To promote ATG’s dynamic new website and its innovative ‘OPTIONS & ADD-ONS’ opportunities for Independent travellers (see page 5), ATG is offering 10% OFF the price of ALL trips (Escorted & Independent)
…to the first 1,000 people booking trips for 2026 through the new website
Enter the Code: The website will give you a short code to enter when booking – which will recalculate your trip price – to include the Promotional Offer.
SAVE HUNDREDS OF £s, $s €s….
• The price of trips, at the time of booking, is as listed on the ATG website.
• The Promotional Offer applies only to listed prices of Trips and Options. It does not apply to supplements, Add-Ons, extensions or other customisations.
• Those who have already booked for 2026 at 2025 prices will find the 10% deducted from their (revised) final balance.
All feedback will be very warmly welcomed…!
ATG Spring Conference 2025
This spring, ATG staff from across Europe met in the Dordogne in south-west France. Together, we shared a client’s experience of an area where we offer trips. It was hosted by Michela, our Route Manager for the region, who lives a few minutes’ walk from the ATG walking route...and what a wonderful tour she provided for us!
Route Manager, Michela
View of the Alzou Valley from Rocamadour
Rainbow above Rocamadour
The ATG Team
Lunch at Michela’s farmhouse
ATG’s Director, Christopher Whinney
Font-de-Gaume cave
Beynac
The March weather offered sunshine, brief showers – and rainbows. In between time spent working in the conference room, Michela organised scenic river walks, visits to clifftop castles, rock-hewn villages and prehistoric cave paintings. She also welcomed us into her secluded farmhouse in the hills where we feasted on a lunch of local specialities.
Lunch at Michela’s farmhouse
Charming town of Sarlat-la-Canéda
Village of Lez Eyzies, built into the cliffs
Arriving at the pilgrimage site of Rocamadour
1. River walk to Beynac 2. Steps leading up through Rocamadour 3. Beynac Castle 4. Picnic lunch at Beynac
Making a Booking
CHOOSING A TRIP
There is a range of information available to help you choose a trip that is right for you.
• ATG Website: www.atg-oxford.com …where you will find the most up-to-date information about ATG trips, dates, prices, ATG news, events and offers, and Booking Conditions.
• ATG Brochures and latest ATG NEWS-letters: To receive copies of these for you or your friends, please phone +44 (0) 1865 315 678 or email: trip-enquiry@atg-oxford.com
• Phone: +44 (0) 1865 315 678 and talk to experienced ATG Reservations Consultants, and specialists in the areas visited.
All ATG trips provide the same high standards of service, but vary in price. Differences in price are directly related (via a standard pricing app) to the cost of hotels – their quality, location, and demand in the area visited. Also affecting costs are changes in hotel prices according to season and occupancy levels... so check the ATG website where these variables and fluctuations are reflected in the latest Trip Prices, and you will find ‘The Best Price’ offered at the time of booking.
OTHER BARGAINS & DISCOUNTS
The price of an ATG trip is the one listed on the website at the time of booking, so as with flights or hotels, the best prices are likely to be for those who book early.
W ith the long established ATG ‘11th Trip Free’ offer – to thank you for choosing to travel with ATG! (effectively an accumulated 10% discount on the previous 10 trips adjusted for RPI) – the more trips you take the cheaper they become.
ATG is also currently offering a further 10% discount on listed trip prices for Footloose trips to anyone under the age of 18 (accompanied by an adult). ATG environmentally low-impact, Net-Zero trips can offer memorable family holidays and introduction to real travel.
FIND OUT MORE...
To find out more… about any trip that interests you, please call or email the ATG Office for its specific ‘Trip Planner’.
This will provide you with a more detailed OVERVIEW of the trip, that will include: An Index and Introduction to the trip and area, a Walking Overview, Finding Your Way, Places on Route: Where to Stay & Enjoy, Accommodation, Food & Wine, History, Flora & Fauna, Festivals & Public Holidays, ATG Trust, and About ATG.
BOOK YOUR TRIP
You can make a booking:
• ATG website: www.atg-oxford.com
• By phone +44 (0) 1865 315 678
Our Reservations Team will take details of your booking request, your credit/debit card details and process the booking.
• By email: trip-enquiry@atg-oxford.com. Let us know the trip you would like us to book for you.
AVAILABILITY
You can check availability on Escorted trips and Best Price of ATG trips (without commitment) on the ATG website.
DEPOSIT
To secure your booking, a deposit is required for each person travelling. The amount (minimum £159) will relate to the Best Price offered at the time of booking, and will be displayed together with the Best Price on the ATG website (Booking Page).
Our Reservations Team will process all the reservations (of hotels etc.) required by your chosen itinerary, and confirm your booking. In the very unlikely event of your booking request not being confirmed to your satisfaction, you will be entitled to a full refund of your deposit.
CONFIRMATION OF YOUR BOOKING
We will send you detailed confirmation of your booking, which we ask you to check when it arrives, as well as further pre-trip information.
If you have booked an independent Footloose trip, you will also receive an electronic version of the Route Book, with a printed version awaiting your arrival at the first hotel (together with the ‘ATG Bucket Hat’!).
If you would like a printed Route Book sent in advance, please let us know. For clients not based in the UK we use a courier service (at an additional cost) to send these – but receipt may involve being available to take delivery of the package and payment of import taxes.
Payment of the balance is due 90 days before the departure date of your trip. In the meantime if you have any queries or we can offer you assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us.
For transmission and printing purposes the document has limited imagery.
CHECK IT OUT! All ‘Trip Planner’ information and much more is now available on the dynamic NEW website.
To find out more: www.atg-oxford.com
Independent Options, Add-Ons & Choice
“I look forward to welcoming you.”
Route Manager Michela
IT BEGAN WITH FREQUENT FEEDBACK...
‘Why didn’t you tell us …how amazing it would be? We would have loved to stay longer!’
Frustratingly, of course, we had all the information clients needed, but, constrained by a legacy of printed materials (brochures & newsletters) and an ageing website, to provide clients with the information and choice they were looking for would mean starting again from scratch. So we did.
We installed a new CRM to process the information and choices that clients wanted and a new dynamic website to display and communicate this.
Greater Choice & Opportunities & Value…
The availability of much increased information, choices, options and opportunities, would significantly add value to travel experiences… BUT – could ATG – on the ground – actually deliver what was being offered….?
The answer is simply – YES.
ATG’s Defining Advantage: Delivery
The ATG Team starts with the massive advantage of having experienced, multilingual (fluent Englishspeaking), ATG-trained resident Route Managers on each individual route in the areas visited. No one knows more about the specific area, its outstanding features and opportunities, or has more contacts and up-to-date information. ATG ‘walks the talk’: ATG delivers!
So what are your Options now…?
ATG Independent Trips offer a range of information-backed Choices, Options & Add-Ons.
‘OPTIONS’ are ATG routes that explore the best of the area on foot. These include onward journeys on foot, with overnight stays, excursions, and ‘city explorer’ walks including sites of outstanding interest. Choosing which of these to include will provide trips with the qualities and length that suits you….
