On the first part of this seven night guided walking tour you will visit Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana spending three nights in the spectacularly positioned town of Pitigliano, set on sheer tufa cliffs, the houses appear to be chiselled out of the rock and rise up over the green valleys and the river Lente. This ancient town was of great importance during the Etruscan period, and you will explore the very roads which they carved out of the tufo to connect the three towns. Good walking boots with ankle support and a good grip are necessary as some of these ancient roads can be slippery.
Accommodation in Pitigliano will be provided by the diocese in a building which was once home to the nuns. The simple, modern twin rooms are comfortable and have private bathrooms. There is also a small chapel in the building.
On the fourth day you will leave Pitigliano and drive a short distance to start your walk to the hot water spa resort of Saturnia where you will spend the afternoon in the hot water pool before continuing on to spend the next 4 nights of the tour on Monte Argentario, a beautiful peninsula jutting out into the Tuscan Arcipelago, with olive groves and vineyards, steep cliffs and sandy coves. You will stay in the port town of Santo Stefano with its harbour for yachts and lively fish markets. Your hotel is set on the sea and all rooms have sea views. It is a modern, comfortable hotel within walking distance of the harbour and town. From here you will explore the peninsula, the Nature Park of the Maremma, 15 km of woodland home to the famous long horned white cattle of this area which roam together with horses, deer and wild boar, accompanied by a wonderland of migratory birds and one of the most beautiful coastlines that Italy has to offer, as well as visiting the island of Giglio.
Tuscan cuisine is second to none and you will sample many of the specialities of the local cuisine: bruschetta with extra virgin olive oil, home made pasta accompanied with hare or wild boar sauce, porcini mushrooms and succulent roasts as well as fresh fish and seafood all washed down by excellent local wines.
The Itinerary
Saturday - Day 1
You will be collected from Rome airport and driven to Pitigliano, set on high tufa cliffs chiselled with caves and tower-houses overlooking breathtaking countryside. With your guide, you will explore the old medieval streets and Jewish quarter of the town of Pitigliano which dates back to Prehistoric times and was an important Etruscan settlement. It then came under Roman rule before passing into the hands of the Aldobrandeschi family of Sovana, then the Orsini family and in 1608 became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Dinner will be in a local restaurant where you will sample some of the mouth watering dishes that this area has to offer.
Sunday - Day 2 - Walk from Pitigliano to Sovana.
- Distance: approx. 10km/6 miles.
- Max. altitude: approx. 300 metres
- Degree of difficulty: moderate but slippery at times
- Shade: variable
You will walk along the via cave, narrow streets lined with caves and tombs, hewed out of the tufaceous rock by the Etruscans to give access to the nearby settlements.
In the footsteps of the Etruscans you will walk to Sovana where there will be time to explore the village and the fascinating Tomba del Sileno as well as the unique Tomba Ildebranda. Lunch will be in a local restaurant. You will return to Pitigliano by bus.
Monday - Day 3 - Walk Vitozza to Sorano
- Distance: approx. 10km/6 miles.
- Max. altitude: approx. 300metres
- Degree of difficulty: moderate
- Shade: good
This morning you will take a short drive to the village of San Quirico where you will walk to Vitozza, with around two hundred caves, it was one of the largest cave settlements in Italy.
Situated in a rocky, isolated position in the valley of the River Fiora lush with vegetation and springs these caves were inhabited from prehistoric times up until fairly recently. You will have time to explore before going down to the valley where you will walk through woodlands following the River Lente to the medieval town of Sorano, set on a large tufa cliff and dominated by the Orsini Fortress.
There will be a picnic lunch.
From Sorano you will be driven back to Pitigliano.
Tuesday - Day 4 - Walk from San Martino sul Fiora to Saturnia
- Distance: approx. 12km/7.5miles.
- Max.altitude: approx. 300metres
- Degree of difficulty: easy
- Shade: variable
This morning you will leave Pitigliano and drive to the tiny hamlet of San Martino sul Fiora to start your walk to the well known spa resort of Saturnia. There will be time for a dip in the hot water swimming pool before going on to Monte Argentario, a beautiful peninsula jutting out into the Tuscan Arcipelago, with olive groves and vineyards, steep cliffs and sandy coves. You will stay in the port town of Santo Stefano with its harbour for yachts and lively fish markets. Your hotel is set on the sea and all rooms have sea views. It is a modern, comfortable hotel within walking distance of the harbour and town.
Wednesday - Day 5
Today you will visit a fisherman's co-operative, set on a lagoon and a sanctuary to many birds. Here the fishermen will demonstrate how they smoke the locally caught eel and lunch will be at their restaurant overlooking the lagoon.
In the afternoon we will visit the peninsula before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Thursday - Day 6
- Distance: approx. 10km/6 miles.
- Max. Altitude: approx. 490 metres
- Degree of difficulty: moderate
- Shade: scarce
Today you will take the ferry to the island of Giglio, one of the islands which make up the Tuscan Arcipelago. From the port you will take a scenic walk across the island for lunch at an isolated hotel and then a boat will take you back to the port to catch your ferry back to the mainland.
Dinner in the hotel.
Friday - Day 7
- Distance: approx. 8km/5miles.
- Max. Altitude: approx. 100 metres
- Degree of difficulty: easy
- Shade: scarce
This morning you will leave your hotel and drive along the Tuscan coast to the Nature Park of the Maremma, 15 km of woodland and perhaps the best preserved coastline in Italy. Here you will explore the trails and coves of this park on foot, enjoying the varied flora and fauna and suggestive ruins of abbeys and castles. There will be a picnic lunch.
Dinner will be in a local restaurant.
Saturday - Day 8
You will be driven to Rome airport to start your return trip.
We hope you enjoyed your trip and will be back soon.
COST AND INCLUDED FEATURES:
Price: Euro 1,600.00 Net (one thousand six hundred euro) per person.
Quote : $2889.00 Can or $2400.00 US
This price includes:
- 7 nights accommodation sharing a twin room (single suppl. €150,00 one hundred and fifty euro )
- 7 continental breakfasts,
- 6 lunches (without wine)
- 7 dinners (half a litre of house wine per person is included with the dinner)
- a map of the area
- 1 wine tasting
- admission to a hot water spa
- admission to the nature reserve
- a visit to a fishermen's co-operative and demonstration of a local dish
- a trekking guide
- a ferry to and from Giglio and a private boat trip back the port of Giglio
- bus to Giglio Castello
- transport to and from Fiumicino (or Ciampino) airport
- transport to the start of the walks and at the end of the walks.
Our Guide : Leslie Bowles
Hello. I am a qualified trekking guide for the region of Tuscany. I have lived in Italy since 1985, first in Rome, then the Val d'Orcia in the southern most part of Tuscany. In 2004 I moved across the Tuscan border into upper Lazio. I have been guiding groups in Tuscany for Rhapsodie Tours since 2003.
On the “Wonders of the Maremma” tour I will have the pleasure of introducing you to a beautiful area of southern Tuscany in the province of Grossetto, which leads down to the Tuscan coast. We will follow in the footsteps of the Etruscans to visit unique sites of ancient origin and beautiful coastal towns that are not on the beaten tourist route. Together we will enjoy breathtaking scenery, learn about local culture and traditions, fine wines and mouthwatering dishes. I look forward to meeting and travelling with you.
Leslie Bowles
