A lot of people think of travel as checking off famous cities, landmarks, or restaurants, but some of our favorite travel moments happen outside the hustle and bustle of the city or attractions. The quiet country roads, the conversations with locals, the little towns you would probably never visit unless you slowed down enough to walk through them. Last year, Melissa and I partnered with Max Adventure for their Umbria short break. a self -guided walking trip through the Italian countryside where we moved from town to town each day while our luggage was transferred ahead of us. It completely changed how we thought about adventure travel. So this year, we decided to experience a different style of trip with Max Adventure, the relaxed trails of Tuscany. Instead of packing up and moving every day, this itinerary slowed things down a little more. We spent multiple nights in each destination, used walking trails to explore both the countryside and the towns themselves, and had more time to get to know Tuscany. In this episode, we're going to share what our days actually looked like on the trail, introduce you to some near friends we made along, have become one of our favorite ways to explore Europe.
And if you've ever thought to yourself, there's no way I could figure out a walking trip through Italy on my own. We'll also explain exactly how Mac's adventure makes it approachable, even if you've never done anything like this before. So today, we're taking you into the vineyards, hill towns, and quiet countryside of Tuscany.
We're Scott and Melissa, the Sunshine Travelers. We're all about exploring the world and sharing the journey with you.
all about exploring the world and sharing the journey with you. Whether you're a seasoned traveler, dreaming of your next adventure, or just here for the stories.
No matter where you are on your travel journey, we've got firsthand experiences, tips, and plenty of inspiration from some of the most amazing places on Earth. So buckle up and get ready to travel with us.
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Before we jump into Tuscany itself, I think it probably makes sense to explain what Max Adventure actually is because this style of travel still feels pretty new to a lot of people.
Yes, and honestly, before our trip in Umbria last year, I don't think we fully understood exactly how it would all work either. So Max Adventure specializes in self -guided walking and biking holidays all over the world. Most of them in Europe, though. So instead of joining a big tour group and following somebody around with a flag, they simply handle the logistics for you. Hotels, luggage transfers, your route planning. if there's any needed transportation in between the destinations during the trip. And then you basically experience this on your own. And one of the things that we really like is that you have a lot more independence and flexibility. So you can stop for coffee in the mornings. You can spend extra time someplace, take photos, sit in a piazza for an hour, go to a winery if you want. And it just doesn't feel rushed.
And last year when we did the Umbria short break, The experience was much more focused on walking from town to town each day. So every morning, we'd leave one hill town behind and spend the day hiking through the countryside until we reached the next destination. So this Tuscany trip had a very different pace to it. The relaxed trails of Tuscany gives you more time in each place. We stayed in three different towns during our trip, and some of the walking routes were designed almost like guided explorations of the cities themselves, mixed with countryside walks. That wasn't something we had a lot of time to do last year in our short break. We would get to the towns after having walked the whole day, be tired, hungry, and so our focus was to get something to eat, go to bed so that we can start the next day.
And so Scott, I think we've mentioned this several times as on the walk, is I think this Relaxed Trails of Tuscany itinerary makes it really approachable for people who may not want to hike long distances, like what I think people think of when they think of a walking trip. So don't get us wrong. You're going to walk plenty. You'll have great exercise routine every single day. Some of them are still longer. It just isn't necessarily always on the trail because we did have two days where it was the town exploration. And so I think it's really a great way to almost introduce somebody to walking holiday.
Our trip officially started when Max picked us up in Pisa and transferred us to Volterra. You can choose either Pisa or Florence for this trip as your starting point. But since we already had planned time in Florence for later in our longer trip, Pisa made more sense for us. We had never been there, and this allowed us to spend a day in Pisa before we headed out on our adventure. Volterra is one of those places that immediately feels different the second you arrive there. It's an ancient hill town. It sits high above the Tuscan countryside. It's surrounded by stone walls that date back centuries. And the streets are narrow, quiet, and full of weathered golden stone. It almost glows in the late afternoon sun. It feels less polished and less touristy than somewhere like Florence or even San Germano. But there's a slightly rugged, authentic feeling to it that we really loved and enjoyed. It's truly a medieval town. And Voltero was one of the most important hill towns in all of medieval Tuscany. Because of its strategic position, it had strong defenses and had a lot of economic wealth tied to the natural resources and trade. And while today many travelers compare it to places like San Germano or Siena, Voltero's roots actually go back much further. to the Etruscans. And that ancient legacy shaped its medieval importance. There's a few things that made Volterra especially significant. It had salt. And at that time, salt equaled wealth and power. And so Volterra controlled important salt deposits nearby, particularly around the Kachina Valley in medieval Europe. Salt was incredibly valuable because it preserved food before refrigeration. And whoever controlled salt routes controlled money and influence. So this just kind of gives you an idea of Volterra and why on earth would you choose to have Volterra as a part of this tour? So the way that Max has built this itinerary, it gave us time to actually experience Volterra.