‘ADD-ONS’ – Many of these can be slotted into existing itineraries, others may involve an additional stay.
• Additional nights: From the General Overview of the area – you can decide whether there are places where you might like to stay longer – perhaps to enjoy great historic or cultural locations, gastronomy, swimming opportunities, or just to relax…
• From the listed ADD-ONS of features characterising the area, you can select any you may wish to include in your travel experience. These may range from botanising to truffle hunting and from tasting renowned wines and local cheeses to specialist guided tours. Many can be slotted into existing itineraries. Others may involve an additional overnight stay.
ADD-ONS requiring pre-booking by the ATG office are identified. Others can all be arranged for you by your Route Manager.
The Route Manager in your chosen area will contact you two weeks prior to the start of your holiday, to discuss any queries you may have, and will arrange to meet you after your arrival. So, whether you would like restaurants booked, a wine or cheese tasting, to rent an e-bike or to know about local events, walking options or return travel arrangements, the Route Manager is there for you – to ‘make it happen’!
Independent ‘Footloose’
JOURNEYS ON FOOT
ATG Footloose offers journeys on foot in Europe through areas of outstanding interest and natural beauty – over 1,500 miles of selfguided discovery…
How will you find the way?
You will have an ATG Footloose Route Book with easy-to-follow, measured directions and maps marked with the route; a walking app, providing GPS tracks for your route on your phone; and extensive local knowledge and information provided by your Route Manager.
So how does it work?
After arrival in the area you have chosen, the ATG-trained local Route Manager, resident in the area, will meet and brief you, discuss contact options and any requirements you may have. They will move your luggage to await you in your room at each hotel along the route… and always be available to help ensure the success of your trip.
Do you have to walk all the way?
All ATG trips include facilities and options so that you can arrange to walk as much, or as little, as you like – or not at all.
So, what sort of areas will you visit?
We offer inspiring high routes with spectacular views; scenic coastal paths; great wilderness areas burgeoning with exciting biodiversity, rare and profuse wild flowers and birds; historic journeys on foot; and worldclass art and architecture, all with comfortable hotels, fine local gastronomy – and some with superlative ice creams!
So with all the practicalities taken care of...
Whether your chosen Footloose itinerary is one steeped in history, cultural heritage or wild scenic beauty and rare species, or – as with many trips – all of these together, you will be left free to enjoy the best of your chosen area at your own pace and in your own time.
Footloose: Dates, Grades & Prices
The new website offers Independent trips with a range of priced Options
Sintra & the Portuguese Coast (8 days)
Pre-Alpine Paths to Bergamo
The Francophile & the Caledonophile
• Historic market towns
• Delightful long valley views
• Wonderful local produce and cuisine
Picturesque villages & vineyards
Enjoy varied walking through vineyards and forests, across high hills and meadows, passing famously picturesque villages. Daily high and low route options.
• Classic wine route, with valleys swathed with the finest vineyards in Alsace
• Nights spent in idyllic medieval towns & villages
• Historic pilgrim paths through the Orbey valley
• Outstanding hearty Germanic food and celebrated wines
• Moderate to challenging walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £880… or customise your itinerary.
Prehistoric wonders
Walk beside wide rivers and dramatic cliffs crested with fortified villages and castles to visit cave systems containing remarkable evidence of 20,000-year-old human habitation.
• Easy to moderate walking. 5- & 8-day trip options from £1,000… or customise your itinerary.
“Travel back in time to prehistory.” Route Manager Michela
Pilgrim trails, caves & canyons
France
Walk from the rolling hills of Périgord to the Dordogne River and dramatic gorges of the Causses de Quercy, finishing in the cliffside pilgrimage site of Rocamadour.
• Fine monuments in Sarlat, Souillac & UNESCO-listed Rocamadour
• Stay in perfectly preserved medieval towns & villages
• Ride on an electric train through caves of the Causses
• Fabulous local markets & regional cuisine
• Delightful 2H, 3H & 4H hotels. Dinner included at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
• Easy to moderate walking. 5- & 8-day trip options from £920… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Paths to Rocamadour
Limestone & lavender
France
••••• 5-day route
Follow paths through dramatic limestone landscapes with scented scrub, springtime wild orchids and summer lavender, to rugged hills with inspiring views.
• Scenery that inspired Van Gogh and Cézanne
• Successive nights in picture-perfect villages
• Birdlife including rare Bonelli eagles & Egyptian vultures
• Fresh, local produce & notable wines of the Luberon
• 3H, 4H & 5H hotel options, many with a pool. Excellent traditional restaurants.
• Easy to moderate walking. 5- & 7-day trip options from £1,500… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Provence: Vaucluse & the Luberon
Higher Dordogne Valley
France
Walk across meadows and wide valleys, carved out by the Dordogne, Lot and Célé rivers, and limestone plateaux (‘causses’), cut through by gorges.
• Visit the cliffside pilgrimage site of Rocamadour
• Dramatically situated châteaux & historic villages decked with flowers
• Astonishing cave systems with magnificent concretions
• Some of the best cuisine and wines in France
• 2H, 3H & 4H hotels, many with a pool. Michelin-starred restaurants.
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip option from £1,540… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Lot & Dordogne Valley
Scotland’s fabled borders
Scotland
Walk riverside paths and Roman roads, rolling hills, woodlands and moorland heather tracks, to historic market towns on route.
• Famous views that inspired Sir Walter Scott
• Picturesque scenery of the Teviot and Tweed valleys
• Historic ruins of four 12th-century abbeys
• Opportunity to visit a salmon-jumping viewing station
• Historic 3H and 4H hotels. Sustainable local cuisine with fresh fish and fine whiskeys.
• Moderate walking: 5- or 8-day trip options from £940… or customise your itinerary.
Coastal Trips
• Coastal paths with idyllic views
• Swimming in coves and beaches
• Picturesque fishing villages
• Fresh seafood & fine wines
Enjoy the sub-tropical climate and vegetation, ancient paths high above the coast, spectacular views and picturesque villages tucked away in coves and bays.
• Visit the remote Abbey of San Fruttuoso
• Portofino, the ‘most beautiful small harbour of the Mediterranean’
• Delightful beaches and swimming opportunities
• Variety of birdlife including colourful bee-eaters and raptors
• Mostly 4H hotels, many with pool or beach. Fresh, local seafood.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 6-day & 8-day trip options from £1,420… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Riviera & Portofino
Picturesque coastal paths
Italy
Discover the fascination of this UNESCO-listed area, its ancient system of coastal and high hill paths, wonderful seascapes and colourful fishing villages.
• Seaside settlements dating back to Roman times
• Daily choice of walks, with differing scenery, length and gradient
• Astounding variety of flora, from mountain to sub-tropical species
• Opportunities for swimming and boat trips
• Variety of hotel options, many with sea views. Fresh seafood & renowned local wines.
• Easy to challenging walking options. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £1,060… or customise your itinerary.
Italy Real Riviera!
