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REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. This is a paid event with payment managed by the trip leader(s) and NOT the AOC. Please read the event description carefully for payment details and instructions.



Tuscan Hills




The Basics:
STATUS: Cancelled - Hide from Calendar
Event Type:Hike
Event Location: San Gimignano, Italy
Date(s) & Time:Sat, May 23 2020  5:00 pm >> Sat, May 30 2020 5:00 pm
Registration Opens: Mon, Sep 23 2019 8:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Mon, Sep 23 2019 8:00 pm
Event Duration:7 Days
Difficulty Rating:D4: Moderate to Difficult (Exploratory)
Distance:59 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Richard A. Zalik
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Member Cost:$1,300.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:16
Minimum Group Size:2
Number Registered So Far: 5 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:

Notice: This web page is designed so that you can only put yourself on the waiting list. Once i verify that you satisfy the registration requirements i will move you to the list of participants. See registration requirements below.

This is one of the world's most unique, classic walks following the Via Francigena. A walk through central and Southern Tuscany, characterised by paths through vineyards, olive groves and forest, and landscapes punctuated with cypress trees and walled hill towns and villages.

Day 1. Arrive in San Gimignano: The 'Medieval Manhattan' is irresistibly charming and perfectly preserved. It houses a fine array of religious and secular frescoes and monuments. We will stay on the central piazza.

Day 2. San Gimignano to Colle di Val d'Elsa: Walk across low hills with vineyards and olive groves to the medieval hill town of Colle di Val d’Elsa, renowned for its tunnel streets (8.7 miles, 4.5 hours).

Day 3. Colle di Val d'Elsa to Monteriggioni: Paths across open farmland and through woods lead to the high village of Monteriggioni, encircled by walls with 14 watch-towers (11.6 miles, 6 hours).  

Day 4. Monteriggioni to Siena: Follow paths through woods and meadows to Siena, the best preserved great medieval city in Europe (11.9 miles, 6.5 hours).

Day 5. Siena to Lucignano: Tracks across low open hills of the Crete region lead to the village of Lucignano (15 miles, 7.5 hours).

Day 6. Lucignano to Buonconvento: Gravel lanes along the Arbia Valley lead to Buonconvento, with its interesting museum of medieval Masters (9.8 miles, 5 hours). Optional walk to the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (magnificent frescoed cloister) (5.8 miles, 3 hours).

Day 7. Buonconvento to Montalcino: Paths up through renowned vineyards of Brunello (Italy’s most expensive red wine!) to hilltop Montalcino (10.9 or 13.1 miles, 5.5 or 6.5 hours).

Day 8. Return home. 

 


Required Items to Bring:

Good walking shoes, hiking poles

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

insect repellent, rain gear


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

You can take a train from Rome or  Milan. The closest airports for this trip are Pisa and Florence. From Pisa airport take trains via Pisa Centrale to Empoli (max 1 hour 45 minutes) - or if coming from Florence - direct to Certaldo (1 hour). From Certaldo take a taxi to San Gimignano. Note: Booking a taxi to San Gimignano is recommended as there are not usually taxis waiting at Certaldo station. Alternatively, alight at Poggibonsi (approx. 12 minutes beyond Certaldo), then take a bus to San Gimignano (25 mins). Trains from Pisa airport and Florence to Certaldo cost ~€6-€8. Taxi costs to the first hotel: From Pisa ~€130; from Florence ~€120; from Certaldo ~€30. Prices may be significantly higher on Sundays and public holidays.

Return: There is a bus that leaves every two hours from a gas station in Montalcino and reaches Buonconvento  in half an hour. From Buonconvento you can take a train.


Notes:

Registration Requirements.

TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT:
1. You must be an AOC trip leader or an active AOC member recommended by an AOC trip leaderThis requirement is in place to verify that you have the necessary level of fitness and, most important, that you are a sociable person that will get along with the rest of the group and will not engage in disruptive behavior. This event is intended for bona fide AOC members and not for persons that join the club just to participate in this event. It is your responsibility to find a trip leader that will send me a recommendation on your behalf. Please put yourself on the waiting list. As soon as registration opens I will check whether you qualify, and, if you do, will move you to the list of participants, provided the maximum number of participants has not been reached.  (I will go through the list of participants in the order they are listed on the waiting list). If you do not qualify you will remain on the waiting list until you do, or the maximum number of participants has been reached. 

