Ancient Paths to Rome II: Volcanic Landscapes

What sort of weather can I expect?

Meteorological records for the area, taken over a period of more than 10 years, are represented in the Weather Chart provided with each itinerary.showers; evenings can be a bit nippy. In April the air is fresh, the sun warm, and there are likely to be (occasionally heavy) showers; evenings can be a bit nippy. In May the temperatures warm considerably In May the temperatures warm considerably. Daytime temperatures from mid May through June will feel hot if you are travelling from more temperate climes. If you are fit and can cope with very hot, sunny conditions, you may wish to consider July and August in order to enjoy the benefits of a quiet period as many other tourists and locals head for the mountains or coast; stamina and heat/sun resistance, sun cream and hat will be required. Early September is still hot and dry. Throughout these summer months, the periods of hot, sunny days are punctuated by brief but dramatic thunderstorms demanding proper waterproofs. Mid-late September offers increasingly pleasant temperatures and in October the air becomes fresher, the views longer, while returning rains turn the fields green again.

What sort of walking can I expect?

This trip is Grade 3-4. If you intend to walk the full 225 Miles to Rome (to include Tuscan Hills and Approach to Rome), you should consider the overall Grade to be 5 (the highest level), due to the sheer volume of walking. You need stamina to complete the route all the way to Rome.

This is an 8-day trip of which 6 days are spent walking. The length of each day varies from 5.5 hours to a maximum of 9 hours walking. Hours of walking, which may vary from individual to individual, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing, rests or siestas. On certain days the walk takes you into the hills where the paths cross a more rugged terrain that may be muddy in wet weather – please make sure that your foot­wear provides sufficient ankle support.

The walking is reasonably demanding: there are no free days. Although much of the walking follows dirt roads, there are also farm tracks and smaller wooded paths, broad gravel tracks and cart tracks. Some field crossings, some thread-like grassy tracks. For those planning an autumn trip – do be prepared to cross one or two roughly ploughed fields. There are no vertiginous patches.

On day 2, there is a (surprisingly!) steep ascent through wild country to Pescina on the slopes of Monte Amiata; and on day 4 there is an open, unsheltered section of route on approach to Acquapendente. If you have any concerns about these sections, please discuss these with your Route Manager, who will advise you about options if you would like to walk only part of the way.

What if I don't want to walk?

You don’t have to! You can get a lift with the Route Manager to the next hotel when your bags are moved on, or we can arrange taxis and advise you of local transport options to facilitate shortening the walks.

How do I get to the start of the route?

These travel notes are regularly checked for accuracy, both by ATG and via much-valued client feedback.  

Like all travel and transport arrangements, however, they may be subject to change. For up-to-the-minute information please check online. 

Note about train travel in Italy: Most journeys can be booked online and we recommend doing so if you are will be travelling long-distance, e.g. Rome-Florence; Milan-Venice. These are Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca & InterCity trains. Booking ahead for such journeys can save you a lot of money! There is no need to book ahead for shorter, regional journeys, e.g. Florence – Siena, and we wouldn’t recommend doing so as regional tickets are non-refundable, non-changeable.  

See here for a useful guide to train travel in Italy:

https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-italy

Timetables and advance purchase of tickets: 

www.italiarail.com 

www.raileurope.com

www.thetrainline.com

www.trenitalia.com

All European train timetables: www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml 

International travel – how to get to/from anywhere: www.rome2rio.com

Travel to Italy 

The recommended destination airports for this route are Pisa, Florence and Rome (Fiumicino and Ciampino.

Travel to the first hotel by public transport

The nearest train station to Montalcino is Buonconvento. From Buonconvento you can either take a bus, or taxi (15-20 minute drive; approx. €50) to Montalcino.

The bus route from Buonconvento to Montalcino starts in Siena, so if you are pre-extending in Siena you may wish to take the bus all the way.  You can see the bus timetables for Siena-Buonconvento-Montalcino at the following website:
https://ricercaorari.tiemmespa.it/linee/dettaglio/114  -  timetable 114A. Beware the symbols that may indicate services that do not run every day!

NB: Please remember to validate your train ticket by stamping it in the green and white or yellow machines at the start of the platform before you board the train; you can be fined if you have not done so.

