Luxury Tuscany escape from Rome – 7 days – Special occasions – Private tour

On the first day of the tour, you will be met by your local guide at the Grosseto train station for onward transit to your home for the next few days, a stunning luxury room in a local relais villa in Val D’orcia. This alluring residence offers the ideal environment in which you can relax in the heart of nature and enjoy the fresh scents of the beautiful garden area. Many unique experiences are on offer upon request at the relais, including an opportunity to participate in a private cooking class, indulgent massages, and wine tasting sessions. Upon your arrival, you will be served a delicious dinner of local Tuscan fare. The perfect start to what promises to be an unforgettable week. If you arrive early, our drive can take you to a local run family winery to taste a delicious Montecucco local wine

The first day of the tour commences with a memorable visit to three of Italy’s most mesmerizing Etruscan villages: Sorano and Pitigliano. The town of Pitigliano has earned itself the moniker Little Jerusalem due to the Jewish community that lives there. Visitors to the village have an opportunity to view the man-made cuts into the tufa rock that lead to water channels. While no one is quite sure as to why these cuts were made, they are certainly worth a visit. After a busy morning experiencing the Etruscan villages, the next stop on the tour will grant you an opportunity to visit one of Tuscany’s most stunning natural springs in the small town of Saturnia. Here, you can bath in the warm waters of the sulfurous thermal baths and relax your muscles in the 37.5 °c waters as you enjoy captivating views of the surrounding landscape. The springs cover a large area from Mount Amiata to the Albenga and Fiora hills, going as far as Roselle and Talamone. The Etruscan villages and Saturnia represent just some of the amazing sights Tuscany has to offer. Dinner at the accommodation.

The highlight of Val d’Orcia simply has to be the beautiful and untouched lush green landscape. Today, we will visit an area of Tuscany that is renowned for its expansive rolling hills and the lush green vegetation that derives its nutrients from the rich waters of the Orcia river that passes through the valley. You will find yourself mesmerized as you witness the beauty of the stretch, which spans an area from Siena to Grosseto. We will also visit some vineyards, where you will have an opportunity to taste Nobile of Montepulciano and Val d’Orcia DOC straight from the barrel. During the second day of the tour, you will stop off at some of Tuscany’s most famous villages. The day will start in Montepulciano, for lunch and a chance to sample the wines of the Nobile of Montepulciano. Having visited the vineyard, we will stop at some remarkable historical Etruscan cellars, and you will be provided with some free time to stroll along the main road “Corso” and visit some of the many artisan shops. Then, a quick stop to Pienza, an area that was designed to achieve the status of a Utopian City. Pienza offers visitors breathtaking views from its privileged position atop a hill. It was designed by Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who later went on to become Pope Pius II. In addition to its reputation for being the “ideal city of Renaissance,” Pienza is also regarded as the city of cheese. One famous cheese from this region that visitors simply must sample is the Pecorino of Pienza, which is made from sheep’s milk. The flavor of the cheese directly relates to how long it has aged and can vary from delicate to very strong. In addition to delicious cheeses, the shops in the region also serve spices, wines, handmade pasta, and many more delicacies. Before coming back to the accommodation, we will stop in a winery in Montalcino to learn more about the third best wine in the world, Brunello of Montalcino.

On the third day of our tour, you can choose between enjoying an extra cooking class with our local chef with whom you will prepare your dinner and enjoying the morning relaxing at the pool.