the way that Max has built this itinerary, it gave us time to actually experience Volterra. for quite a bit of time without having to rush through it. So I wanted to say you and I had actually been through Volterra, literally through, back in 2019. We did a cruise excursion to Tuscany. It took us to some of these towns, but to a winery, to lunch, but very, very quickly. I think we literally walked through. We saw a couple of the things that we're going to see here, but it really just didn't give us time to explore. I even thought back then, oh, I'd love to see this place at sunset. I wonder what it's like in the evening. Because it is a place that a lot of people come for day trips. So the first day after we arrived from our transfer that Max had set up for us, and because it's not far from Pizet, the rest of that day was completely open for us to explore on our own. It was actually perfect because, like I said, there's a surprising amount of things to see in Volterra. And on our second day, we actually decided to purchase the Volterra card. We had walked in and there was a tower that we wanted to go see. And there was a lot of other things included on that. And so it just made sense for us to do that. So let's talk about a few of these things because it's like it was really interesting. So the first one was an Etruscan historic site that included an underground cistern that was built about 2000 years ago. We had it all to ourselves. We got to climb down in this spiral staircase. So that was really, really cool. And then what I mentioned, the first thing that we did was the tower in the main piazza, which gave us great panoramic views. And the funny thing was, is like there weren't many people like doing these things. I think, again, a lot of people like wander the streets and see the shops. So we wandered into an alabaster workshop. We also had time to explore the Roman amphitheater a little bit more. We went to... A museum, and we're not huge museum people, but this place was incredible. So it's actually related to that Etruscan site. And they had so many, what would you call them? It was like the... Burial urns or sarcophagus.
urns or sarcophagus.
There's kind of like the sarcophagus, but it was just like floor after floor after floor. And they were incredibly decorated. Tile work, I really enjoyed that. And so being able to just have time to... go from one place to the other, stop and get a sandwich, have a gelato, have a coffee, in between, while still use the Max Adventure app. And it just like took us by these places. And since we did the Volterra card, we got to go in and see all that stuff.
Are you looking to plan your next unforgettable adventure? At Sunshine Travelers Experiences, we specialize in helping you create tailor -made travel journeys that turn your vacation dreams into reality. Whether you're craving a relaxing beach escape, an awe -inspiring cultural journey, or a thrilling outdoor adventure, we can help. Why choose Sunshine Travelers Experiences? Personalized itineraries designed just for you, expert travel advice and insider tips, seamless booking from start to finish, exclusive access to top destinations and hidden gems. We also book cruises, all -inclusives, groups, tours, and so much more. If you're unsure where to even start planning that bucket list trip, start by asking us. Then let Sunshine Travelers Experiences handle the planning so you can focus on making the memories. Explore now, sunxtravel .com. If you have any questions, email us, info at sunshinetravelers .com. Then on the third morning, after breakfast, we were transferred out to the San Donato Winery. where our countryside walking route would begin. Technically, this winery isn't officially part of the itinerary, but they give you some information in the welcome package from Max and it gives you an email address where you can reach out to the winery. and see if you could arrange a tasting ahead of time.
So, which I absolutely did. I emailed them before the trip and they told me that the formal tastings didn't start until that afternoon, but that they would be open. They also have some places where you can stay here. And so they have breakfast. So they said, no problem, come by. So that made complete sense. That actually makes it easier, right? To not have to have it so formal. But when we arrived, this incredibly nice woman greeted us and basically just said, come out here, sit down in your garden. I'm going to bring you some wine and let you taste it. And then we'll go from there. And somehow one glass turned into another and another. And they had these amazing puppies who were named Tino and Merlot. And so turns out it was the owner, Federica. And it was it was just wonderful because she had a lot of things going on. They were going to have a big party and they had some allergy stuff going on and she was watering the plants and she was brushing the dogs and then she'd come back and talk to us. But it was just, it just felt so real, I think. And I told Scott then, I was just like, can we just stay in this garden? It was just fantastic because we just absolutely had that weather. And so three hours later, we were still there.
So let's hear a little bit from Federica because we had the opportunity to sit down with her in the garden. and hear more about the winery and their story.
