Imagine staying in a villa or apartment on a working winery in the hills of Tuscany. You look out the window and see the workers in the vineyards. As a part of your walk go for a wine tasting, the wines of Chianti will definitely be on your dinner table.

There are two areas for your walking holiday in Tuscany.  In the Chianti area stay in the town of Greve, located about mid way between Florence and Siena with frequent bus service. Your walks will take you along country roads passing vineyards, olive groves and stone villages such as Montefioralle and Radda. The small quaint village of Radda, in particular has some great cafes for a lunch or dinner stop.

There are walks are available in both directions from Greve. There are a number of trails and country roads, not always with signs so a map or guide is a must. An excellent reference is Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria:. Local bus service will transport you to the start of your hiking each day.

How far you hike each day will be determined by the number of wineries you visit along the way. At dinner head into Greve and the Coop grocery store, and cook in your villa. There are many restaurants surrounding the town square as well to sample the Italian cuisine.

Another fun area for a walking holiday is nearby and just to the west in San Gimignano. A pedestrian friendly (no cars allowed) mountaintop town with 13 towers remaining from the medieval times it is busy with shoppers during the day, however at night you have the town to yourself. As you explore the town visit the old walls, the cathedral and weekly market.

You will start your walks by heading downhill from San Gimignano to the village of Certaldo in one direction or the Roman town of Volterra in the other direction. The walks in this area will take your 3-4 days. Use the local bus service to get to the start.

Avoid the hot summer months a time your walking holiday in Tuscany for May/June or September/October harvest season.

Great walking routes, wonderful food, the Chianti wines, stone villages and the wonderful scenic hills of Tuscany all make for the best walking holiday ever!

 
Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria: Revised Edition
Price: $13.6
Pages: 416, Edition: Rev Sub, Paperback, Penguin (Non-Classics)

50 Hikes In & Around Tuscany: Hiking the Mountains, Forests, Coast & Historic Sites of Wild Tuscany & Beyond
Price: $11.53
Pages: 288, Paperback, Countryman

Originally posted 2009-10-14 17:22:59.