“Welcome to this beautiful coastal region.”
Route Manager Emilio
Celestial seascapes
Italy
Follow ancient, stepped paths through lemon groves between seaside villages. Outstanding coastal scenery, only appreciated on foot.
• Walk the ‘Path of the Gods’, a coastal trail with superb views
• Explore La Valle delle Ferriere, a lush nature reserve
• Beautiful gardens of Villa Ruffolo & Villa Cimbrone (8-day)
• Historic towns & colourful fishing villages
• Mostly 4H hotels with pool. Fabulous seafood, pasta, pastries & ice creams.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £1,440... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Amalfi Coast
Wild massif & coast
Italy
Walk a wild landscape, moving between seaside towns along coastal paths, then inland through scented scrub and woodland, into the heart of the Foresta Umbra.
• Explore Monte Sant’Angelo, one of Europe’s earliest shrines
• Stay in an eco forest retreat and on a working olive farm
• Rich flora & fauna of the Foresta Umbra
• Beautiful beaches and opportunities for swimming
• 3H & 4H hotels. Restaurants serving excellent pasta and seafood
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,480… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: High Gargano
Adriatic coast & hills
Italy
Picturesque coastal hiking along rocky headlands and sandy beaches combined with pilgrim paths across hills and through aromatic scrub.
• Explore Monte Sant’Angelo, one of Europe’s earliest shrines
• Stay on a working olive farm
• Profusion of wildflowers in spring, including rare orchids
• Time for beach stops and bathing
• 3H & 4H hotels, mostly with pool. Restaurants serving excellent pasta and seafood.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip option from £1,540... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Gargano Peninsula
Great Atlantic coast
Portugal
••••• 5-day route
Starting in the seaside resort of Cascais, follow coastal trails then paths inland through vineyards and forests to historic Sintra.
• Pristine beaches and some of Europe’s most impressive surf
• Unique flora and fauna of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park
• Elegant palaces and romantic gardens of Sintra
• Fresh seafood and world-famous colares wines
• Mostly 4H & 5H hotels, many with fine sea views and pool. Fine dining options.
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip option from £1,860… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Sintra & the Portuguese Coast
“81 wild orchid species in springtime.” Route Manager Matteo
High Hills
• Stay cool high up there...!
• Inspiring views
• Flowers & wildlife in Nature Parks
• Delicious local cuisine
High Paths to Assisi
Italy
Walk pilgrim trails from Spoleto to Assisi, birthplace of St Francis, passing age-old olive groves, hilltop villages, castles and monasteries rich in art and history.
• Spectacular panoramas from the Apennines
• Lush countryside with abundant spring flowers
• Frescoed churches including Basilica of San Francesco
• Rich Umbrian cuisine & excellent Sagrantino red wines
• 3H, 4H & 5H hotel options. Distinguished restaurants and fine wines.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,480… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: High Paths to Assisi
Sicily: Centre to the Sea
Italy
A striking variety of landscapes, from mountain pastures with extensive views to ancient forest and vineyards, olive and citrus groves leading to the sea.
• Frequent reminders of Sicily’s succession of great civilisations
• Coastal finish in historic port town of Cefalù
• Variety of characterful hotel options. Traditional Sicilian cuisine.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day & 9-day trip options from £1,320... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Sicily: From the Centre to the Sea
“Breathtaking views at every turn.” Route Manager Carmelo
“Welcome to the green heart of Italy.” Route Manager Monika
Mountain trade tracks
Italy
Traverse the Bergamo Pre-Alps, walking an ancient Venetian network of trade routes and mule paths through forests and alpine meadows, with superb views.
• Remote settlements with fine houses & frescoed sanctuaries
• Magnificent art & architecture of Bergamo Alta
• Visit the Belle Epoque spa town of San Pellegrino
• Speciality products: black truffles, wild mushrooms and cheeses
• Friendly 3H & 4H hotels. Luxury 5H option in Bergamo. Delicious local mountain cuisine.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £780… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Pre-Alpine Paths to Bergamo
Special (even for) Spain
Spain
A route through one of the most sparsely populated areas of Spain, following high ancient drove roads and tracks along ridges, gorges and open sierras.
• Follow old pilgrim paths
• Dramatically situated, historic villages
• Flower-filled pastures in spring & a variety of birds of prey
• Wildlife including Spanish ibex, wild goats, civets & genets
• 2H to 4H hotels and casa rural. Restaurants serving simple, traditional dishes.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,340… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG
Great Umbrian Uplands NEW
Italy
Starting in Spoleto, walk through ever more beautiful landscapes, from vineyards and villages, through wooded valleys and up to the remote beauty of the Monti Sibillini.
• Romanesque monasteries & frescoed churches
• Pilgrim paths to Roccaporena, birthplace of Santa Rita
• Visit Norcia, the black truffle centre of Italy
• Breathtaking finish in the Piano Grande (Great Plain)
• 3H & 4H hotels with a night in a more simple pilgrim hotel.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,580… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Spoleto to the Monti Sibillini
Europe’s granite wilderness
Follow a high route along stone-paved paths and rocky trails through the mountains of the Peneda National Park – a little-explored corner of Portugal.
• Stays in hospitable, remote mountain villages
• Unique walking across ancient granite landscapes
• Visit the ancient Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora in Peneda
• Striking evidence of Megalithic civilisation & Roman occupation
• 3H hotels and restored village houses. Restaurants serving local cuisine & wines.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,300… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Alto Minho High Route
••••• 5-day route
“Dramatic landscapes and tranquility.” Route Manager Olga
Historic with vineyards
Many wine areas are good for walking. Millennia of wealth have left fine buildings, castles and fortified villages connected by ancient tracks, and forested hills rich in wildlife. Added to this are many fine hotels and restaurants. In our trips listed below, discover wonderful wines that will never appear on supermarket shelves.
• Classic Alsace: A range of France’s finest…
• Provence: Including robust reds of the Luberon.
• Cinque Terre: Wonderful white wines, celebrated since Roman times.
• Unknown Tuscany: Memorable reds and whites around Pitigliano.
• Southern Lakes: ‘Est, Est, Est’ of Montefiascone…(was the bishop right?)…
• Roman Umbria & Assisi: Meet the magnificent Roman Sagrantino grape!
Great art, great wine!
Walking to eat & more….
Walk from the picturesque Langhe hills, through vineyards and hazel groves, passing hilltop castles and historic villages, all set against the backdrop of the Alps.
• Superb red wines of Barolo and Barbera
• Fine churches, medieval towers & modern sculpture
• Local festivals celebrating flowers, chestnuts & truffles
• Finish in Alba, Europe’s white truffle capital
• Boutique 3H & 4H hotels. Top notch restaurants on route.
• Moderate walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £780… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Barolo & the Langhe Hills
Archetypal Tuscany
From medieval Siena, traverse the forested Chianti hills to Renaissance Florence, following paths and tracks through vineyards and olive groves.