I think that Italy is beautiful, and this is why we are so lucky to have a lot of guests. More than tourists, I want to speak about guests. That's my idea. That I hope they don't only want to see monuments. We have fantastic monuments, but they want, I hope, to enjoy our way of life. Economically, not fantastic, but about... enjoying food, wine, beauty, and good life, I think we do a great job. So what I hope that the guests that come not only in my place but in Italy is to go slow and to enjoy the quality that there is in many single things, not only churches that are beautiful and museums. But even a good glass of wine, a moment that you do nothing and enjoy a garden situation and atmosphere, because this is what makes, in my opinion, not only Italy special, but the time in Italy special. This is what for me is important. Our life is too short, too crowded, too complicated, so to have a good moment. It's fantastic and Italy is a place to have a good moment and the wine works in these things. About San Gimignano or the most important town, there are moments in the town when there are too many people in the same place. But if you're a traveler, you can pay attention to change a little bit the road. Sometimes it's crowded one road and the next one is empty because it's not so famous, but it's built in the same way and to change the time. Most of the big famous towns like San Gimignano are very crowded during the day. For example, San Gimignano between 11 to 5. For the rest of the day, quiet, relaxed. And when it is becoming dark, the lights are beautiful and you enjoy really the medieval soul of the town, the silent situation. So it's a question not to change a destination or change road, but... To change your mind. I see, I change road. It doesn't matter if I don't see that. Because in most of the town, the beauty is everywhere. Around the corner. And with the right mood, I hope it is better. Will you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your winery and where we are right now?
you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your winery and where we are right now? Yes, yes.
Yes, yes. My name is Federica Fainzi. And we are now in my husband. family farm from very close to San Gimignano is and it was a farm. What you see here, it was a medieval village that existed because San Gimignano became, about 1 ,000 years ago, one of the stops of the way to Rome. The pilgrimage started in the north of England, going to France and then Italy, and passed through San Gimignano to do the pilgrimage to Rome. And to Rome, some of the people went to Jerusalem. So it was a long pilgrimage. And because of the pilgrimage, there was many places where the people stopped to eat and to sleep. Many places that gave hospitality. The word hospital started from hospitality. Even if now, no one wants to go to the hospital, but it doesn't matter. And so this is one of the many, many stops of the way to go to Rome. And there was a stop on the way from Volterra, like you did it, and then reaching the way to Rome. So there was a church. The first building was a church. Close to the church was the hospital, the place who gave hospitality to the pilgrims. But because San Donato, this was on the border between San Gimignan and Volterra that were fighting, there was even a tower that now is our breakfast room where the soldiers stayed to preserve the area. And slowly around the churches, they started to build a lot of houses of people who did agriculture like we do now. So they started to build the house of the owner that's just there in this house, still our house, and many houses for the workers. And in San Donato, they did the only thing you can do here. Wine, oil and wheat and vegetables. The soil is poor, full of stone and fossil shell. You will see going around a lot of fossil shell around. And the same production is older than the buildings. Even from the Truscan period, that is the only thing we can grow. But it's even the Mediterranean diet, what the Americans named this, because it's an American doctor that found the world in the idea. Wine, oil, wheat, and vegetables. That's the base. And vegetarian proteins, these kind of things. That is what we still grow, is the only way. So in the centuries, nothing changed a lot. Changed property and everything. And then my husband, no, not father -in -law, grandfather, after the First World War, he became quite rich because he was... producing the blankets of the soldiers. You know, it was something of the moment. So he had some money. And so he decided he wanted to become more important. And in Tuscany, the way to be noble or important comes if you have an estate. Comes from the Medici period. The Medici were bankers, but always have a lot of villa. But all these wonderful villas are farms. So to have a farm that produces and you have your own oil and wine was an elevation of the social level. So he started to go around to find an estate. And once he was in this area, and he has a very difficult son. It was difficult until the end, so it was difficult. He was not eating. Right here, there was a worker, and he said, I'm hungry. And he brought him some food, and he was eating happily. And so he said, this is the place, and he bought it. But the funny is that he bought the farm. In Italy, they say closed gate, whatever is inside, with some buildings and furnitures and agricultural stuff. You don't know what you buy. You buy everything. That was the system. Now it's no sense, but that was the moment. And so he started to go on in producing wine and oil and doing things so that there was the Second World War and the things went on after. And then he gave as a present to his daughter, that is my husband's mother, and