I've decided to take a holiday in Tuscany, probably walking rather than cycling (too many logistical hassles), if there's a good trekking route I would quite like to take a rucksack and either camp or stay in small hotels/B&B's, pensions along the route if not possibly stay in one place and use it as a base
Any ideas,recomendations or tips such as routes, walks, bases, traditional restauraunts and Italian villages etc?
I had 2 weeks of my Honeymoon in a small hilltop village called San Baronto. Very hilly area (as most of Tuscany is), very beautiful forests, very close to Vinci - birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, Florence, Pistoia (nice and very old market town with trains to Florence every half hour), Montecatini Terme (beautiful spa town).
It's a Mushroomers and foragers heaven.
Seemingly every roadside building/shed is a small family run restaurant better than most michelin starred places back home. Try Bistecca di Fiorontino (bloody great big steak grilled over an open fire).
I took my Cove Hummer and had a fantastic time. I would especially recommend buying a map before you travel because the local ones are not that great. Many of the trails are marked but it is quite easy to get lost when relying on your instinct and internal "man compass".
Come the weekend it is absolutely heaving with roadies as it is a classic climb in the Giro.
We didn't see one other Brit in 2 weeks and I would say that all in all its pretty much heaven on earth.
cicerone books are always a good starting point.
They probably wont help with the bivvy side of things, but they will give you route guides including 5 day ones.
http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/489/title/walking-in-tuscany
ASk me in 2 weeks when I return from a walking holiday in Tuscany.
FLing to Pisa, => Lucca then somewhere else what MrsM has arranged.
Try Inntravel
try these guys - www.walking-europe.co.uk . they are the same as hookedoncycling . i went to tuscany, cycling , last year under their guidance . very helpful , knew the area really well and gave good advice
Thanks for the replies all, really helpful, Moses have a good one let us know how you get on... maybe with some pictures??! 😀
i went to umbria/tuscany last year with my lady and we hired a VW camper (new-ish). we'd find a little market, spend a few euros and cook up a feast in the van while sitting in some sublime countryside
my favourite place was Castellucio on the Piano Grande. the mountains there are out of this world, and time it right and the plain will be a carpet of wild flowers. there is walking although there's next to no civilisation so plan it first and buy maps (don't rely on getting any useful tourist info anywhere in Italy!)
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also nearby is Norcia which is famous for it's sausages, proscuitto, wild boar, truffles etc... just south of there is lots of good climbing areas
Gubbio was really good - lots of interesting history, not many tourists, some good views up the fenicular
Bolsena (town & lake) very nice as well
Todi & Orvieto - really nice little 'slow' towns
Assisi - full of americans
wish i'd taken my bike, but it just becomes impractical for 90% of the holiday