• See some of the greatest artworks in the Western world
• Chianti hills – crested with castles, cypress trees, and fortified villages
• Stay at an elegant wine estate with pool
• Wine-tasting opportunities on route
• 3H, 4H & 5H hotel options, many with a pool. Quality restaurants & celebrated wines.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,660... or customise your itinerary. Italy
Search the ATG website: Paths
Cross the archetypal Tuscan countryside from San Gimignano to Siena, in the footsteps of countless travellers on the medieval ‘Via Francigena’.
• Stay every night in medieval walled towns
• Unchanged landscapes of vineyards, olive groves & ancient forest
• Great artworks of Siena, Europe’s best preserved medieval city
• Delicious Tuscan cuisine, local wines… and ice cream!
• 3H & 4H hotels. Luxury 5* option in Siena. Several outstanding restaurants on route.
• Easy to moderate walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £860... or customise your itinerary.
“Taste the renowned wines of the Piedmont region.” Route Manager Marija
• Paths through vineyards, olive groves and forest
• Nights at wine estates on route
• Wine-tasting opportunities
... & 3 great wine areas
Italy
••••• 5-day route
Journey south from Siena along farm tracks through the crete, a rolling landscape cut by dramatic ravines, to famous vineyards, thermal pools and iconic Pienza.
• 14th and 15th century art & architecture of Siena
• Stay in a succession of medieval towns
• Exquisite abbeys of Sant’Antimo and Monte Oliveto Maggiore
• Superb red wines including Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
• Characterful 3H & 4H hotels, some with pool. Traditional Tuscan restaurants.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 5- or 8-day trip options from £880... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Southern Tuscany
Walk back in time…
Italy
6-day
Walk from Florence, art capital of the Western world, along ancient paths through timeless Tuscan landscapes, to iconic medieval San Gimignano and Etruscan Volterra.
• Famed Renaissance art & architecture of Florence
• Discover San Gimignano, a ‘medieval Manhattan’ with its iconic towers
• Explore the ancient Etruscan and Roman sites of Volterra
• Stay on a wine estate in the Chianti Classico region
• Moderate to challenging walking. 6-day & 8-day trip options from £1,020… or customise your itinerary.
“For me, Tuscany has it all....” Route Manager Maria
Ancient Paths to Rome
The Via Francigena 225 MILES ~ to ~ ROME
The Via Francigena, or ‘Frankish Road’, was the main road from Rome via the Great St Bernard Pass to territories of the Franks north of the Alps. The route then continued, crossing the Jura mountain range in northern France, ending in Canterbury, England.
Ancient Volcanic Landscapes
Italy
Walk ancient paths from Tuscany south into Lazio, crossing rolling hills, volcanic plateaux, passing through vineyards and woods.
• Walk the ‘Via Cassia’, an ancient Roman road
• Take a dip in volcanic springs & Italy’s largest crater lake
• Nights in historic towns, each delightfully different
• Second stage of a three-part, continuous 225-mile route to Rome
• Comfortable 2H, 3H & 4H hotels. Fresh fish from Lake Bolsena & notable wines.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip option from £1,400... or customise your itinerary.
Tuscan Hills
Italy
Journey through ever-changing, wide open, rolling landscapes punctuated by hilltop towns, cypress trees, vineyards, olive groves and ancient forest.
• Enjoy timeless scenery as seen in medieval paintings
• Walk a section of the ‘Via Francigena’, an ancient pilgrim route
• Perfectly preserved medieval towns
• First stage of a three-part, continuous 225-mile route to Rome
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip option from £1,420... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Tuscan Hills
Approach to Rome
Italy
Starting in Viterbo, walk between historic towns along ancient paths, wooded trails and tracks, passing a variety of unspoilt landscapes, all the way to Rome.
• Walk the medieval ‘Via Francigena’ and the Roman ‘Via Cassia’
• Remarkable Roman and Etruscan remains at Sutri
• Impressive finish in the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome
• Third stage of a three-part, continuous 225-mile route to Rome
• Comfortable 2H, 3H & 4H hotels. Good restaurants serving flavourful traditional dishes.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip option from £1,660... or customise your itinerary.
Ancient Paths to Rome: Section I of 225 Miles to Rome
Ancient Paths to Rome: Section III of 225 Miles to Rome
Ancient Paths to Rome: Section II of 225 Miles to Rome
“I love walking the routes myself.” Route Manager Monika
Lakes & the Dawn of History
• Pristine crater lakes
• Prehistoric and historic paths and sites
• Delicious fresh lake fish & notable wines
Italy’s Southern Lakes
Italy
Follow tracks that have been travelled for millennia, across volcanic plateaux, low hills, woods and vineyards, with an array of sights to see on route.
• Roman rock-hewn amphitheatre & Etruscan necropolis at Sutri
• Renaissance gardens of Palazzo Farnese & Villa Lante
• Wallow in thermal pools and pristine lakes
• Papal palace in Viterbo & frescoed cathedral in Orvieto
• 3H, 4H & 5H hotel options. Variety of regional cuisine & renowned local white wines.
• Moderate walking. 8-day suggested trip option from £1,240... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Southern Lakes
Etruscan heartlands
Italy
Explore the mysterious Etruscan civilisation, walking their ancient paths and visiting their hilltop towns. Striking volcanic landscapes with tufa outcrops and deep ravines.
• Walk deep-hewn Etruscan lanes, used over 2,500 years ago
• Included boat trip across Italy’s largest crater lake
• Visit crag-top Orvieto and its magnificent cathedral
• 3H, 4H & 5H hotel options. Cuisines of Tuscany, Lazio & Umbria. Good local DOC wines.
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip option from £1,300... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Unknown Tuscany & Orvieto
Hill Ranges
• Wonderful diversity of paths and tracks
• Inspiring views
• Fascinating historic features
We
Walk to Renaissance Triumph
Italy
Walk in the footsteps of Federico da Montefeltro across the picturesque Montefeltro hills from crag-top San Leo to Renaissance triumph in Urbino.
• Reach high points with magnificent panoramas
• 15th-century ducal palace of Federico da Montefeltro
• Fine churches, monasteries & fortified villages
• Wildflowers in spring; mushrooms & truffles in autumn
• Characterful hotels plus stays at a country house & a working farm.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,240… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Montefeltro & Urbino
Pyrenean foothills
Spain
Journey through the Garrotxa region, offering some of Spain’s most delightful scenery, from sierras with spectacular views to forested, volcanic hills and fertile valleys.
• Well-preserved villages with fine architecture
• Pyrenean and Mediterranean eco-systems, rich in flora and fauna
• Birds of prey including vultures
• Excellent cuisine using local produce grown in volcanic soil
• 2H to 4H hotels and casa rural. Choice of restaurants serving local specialities.
• Easy to moderate walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £860… or customise your itinerary.
Inspiring Umbria
Italy
From the remote beauty of the Monti Sibillini, cross forested hills, chestnut and olive groves into the Nerina Valley. Woodland paths lead on to Spoleto.
