Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and Walking Tour: For a truly unique vacation let Pedal & Sea Adventures introduce you to Tuscany: a world of history, beauty and gastronomic riches. This is a tour that has something for everyone, be it the fitness enthusiast, the history buff, or the food and wine connoisseur.
Since ancient times, Italy has been a center of artistic and culinary delights and nowhere is this more evident than in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. Siena, San Gimingnano, Pienza and Assisi— all UNESCO World Heritage Sites— are just a few of the stops along our road of discovery. We have arranged the itinerary to allow time to explore the incredible areas you’ll see, and taste the local cuisine. The riches of the region will be apparent as you hike, explore and eat your way through some of Italy’s most beautiful and inspirational scenery and cities of art.
If you’ve been yearning to read the book on your shelf that your best friend recommended months ago... If you want to perfect your European siesta technique while lying next to a glorious pool... If you’re a die-hard hiker who longs to explore an historical countryside that beckoned to both St. Francis of Assisi and the Roman emperors of legend and fact... If you are a complicated soul who delights in variety and exploration... then this is your tour.
It could also be headlined as Our Tour, for this one is very close to our hearts. A tour designed specifically for people like us who possess a dichotomous nature in which opposites are not only welcomed, but nurtured. We delight in a luxurious meal enhanced a bevy of local wines, but we also feel that this meal can be lifted into the sublime if it’s been preceded by a day hiking through the hills, absorbing the ambiance. A hard day of physical exertion is every bit as rewarding as a day lounging pool side, lost in the deep colors of the Mediterranean.
Carpe Diem!
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day one
We will meet you at the train station in Poggibonsi, just outside
Florence and shuttle you to Poggio Alloro. After settling in, we’ll
partake of San Gimignano historic views while sipping a welcoming glass
of Vernaccia, heralding the beginning of our tour in Italy. The late afternoon
will be spent sauntering around San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritag Site,
for a few hours before returning to our inn to enjoy for our welcoming
dinner. Lodgings: Fattoria Poggio Alloro, San Gimignano.
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day
two
Today we’ll explore the life and moods of old Italy behind
the medieval walls of Siena, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. With our
guide, you’ll explore a city that is simply fascinating. We’ll
assume a leisurely pace, so you’ll have time to linger.We’ve
been many times, but Siena still surprises us, and we delight in every
step. Such Old World charm! A visit to Siena is never complete, though,
without a stop at Enotica Italiana, which offers an excellent selection
of Italian wines and a cool, refreshing gelato on the most famous of piazzas,
Piazza del Campo. The day will end with a sumptuous dinner at one of the
region’s best restaurants. Lodgings: Hotel Santa Caterina
or Hotel Chiusarelli, Siena.
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day three
A full day is planned, with visits to two of Tuscany’s
famous hill top towns, and the historical Abbey Sant' Antimo. First, we’ll
hop in the van for a quick shuttle to wine country extraordinaire — the
classical hill top town of Montalcino, home of Brunello, one of the world’s
greatest wines. From Montalcino, we’ll begin a 3-hour hike to the
Sant’Antimo Abbey. (For anyone interested in spending more time exploring
the town, and perhaps sampling the famous wines of the region, the van
will meet up with the hikers at the Abbey).
Sant’ Antimo is a glorious monastery, isolated in a timeless landscape of fields, olive groves and wooded hills. Our hike will arrive at the Abbey in time to experience Sext, the noon prayer service that is still performed by the monks in a haunting Gregorian chant. This is the only place in Italy where the practice still continues, as it has for centuries. Afterwards, well enjoy an amazing lunch at our favorite trattoria, which sits just above the Abbey. Then it's on to the Citta Ideale of Pienza — our third UNESCO World Heritage Site in three days! — which was setting for both Minghella’s The English Patient and Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet. Pienza is also the historical home of Tuscany's cheese industry, and Pecorino is abundant. So, of course, we’ll enjoy its many incarnations before ending our day. Lodgings: Chateaux Relais Il Chiostro di Pienza, Pienza
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day four
We move on to Umbria, Tuscany’s charming, subtle brother.
