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.
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Walking & Hiking
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Tuscany Active Culinary Walking & Hiking Tour
Food Adventure in Italy from Chianti to Florence
Discover the joys of the Tuscan table as you learn the secrets of Italian cooking from our charming local friends. 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 journey that nurtures both body and spirit.
THIS ITINERARY: 6 days, 5 nights
ACCOMMODATIONS: Casual Plus Hotels
FROM:
$4,099 pp dbl occ
($400 for sgl occ)
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 be welcomed by nonne (grandmothers) in old-world villages
- Prepare and savor farm-to-table recipes passed down through generations—buon appetito!
- Hike the cypress-lined white roads of southern Tuscany and hunt for the region’s prized truffles
- Relish handmade cuisine, from your first plate of pasta to your final bowl-scraping spoonful of tiramisu
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Itinerary
Accommodations may vary based on departure date.
6 Days Casual Plus Hotels
Accommodations may vary based on departure.
Days 1-2
Meander through vineyards, woodland and Renaissance hill towns | Get a taste of the region’s undulating terrain as you walk from Castellina to Vèscine | Homer once called olive oil “liquid gold”—you’ll call it “delicious” during our exclusive degustazione (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! | Join pizzaiolo and Backroads’ friend Mario to learn how to let the pizza dough fly.
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
From the tiny hamlet of Vertine, hike from one unbelievable vista to the next, stopping for lunch at a local home for an alfresco feast among the grapevines | In Radda, enjoy a private wine talk and pour—and balsamic vinegar tasting—with our friend Fabrizio | Prepare a home-style Italian meal alongside locals in the cucina of their cooking school.
Palazzo Leopoldo
Radda in Chianti
| Casual Plus Hotel Located in the heart of the Chianti region, this elegant 14th-century manor house features spacious guest rooms with original frescoes. (pool, spa)
Days 4-6
Follow the strade bianche (white roads) of southern Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia | Head south to the crete senesi (chalk hills) to hunt for truffles | Wander in Renaissance-style Pienza, Pope Pius II’s utopian village | Lunch takes place at an agriturismo (working farm) and dinner is a hands-on affair as we prepare piatti tipici, typical Tuscan dishes | Say arrivederci to Tuscany with a leisurely hike in the countryside surrounding Bagno Vignoni.
Albergo le Terme
Bagno Vignoni
| Casual Plus Hotel This enchanting family-owned hotel overlooks the town's central piazza, whose ancient pool is 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.
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Activity Level: 1-3
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do. LEARN MORE.
Note: The terrain on this trip includes a mix of rolling vineyard paths, gravel roads and wooded trails.
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
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