• Visit walled Norcia, the ‘black truffle capital’ of Italy
• Ancient pilgrim paths to Roccaporena, birthplace of Santa Rita
• 3H & 4H hotels with a night in a more simple pilgrim hotel. Choice of restaurants.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip option from £1,380... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Unknown Umbria & Spoleto
Tracks of Ancient Rome
Italy
Walk between the historic centres of Viterbo and Orvieto following sections of the Via Cassia, a Roman road, still paved in places, crossing ancient volcanic landscapes.
• Medieval hub of Viterbo with papal palace
• Swim in thermal pools & Italy’s largest crater lake
• Discover Orvieto’s Etruscan heritage, cathedral & famous well
• Cuisine combining Tuscan, Roman & Umbrian flavours
• 3H, 4H & 5H hotel options. Choice of interesting restaurants in Viterbo and Orvieto.
• Easy walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £720... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Roman Roads to Orvieto
Traverse the massif!
Portugal
Traverse the massif (!) from the Lima to the Minho valleys, following ancient pilgrim paths through inspiring granite wilderness of the Peneda National Park.
• Ancient granite villages & espigueiros (traditional granaries)
• Unique walking along ancient granite paths
• Visit the ancient Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora in Peneda
• Megalithic & Roman sites with superb views
• 3H & 4H hotels, and restored village houses. Restaurants serving local cuisine and wines.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 5-day & 8-day trip options from £680… or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Paths of Peneda
Roman ways to Assisi NEW
Italy
5-day route
Discover easy paths between idyllic walled medieval and ancient Roman towns built around a once thriving colony where, 2,000 years ago, wealthy Romans came to relax.
• Fine Roman heritage and frescoed medieval churches
• High, flower-filled pastures of Monte Subasio
• Visit Assisi, birthplace of St Francis
• Superb Montefalco wines using the Roman Sagrantino grape
• Easy to moderate walking (with a challenging option!) 5-day & 8-day trip options from £780... or customise your itinerary.
Search the ATG website: Roman Umbria & Assisi
“Breathtaking biodiversity and deep cultural heritage.” Route Manager Maria Tito
Escorted
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
From the moment you meet our Tour Leader and Tour Manager to the moment you leave for home, on ATG Escorted trips everything except your own private expenditure is included.
n Trips escorted by trained ATG Leaders and Managers.
n Small, compatible groups – maximum 16 participants.
n Everything is included: all accommodation, all meals and wines, all transfers, all specified excursions and visits.
n Hotels and restaurants, many of them renowned, are always the best and most characteristic available on each itinerary. Many of them have been welcoming ATG clients for decades!
n Every level of walking, from easy and relaxing to challenging and momentous. Each trip has a deluxe, air-conditioned Mercedes minibus, so you can walk as much or as little as you like.
n Transport of luggage en route.
n Celebrated ATG picnics. The Tour Manager will meet you at lunchtime with an ATG picnic lunch.
n The Tour Leader will provide succinct twominute sound bites on each aspect of the wide range of interests in each itinerary – and if you want to know more they’ll be delighted to explore these ‘one-to-one’.
n Friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
n The interesting itineraries attract likeminded people – who like each other!
n And what’s not included? Transport to/from the beginning/end of the trip, as our clients come from all over the world.
Escorted: Dates, Grades & Prices
JOURNEYS ON FOOT Continuous walking routes
DISCOVERING Moderate
INSPIRATIONS & INSIGHTS
Journeys on Foot Continuous walking routes
ATG celebrated picnic lunches
Tuck into a nutritious picnic lunch of local produce in an idyllic spot, provided on each day’s walk of an Escorted trip.
Sparkling Emilia-Romagna
Italy
Alpine views & vineyards
Italy
Discover with us inspiring mountain scenery as we walk along paths sparkling with gypsum crystals, between historic cities famous for their art and architecture.
• Visit the arcaded streets and artistic treasures of Bologna
• Astonishing karst landscapes and caves of northern Appenines
• Unique flora of two UNESCO-listed parks
• Marvel at celebrated Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna
• 3H & 4H star hotels with character. Restaurants serving exquisite local dishes and wines.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip from £3,840.
Following paths across the Langhe Hills, with views to the Alps, and through world-renowned vineyards, punctuated by picturesque hilltop towns.
• 2-night villa stay in Monforte d’Alba, a small, bustling ‘wine town’
• Optional visit to a local wine producer in Castiglione Falletto
• Tour of Barolo’s wine museum with an included wine tasting
• Flower-filled pastures of Monte Subasio in spring
• Memorable approach to Assisi along the path used by St Francis
• Delicious Umbrian cuisine & fine wines
• Historic 4H & 5H hotels in period buildings. Notable restaurants.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip from £3,860.
Search
ATG website: High Paths to Assisi
Chianti: castles & wine
Italy
Walk through classic Tuscan scenery of cypress trees, olive groves, vineyards and high forested hills between the two art capitals of Siena and Florence.
• Art & architecture of Renaissance rivals Siena and Florence
• Picturesque, fortified villages on route
• Walk through the renowned wine estates of Chianti
• Optional complimentary extra night at the finish in Florence
• Exceptional hotels in historic buildings. Superb Tuscan cooking & red wines.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip from £4,200.
Italy
From remote high pastures and highland plains, we walk through landscapes of deep gorges, hills with marvellous views and delightful Nerina Valley, to historic Spoleto.
• Picturesque medieval towns with fine frescoed churches
• World-class flowers of the Sibillini National Park (May – June)
• Gorge-side pilgrim paths to Roccaporena
• Famous black truffles of Norcia
• Boutique 4H hotels and 3H pilgrim hotel. Michelin-starred restaurant en route.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip from £3,600.
Walking back 3,000 years
Italy
Experience the landscapes of Tuscany on this escorted walk from Renaissance Florence to Etruscan Volterra, traversing vineyards, olive groves and forested hills.
• Optional complimentary extra night at the start in Florence
• Traverse the Chianti Classico wine-growing region
• San Gimignano, the ‘Medieval Manhattan’, with its towers and arts scene
• Optional walk to explore Volterra’s ancient Etruscan sights
• 3H & 4H hotels including a stay on a wine estate. Excellent restaurants & wines.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,960.
Search the ATG website: Unknown Umbria
Journeys on Foot Continuous walking routes
High hills & sea
Italy
Unseen Sicily
Italy
Walk the remote limestone massif of Italy’s ‘spur’, through ancient forest and scented scrub with panoramic views to the cliff paths of the coastline.
• Exceptional springtime flowers with rare and unique species
• Pilgrim path to ancient rock church of Monte Sant’Angelo
• Charming, whitewashed seaside villages
• Swimming opportunities at idyllic coves and beaches
• 4H hotels, mostly with pools. Restaurants serving fresh seafood.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,300.
Explore with us the hidden highlands of central Sicily with extensive views across the island, before descending along pilgrim paths through olive and citrus groves to the sea.
• Variety of Saracen, Greek & Roman sites
• Chance to explore mountain peaks of the Madonie National Park
• 3H & 4H hotels with pools and a night in a simple monastic complex.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip from £4,460.
