Relaxed Trails of Tuscany

At Macs Adventure we have different trip types, Classic, Slower Adventures, Pilgrimages, In Style and Discovery. This tour is the epitome of a Slower Adventure, with relaxed hikes and plenty of time for cultural immersion and sightseeing. Its easy-going pace allows you to really experience this very impressive part of Tuscany in depth. The hikes are easy to moderate, with views over outstanding and iconic Tuscan countryside. There are also a couple of easy town/city walks, so that you can see all the major sights in both Volterra and Siena. The hikes are all fairly short, which translates to more time for discovery of these idyllic towns and villages. Visit the museums, churches and cathedrals that will educate you on this historic region and enjoy long lazy lunches and dinners offering some of the best food that you have ever tasted!

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

Solo Travellers, Groups > 10

The minimum age for this tour is: 9 Years

This trip is graded easy to moderate and the hikes in the countryside are between 7km/4.35mi and 10km/6.2mi. The elevation gains are between 112-300m (367-984ft) and the elevation losses between 112-332m (367-1,089ft). The city walks are rated easy and are at most only 2.8km/1.75mi. 

The terrain is a combination of countryside gravel paths, and trails, which can be a bit rocky at times. Occasionally, in order to link up the countryside trails, it's necessary to walk along a tarmac road for short periods. Generally the terrain is easy to navigate. Since you are hiking from and up to hill top towns there are some inclines and declines, but we have tried to limit this as much as possible. 

Since this is an easy to moderate hiking trip it is not necessary to be super fit. The hikes are relatively short and are suited to those who like to hike, but they are not considered challenging. While there are some up and downs, you have all day to do the hikes, so you can take your time and take a breather too now and again if you wish, especially if it is a hot day. It would be beneficial to train a bit before taking the trip, but it's definitely doable for anyone who is an enthusiastic hiker.

We’ve carefully selected and hand-picked our accommodations which will be family-run hotels and agriturismos, all charming lodgings with character that will make your stay in Tuscany extra memorable. They are located in the historic village centers or just a short walk away. You can add on extra nights in any of the overnight locations on this tour.

Accommodation Upgrade

If you wish you can pay a supplement for upgraded hotels. 

Single Rooms & Solo Hikers

This trip is available to solo hikers and a supplement is payable as some of the costs (such as transfers) are not shared. Single rooms are on request and a supplement is also payable.

Meals

Tuscany’s tempting food and wine is a highlight of this trip. In order to keep things flexible, dinners and lunches are not included, as you will be spoilt for choice! The price of your tour includes breakfast each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival.

Generally the hikes on this tour are not reliably or consistently waymarked (except for some sections where you will be hiking on the pilgrimage route the Via Francigena). However navigation is straightforward using the Macs Adventure App, which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation on this trip will be made simple. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account. Rest assured that by downloading the route maps in our app, this will continue to work even in areas without any mobile or internet reception.

This tour is bookable anytime between the months of March and November.

Peak Season Availability
As Tuscany is a very popular destination, we suggest booking as soon as possible to ensure availability for specific dates. Availability in Siena is challenging around the times of the 'Palio' horse races which are held annually on July 2nd and August 16th and lasts for about 4 days around those dates. 

Time of Year
The spring months offer warm sunshine, fewer crowds, pleasant hiking conditions and is when most wildflowers are coming into bloom. The autumn months of September and October are also a favorable time of year, boasting cooler weather and a striking landscape made up of fall colors. The towns and villages are very vibrant at any time of year, which makes for a great atmosphere, yet as soon as you get on the hikes, it's relatively quiet and peaceful.

November has pleasant temperatures and less crowds and is a delightful time of year to be there as you will be sharing the region with the locals, rather than other tourists! Some restaurants in Volterra and San Gimignano maybe closed, but there will still be enough options to choose from. 

July and August are good months to go but can be very hot for hiking and therefore aren’t best suited for everyone. You will have to start early to miss the heat of the day, wear a hat and carry a lot of water with you.

This trip starts in Volterra. It includes a transfer to your hotel from either the Pisa (PSA) Airport, which takes approx. 1 hour or the Florence (FLR) Airport, which takes approx. 1H30.

Once your trip is confirmed please share your flight information with us, including your arrival time, as soon as you have booked your flights, so that we have those details well in advance and we can arrange the transfer for you ahead of time. 

It's easy to travel from Siena by train to the major airports of Florence, Pisa, and Rome.

The Siena Train Station and Bus Station are located in the valley below the city center. (about a 2km/1.25mi walk from the majority of accommodations we use). To make your way to the station you have a few options (each payable locally): 1) take the escalators 2) take a bus or 3) take a taxi.

Approx. total journey times from Siena are:

To Florence 2H15 – 3H15

• The train to Florence Santa Maria Novella station is usually a direct train that goes via Empoli and takes around 1H30. Some trains are direct whereas others go via Empoli.

To Rome 2H15 – 3H20

• To Roma Termini Train Station it’s normally necessary to change trains in Florence or Chiusi-Chianciano Terme and takes around 3H30.

To Pisa 2H00 – 3H15

• To Pisa’s Train Station there is usually a train that departs approx. every 30min that goes via Empoli and takes around 1H45.

Once again it will be necessary to travel from the central train stations in these cities back to the airports (see ‘Getting to the Start’ for further information about this).

Alternatively, we can arrange a taxi from Siena to your departure city or airport. Please let us know in advance if you wish to include this option for an additional fee.

Please check the Trenitalia website for timetable planning. There are also local buses that you can take for your onward travel and you can find the information here. Please note that not all buses/trains run on a Sunday, or they may have a reduced timetable.

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight stay. This will happen twice on this particular trip and both times you will be transferred along with your bags to the beginning of the walk, then once you are dropped off, your bags will be taken on to the next accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one suitcase/bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person. This luggage restriction can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, these limits are there for a reason and we must respect these rules which are usually due to Health & Safety reasons of luggage transfer company employees.