Volterra to San Gimignano Walk

Volterra to San Gimignano Walk

194 Views
9 Days From

$2750

Volterra to San Gimignano Walk

9 Days Starting and ending in Volterra

Visiting: Italy

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

W08TY

Group Type:

Independent

Guide Type:

Self Guided

Physical rating:

Leisurely / Moderate

Age range:

18-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English

Interests:

History, Wildlife Tours

Activities:

Trekking, Walking

From: $2750

NB: Prices correct on 30-Jun-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

On this self-guided, 8-night walking holiday, you explore the timeless countryside between picturesque Volterra and the soaring towers of San Gimignano. You'll feel as though you're strolling through history as you discover sleepy hilltop hamlets crowning sun-dappled hills, verdant vineyards and panoramic picnic spots in fields ablaze with sunflowers. You also have the option to visit the eternal cities of Siena and Florence - Tuscan favourites right on your doorstep!



Highlights

  • Quintessential Italian landscapes: rolling hills, sunflowers, endless vines and hilltop hamlets

  • Scenic walking on Etruscan trails and pilgrims' paths; wildlife in abundance

  • Exceptionally friendly hotels with gorgeous swimming pools

  • Possible trips to Florence, Siena and Pisa

  • Mouth-watering local cuisine; world-famous wines

Itinerary

Day 1


Arrive at your 4 star hotel just outside Volterra's mediaeval gates, where
you have time to relax in the pool before dinner. *(Staying at Park Hotel Le
Fonti, Half Board)*



Day 2


There's a short transfer (30 mins) this morning to the start of your walk.
Forest trails lead east through the Berignone Nature Reserve where you may be
lucky enough to see wild boar, deer and fox. As you leave the forest, the
ridge opens up giving wonderful valley views out towards Casole d'Elsa where
you'll spend the next two nights. *(Staying at Hotel Terre di Casole)*



Day 3


Casole d'Elsa is a picture perfect Etruscan village atop a panoramic ridge.
From the vermillion hued 14th century castle, views stretch as far as Monte
Amiata in the south of Tuscany. A leisurely lunch maybe in the medieval
piazza, before visiting the small but intact amphitheatre and Etruscan
tombs. *(Staying at Hotel Terre di Casole)*



Day 4


Today's walk takes you down to the valley floor passing fields of sunflowers
and orchid-sprinkled paths, before coming to the small hamlet of Quartaia, a
good lunch stop. Continue through the woods along the famous pilgrims' path,
the Via Francigena, where the fossils in the stones beneath your feet bear
witness to the time when this area was covered by the sea. A final easy
stroll takes you along the milky-blue, limestone-rich River Elsa and to your
stunning 4 star hotel, a beautifully converted 12th century Benedictine abbey
with garden and pool. *(Staying at Relais della Rovere, Half Board)*



Day 5


Take the local bus to Siena (30 mins) or Florence (1 hour). Or stroll into
impressive Colle di Val d'Elsa, a fascinating town of two halves with a lift
linking the lovely new piazza with the medieval upper town. *(Staying at
Relais della Rovere, Half Board)*



Day 6


Today you follow in pilgrims' footsteps along the Via Francigena. Bright with
sunflowers and fragrant apple orchards, this historic path skirts tiny
hamlets and lonely chapels towards the lazy Foci river. You may like to make
a short detour to take in a wine tasting at Montauto, before retracing your
steps to rejoin the Via Francigena up to San Gimignano. There's time for a
swim in the pool before dinner. *(Staying at Relais Santa Chiara, Breakfast
only)*



Day 7


Visit San Gimignano's mystical towers this morning built by warring
neighbours in the 12th century to outdo one another! Or for a longer day out,
hop on a local bus to Siena (30 mins), a perfectly preserved medieval gem
with a stunning striped 14th century Gothic cathedral and beautiful
square. *(Staying at Relais Santa Chiara, Breakfast only)*



Day 8


A short taxi ride (10 mins) from your hotel takes you to the start of the
walk in Caggio, at the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve. From here you follow a
woodland trail dotted with rock roses and wild strawberry plants to reach a
panoramic strada bianca, where hawks soar overhead. With open views across
cypress-studded ochre fields to Monte Voltraio, you pass through Sensano and
Ulignano, historic hamlets with 16th century villas. Perhaps picnic by the
era Valley before ascending an ancient mule track back to
Volterra. *(Staying at Park Hotel Le Fonti, Half Board)*



Day 9


LEAVE VOLTERRA



What's Included

  • Meals
    8 breakfasts, 0 lunches, 4 dinners.


