Asciano

Steam Train

Cooking Course

Spa

Cortona

Valdichiana Outlet Village

4nts - Beautiful countryside views of Val D'Orcia - Steam Train - Traditional Cooking Lessons - Wine Tasting - Relaxing Spa.

«It is impossible to see more beautiful fields; there is not a single valley which has not been worked to such perfection, prepared for the sowing. Wheat grows vigorous, and on these grounds it seems to find all the conditions that are needed to make it flourish. During the second year, they seed beans for horses, as oat does not grow here. They also sow lupins, that are now still green, and give their fruit in the month of March. Even the flax is already sown, in the soil all winter, and cold and frost make it more strong.»       Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Tour Itinerary:

• Day 1: Around Val D'orcia - Through Val d'Orcia with a steam or vintage train!* We will travel to Val d'Orcia on board the train along a disused old railway line. We will relive the images of some old movies filmed in these beautiful hills. Arriving at Monte San Angelo station we can enjoy this beautiful village with a visit to a winery. Lunch will be in the village of Montalcino with a walk through the village and a visit to the castle. In the afternoon we will do a tour of Bagno Vignoni which are ancient thermal baths of noble Tuscan families. Transferring to Pienza, a small jewel of the Val d'Orcia, we will walk along the "Via dell'Amore" the road of love and admire the beautiful landscape that nature has to offer. At a wonderful panoramic terrace we will stop to have a small afternoon snack. Enjoy some of the locally produced famous 'Pecorino' cheese naturally accompanied with a great glass of wine. Return to the hotel or villa. *Saturday only - from Sunday to Friday, the train will be replaced by private bus.
• Day 2: Authentic Cooking & Outlet Shopping at Valdichiana - The morning will be spent walking through the ancient craft shops and wineries in the centre of Montepulciano. We will visit an old wine cellar in the historic centre of Montepulciano for some wine tasting. Late morning we will then transfer to a small winery in the countryside ready for some beautiful Tuscan cooking. We will prepare our own home-made meal followed by a delicious dessert. We will then lunch here accompanied by one of their excellent wines. In the afternoon we will go shopping at Valdichiana Outlet. In late afternoon we will get the chance to snack on typical products of the region which will be held in the cellar of the outlet. Return to the hotel or villa.
• Day 3: Cortona & San Gimignano Spa Terme - In the morning we will discover how beautiful the town of Cortona is walking through its medieval narrow streets and visiting the fascinating artisan workers of ceramics, wood and gold. Do to be missed is the beautiful collections of the Etruscan Museum - MAEC. Lunch will be in a typical Cortonian Inn for some traditional, local food. The afternoon will be dedicated to the Spa. The spa offers a park with thermal pools with internal and external waterways to each other. Spa treatments include therapeutic massage and relaxation with both classical and oriental techniques, beauty treatments for the face along with mud body treatments and products made by "San Giovanni Terme Rapolano". The spa is immersed in a Crete Senisi area where on one hand you will find brightly coloured hot ground then next a bed of grass to lie on. Return to the hotel or villa.
• Day 4: Spa Day - Today is dedicated to leisure in the spa town of San Casciano dei Bagni, an ancient town which has been known for thousands of years for its thermal springs. The village looks out over the calanchi and the green hills of Val D'Orcia and is immersed in an atmosphere of time gone by. The Spa is equipped with several swimming pools of which two are dedicated to treatments such as Watsu and Liquidsound, where the third is dedicated to Bioaquam, featuring 22 different types of massage. In addition to enjoying the benefits and relaxation of these thermal pool waters, the Spa offers the possibility to choose from a wide range of different treatments that combine the valuable properties with the modern spa manual techniques. Return to the hotel or villa.

Accommodation:

• 4* hotel on halfboard or an independent Villa self-catering, 4 nights

Included in the the Tour:

• Accommodation
• Half board
• Guide
• Transfers
• Lunches, tastings and other services, where listed.