after her arrived to my husband. And now you saw that Rasorella, because we have three daughters, and we hope the things goes on. But what we did at first was to go on in producing wine oil. But when we arrived, the farm 30 years ago was in difficult condition. Difficult because the buildings need an enormous quantity of maintenance. And so we had to start to rebuild all the buildings. And we did new vineyards. We did the cellar, new cellar, using the technology that is necessary to add a good wine because there is no other possibility. And we were lucky because my mother -in -law decided to use the houses of the workers that went away because they wanted to stay in the town as houses for holidays. So we started Agriturismo. This is the name that was quite common. But we started in 79, so many, many years ago. And from that, we went on rebuilding the apartment, the rooms. We started to do wine tasting, to have guests. And so it was a long and complicated adventure. And then we had three children and a lot of stories. But we decided to go on and to give a new life to this place. Even if we come from different worlds, because I was a lawyer, so I know a story. And my husband has a textile industry. It's better. Hard work, but fantastic. So it was a long, long story. During this period, we decided to change our system of working and to become organic, about 20 years ago. And it was easy. This is something that you can tell to all your guests in Italy. To produce wine in the organic way is very easy because we grow traditional grape and we know... the variety that can work for a place. And this makes the organic system very easy. So it was easy to become organic. It's easy to grow organic grape vines that are stronger and gives good grape. It was difficult to convince all our neighbors to become organic. That was complicated. But now I'm very proud to say that we are in the heart of an organic district. So all around is organic. And so our water is clean and the situation. is a little bit better. And that's the story. And now we are here waiting that the girls come back and going on to have a lot of fantastic guests. We are very, very lucky because the social media helped us to have the right guests. There is not a place for everyone. If you need a five -star hotel, it can be not your place. But if you want an authentic experience, it could be nice and it could be fun.
Part of the itinerary that they built for us was to drop us off at your winery, gave us some information. And so obviously we contacted you. But I want to say you have been a fantastic host. I know that you are very busy. You are very busy. You have lots of things. You had girls for breakfast. You have a whole lot of guests for lunch. But your wines are truly. Truly fantastic. We have enjoyed, yeah, very special. We have enjoyed every single one of them. We're going to ship some home to the U .S. so that we can enjoy them and think about you.
I think the wine is part of the experience of Italy, but not because you have to drink a lot, because the wine is really part of our normal life. This is something I tell to other people that come from other areas. For Italian, wine is not alcohol. It's food. And it's part of a social idea of the food. Everything in Italy is an obsession. We think always about food. We eat all the time. We talk about food. It's always in this way. Because it's really the table where we sit together is the best place to solve every problem and to have a good time. So everything in Italy... goes around the food. So to eat and drink is, I think, part not only to be happy, but even to be part of the real life. If you don't understand food, you don't understand Italy. So what I say is go in the place to the guests, go in the farm, go in the market, eat the local and the seasonal food, because this is what for us is important. And that's why I think the Italian food is good is even because we spend a lot of energy in food, not in economics. That's why we are not so rich, because we spend a lot of time in these things. But I hope that for you and for your guests is a way to understand better Italy. And the last thing I want to say is that walking is the best way to enjoy Tuscany, all Italy, but Tuscany particularly. Most of the people sometimes come and go from a town to another town by car. I think the beauty is in the fields, in our hills, in our landscape. So what you do to walk is the right way and the right time that you spend and you understand better Italy. So this is for me is important. And my wine master always say one thing. Only beautiful vines give good wine, you know. So I think that the beauty is part of an idea that is not only in the town, but is more in Tuscany than all of the rest of Italy, because it comes from the idea of Renaissance. The beauty has to be everywhere. The harmony has to be everywhere. So this idea that even the fields are gardens in some way, they have to be beautiful. It's something that when you walk, you will get without any complication. And I hope it makes you feeling good. So this really ended up becoming one of those travel days that you just can't manufacture.
really ended up becoming one of those travel days that you just can't manufacture. We couldn't have planned this. And nothing about it felt rushed. Nobody was trying to move us along. We were sitting in that Tuscan garden, drinking our wine, hearing these stories that you just heard from Federica. behind their winery and what Tuscany means to this family. And she had the kitchen fix us a couple of sandwiches to go, filled up our water bottles with good cold water. Before we left, we ended up ordering a case of wine that should be at the house when we get home.
