• 2 Nights - Montalcino
• 3 Nights - Pienza
• 2 Nights - Montepulciano

DETAILED ITINERARY

Saturday Oct 9 - DEPART Home City
Travel overnight to Italy. As a fully licensed travel agency we are happy to assist with air and land arrangements to meet up with this tour. I will travel from Canada today and welcome anyone to join me.

Day 1: ARRIVE in Florence and then TRANSFER to Montalcino via Siena
Welcome to the beautiful region of Tuscany! We have arranged for a private transfer (minicoach) to leave Florence Airport today to take us to our first location, Montalcino. We will make a stop in Siena on the way to visit this ancient, beautiful city. From here we will be driven to Montalcino, one of Tuscany's famous hill towns. The town is easily recognizable on approach by it's protruding battlements brandishing the Medici crest. It is crowned by the Fortezza with a wonderful story to tell as a last Sienese outpost, eventually capitulating to the Florentines resulting from the long conflict between the Guelfs and Guibelllines. We will settle into our hotel ' Dei Capitani' within the city walls for the next 2 nights. The remainder of the afternoon is free to walk the battlements of the 'Fortezza' with breathtaking views down on the Val d'Orcia. Montalcino has an amazing array of shops and trattorias. Relax in the square with a gelato. Tonight we have our welcome dinner.

Siena
It's swift decline from a Renaissance republican capital to little more than a market centre explains the city's astonishing state of medieval preservation. Its central core is a myriad of woven narrow streets converging on Italy's most beautiful square “The Piazza del Campo”. All the buildings are the colour sienna with tiled roofs punctuated by stunning marble in the Duomo with food and patisserie shops lining every lane.

Day 2: Montalcino
After breakfast we will walk from the battlement walls down into the hamlet of La Croce where we have arranged Lunch in a farmhouse restaurant. The farm has a vineyard producing Tuscany's pride, the voluptuous Brunello wine. Enroute to the village we will take a little time to visit an Etruscan archaeological dig. After lunch we will be driven to a belvedere which presents the stunning 'Abbazia Sant'Antimo'. You are truly viewing a piece of heaven splendidly isolated -it really evokes an impression of eternity. This Benedictine Abbey (founded by Charlemagne in 791) is actually referred as “the singing stone”. From the belvedere we will walk to the Abbey. Once inside its cool quiet interior, take time to reflect and notice its unadorned symmetry. If we time it right we hope to hear the haunting Gregorian chant. We will then be driven back to Montalcino for the evening. Have an al fresco dinner tonight - Be Italian ! (8 km walk)

Day 3: Pienza
After breakfast we will be transported to the nearby village of San Quirico. From here we will walk to the tiny spa town of Bagno Vignoni. After our walk we have time for lunch and exploring around the loggia and terrace by the Renaissance16th century thermal pool enjoyed by the d'Medici. We will then be driven to Pienza where we will stay for the next 3 nights. (6 kms walk) If you were to imagine the perfect Renaissance town atop a Tuscan hill where you could walk the ramparts and gaze across the Val d'Orcia below it is Pienza. We will stay here for 3 nights and walk out from here.

Day 4: Pienza - Today we cook!
We will go to Lorenza’s farm which is close by. Due to the size of her kitchen our tour will be limited to a maximum of 12 participants. Lorenza teaches a hands-on course in English from scratch in real time. The 3 courses are traditional Tuscan dishes and include a handmade pasta. We will enjoy the lunch we have prepared with wine and of course be given copies of the recipes.

Day 5: Pienza
After breakfast we start off by walking an ancient Pilgrim track now used by shepherds to the walled village of San Quirico d'Orcia. We will have time here to explore the town, an established stop along the 'Via Francigena' (pilgrim route to Rome). We will see the baroque exterior Corallo frescoes on the 17th century Palazzo Chigi, along with its spectacular 16th century “Horti Leonini Gardens”, with time for lunch. After this enjoyable day in the midst of nature and history, we will be transported back to Pienza with the remainder of the afternoon and evening free. (8 kms walk)

Day 6: Pienza to Montepulciano via Monticchiello
After breakfast we will walk from Pienza to Monticchiello, a true medieval town. Here we have a lunch planned on a terrace with panoramic views of the stunning 'Val d'Orcia' offering glimpses to most of our destinations. The lunch will feature homemade 'pecorino cheeses' a famous local delicacy along with wine. After lunch we will be driven to Pienza to rest and refresh. Later we will go to Montepulciano, the highest of Tuscany's hill towns and the home of the famous Vino Nobile wines. We should take time for a visit to the coppersmith here. We will stay here for 2 nights. (7 kms walk)

Day 7: Montepulciano
This is a free day to do some last minute exploring and or shopping. Montepulciano is also home to a wonderful thermal Spa so this would be a great day to reward yourself for your efforts to see and walk so much of this gorgeous landscape.

Day 8: Depart for Home or plan to extend your Travel Plans
After breakfast our program is complete. As a fully licensed travel agency we are happy to assist with rail arrangements from here either back to Florence or to Rome and any extension arrangements you have in mind.

Pricing:

• $2,729.00 CAD per person sharing twin/double accommodation (taxes included)
• Price is LAND ONLY (See inclusions and Exclusions below)
• Single supplement on request
  
• An Early Booking Bonus of $100.00 will be offered if booked by April 1, 2010
  (Will be deducted from final payment)
• Non - Refundable $500.00 per person deposit required upon booking
• Balance payment due by July 31st, 2010
  
  Please Note: We can assist to find roommates for ladies who want to share twin accommodation.

Includes:

• 7 Nts in hotel accommodation with private facilities
• Breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 1 cooking class lunch and 1 dinner
• All transportation mentioned in the itinerary
• Fully escorted by Rose Tomassini of Canadian Woman Traveller
• 4 guided walking trips
• Luggage transfers
• All taxes

Excludes:

• All Flights - (Debbie Lloyd of The Travel Broker & Cruise Centre would be happy
  to assist you in arranging flights from your home to join us!)
• Personal travel insurances
• Items of a personal nature and souvenirs

For more information about this tour please contact Debbie Lloyd at:

Canadian Woman Traveller
A division of The Travel Broker & Cruise Centre
1758 Bath Road Kingston, ON Canada
Telephone: 613-389-7916 or 1-888-830-5324
Email:info@cwtraveller.ca