Search the ATG website: Mallorca: Mountains & Sea
Discovering Moderate walking with exceptional highlights & visits
“Follow ancient trade and pilgrim paths that have been travelled for centuries.”
Vintage Ways to Porto
Portugal
Three lakes
Italy
Journey from a remote corner of northern Portugal following granite-cobbled paths and forest tracks, down to the vine-clad hillsides of the Douro Valley, and historic Porto.
• Wild granite landscapes of the Peneda-Geres National Park
• Roman roads, prehistoric monuments & rare wildlife
• Sail down the Douro on a traditional rabelo
• Exclusive Port tasting at a quinta (wine estate)
Historic paths between ancient volcanic crater lakes, surrounded by forest, hazelnut and olive groves, lead to Etruscan, Roman, medieval and Renaissance sites.
• Thermal springs and three volcanic crater lakes
• Two of Italy’s finest gardens: Villa Lante & Villa Farnese
• Impressive rock-hewn Roman amphitheatre at Sutri
• Visit Orvieto and its splendid cathedral, perched on a tufa crag
• 3H & 4H boutique hotels with lakeside 5H accommodation in Bolsena.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,480.
Island revelation
Italy
The Via Francigena
Walk ancient shepherds’ paths to discover the spectacular beauty of Sardinia’s interior and fascination of its remote pre-historic sites.
• Pre-historic ritual sites & dwellings
• Explore underground chasms, gorges and dry riverbeds
• Swim in remote coves fringed with pink oleander flowers
• Boat trip to Bue Marino sea cave
• 7 nights in a 4H country hotel with pool & excellent restaurant.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Search the ATG website: Unknown Sardinia
Lake Garda & the Dolomites
Italy
Enjoy paths with views of contrasting mountain scenery, from the hills of Lake Garda to the soaring peaks and pinnacles of the Brenta Dolomites.
• Lake Garda private boat trip & visit to Isola del Garda
• Wine tasting in the Valpolicella region
• Superb scenery & flora of the Brenta Dolomites
• Choice of walks, all with spectacular views
• 4H hotels with pool, spa and excellent restaurants.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip from £4,640.
Italy
Walk fascinating sections of this ancient pilgrim route, as first recorded by Archbishop Sigeric ‘the Serious’, on his return journey from Rome to Canterbury in 990AD.
• Roman sites including thermal baths & Sutri amphitheatre
• Perfectly preserved, medieval hilltop towns
• Stay on the shores of Lake Bolsena
• Stay at a Francigena landmark: Pieve a Castello
• 3H, 4H & 5H boutique hotels. Variety of classic cuisines on route.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 8-day trip from £3,490.
Search the ATG website: Via Francigena 990
First-class art, food & wine
Italy
Discover the hills of eastern Tuscany, homeland of the celebrated Early Renaissance artist, Piero della Francesca, its walled medieval towns, and walks with wonderful views.
• See works by Piero in the places they were painted
• Stay each night in historic, art-rich, medieval towns
• Enjoy Cortona’s treasures & views to Lake Trasimeno
• Discover Perugia’s underground city monuments & museums
• Historic 4H & 5H hotels. Superb restaurants.
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,780.
Enigmas from antiquity
Italy
Roman & royal routes
Join ATG on an exploration of great temples from antiquity, a rugged coastline, remote off-shore islands and the glories of Palermo.
• Finest Greek temples at Agrigento & Segesta
• Explore Marsala’s ancient saltpans & vineyards
• Hydrofoil trip to visit pre-historic cave paintings
• Fabulous Palermo & mosaics in Monreale cathedral
• 3H & 4H hotels. Traditional Sicilian cuisine including fresh local fish.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £4,240.
Search the ATG website: Best of Western Sicily
Wild Catalonia
Spain
We find easy ancient paths and tracks leading through a dramatic variety of mountain scenery with views across the wild historic heart of Catalonia.
• Peregrine falcons, golden eagles & griffon vultures
• Superb, isolated Romanesque churches
• Optional walks allowing time to relax at your country hotel
• Superb cuisine from one of Spain’s top cooks
• 7 nights in a 4H boutique country house with excellent restaurant & pool.
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,660.
Spain
We travel from northern Portugal into Spain along two well-preserved, ancient roads, the Roman ‘Via Nova’ and the ‘Camino Real’, a route used by royal officials.
• Historic sites, including Roman relics and fine monasteries
• Spectacular landscapes including unique granite uplands
• Visit the gardens of Pazo de Oca, the ‘Galician Versailles’
• Memorable finish in Santiago de Compostela
• 4H & 5H hotels and casa rural Interesting local cuisines & wines.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,600.
Camino de Santiago
Spain
Join ATG along one of the greatest medieval pilgrim routes, walking the best and most historic sections, from the Pyrenees across northern Spain.
• Great cathedrals at Burgos, Leon & Santiago de Compostela
• Delightful succession of legends & narratives
• Free day in Burgos & Santiago de Compostela
• Variety of regional cuisines & notable wine regions
• Comfortable hotels, finishing in a 5H historic parador. Excellent restaurants.
• Moderate to challenging walking. 15-day trip from £6,880.
Search the ATG website: Via Nova & the Camino Real
“Walking takes you to hidden sights, away from the tourist crowds…”
Inspirations & insights Gentle
• World-class cultural highlights
• Timeless landscapes
• Gentle, optional walks
Rites of spring
Italy
Flowers, wild & wonderful
Find and identify the unique flora of the wild Gargano Peninsula with ATG. We walk pilgrim paths, farm and woodland tracks to discover astonishing displays of spring flowers.
• One of Europe’s best regions for wild orchids
• Ancient pilgrim paths through the Gargano National Park
• Spectacular views across the coast and Adriatic Sea
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,200.
Italy
We explore the high, open pastures and valleys of the Sibillini National Park to discover a breathtaking variety and profusion of flora.
• Rare mountain tulips, orchids, wild peonies and more...
• Little-visited, enchanting landscapes of Umbria
• Ancient abbeys, early frescos & Lombard relics
• Culinary delights including truffles, cured meats & cheeses
• Delightful 4H. First-class dining with a Michelin-starred restaurant.
• Moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,780.
Great Italian gardens
Italy
Tuscan flowers
Italy
We combine visits to diverse gardens in the regions of Rome, Siena and Florence with sightseeing and gentle, optional walks into the Tuscan countryside.
• Visit Ninfa, ‘the world’s most romantic garden’
• Optional afternoon visit to Siena
• 5 nights at Pieve a Castello, ATG’s very own Tuscan retreat
• Private concert in Pieve’s pre-Romanesque church
• Historic 3H & 4H hotels. Variety of cuisines reflective of different regions.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,760.
Staying at Pieve a Castello, ATG’s privately owned historic residence, explore a wonderful array of habitats, all supporting a rich variety of flora.
• Rare species including Etruscan violets
• Tour the Botanic Gardens in Siena
• Visit to medieval hilltop town of San Gimignano
• Birdspotting opportunities in the remote Colline Metallifere
• Stay at Pieve a Castello, ATG’s very own Tuscan retreat. Local Tuscan cuisine & wines.