From Pisa airport:

To get from the airport to Pisa Centrale station there is a high-speed ‘Pisa Mover’ train that operates every day from 0600 to 0000 at 5/8 minute intervals - cost €5. When you exit the baggage reclaim area into the arrivals hall, turn left and keep straight on, heading for the far end of the terminal building. The platform is located just outside the far end of the airport. Tickets can be purchased on the platform (English-speaking ticket machines); or at the ticket office located on the right just before exiting the airport terminal. You can buy a combined PisaMover and train ticket to avoid queuing for a ticket at Pisa Centrale.

You can also take a taxi from the airport to Pisa Centrale station which can take as little as 5 minutes. If there are two or more of you the taxi option may be cheaper! The taxi rank is just outside arrivals.

From Pisa, there are 3 possible train routes to Buonconvento and once you know your time of arrival at Pisa airport (where baggage reclaim is usually efficient) check online for your most convenient train schedule (see websites above).

The last train from Pisa Centrale is at 17.07 arriving in Buonconvento at 20.30 where there are bus connections for Montalcino at 21.00 and 21.50 (journey time approximately 30 minutes). 

Alternatively, a later train (18.54) from Pisa Centrale to Siena (change at Empoli) arrives at Siena at 20.38 (approx cost €10), still in time to catch an onward bus connection to Montalcino from Siena (21.15).

The other two connecting train services from Pisa Centrale to Buonconvento (of which you will find full details in the trenitalia timetables) use the following routes:

Pisa – Grosseto – Buonconvento
Pisa – Montepescali – Buonconvento.

The journey time from Pisa airport to Buonconvento (Mon-Sat, across all routes) varies between 2.5-4 hours, depending on the connections and types of train used, slower on Sundays. The cost of the train ticket ranges from €13-€28, depending on the trains used. The journey to Siena is a little under 2 hours and slightly cheaper.

From Florence airport:

Just outside the terminal to the left you will find the T2 Vespucci tram with regular services to the Piazza dell'Unità Italiana station, which is adjacent to the Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station in the heart of Florence. The T2 service operates from approximately 5am to midnight every day, every 4-5 minutes. Journey time 20 minutes. Cost €1.50 for a single ticket.

Buy your ticket from the automatic ticket machines on the platform (look for the ‘ATAF’ logo) that accept cash, cards (including contactless cards), Apple Pay and Google Pay. There is also a ticket machine inside the airport in the baggage claim area.

Stamping your ticket: Once on board, don’t forget to validate your ticket in the little yellow box!.

Note: Unless you are travelling light you must buy a ticket (s) for your luggage! Small suitcases or bags of not more than 10 kg (22 lbs), 55x40x20 cm (22x16x8 inches) are allowed free of charge. You must buy and validate an extra ticket for each larger bag (max. 80X45X25 cm, 20 Kg or 31x18x10 inches/44 lbs); limit of two pieces per passenger. Outsize bags are not allowed.

Alternatively, a taxi to Firenze SMN station would take approx 15mins and costs from €25 (allow €1extra per item of luggage).

Train: From Firenze SMN it is a straightforward train journey to Buonconvento (journey time approx 2-3 hours, around 14 Euros. For timetables see www.trenitalia.com.

Bus: The regular buses from the central Firenze bus station to Siena, unfortunately do not arrive at the terminus from which the buses to Montalcino depart. For this reason it is probably better to travel by train to Siena.

From Rome airports:

From Roma Termini train station in the centre of Rome there are regular trains to Buonconvento (3.5 hours, change at Grosseto, €18-€34). For the bus from Buonconvento to Montalcino, see above under Pisa or Florence.

Fiumicino Airport to Termini by train: The “Leonardo Express” train runs very frequent services 7 days a week to Roma Termini station.  Journey time is 30mins, costing €14.
NB there are also trains to Buonconvento from Roma Trastevere station, which is on the Leonardo Express route. Check timetables to determine if this departure point may better suit your schedule.

Fiumicino Airport to Termini by bus: There are SIT BUS SHUTTLE buses that go to Roma Termini train station.  Journey approx 1hr, cost is €6. (There are also very limited COTRAL buses).

From Ciampino airport: There are shuttle buses to Roma Termini operated by Terravision (www.terravision.eu) and SIT (www.sitbusshuttle.com). If you buy your ticket on line it will cost €5.50 return, slightly more if you buy on the bus or at the airport/ station. Buses leave regularly from outside the departures terminal, journey time 40 minutes.

