Tuscan Hills Tour: Val d’Orcia with 2 Wine and Cheese Tastings
Description
Leave the crowds of Florence behind and journey into the heart of Tuscany with a full-day tour of the stunning Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the charming hilltop towns of Montalcino, Pienza, and Montepulciano while enjoying two wine and pecorino cheese tastings. Begin in Montalcino, home of the renowned Brunello wine, where you will visit a traditional winery and taste local flavors in an authentic setting. Take time to explore the town and admire sweeping views of vineyards, olive groves, and rolling hills. Continue to Pienza, the Renaissance “ideal city,” famous for its harmonious architecture and breathtaking panoramas over the Val d’Orcia. Stroll through its picturesque streets and discover local specialties, including pecorino cheese. End your day in Montepulciano, known for its Vino Nobile and elegant historic center. Enjoy your second tasting in a historic underground cellar before relaxing on the return journey to Florence.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Piazzale Montelungo (Departure Point): Begin your day in Florence at Piazzale Montelungo, where you will check in with our staff and meet your tour leader. As the journey starts, sit back and relax while leaving the city behind. From the comfort of your bus, you’ll enjoy views of Florence’s historic center before the scenery changes into the rolling Tuscan hills, dotted with vineyards, olive groves, and cypress trees.
Discover the postcard views of the green, rolling hills in Val d’Orcia. Meet your friendly, local tour guide at Piazzale Montelungo Bus Terminal. Piazzale Montelungo is located 5-10 minutes walking distance from Santa Maria Novella train station. Grab a seat on the comfortable coach bus, and you will shortly depart for the scenic beauty of Val d’Orcia! During the picturesque drive, your guide will dive into some interesting information about the towns and lush land of the Valley. The drive to Val d’Orcia will take about two hours.
Your first stop will be Montalcino, the Medieval town par excellence dominated by its massive fortress. In just about thirty minutes you will reach the hometown of Brunello and you will have some free time to explore the most authentic borgo of Val d’Orcia. Breathe in the peaceful atmosphere and step back to the past while taking a stroll down its steep alleys.
Next, visit Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a true Renaissance gem. Known as the “ideal city,” it offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Val d’Orcia. Stroll through its picturesque streets, visit the Cathedral, and discover local shops selling the famous pecorino cheese. This is the perfect place to enjoy the beauty and harmony of Tuscan architecture.
You will then head the charming hilltop town of Montepulciano. Enjoy free time to explore at your own pace: wander through its narrow streets, admire elegant Renaissance palaces, and take in stunning views over the surrounding countryside. Don’t miss Piazza Grande, the heart of the town, and soak in the authentic Tuscan atmosphere.
Return to Florence: After a full day of discoveries, relax on the comfortable bus as you make your way back to Florence. Enjoy the scenic Tuscan landscapes one last time while being looked after by your tour leader, who will accompany you throughout the journey until your return.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The order of the visits may change
Reviews(52)
Constantino and Cosimo conducted the tour very well, being charismatic and professional. Following the route, we had the opportunity to meet three medieval cities and two wineries. The taste of wines and pecorino cheese at the Talosa winery impressed me, as it was made underground, an old emergency exit for the nobles of the city. The wines were great, but I thought the quantity should be bigger. The meeting point at Piazzale Montelungo was not easy to find even using Google Maps. Overall, it was a very pleasant day in the company of the group.
Be wary of tour operator, my tour was changed with knowledge, not given opportunity to cancel or change to a tour of my choosing. Several of participants became lost on tour and number given to call was not enabled as per message when calling. Tour operator did not respond to inquiries regarding change of tour nor to message sent in app about becoming lost when unable to reach by phone! Viator was of no assistance in an agreeable resolution of these issues.
Gratzie John. Amazing lunch and Brunello wine. Wonderful landscape. Maybe the beer tasting and the abbey to skip. 5 stars in any case.
Excellent guide Guide with great knowledge of history and speaks five languages. It is very helpful, attentive and punctual.
Thanks to paulo and john we had a fantastic day. The lunch was great. One of the best group tours I have ever done. Price/quality top
We had a lovely day out on this trip. There were 14 of us in the group so we were in a mini bus (with no toilet) but it was very pleasant. The tour guide (Julia) was very knowledgeable and helpful and made sure we were all ok. Pienza was amazing. I rate it as one of my favourite towns in Tuscana. Good tour, tour guide and bus driver.
Amy has been a great guide she is patient Love how she explain everything well with soft spoken voice and interesting story telling . It was wonderful time with her . Food was great and we got lemonade at the end. Highly recommended . She made my trip in Florence better :)
This tour is a great way to experience Tuscany with the sips and sights of the region. Our guide, Guilia, was amazing. She was very informative yet so friendly and always was there to answer any question or proudly tell us about Italy. The towns we visited were amazing and the food and wine we got to taste was extraordinary.
Went on four guided tours in Italy and this has been the best experience thus far. Fortunate to have been paired with Giulia and Lorenzo on this guided tour. The small grouping encouraged flexibility which I prefer. Giulia is very passionate about what she does and we enjoyed her storytelling which made Italian history come alive. Lorenzo was a seasoned and safe driver which is equally important. This duo has great chemistry! The lunch organised was the best of all guided tours! Food was great and uniquely Tuscany as well as the wine tasting. This day trip felt like friends hanging out and brings a nice closer to our time here in Firenze. Special thanks for obliging us with stops for photo-taking… we appreciate you Giulia and Lorenzo :)
We had a great day with Roberto our guide and Alejandro our driver. It was a comfortable drive in an impeccably present minivan through the Brunello countryside. A very authentic experience as we visited Pienza and Montalcino where we dined on a 4 course Tuscan lunch matched with Brunello local wines. A great day and highly recommended.