* All accomodation
* Headwater Wine Collection Service 
* Route directions and maps 
* Luggage transfers between hotels 
* Walking transfers
* Breakfasts and 4 evening meals

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Room upgrades and extra nights at selected hotels

  • OPTIONAL UPGRADES

  • Option to extend to 10 nights

  • Single accommodation (available on request -compulsory supplement)

  • Visas or vaccinations

  • Flights from Heathrow to Pisa with British Airways, including local transfers

  • Other flights, including regional departures

  • Business/club/first class fares on request

  • City break add-ons in Siena, Lucca, Florence and Pisa

Food


All continental breakfasts and 4 evening meals.

Italy’s most famous export is probably its cuisine and the traditional
dishes of Tuscany are the most influential and revered. The region’s food
is based on cucina povera, ‘poor/peasant cookery’, a rural cuisine based
on available natural ingredients: olive oil, unsalted bread, pulses and
vegetables, wild mushroom or porcini, and salt-cured meats such as salame and
prosciutto. In particular, Tuscan olive oil is renowned for its quality and
is the most important ingredient in the region’s cookery. You will find it
in almost every dish - as a salad dressing, poured over vegetables and into
soups and even as a replacement for butter on bread (very nice with a
sprinkling of salt!).

Of course the Chianti region is best known for its regional wine (the very
best ones are Chianti Classico and have a black cockerel stamped on the
label). Chianti is produced in the vineyards dotted around the Tuscan hills;
we actually visit the hills to the north of Siena, where the Chianti Colli
Senesi wine is produced. Made from the Sangiovese grape, this is an excellent
light, fruity red. Although best known for its red wine, a good white wine is
also produced in the Chianti region. Made from the Vernaccia grape, the
Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a crisp dry white which has greatly improved
over recent years. It is best drunk young.

Accommodation

Our carefully picked hotels, are full of contrasts, from a converted monastery with an impressive 14th century tower, in the medieval town of Casole d’Elsa to the refined elegance of the 4 star Palazzo San Lorenzo in Colle di Val d’Elsa, a magnificently restored 17th century hospital. Chianti is synonymous with excellent food and wine and evening meals are a celebration of the local cuisine. Perhaps try pappardelle alla lepre (fresh ribbons of pasta with a hare sauce) or bruschetta (toasted bread rubbed with garlic and olive oil, topped with sun-ripened tomatoes), all washed down by a glass or two of full-bodied Chianti!

Check out our Q&As

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    There are no specific health risks.

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Only Luggage transfers between hotels

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    4 star

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    8+ age people can go on this tour.

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews of this operator

Gergana Racheva  

Very helpful and prompt service

06-Jan-2023

Very helpful and prompt service. I called to check for an already booked trip and once we sorted this, the agent was ready to help me with another booking as well. He actually waited for me to book my flight tickets, answered all my questions, informed me of all my options. Exodus is a tour company I am using regularly due to the quality of their trips, ease of booking and helpfulness of their customer service team

Trustpilot
Tim Hardy  

Stunning walking. Walking the Amalfi Coast

04-Nov-2021

This trip takes you through the most beautiful parts of the Mediterranean walking with a guide and also discovering the wonders of Pompeii and Vesuvius. The hotel had a nice feel as family run, spotless and comfortable rooms, we were well looked after for breakfasts and dinner each day, and the barmen fixed some mean cocktails for us.!

paul green (Google Reviewer)  

Went on a tour of...

14-Jan-2022

Went on a tour of morocco in October and loved it ,mohamed the tour guide was excellent, probably go with exodus to India next year

Paul Green  

It's amazing what you can do in a week! Cycling the Dalmatian Coast.