Note: There is not a ticket counter selling bus tickets at Ciampino airport. You should simply go outside the terminal and look for the buses/their agents selling tickets.

Or taxi: A taxi journey from Ciampino to Rome Termini (or anywhere within Rome walls) is a very reasonable (approx) €30 for up to 4 passengers. The taxi rank is outside the terminal.

Travel by taxi:

We can book you a taxi to the first hotel. The taxi from Pisa airport to Montalcino holds 3-4 passengers (depending on luggage), takes just under 3 hrs and costs approx €380. A taxi from Florence airport to Montalcino takes 2 hrs and costs approx €260. A taxi from Rome Ciampino airport takes approximately 2hrs 40 mins and costs approx €400. A taxi from Rome Fiumicino airport takes approximately 3hrs and costs approx €400.

Prices may alter at weekends, Bank Holidays or late at night.

First hotel

After descending the bus in Piazza Cavour in Montalcino, the Dei Capitani hotel is only a 200m walk away down Via Lapini.

Taxi bookings

Please place your booking with the ATG office at least two weeks before departure. The cost of the taxi will be confirmed to you once the booking is secured. Payment of the taxi fare should be made locally, not to ATG. The driver will have your flight details and will be waiting in Arrivals with a sign showing your name or ATG.

• If you change your flight please notify us  so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule the taxi for you.

• If, on the day of departure, your flight is cancelled or you miss or change it, please immediately contact the ATG emergency number (number is provided in trip documentation) so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule or cancel the taxi for you.

• If your flight is delayed and you have arranged for the taxi to meet you at the destination airport, your taxi driver will wait for you.

• If you are delayed and you have arranged for a taxi to meet you at a non airport location (e.g. train station) it is essential that you contact your Route Manager or call the ATG emergency
line to notify us at the earliest possible moment, so we can contact the taxi company to re-schedule or cancel the taxi for you.

• Please note that failure to advise ATG that you cannot meet the taxi booked for you, may result in the taxi costs being passed back to you.

Important: Taxi prices quoted apply to the local firm used regularly by ATG – and are guaranteed only if you book through the office in advance. If you get a taxi off a taxi rank please ask the driver to confirm the price for the journey before departing.

NOTE: Whilst ATG provides travel information that is accurate at the time of publication this may be subject to change, international flights may be delayed, national and regional transport systems may be subject to expedient alterations (whether timetables, or local engineering works). Information regarding such changes is available online.

Apart from flights or taxis booked through ATG, the Company has little or no knowledge of clients’ independent plans and arrangements prior to their arrival.

Please check flight, train or bus timetables for the most up-to-date information prior to departure.

Where can I leave my car if I drive to the route?

The Dei Capitani hotel does not have a car park in which you can leave a car, but there are some free spaces and some paying car parks close by. However, please be aware that these car parks are unsupervised. Montalcino is a fairly quiet rural town.

What should I bring?

Bring whatever clothes and footwear you find most comfortable for everyday wear, and a change or two for the evenings – smart/casual.
Some trips include quite distinguished hotels and restaurants, for which you may wish to ‘dress up’ in the evening, however on Independent trips you have more flexibility in determining how casual you wish to be. For walking we recommend lightweight walking boots with firm ankle support (make sure you wear them in before the trip!), a small daypack for your lightweight waterproof clothing, camera, fleece etc. An increasing number of people bring telescopic walking poles. For a comprehensive packing list click here: what to bring

What sort of food can I expect?

Southern Tuscan food is simple and uses quality local ingredients which complement the excellent robust wines of the
region. It is seasonal food usually prepared with home grown ingredients. Although the Tuscans are called ‘bean eaters’ (mangiafagioli) the main staple of their diet, apart from pasta, is bread, which is traditionally unsalted to complement the salted prosciutto, salami and strong sheep’s cheeses. Whilst it is a traditional cuisine, it is not a poor one, and meat and game feature strongly, preferably cooked on an open fire. The Tuscans are less interested in the presentation of the food than
in the excellence of the ingredients, and even the most elegant restaurants serve rustic terracotta bowls of rich vegetable and bean soups. The Tuscans also have a sweet tooth,
producing a variety of rich spicy cakes full of candied fruit and nuts, and light biscuits.  Further south, there is an interesting
range of cuisine, combining the stronger flavours of Latium with the subtle influences of Umbria. You will enjoy excellent fish from Lake Bolsena - coregone, perch, trout and eel, and vegetables
from fertile volcanic soil around the lake. Rich and varied pastas; sauces with tomato and peperoncino. Specialities include lamb with wild herbs, ricotta, sheep cheeses (pecorino), wild boar and
truffles.