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Inspirations & insights Gentle
Tuscany’s
best
gardens
Italy
Spectacular privilege
Enjoy a mix of garden visits and sightseeing around Lucca, Florence and Siena with gentle walking amid typical Tuscan landscapes of undulating vineyards and olive groves.
• Exceptional variety of Tuscan gardens
• 5 nights at Pieve a Castello, ATG’s Tuscan retreat
• Private concert in Pieve’s proto-Romanesque church
• Free afternoons to explore Lucca and Siena
• Historic 4H hotels with pool. Traditional Tuscan cuisine.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,760.
Search the ATG website: Tuscan Gardens
Painting Tuscany
Italy
A week combining morning tutored painting sessions in the glorious Tuscan countryside with afternoon excursions to nearby towns and optional walks.
• Led by a renowned artist specialising in landscapes
• All, including beginners, are welcome!
• Visit medieval hilltop towns including San Gimignano
• Private concert featuring superb musicians
• Stay at Pieve a Castello, ATG’s very own Tuscan retreat. Local Tuscan cuisine & wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Italy
An experience like no other of Il Palio, the celebrated annual horse race in the medieval city of Siena, following every stage, from the trials to the final spectacle.
• Lively presentations on the traditions of Siena & the Palio
• Visits to Monteriggioni, San Gimignano & Siena
• Pre-Palio dinner with one of the competing contrade
• Race views from private palazzo with prosecco & canapés
• Stay at Pieve a Castello, ATG’s very own Tuscan retreat with pool. Local Tuscan cuisine.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £4,800.
Search the ATG website: Siena & the Palio
A Fresco Trail
Italy
Insight into the lives and works of some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance and their frescos still in their idyllic original locations.
• Evening presentations on Renaissance frescoes and technique
• Visits to frescoes in Siena, Florence, Assisi & Perugia
• Nights, with time to explore, in delightful Orvieto & Perugia
• 5 nights at Pieve a Castello, ATG’s Tuscan retreat
• Easy to moderate walking. 8-day trip from £3,750.
Pieve a Castello
You Can Expect
You will be staying as a ‘house guest’ at this historic and architecturally important 8th-century Augustinian canonry. Pieve a Castello – on a secluded fortified site, with unspoilt views – is located between Florence and Siena in Central Tuscany, and was for centuries a main overnight stop for the thousands of travellers each year on the Via Francigena, the medieval ‘main road to Rome’.
Today, fully restored to a high standard*, you will be welcomed and looked after by a team of experienced staff that includes an ATG resident Manager, a skilled chef… and on Escorted trips, an ATG Tour Leader and Tour Manager.
Your room will be one of 10, each different, some in the main house, others opening onto the central courtyard, but all having en suite facilities, a sofa, writing table, fridge-bar, a safe (in cupboard with drawers), TV, WiFi, airconditioning and views of the ancient courtyard and also unspoilt Tuscan countryside.
Exploring further you will find comfortable rooms and shaded terraces for sitting and relaxing, a proto-Romanesque church with a concert grand piano and ‘perfect’ acoustics, a well-stocked library, a travertine pool with salt filtration and organic vegetable gardens.
Meals and wines (all included): Breakfast, a wide choice of options, is usually served in the courtyard; lunch on the lower shaded terrace (or ATG picnic on Escorted trips); pre-dinner drinks and canapés on the library terrace, with, on Escorted trips, a presentation relating to the next day’s itinerary; then dinner, with ingredients from the organic gardens and local area, with fine regional wines, usually served in early medieval splendour of the former baptistry.
Walking: Ancient paths of the Via Francigena fan out through vineyards, olive groves, meadows and forested hills, and include over 200 miles of excellent walking (complimentary Route Book in your room with 20 self-guided walks of 1 to 7 hours).
Excursions to places of outstanding interest, often include walking options.
*A licensed ‘Residenza d’Epoca’
Pieve a Castello 2026 (Tuesday
Trips are 8 days, all-inclusive with (optional) easy walks and sightseeing. The pool is open for swimming from May to October (incl). *DFS – Double room for single occupancy.
March 31-April 7 Renaissance Legacy ...Easter & ‘Breathe the atmosphere’ before crowds arrive
April 7-14 NEW A Fresco Trail & fascinating insights into iconic art & idyllic locations
April 14-21 As You Like It 2 & Easter Processions, Spring flowers & golden orioles
April 21-28
May 5-12
May 12-19
May 19-26
May
Gardens & NEW stay at 4* Villa with Renaissance Garden, Lucca...
Tuscan Flowers ...& from Lizard orchids to limodores & Etruscan violets
June 2-9 Painting Tuscany ...& perfect light & inspiring landscape with David Walsh
June 9-16
June 16-23
June 27-July 4
July 7-14
Pieve a Castello
Incomparable world heritage
Italy
Tuscany: medieval majesty
Stay for a week in this uniquely preserved, historic complex of restored, 8th-century buildings, located in idyllic countryside between Florence and Siena in central Italy.
• Relax in this historic, peaceful and exclusive Tuscan retreat
• Discover the area’s ancient paths & World Heritage sites
• Escorted visits to Florence, Siena and the abbey of Sant’ Antimo
• Enjoy a concert in Pieve’s Proto-Romanesque pilgrim church
• All nights at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Search the ATG website: Pieve a Castello – As You Like It 1
Stay for a week in this award-winning, restored, historic Augustinian canonry complex located in idyllic countryside between Florence and Siena in central Italy.
• Relax in this peaceful, architecturally distinguished ambience
• Enjoy fabulous art in medieval Siena, San Gimignano…
• …and Monte Oliveto Maggiore, one of Italy’s greatest monasteries
• Concert in Pieve’s Proto-Romaneseue pilgrim church with fabulous acoustics
• All nights at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640. Italy
Great culinary tradition
Italy
Walking, Language & Libretto
Stay for a week in Pieve a Castello, a restored, 8th-century canonry with organic vegetable gardens, set in peaceful countryside between Florence and Siena.
• Unique flavours of sustainable traditional Tuscan cuisine
• Cookery demonstrations from the renowned resident chef
• Visit wine estates and the unrivalled range of World Heritage sites
• Enjoy fine dining with a range of notable regional wines
• All nights at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Search the ATG website: Tuscan Food & Wine
Photography & Yoga
Italy
All abilities are welcome on this trip combining daily photography tuition with optional yoga sessions, all based at ATG’s tranquil Tuscan residence, Pieve a Castello.
• Photography subjects include macro, abstract, landscape…& more
• Excursions to picturesque local sights including hilltop towns and frescoed churches
• Live concert at ATG’s private church
• All nights at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Search
Italy
Combine relaxation with Italian language learning on a week-long stay at ATG’s 8th-century residence in Tuscany, with pool, shady terraces and well-stocked library.