08-Oct-2021

This holiday was extremely enjoyable. The itinerary is well planned and the route takes you to a variety of destinations. Not having been to Croatia before I didn't know there were so many beautiful small islands and I loved the ferry and catarmaran rides. The coastal route we took was dramatic and the World Heritage sites in Split and Dubrovnik very interesting and worth visiting. The Adriatic Sea was warm, blue and inviting, good for swimming even in October. The hotels we stayed in varied in size from medium to large. I particularly liked the one just outside Dubrovnik as I had a sea view. Tourists were plentiful in Split and Dubrovnik but in the other places we stayed there was an end of season feel and it was quiet on the roads and in the resorts. The food was good and our guide was always able to recommend a nice restaurant for our evening meal. The weather in October was good for cycling - not hot, partly cloudy most days and one day it rained!

Mrs Y Morrison  

Fabulous company and trip

06-Jan-2023

We went overland from Cape Town to Zimbabwe through Botswana and Namibia. What a fantastic trip. Our first time with Exodus although we have travelled extensively around the world. We would highly recommend this company for such a brilliant trip - we got everything and more all at a good price. Thanks to everyone involved. We are looking at our next trip!

Trustpilot
John Edwards (Google Reviewer)  

I went cycling in Albania...

19-Aug-2023

I went cycling in Albania with exodus as my first holiday with them. Such a well organised and wonderful experience where I met multiple fellow travellers who have been advocates of them for many years. You can't argue with happy repeat customers and I'm planning my next adventure with them soon

Rob Burridge (Google Reviewer)  

I'v just come back from...

17-Jul-2022

I'v just come back from an amazing Wildlife & Wilderness trip in Botswana and I highly recommend Exodus Travels. Our guide Brian, was extremely knowledgeable on both the wildlife and history of Botswana and neighbouring countries. The other three staff, Abbis, Chief & Mr T, who accompanied us through out our 2 week trip, put in the hard work and made sure our camp was always prepared and that we we're well fed and looked after. The tour took us to some beautiful places and we saw some amazing wildlife, and on several occasions this was due to Brian's knowledge of the area and wildlife behaviour. Exodus have been very quick to respond to any queries I had, and the whole experience ran smoothly. I was also pleased to hear that during lockdown they provided staff with food packages 👍. I'd normally go on self organised trips, however, with this trip, the tour and guide Brian took us to places not possible otherwise and showed us things that we would'v missed out on. All of which were the highlights of the tour.

Alison Payton (Google Reviewer)  

I've done 8 trips in...

17-May-2023

I've done 8 trips in the last 14 years with Exodus, and have been rewarded with a 10% discount on all future bookings. I feel very confident that I'll receive pleasant, efficient service, and have the unusual holiday experience that I'm looking for each time. I've trekked to the top of snow-capped peaks, wild-camped in the desert, seen amazing spectacles of nature, visited 4 capital cities in a week, and learned about local culture and experienced local hospitality in a way that I simply wouldn't on a conventional holiday. The quality of the accommodation and guides can vary, but this is mainly down to cultural differences and things that Exodus can't control. I've only ever complained once, my complaint was taken seriously, and I was sent a discount voucher - you can't say fairer than that. I remain a loyal customer.

Jacquelyn Moore (Google Reviewer)  

Food came quickly. Staff very...

07-Mar-2024

Food came quickly. Staff very friendly and polite . However the chef or person preparing the food did not seem to read the menu! If it says a meal should come with vegetables, you should not have to ask for them. They served shepherds pie with garlic bread! The munchies ice cream sundae said it should come in a glass with a flake but came in a little bowl with just a few munchies! When asking the staff were happy to replace and correct but customer should get what they order and what menu says first time round!!

johanna leonor (Google Reviewer)  

If you like to be...

07-Sep-2023

If you like to be mistreated Exodus is perfect for you. If you enjoy terrible choices for hotels and pseudo restaurants Exodus is perfect for you. Careless about their clients and loveless about their propositions. Exodus has been a dissatisfaction and disappointment about every dealing i and my group have had with him. Especially a man called Simone who just cares about the money he can get from you couldn’t care less about service.

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

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