Travel Guides: Italy Travel Guide: Overview
In Southern Europe—right in the heart of the Mediterranean—lies a boot-shaped country stuffed to the brim with culture, history and fine cuisine.
Walking & Hiking
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Tuscany Active Culinary Walking & Hiking Tour
Gourmet Adventure in Italy from Chianti to Val d'Orcia
Couples, Friends & Solos
6 days 5 nights
Activity Level: 1-3
Casual Plus Hotels
From: $4,299 - $4,499 pp dbl occ
($900 for sgl occ)
Discover the joys of the Tuscan table as you learn its secrets on our active Tuscany cooking tour. Celebrate fresh seasonal ingredients prepared with passion, yet minimal manipulation. Slow down and let food be the focal point of the day. And savor this Tuscany culinary walking vacation that nurtures both body and spirit.
Italy Tuscany Active Culinary Walking & Hiking Tour map
Italy
Start Arezzo / End Florence
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Highlights
- Walk through brimming vineyards and in old-world villages
- Cook and delight in farm-to-table recipes passed down through generations—buon appetito!
- Hike the cypress-lined white roads of southern Tuscany and sip Chianti Classico in the region it originated
- Relish handmade cuisine, from your first plate of pasta to your final bowl-scraping spoonful of tiramisu
Itinerary
Accommodations may vary based on departure date.
6 Days Casual Plus Hotels
Accommodations may vary based on departure.
Days 1-2
Description
Walk through vineyards, woodland and Renaissance hill towns | Get a taste of the region’s undulating terrain as you trek from Castellina to Vèscine | Homer once called olive oil “liquid gold”—discover why during our exclusive tasting | Explore Panzano, home to numerous fine Chianti wineries | High ridges and peaceful forests lead the way to our lunch spot in the home of a local friend—a one-of-a-kind experience! | Sip Chianti Classico wines and learn the secret to traditional recipes in a cooking class led by an engaging Italian chef | Relax at our beautiful hotel in the heart of the Chianti Valley.
Accommodations
Il Borgo di Vèscine
Radda in Chianti
| Casual Plus Hotel A 13th-century hamlet handsomely restored as a welcoming hotel with unsurpassed views of the Tuscan countryside. (pool)
Day 3
Description
From the town of Gaiole, hike from one unbelievable vista to the next, stopping for an alfresco picnic among the grapevines | Cook a home-style Italian meal alongside locals in the cucina of their cooking school | Lounge with a glass of the region's finest vino by the fireplace at our elegant retreat.
Accommodations
Palazzo Leopoldo
Radda in Chianti
| Casual Plus Hotel Located in the heart of the Chianti region, this boutique 14th-century manor house features spacious guest rooms with original frescoes. (pool, spa)
Days 4-6
Description
Follow the strade bianche (white roads) of southern Tuscany's Val d'Orcia | Savor local delicacies as we indulge in a sampling of the region’s traditional cuisine | Wander in Renaissance-style Pienza, Pope Pius II's utopian village | Lunch takes place at a working farm complete with a pasta-making demonstration | Say arrivederci to Tuscany with a leisurely hike in the countryside surrounding Bagno Vignoni.
Accommodations
Albergo Posta Marcucci
Bagno Vignoni
| Casual Plus Hotel This elegant boutique hotel features a beautiful garden, a fantastic bar and pools fed by underground thermal springs. (pool, spa)
Dates & Prices
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
October 2023
Oct 1 - Oct 6
Sold out
Oct 8 - Oct 13
Sold out
Looks like you’re traveling with a smaller group
Our Private Trips are best for groups of 6 or more. We suggest joining a scheduled trip.
Please Select a Group Size
Group size is required to show per-person pricing. Your group size can be approximate and can change.
From our Guests
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#MyBackroadsTrip
Share your adventure #MyBackroadsTrip
Activity Level:
1-3
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
Route notes
The terrain on this trip includes a mix of rolling gravel country roads for the most part, and some sections of single-track forest paths with stone steps.
Daily Route Options
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
Route notes
The terrain on this trip includes a mix of rolling gravel country roads for the most part, and some sections of single-track forest paths with stone steps.
What's Included
- All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
- All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
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