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 Levels 1-3
Casual Plus Hotels
From: $4,199 - $4,549 pp dbl occ
($600 for sgl occ)
Discover the joys of the Tuscan table as you learn the secrets on our Tuscany cooking tour. Celebrate fresh seasonal ingredients prepared with passion, yet minimal manipulation. Slow down and let this Italy food tour be the focal point of the day. And savor this active Tuscany culinary & walking tour journey that nurtures both body and spirit.
Italy Tuscany Culinary Walking and Hiking Tour
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
- Cook and delight in 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
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 tiny village of Vertine, hike from one unbelievable vista to the next, stopping for an alfresco picnic among the grapevines | In Radda, enjoy a private balsamic vinegar tasting with our friend Fabrizio | 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 elegant 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 | Saffron steals the show in a spice discussion and cooking demonstration at Mastrojanni winery | Wander in Renaissance-style Pienza, Pope Pius II's utopian village | Lunch takes place at a working farm and dinner is a hands-on affair as we cook Tuscan dishes | Say arrivederci to Tuscany with a leisurely hiking tour 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.
May 2023
June 2023
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 vineyard paths, gravel roads and wooded trails.
Daily Route Options
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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