Yes, so eventually we decided that we should probably start the actual walk so that we could make it to San Giambiano. The route covered about 9 .8 kilometers, so roughly six miles, through vineyards, olive groves, rolling hills. and quiet dirt roads. The route covered about 9 .8 kilometers, which is roughly six miles. So through vineyards, through olive groves, rolling hills, quiet dirt roads. And sometimes the only sound was the wind moving through the trees, the birds, and honestly, just the ground and the gravel and whatever we were walking through crunching beneath our feet. There's something that's really calming about walking through the countryside like that. You step away from needing to be on a schedule or notifications, transportation logistics, because it was just going to be us getting ourselves to the town. And all the little stresses that come with travel just were not even there. So what I remember is that Federica at the winery, she told us about how happy that she was that we were actually going to walk through the Tuscans countryside because she said not enough visitors ever experienced this part of Tuscany like that. And honestly, after doing that, I completely understand what she meant. And so then after a while on the trail, we rounded the corner and got our first view of San Giambiano rising in the distance. So San Giambiano has these medieval stone towers that rise up above everything else in the town. And so from far away, you really do start to notice them. Hundreds of years ago, wealthy families actually competed to build the tallest tower as a symbol of status and power. A lot of them, like some of the ones that were like really tall, they didn't make it or they had to shorten them for safety reasons. But today, so many of these towers still dominate that skyline. And so it really does make San Jimnano instantly recognizable.
Yeah, think about it. You had these families. who just decided they would build these really tall towers, but they had no experience whatsoever in engineering or architecture. And so that's why a lot of those towers didn't survive. But at one time, there were hundreds of them that were in that skyline. Well, by the time we reached San Germano, it was just about the perfect timing for dinner. Let me say, before we left the winery, Umberto, the owner, had recommended a restaurant for dinner that evening. He knew the owners personally and told us that their daughters were really good friends. So we made our way into town and ended up with this table on a terrace overlooking the valley below San Jimminano. And honestly, after spending the entire day walking through the vineyards and countryside roads, Just sitting there watching the sunset over Tuscany, it felt like the perfect ending to that day.
And Scott, what was funny about that restaurant is I could actually see it from the terrace at our hotel overlooking that countryside. And I looked down and I was like, I wonder what that is. It honestly looked like I was like, oh, they're having some kind of special event or something like that. But when we put it in and walk down to it. It was like, this is cool because this is the place that he had recommended that I could see from the terrace. And so also when we mentioned that Umberto from the winery had sent us there, their faces completely lit up. They had some of their wines on their wine list, which is really cool to like see a wine list in Tuscany and say, oh, I recognize this winery.
Yeah, you could just see how they take pride in supporting each other.
So the next morning, we actually gave ourselves permission to sleep in a little bit because we didn't have to pack things. We were going to have another night in the town, in this hotel. And so honestly, I feel like that was one of the things that we were looking forward to and one of the huge advantages for this relaxed trail itinerary compared to the point -to -point walking where you're going to have to move every day. So because we weren't going to be packing up and changing hotels every day, it just allowed us to have a little bit more of a relaxed pace and feel a little bit more relaxed too. And that was especially important because we are doing this as part of a longer trip. So we had travel on the front and the back. But one of the things that we also have mentioned is this would also be great for if you're just arriving, you have a little bit of jet lag or something like that. It lets you ease into this a bit more. That next day, we really got to focus on exploring the town and then going out on a loop trail that circled the other side of that outside of the city walls and gave us multiple viewpoints that looked back toward the skyline, toward San Jim Rano.
Well, we started out on the trail and just outside the city walls, I spotted this winery, which probably surprised absolutely nobody listening to this podcast because this is Tuscany after all. And the winery is called Altiza. And at first we thought we'd just stop in for a quick look around, but apparently quick look around has very different meaning for Melissa and I, especially when you're in Tuscany, because that quick stop turned into a tour, which turned into a tasting, which somehow turned into spending almost half the day there. And before we tell you about the experience, we're actually going to let you hear directly from Gabriela, the sommelier at the winery.