• Morning Italian lessons, divided into small groups according to knowledge of the language
• Optional walks to explore the countryside, including sections of the medieval Via Francigena
• Excursions to world-class sights including Siena and San Gimignano
• Private concert featuring superb musicians
• All nights at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Tuscany: Roots to Renaissance
Italy
Stay in this World Heritage, restored, historic complex of unique 8th-century buildings, set between the beautiful art capitals of Florence and Siena in central Italy.
• Relax in this peaceful, exclusive residence
• Walk to discover the millennia-old paths and tracks through the surrounding countryside
• Explore ancient Etruscan remains in Volterra
• Visit Siena and magnificent works of early Renaissance art
• All nights at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
Renaissance Legacy
Italy
Stay for a week in this award-winning, restored, 8thcentury, historic Augustinian canonry, located in idyllic countryside between Florence and Siena in central Italy.
• Enjoy Tuscany’s great legacy outside main tourist seasons
• Visit the outstanding Renaissance artworks in Siena & Florence
• Visit a fine Renaissance garden…
• Enjoy a concert in Pieve’s Proto-Romanesque church
• All nights at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines.
• Easy walking. 8-day trip from £3,640.
‘Inspirations’ staying at Pieve a Castello
Tuscan Gardens Includes visits to the wonderful Tuscan Gardens of Lucca, Florence and Siena. 2 nights at a palace hotel in Lucca, and 5 nights at Pieve a Castello.
Tuscan Flowers Visiting a range of rich habitats at altitudes between 500-3,000ft near Pieve a Castello, includes rare species such as the Etruscan violet.
Siena & the Palio A fascinating insight into the traditions behind ‘one of the greatest spectacles on Earth’ with an unrivalled view of the horse race round the central piazza.
Painting Tuscany Enjoy and express the evocative beauty of archetypal Tuscan landscapes and heritage, with an experienced professional artist and mentor. Beginners welcome!
Italian Gardens From Ninfa, ‘the world’s most romantic garden’, and grandest of ancient Roman villa gardens, to the finest and most influential gardens of the Renaissance.
A Fresco Trail Visiting the greatest works of art of the 14th & 15th centuries in their original location, with fascinating insights into the lives and times of the painters.
Pieve a Castello – INDEPENDENT
NEW Seasons: Summer’s Best
Stay independently in this unique, award-winning, restored, 8th century Augustinian canonry complex located in idyllic countryside, between Florence & Siena in central Italy.
• Enjoy ‘Tuscany’s best’
• Enjoy the serviced ‘home from home’ ambiance of this exclusive retreat
• Enjoy the area’s incomparably rich range of World Heritage offerings
• Relax, walk, swim (summer) or take the ‘shuttle to visit…’
• Easy walking with a wide choice of paths and options
• Stay full-board at this unique Residenza d’Epoca, with fine Tuscan cuisine and wines
• 7 nights from £1,960.
HOW IT WORKS OPTIONS
As with all other independent ‘ATG Options’ –there is a range of opportunities and activities available.
Whilst Pieve a Castello is a wonderful place to stay at any time of year, summer is one of the best times – with glorious mornings, idyllic evenings, the shaded terraces for relaxing, the travertinelined pool for swimming – and very effective aircon to ensure pleasantly cool nights… and walking or other excursions if you feel inspired. There are a range of self-guided walks from Pieve a Castello to suit all, many short and easy, others of up to 7 hours and a total mileage of over 200 miles.
Shuttle excursions are also offered and timed to allow for ‘pick-ups & drop-offs’, and there are ATG Discovering walks of local Colle di Val d’Elsa, San Gimignano and Siena.
Summer is a time of local festivals – with some delightful concerts – although programmes are not published long in advance. The Pieve a Castello Client Services Co-ordinator will brief you on available opportunities.
So whether you would like to rent an e-bike, take a wine tour, or enjoy world-renowned works of art. It is all there waiting for you!
Getting there
To allow maximum flexibility for independent travellers – a taxi-booking service is offered. Taxi costs are not included, but, with airport transfers (€150-220 from Florence/Pisa airports), there is a good chance of a shared ride. Alternatively, car rental may not be an expensive option – and suit you best.
Shuttle & bus services
Pieve a Castello offers a scheduled Shuttle Service to nearby Colle di Val d’Elsa (10 minutes). From here there are express buses – approximately every 30 minutes to Siena, Florence and connections by express bus and to over 80 other Italian cities… and local buses to Poggibonsi (15 minutes – for trains to Florence, Pisa or bus connections to San Gimignano, also 4 buses per day to Volterra – 46 minutes). So you can be truly independent via public transport!
What’s included?
All rooms have country and courtyard views, new (2025) air-con and excellent WiFi, and, of course, you are free to enjoy the facilities of the complex –whether the pool, shaded seating areas, church and its concert grand piano, or library with music…. Breakfast is a buffet, lunch also ATG picnic-style. There is a guests’ kitchen for any independent meal arrangements – and dinner is an event with gourmet menus and fine wines to match.
So when do we go…? Seasons: Summer’s Best!
FOOTNOTE: See page 35 for Seasons: Summer’s Best dates. Please let us know if you would be interested in early spring/late autumn Independent-Stay weeks.
PLANTING A TREE
ATG contributes the cost of planting a tree for each booking made… so in a few centuries from now your tree(s) may still be providing shade, a habitat for biodiversity and absorbing greenhouse gases – because you took a trip with ATG Oxford...
STARLIT BUCKET HATS
The success of the bucket hat with every ATG trip, seems not limited to protecting us from the rigours of Climate Change. Here is a group spontaneously wearing ‘the world’s most exclusive bucket hat’ for dinner beneath the stars!
BEST PRICE SURPRISE
All ATG trips provide the same high standards of service… so why is the ‘Paths of Peneda’ in northern Portugal (£680) less than half the price of the same length of trip on the Italian Amalfi Coast (£1,540)? The answer, of course, is hotels and area. Also affecting costs are changes in hotel prices according to season and occupancy levels… but now, on the new ATG website we can reflect these fluctuations and display ‘Today’s Best Price’ for you!
AVAILABILITY
We appreciate that it may be a pleasure to ‘think about’ or plan a trip on the assumption that there is ‘availability’ – but with availability of any sort – blink, and it may have expired or been taken by someone else. Today, however, you can ‘check availability’ of ATG Escorted trips (without commitment) on the ATG website – and get the up-to-date best price!
OPTIONS
The new website offers Independent Footloose trips with a range of priced Options such as:
Montefeltro & Urbino – After walking down from Monte Carpegna, we stay at a delightful Agriturismo that clients rate a highlight of the trip. It is run by Federica, a renowned cook, who also offers a range of fascinating Add-Ons, and ATG offers a 10- or 12-mile walk through oak woods to the ‘floating rocks’ of Sasso Simone and Simoncello on top of which, enjoying panoramic views, are remains of a fortified town, ‘City of the Sun’, commissioned by Cosimo I de Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Le Querce Locanda
LATE SUMMER SPECIALS
There are still a few places left on late Summer Escorted trips. Contact Juliette at the ATG office for information.