After breakfast, we’ll jump in the van for a short drive to Cortona,
the setting for Under the Tuscan Sun. We will take the morning to explore
this lovely town, which is brimming with many historic & culinary delights.
A hike to Cortona’s summit is a must, for you’ll pass by the
mock-Romanesque church, Santa Margherita and Fortezza Medicea. We will
enjoy lunch in Cortona, and taste many famous olive oils and balsamic vinegars
from this area. Afterwards we’ll head to the quaint residence of
Villa Il Poggiolo for an afternoon cooking class. For dinner tonight, we’ll
experience the utter perfection of Italian pasta… but only after
we learn to make it! Lodging: Villa Il Poggiolo, Perugia
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day five
A quick shuttle will bring us to Assisi, once the home of the
great Saint Francis, and our fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site, if you’re
counting (and we think you should!) Here you will have a chance to view
the superb Giotto frescos at the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi before
we hike to Spello, a charming little town nestled on an Umbrian hillside.
Amazingly, Spello is filled with art, and home to fascinating collections
by Pinturrichio, Il Perugino and Norberto Proietti. We’ll end the
afternoon with a wine- and food-tasting at Enoteca Properzio, hosted by
Roberto Angellini. Here you will sample many of Umbria’s best wines,
and the many pestos, cheeses and olive oils that have made the region justifiably
famous. Lodging: Villa Il Poggiolo, Perugia
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day
six
After a morning trek through the olive groves and vineyards,
we’ll explore Perugia — Umbria’s capital — which
is home to an ancient medieval aqueduct, and subterranean city. We recommend
spending several hours exploring the many hidden tunnels and paths of the
old city before moving above ground to the citta d’arte. And as if
that wasn’t enough, Perugia is also a city for chocolate, for the
world-famous Baci kisses are made right here.For the culinarily inclined,
we’ll again enjoy an afternoon cooking class with Christina, leading
to another exceptional dinner this evening. Lodging: Villa Il Poggiolo,
Perugia
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day seven
Southern Umbria is home to Orvieto, which has been celebrated
since the Renaissance for its colorful ceramics and delicious white wine.
Orvieto is an Etruscan town, perched dramatically on a cliff, and it dominates
the valley far below. These cliffs are made up of soft tufo stone, so soft
and malleable that it has been used to carve out tombs since ancient times.
En route back to our inn, we’ll stop for a tasting of the region’s
olive oils, and a tour of the olive groves. Then we’ll return to
Villa Il Poggiolo, for another lesson, creating the special dishes that
Christina’s
will be serving at our farewell dinner celebrating the
new friendships we’ve
made. Lodging: Villa Il Poggiolo, Perugia
Tuscany & Umbria: Cooking and
Walking Tour: Day eight
After we reminisce about our adventures at our good-bye breakfast,
we’ll head back to the Perugia train station and to begin a journey
homeward — or beyond! We hope that all your travels will be so blessed.
2010 Season
April 18-25 • May 16-23 • June 6-13 • July 11-18 • August 15-22 • September 19-26 • October 10-17
Prices:
$2875 Cdn per person, double occupancy
Our US prices are based upon exchange rates
20% single supplement
Minimum: 4 people; maximum 12 people
Pedal & Sea Adventures: our annual sale
1) Is this your second tour with PSA? Let us know, so we can knock $100 Cdn off
the price, and send you a free PSA Jersey ($80 value).
2) If this is your third PSA tour, let us know so we can knock $100 Cdn off the
price, send a free jersey, and cover your bike rental!
For these great incentives, please let our staff know when you book!
Inclusions:
• 7 nights' accommodation
• 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners
• wine & oil tastings
• 3 cooking classes
• Italian and Canadian guides
• all transfers, all taxes, daily refreshments
Not Included:
• airfare
• alcoholic drinks
(except wine at our welcome & farewell dinners, specified
wine tastings)
