that characterise the Crete, with stays
at characterful rural hotels. Your destination is Montalcino, perched
on a hill-top amid the vineyards that produce the superlative Brunello
di Montalcino. Beyond, the imposing cone of extinct Mount Amiata (1,738m),
is frequently visible in clear weather as you walk.
Locanda della Moscadella, Castelmuzio 