Hi everybody, this is Gabriele, Gabriele Salvatori, the sommelier of Altezza Wanery. Guys, I would be glad to have you as a guest into our beautiful wanery, Altezza Wanery that is based in San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy. Do you like wine? Do you want to taste our beautiful red wines? Or maybe you are white wine lovers, I don't know. Tell me later. I would be glad to pour for you my baby. Do you know my baby? It's a super Tuscan wine. Or maybe you don't know super Tuscan. They are blends, special blends of red grapes harvested in Tuscany. They are aged in different types of barrels and they are, in general, not always, they are full -bodied wine. Do you prefer light wines or do you like more full -bodied wines? Anyway, I will wait for you in this beautiful place, in my lovely town. San Gimignano with a beautiful view on the skyline of San Gimignano. And we will have a great experience with 10, 15, 20 wines. And at the end, if the wine is not enough, I'm going to open the barrel. No, no, I'm joking. I'm joking. Of course. See you here, guys. Take care. Bye. Okay,
Scott. Now, here's where the story got really, like, it's such a small world. So back in 2019, as I have mentioned, Scott and I visited this area. And we visit a winery in Tuscany during the excursion from a cruise. So while we were talking with Gabriella, we started telling him about the experience and where we had been. And he said, like, who, like, describe her. And we did. And he was like, I think that's my cousin. And so I actually said, well, I have pictures. And I pulled them out real quick. And he said, oh, yes, sure enough. She's had babies since then, et cetera, et cetera. So it was just really, really cool. I think several of the people that work there are in the family. And so he was telling the chef and he told, I think probably the other girl was his other cousin. And he was like, oh, you'll have to see this. And so it was just really, really neat. So it turns out that that was their sister winery. So, of course, we ended up sending him the photo so that he could send it along, taking another selfie together. And then he sent everything to his cousin as well. It was funny because,
was funny because, like you said, everybody was like, oh, yeah, yeah, that's so -and -so. But it was funny because everybody kept saying, yeah, she's had babies since then. So I think they were just saying that she's kind of grown up since that time. But it was neat. And like you said, such a small world. We had no idea that this winery even existed. And we couldn't even remember the name of the other winery at the time. And it was just the fact that you had that picture on your phone where we had taken a selfie. And he's like, oh, that's my cousin. That was really neat.
So at some point, well, I guess I should add, it just wasn't just a wine tasting. Like it was a wine and food pairing. And then they kept saying, oh, this would be good with such and such. And then they would go get more food. And he would come back and say, oh, if you'd like this or you would like this a little bit better. Or so, I mean, it was a full on experience. They had set us up this table with a beautiful view of the winery. We just got really lucky because we didn't make reservations, obviously, because that said we just stumbled in on it. So we got lucky that it worked out. But finally, we looked at the clock and realized that I think three or four hours had gone by and we really needed to make a decision. So do we call a taxi and go back to the hotel or do we continue on the trail? And so we decided to continue on the trail. I think we were only like a mile in, but we were like, we really want to do this walk and see this.
Very generous. We were just outside the city walls. We were not a mile in. I don't even think we had hit the trail yet. We had the entire trail left ahead of us that day. It was an easy decision considering we had tasted quite a bit of wine at that point. But after all the incredible food and wine, we both agreed we probably needed the walk. And that's why we were there after all. So we loaded up three bottles of wine from Gabriela and continued the remaining nine kilometers on foot. And it turned out to be such a rewarding day. I think we were proud of ourselves for not taking the easy route of taxiing back to the hotel because there was a lot of up and down on that trail that day. We had a lot of hills to climb. And then when we got back to San Gimignano, we found this pizza restaurant for dinner. And I think we hit the bed pretty hard that night.
The other thing I wanted to say about getting to spend another night there is that we, you said we had the pizza for dinner. We had really two different dining experiences there. So the night before, you had actually had a similar experience to like the Florentine steak with the wine and with the view. So we decided to go in a different direction and just have pizza. We found a little bitty small place that's kind of off the beaten path. Now, there were quite a few people there, but I think it's somewhere. that feels very local because it's not like in the piazza. And so again, I just really enjoyed the opportunity to be in these towns in the evening and see what it's like and having dinner at a couple of different places with local people or with other visitors as well.
Well, the next morning after breakfast, our driver picked us up and grabbed our bags and they transferred us to the small town of Strove. And honestly, this was going to turn into my absolute favorite day on the trails because this was the day we walked part of Via Francigena. And if you aren't familiar with it, the Via Francigena is this ancient pilgrimage route that stretches from Canterbury, England, all the way down through Italy towards Rome and eventually into southern Italy. And we're going to see Via Francigena again later on our trip. We were in Puglia, and we were shocked by that. And it's like, oh, we didn't know, or we knew it, but we didn't realize it. It would come down through here. Historically, the pilgrims, though, would travel towards Jerusalem, and they would follow sections of this route, you know, many centuries ago. And so the trail itself was peaceful, wide open, and surrounded by rolling countryside. You could almost imagine these travelers making the same journey a thousand years earlier.