2. After I move you to the list of participants please send me a deposit of $150 by PayPal to zalikri@gmail.com. If I don't receive your deposit by October 15 I will move you back to the waiting list.

3. I need to receive your remaining  balance by March 1, 2020. Otherwise I will have to move you back to the waiting list and try to find another participant in the event.

After I move you to the list of participants please tell me whether you want a room with two beds or a double bed and tell me with whom you will be sharing the room.

5. I will give some preference to those that also participate in the Cinque Terre event.

WEATHER: Weather in May tends to be sunny, but there may be some rainy days as well.

COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION: Cell phone service along our route may be spotty. Although I will carry a satellite phone, satellite signal is not guaranteed either. If for any reason you cannot walk on a given day transportation may be available to transport you to your next destination at additional cost, but this service is not guaranteed.

DISCLAIMER: The Trip Leader for this event has elected either to personally collect the funds that event participants are required to pay, or to require participants to pay funds directly to a third party. No funds will be paid to the Atlanta Outdoor Club for this event. Therefore, by registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to the following: (1) the monies paid by registrants will not be monitored, managed, or otherwise accounted for by the Atlanta Outdoor Club; (2) that the Atlanta Outdoor Club bears no financial responsibility for this event; and (3) you waive any and all claims against the Atlanta Outdoor Club, and hold the Atlanta Outdoor Club harmless for the loss of any monies you paid for this event.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any paying registrant may request directly from the Trip Leader, prior to the event, a breakdown of funds collected, estimated expenses, and deposits made in anticipation of the event. Following the event, the Trip Leader must complete his or her financial accounting for the event, with supporting documentation, within 30 days of the completion of the event, and a paid registrant may request a breakdown of funds collected, money spent and supporting documentation after that time. If you are unable to obtain requested documentation, please contact the Director of Paid Events.

 

 
 


* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Member Cost:$1,300.00/Person
Cost Includes:

INCLUDED:

Seven nights accomodation in 3 or 4 star hotals, breakfast and dinner included.

We will have a route manager who will meet is in  San Gimignano for a briefing, move our luggage along the route, book restaurants for us, help us with any travel arrangements and be contactable at any time during our walk.

Luggage transfer between overnight stops. We leave our luggage at our lodging in the morning and we pick it up at our next lodging upon arrival. We only carry a small pack with the day's necessities. You may take more than one bag on this trip, but the weight limit for EACH bag is 15 kg or 33lbs. 

A $25 nonrefundable AOC user fee.         

Cost does NOT include anything not explicitly mentioned above, in particular:

Lunches: we will have route book  that provide information as to where we can purchase picnic supplies and/or bars and restaurants on the route.

Evening meals: for evenings when a meal at our hotel is not included, the route book has restaurant suggestions to suit a variety of budgets, and the route manager can book restaurants on our behalf.

Transport to/from the start/end of the route.

Entrance fees to museums, churches etc.

City Tax of 1 or 2 Euros per night, payable in cash (this is not always collected).

Note: Based on recommendations, we are contracting with a company in the UK. The cost allows for currency rate fluctuations and includes credit card fees. Any surplus in excess of 10 USD per person will be refunded, otherwise it will be transferred to AOC. 

Make a Payment:Although there is a cost for this event, you do not pay through the AOC. Please review the event details carefully for information about how/where to make your payment.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.
*Note:

In the event of cancellation, any money that has not been sent to the service provider will be refunded in full (except for the AOC user fee) but once it has been transferred no refund is possible. However if there is another person on the waiting list that is qualified to participate in the event, and the person you were supposed to share a room with does not object, and the hotels en route permit it, you may switch with her or him. The Trip Leader will not be involved in your private financial arrangements.