The fourth day of the tour will commence with a visit to the castle of Monteriggioni, which holds great historical significance for the area. Although this spectacular fortress was first constructed in 1213 and 1219, it remains frozen in time, giving visitors a glimpse of what life was like. The importance of the castle of Monteriggioni was further cemented in history after it was mentioned in The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri’s most famous work. We think that Siena is Italy’s most beautiful medieval city and believe that a trip to Siena is an absolute must, even if you’re only in Tuscany for a short time. At the heart of Siena is Il Campo, the city’s central piazza. Famous the world over for the Palio horse race that encircles it twice each summer, the piazza has also seen fame on the big screen, with Siena and the horse race both featuring in the James Bond title Quantum of Solace. The huge piazza once housed the Roman forum and is nestled between the three hills upon which the city is seated. It features a fan-like brick pavement that symbolizes the Madonna’s cloak which is said to shelter the city. It is divided into nine sections to represent the Council of Nine, a quasi-democratic group who ruled over Siena between 1287 and 1355, when the piazza was rebuilt. The red Palazzo Pubblico and its tower, the Torre del Mangia, loom over the piazza. The Palazzo, or civic palace, was also built during the rule of the Council of Nine, along with the Duomo of Siena. Constructed between 1297 and 1310, the Palazzo still houses Siena’s municipal offices, much like the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The Civic Museum and Torre del Mangia can both be accessed via its internal courtyard. If you find yourself with some spare energy, a brief climb up some 500 steps will provide you with a stunning view of Siena.

Once you get a view of this place, you can say that it is one of the most stunning areas in Tuscany. Our day will start with a drive to the valley through the famous “avenue of cypress trees” to get to the first local winery. Then we will stop in Bolgheri for lunch, before continuing along the main road to make a visit to one additional winery. In this winery, you will have a free sample of their fine wines as well as a visit to their wine cellars. In Bolgheri, you will see one of the most prestigious vineyard areas in all of Italy. The winemaking zone of the area consists of a sloping coastal vineyard at the bottom of the hills between the town of Bolgheri and the southern part of Castagemeto. It has a proximity location to the Tyrrhenian Sea and is being described as “the golden oasis of the Maremma.” In the year 1960s, the wine industry in Tuscan needs a bit of a shake-up, and Bolgheri was one of the avant-garde areas that brought the region back to life. The locals employed a tactic to start a new trend of non-DOC wines, and by 1968, a new style of wine was born which was dubbed as the Super Tuscan. The Super Tuscan’s flagship wine is named Sassicaia. The famous avenue of cypress trees is located in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci and is a 5km stretch of road that links the oratory of San Guido to the village of Bolgheri. The long road is linear and is flanked by 2 rows of 2,540 century-old cypress trees. The road was built in the 18th century wherein it was when officials decided to create perpendicular roads along the Via Regio which will connect the smaller towns in the countryside to Bolgheri. This road has the memorable verse from the poem of Giosuè Carducci entitled Davanti San Guido to thank for its fame. The poet has been a resident here for several years as well. There is a small obelisk at the start of the road which was placed by Giuseppe della Gherardesca in 1908 to commemorate the famous poet.

The last day of our Tuscan tour will take us to a village named Bagno Vignoni, where you will have a chance to indulge in one of the most stunning spas in Italy. These thermal waters were first discovered by travelers as they traversed the Via Francigena route during Roman times. We will also visit what the locals refer to as the “Square of sources,” a large, rectangular tank that contains water from the subterranean aquifer and can be traced back to the sixteenth century. While at the spa, you will have a number of indulgent spa packages to choose from. We recommend the package described below; however, alternative options are available. It is important to note that spa packages are not included in the tour price. Welcome drinks served at the bar Brunello ritual: This romantic experience for couples commences with a relaxing Brunello bath followed by an enjoyable massage with grape-seed oil and then a wine tasting session. 100 minutes. Salt Grotto exclusive: Experience weightlessness and enjoy a deep cleansing sensation as you serenely float in warm thermal waters that are enriched with Dead Sea salt. Around 20 minutes. Lunch for two (including water, coffee, and a glass of wine), afternoon tea consisting of dried fruits and local cakes. Bathrobe, a free bag, towels, spa shoes, and a private locker. Complimentary access to all the thermal pools, saunas, and bars. Once you have enjoyed the spa facilities, we will return to the accommodation for our final dinner.

The tour will end with a delicious breakfast before your tour guide bids you a fond farewell at Grosseto Stazione.