And so what we learned is as this pilgrimage route grew over time, then towns naturally developed along it to support travelers, places to sleep, places to eat, rest, recover before continuing on. Because, I mean, think about that. What Scott just said, it goes from Canterbury, England, all the way to the end of the boot in Puglia, and then you would take a boat. part of the way and then make your way the rest of the way to Jerusalem. And so honestly, this section of the trip really slowed us down, I think, in the best possible way because we weren't rushing at all. We knew that we had plenty of time to just walk and enjoy the experience. And I think also, Scott, for me, this was probably the most peaceful part of the entire adventure because it really was walking along this path. Now, I will say this was great because we got to experience a section of that. So Scott mentioned they dropped us off in Trobe. We're going to talk about we walked to another town and then we were picked up again. But people do this trail, maybe just the Tuscany section, but they'll do like miles and miles of it. But it really just gave us a taste of what this is like. So the trail eventually brought us into Monterra Gioni. which honestly felt like stepping directly into the Middle Ages. Now, from what I've heard, it's like the most, besides I would say like San Juno, but the most like well -known photographed town in Tuscany. I know a lot of movies have actually been filmed there. It is very, very small. It's completely enclosed by a medieval stone wall. with towers surrounding the hilltop, almost like a crown that overlooks the countryside. And our transfer driver had actually told us that. He said, oh, as you go to this, like notice what it looks like. It's going to look like a crown sitting up there on top of the hill, which was neat for him to like share that with us. So because we had built enough time into our walk and into our day, we could really enjoy it. We had plenty of time. Another transfer would pick us up there. So we got. to just walk through the town. We got to sit and have lunch in the piazza. They do have a city wall there that is being renovated. So it was unfortunately closed and you couldn't walk the city walls. But yeah, we had plenty of time to walk around and really see this neat little town.
Well, the driver picked us back up in Monteregioni and transferred us now to Siena. And this is going to be our last stop in Siena. And we stayed right inside the historic center, not far from Piazza del Campo, which is probably one of the most famous piazzas in all of Italy. The piazza has a unique shell -shaped design that slopes gently towards the center and has been the heart of Siena for centuries. It's also where the famous paleo horse race takes place twice every summer, where the different contrata... or neighborhoods of Siena compete against each other in one of Italy's oldest traditions. We arrived with enough time to shower, relax a little bit, and then head back out for dinner that evening. And despite Siena being larger than Volterra or San Giamano, we actually found the historic center surprisingly easy to walk and to navigate. And Scott,
Scott, it was so interesting because when we got down to that... that piazza. I think both of us were like, how in the world did they do a horse race here? Like it's like the cobblestone, like all the streets are. And you're thinking, how in the world? But we ended up seeing some pictures. This tradition is obviously very prevalent in Siena with the different neighborhoods. And we would see as we would go through, they each have their own emblem. They have flags. Their light fixtures are different as you go through the town. So it's a really, really neat thing to like to see that. It would definitely be something if you got to experience that horse race, because I'm sure it's, I don't know, just the pride of the neighborhoods. I'm sure it is just a crazy. neat thing to get to experience. And even though Siena is very small and compact, I guess in today's standards, I mean, back then the different neighborhoods when it was harder to get around, they still have that pride in that. So Scott, for me, the absolute highlight of Siena was going to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, which is known probably more commonly as the Siena Duomo. The lady at the hotel had told us where we could go in and like get tourist information and see what we wanted to see. And we hadn't made any concrete plans. So we just went in and talked to her and she was just asking us what kind of things we would be interested in. But I think for me, when I learned that they had spots available where you could climb not only to the top of the Duomo. But then there was also this other, I don't know what you would call it, like tower, like lookout. I think we just love lookout points, right? So they had tickets available for that afternoon, kind of before sunset. I was like, sign us up. And I am so glad that we did that. So the Siena Cathedral. And as we are recording this, we have already been to Florence. We have been to several other places and seen lots of other churches. You guys do not miss the Siena Cathedral. It is something spectacular, the whole inside. There was so much money there that they put into this. So it's actually one of the most visually striking cathedrals in Italy because it's the black and white striped marble. And yes, the Duomo in Florence is that way too. But the intricate artwork, the massive interior spaces that are all decorated. The unbelievably detailed floors, and you can't see all of it because they're obviously trying to preserve it. And then there is this library in there that I don't even know how to describe it. It's like when I was like looking at the guide and they had a free audio guide that you could download on your phone and different things. It was like, don't miss this room. And you could hear people. Like when I went in, I was just like, and I stood there for a long time. And everybody who walked in, it was kind of the same reaction. This cathedral was originally built between the 12th and 14th centuries. Siena intended for the cathedral to become one of the largest churches in the world. And the city competed with Florence for power and influence during this whole medieval period. So that was that was really why. So that they had a fascinating museum, the crypt and the baptistry also. Just this whole thing. Just don't miss it. And then, like I mentioned, let's talk just real quick about going up into the. The dome, you climb up these stairs. We got really lucky. It was a family of four and then the two of us right before sunset. And it was very different from doing the one in Florence. You got to walk all the way around. You got to like really see in and get to take pictures without everything like being covered kind of the way. It was just a different, more intimate experience than what you're going to get in Florence as well.
