Pieve a Castello

Pieve a Castello is a restored, historically and architecturally important 8th century Augustinian canonry in a prime location between Florence and Siena in central Italy.

When not welcoming exclusive Escorted groups, it opens its doors to individual travellers – offering over 200 miles of self-guided walks and a weekly schedule of excursions (in luxury electric minibuses) to nearby places of outstanding interest, with opportunities for sightseeing, exploring and shopping – and also versatile walking options:

Saturday: Colle Val d’Elsa

Lower town, with remarkable old subterranean mill-race canals, with ancient (pedestrian) brick road (or elevator!) to high, walled medieval hill town with fine tunnel streets Excellent ice-creams! Walk back through meadows and woods (2-3 hours). Driving time 10 minutes.

Sunday: Monteriggioni

Iconic, walled hill village with 14 watchtowers and 84 inhabitants (and restored main arched gate – an ATG Trust project). Approach on foot – 1 hour from the Benedictine Abbey of Isola or 15 minutes from below the village Walk to/from Pieve a Castello – through forests (3-4 hours) Driving time 10 minutes

Monday: San Gimignano

‘The medieval Manhattan’ – famous for its towers and churches with superb, medieval frescoes Climb a tower, see a museum. Go shopping, eat an ice-cream. Scenic approach on foot (20 minutes) Retur n walk 7 hours Driving time 25 minutes

Tuesday: Pieve a Castello

A day to enjoy the 8th century Augustinian canonry and the 200 miles of self-guided walks that fan out through vineyards, olive groves and forest Transfers to/from Florence and Pisa airports.

Wednesday: Casole d’Elsa

Casole, whose lights we see twinkling across the valley at night, is a small, medieval hill town with fine walls, churches and museum. Walks through meadows of the Elsa Valley. Driving time 15 minutes

Thursday: Siena

Best-preserved, great medieval city in Europe. Cathedral. Piazza del Campo Great medieval Art by Sienese Masters City walk in Route Book – 2 hours Walking to/from Pieve a Castello – 7 hours or there is a fine part-way walk back through forest tracks of the ancient Via Francigena (2-3 hours) Driving time 25 minutes

Friday: Pieve a Castello

A day to enjoy… with opportunities to walk some of the 200 miles of ancient paths and tracks – through vineyards, olive groves and extensive forests of the Montagnola Senese Transfers to/from Florence and Pisa airports