Breakfast

Most of the hotels we use offer a buffet-style breakfast with a wide range of both hot and cold choices. 4- and 5-star hotels almost always offer ‘cooked’ breakfast. Occasionally, in more remote areas, or in some 2 or 3-star hotels, breakfast can be a decidedly more ‘Continental’ affair – i.e. bread, croissant, juice, coffee.

Lunch

The ATG Route Booklets and our ‘Sustainable Shopping Guides’ are filled with information about markets and shops in which to buy your lunch. From seasonal fruits, local cheeses, cured hams and freshly baked breads, you are limited only by what you can carry in your pack!

Dinner

On some routes, usually where there is no other restaurant within walking distance, half-board accommodation is included (see ‘what is included’ for this trip). In other areas where there is a selection of restaurants, ATG includes a list of recommendations in your ATG Route Booklet. Some restaurants are recommended because they have provided meals that have been regularly enjoyed by ATG clients; other restaurants are renowned internationally (e.g., within the Guide Michelin).

Restaurant bookings

Your Route Manager will be delighted to book restaurants for you if required, ensuring the places you eat at are...

•Your first choice

•The highest standard

• The best value

...and you are not disappointed by finding the restaurant full.

Our Tuscany walking holidays are wine-lover’s treat. There are superb local red wines, notably Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which complement Tuscan cuisine very well. Further south, enjoy the famous Orvieto Classico from Orvieto and Est!Est!!Est!!! from Montefiascone.

Several of our independent routes (including this one) pass through well-known wine producing regions. If you are particularly interested in wine you may also like to consider...

• Classic Alsace

• Provence: Vaucluse & the Lubéron

• Siena to Florence

• Southern Tuscany

• Tuscan Hills

• Tuscany & Siena

• Roman Roads to Orvieto

• Etruscan Lanes to Orvieto

• Umbria & Assisi

• Sintra & the Portuguese Coast

What if I have a dietary restriction or food allergy?

When you book, let us know about any restrictions. Most dietary restrictions do not present a problem on our routes due to the wide variety of shops and restaurants available. Your Route Manager will provide you with advice and recommendations at your briefing.

What should I bring to wear in the evenings?

There is no need to dress up for dinner – ‘smart casual’ dress is acceptable in all but the smartest restaurants in Italy.

Do the hotels have WIFI, hair dryers, laundry service?

All have WIFI except the Silene and Toscana. All have hairdryers except the Silene. None offer a laundry service.

How much should I budget for items not included?

You can get an idea of transport costs in the ‘getting there’ section of
the trip page. For lunches, costs will depend on whether you choose to buy picnic items or eat in bars/restaurants. Dinners: some are included (see ‘what’s included’). For evening meals not included, the route book provides restaurant recommendations to suit a wide range of budgets. Entrance fees to museums, churches, galleries and other sightseeing costs will vary considerably depending on how much you want to see and how old you are (!). Over 60s enjoy significantly reduced prices at many attractions, so it is worth carrying (safely) some form of identification showing your age. Other costs are items of a personal nature, shopping expenditure and transport if you choose to limit your walking with public transport or taxis.

City Tax (Italy only)

In March 2011, the Italian legislature passed a decree that created a new tourism tax to be paid by visitors to Italy and collected by the accommodation where they are staying. The purpose is to raise revenue that municipalities can use to maintain local facilities and infrastructure and to help in the preservation of cultural and historical treasures, all of which benefits tourists. The roll-out of the tax has been gradual, with each council determining the way in which it should be implemented. First introduced in the big cities, since 2012
the tax has been introduced by many other town councils. The tax is charged by guest per night, with an upper limit to the number of nights that can be charged. The rate (usually €1-2 Euros per person per night) is determined by the rating of the accommodation. This tax is not included in the price of independent holidays but where applicable will be payable direct to your hotel in cash.

What if I want to extend my trip?

We are delighted to book extensions for you at either end of your trip. We only book hotels with which we have an established relationship and where we can ensure a high level of service and enjoyment. If you would like an extension booking please indicate this during the booking process and we will contact you with pricing information.

Where can I find general FAQs?

For FAQs relating to the Company and general trip questions, click here