Well, our final walking day was a shorter loop walk around Siena. It was only about three kilometers, but honestly, distance didn't really matter because there were so many places to stop along the way. The different churches, viewpoints, narrow medieval streets, little cafe. It felt much more like an exploration day than a hiking day. And that brought us to the end of our Max Adventure Relaxed Trails of Tuscany. One nice thing about ending in Siena. is that there's easy train access onward to Florence if you want to continue your trip through Italy. Or if you're going to fly back home, you can get to Florence very easily for that. So Scott,
Scott, now that we've had time to reflect on this trip a little bit more, I think one of the things that stood out to me was just how approachable this travel style really is. I know I mentioned it before. And I think when a lot of people hear walking holiday or walking adventure, they picture climbing mountains and having these huge packs, like having to carry all your stuff. And it's not like that at all.
Yeah, not even close. I actually think this itinerary is extremely beginner friendly. Now, you're walking, right? And I talked about some of the distances. So just know that. They felt very manageable, especially because the trip is structured in a way that gives you time to slow down and enjoy where you're at instead of just pushing through miles every day. And Max Adventure really removes a lot of the stress that normally scares people away from trying something like this because they arrange your hotels ahead of time for you. Your luggage gets transferred for you, so you don't have to worry about that. The routes are mapped inside their app. And if you get off the trail, it tells you you're off the trail. So you're not really trying to figure out complicated logistics while standing in the middle of Tuscany. And we saw a lot of that. We saw people pulling out maps or trying to look at their phone and figure out where they need to go next. For us, you just needed to follow the trail. lying on your app. And if you were not on the right trail, it told you that.
So it's really, really a great combination of active travel and slow travel, especially just relaxed trails. So you're moving through a destination, I feel like, really intentionally instead of just racing through it. But you're still comfortable at the end of the day, like enough to where, yes, we would sit down and rest and have a shower, but then we would go off a little bit more and have dinner.
You're not staying in huts on this trip. You're not staying in hostels. You have nice accommodations.
Yeah. And honestly, I think that's what Max Adventure does so well as a company. They encourage people to be adventurous, but in a way that feels achievable and confidence building rather than intimidating. And I would say if you run into any issues along the way, like all you have to do is contact them. There's like numbers right in the app and you'll be able to reach somebody. We didn't have to do that this time. We did the last time when we were in Umbria, unrelated to the walking, but they were there to support us and help us. And so it was absolutely fantastic. So if you're planning a longer trip in Italy, we'd actually recommend doing something like the relaxed trails of Tuscany near the beginning of your journey. It really does give you time to adjust to the pace of Italy. Just relax from transition out of your life and de -stress. Recover from your jet lag a little bit. slow your brain down, and really settle into an experience before moving on to the bigger cities and the faster -paced travel that you might experience in other places in Italy.
And honestly, one of the cool things about Max Adventure is that Tuscany is just the beginning. They have self -guided walking and biking itineraries all over Europe, from Italy and Switzerland to Portugal, Scotland, France, and beyond. And they're constantly adding new routes and experiences. So whether you want to walk through the wine country, hike coastal villages, bike between small towns, or just slow down and experience a destination differently, there's probably a max adventure itinerary that fits your travel style.
That's what we really appreciate is that you can make these trips your own. You're not walking with a group of people, unless that group is the group you brought with you. You're not walking with a group of other people. You can move at your own pace. You can stop when you want. You can add extra nights. So they are definitely customizable when you go. Like you actually contact somebody and then they build the trip around the dates and what's available and things like that. So you can do that and then you can explore along the way. So it still feels like your adventure just without the stress of trying to organize all the details yourself. If this episode inspired you to try a self -guided walking trip for yourself,
this episode inspired you to try a self -guided walking trip for yourself, We'll include links in the show notes to the Relaxed Trails of Tuscany, the Umbria Short Break we did last year, and the main Max Adventure website, where you can browse all of their itineraries. And of course, if you'd like help figuring out which trip might be best fit for you, you can always reach out to us through Sunshine Travelers Experiences, and we'd be happy to help you plan your own adventure. Because sometimes the best parts of travel happen when you slow down enough, to actually experience the journey in between. Thanks for joining us on this adventure. Stay tuned as we'll have plenty of Italy to cover in our upcoming episodes. Well, that's it for today's episode. Wherever you're listening from, we hope we've added a little spark to your travel dreams today.
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