Enjoy yourself with the Tours of Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Hotels / Rooms to rent / Relais / Residence / Farm Holiday / Vineyards / Wine Shops / Wine Bars / Restaurants / Spa / Handmade Products / Typical Products

1 Wine Tour »
2. Tour of the cellars in the historical centre »
3. Oil Tour »
4. Cultural Tour »
5. Visit of the panoramic sights »
6. Tour of the artisan workshops »
7. Tour of the Renaissance Palaces »
8. Tour by bicycle »
9. Tour by carriage through the historical centre »
10. Tour of cinema settings »
11. Walking Tour in the vineyards »
12. Iris Origo Tour – Garden of the Villa La Foce »
13. A day in Montepulciano for those who arrive by train »
14. The Montepulciano Spa »
15. Cooking courses »
16. “The more you taste, the more you learn”: Tasting course of wine and oil »
17. Tracking down truffles »

Requirements for booking tours
The tours can be booked at the Information Centre of Strada del Vino Nobile in Piazza Grande, Montepulciano, up to 11 o’clock the day of the tour.
You can also book by telephone on 0578/ 717484 during office hours, leaving your details of payment.
The booking will be confirmed only after payment has been received.


N.B! With a minimum number of participants tours can be organised, by request, on days other then those listed, as well as during the weekend.

For information and bookings
Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Piazza Grande 7 - 53045 Montepulciano (Si)
Tel. 0578/717484 Fax 0578/752749
www.stradavinonobile.it - info@stradavinonobile.it

Winter Hours
Monday / Friday: 10.00 am -1.00 pm 3.00 pm- 6.00 pm
Saturday: 10.00 am- 1.00 pm

Summer Hours
Monday / Saturday: 10.00 am- 1.00 pm 3.00 pm - 6.30 pm

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1.Wine Tour
Guided tour of two vineyards near Montepulciano with an explanation about wine making, a panoramic walk in a vineyard and a wine tasting in the cellars. Transfer by minibus. In the winter there is no vineyard walk..

Duration: around 3 hours
Time of departure: 10.00am / 3.00pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: over 4 persons€ 24.00
For 2 or 3 persons: tour is only to one cellar at a cost of €18.00 (duration 1 ½ hours)
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)


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2. Tour of the cellars in the historical centre
The thick underground network of cellars dug in the rock, where still today are stored the precious oak barrels with Vino Nobile, are the visible signs of the deep ties, that have for centuries, existed between the city of Montepulciano and its wine. The tour includes a guided tour to the cellars with a wine tasting to finish of - Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG.

Duration: around 2 ½ hours
Time of departure: 10.30am / 4.30pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: over 4 persons € 12.00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 23.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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3. Oil Tour
Guided tour in an olive press in the area, to see the various phases of the pressing (washing, crushing, separation, extraction), and the way this precious condiment, that is the base of Mediterranean food, is produced. A tasting of extra-virgin olive oil. The Olive Press operates from mid October to mid January. A guided tour in a vineyard, which produces both wine and oil; a panoramic walk in the olive grove and a wine and oil tasting. In the winter time there is no walk in the olive grove. Transfer by minibus.

Duration: around 3 hours
Time of departure: 10.00 am / 3.00 pm Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7 Price per person: over 4 persons € 24.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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4.Cultural tour

Guided tour of the historical centre of Montepulciano, a precious testimony to the Medici Renaissance art and architecture and to the masterful works of Antonio da Sangallo the Elder and Michelozzo: palaces of the nobles, churches, cellars carved into tuffa and military fortifications. A visit to the Civic Museum (closed on Monday). The four collections currently on exhibition are: the Poliziana section (tombstones, ceramics and metals) / Archaeological section / Crociani Picture Gallery / Della Robbia terracotta. Entrance to the Town Hall Tower (the highest panoramic point of the city) – Open only in summer.

Duration: about 2 hours
Time of departure: 10.30am /4.00pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7 Price per person: over 4 persons € 19. 00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 30.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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5.Tour of the panoramic sights

The itinerary is a discovery of the picturesque and panoramic corners of the city of Montepulciano: The visit opens out onto the marvellous scenery of Valdorcia and Valdichiana, on the surrounding vineyards, the Lakes of Chiusi and Trasimeno, in the distance the Apennines and Gran Sasso range of mountains. In summer, on a beautiful day, you can enjoy wonderful views from the Town Hall Tower (the highest panoramic point of the city) – Open only in summer. Visit the panoramic terrace of the San Francesco Monastery (Entrance reserved to participants of the tour).

Length: 2.30 - 3.00 hours.

Duration: about 2 ½ hours
Time of departure: 10.30am / 4.00pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: over 4 persons € 16. 00 / for 2 or 3 persons €23.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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6. Tour of the artisan workshops

A guided walk through the historical centre of Montepulciano with a visit to the artisan workshops of the city: the workshop of a coppersmith, to the mosaic school or to a goldsmith’s workshop. The tour will finish with a wine tasting in a cellar: Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG.

Duration: about 2 ½ hours
Time of departure: 10.30am / 4.00pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: over 4 persons € 12. 00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 23.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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7. Tour of Renaissance Palaces (an exclusive tour)
The Palazzo Contucci: work of Antonio da Sangallo the Elder (1455-1534) is still the home of the family that for generations upon generations have handed down the art of making the wine of Montepulciano as well as making it known throughout the world. The family Contucci, one of the oldest families of Montepulciano, in the Renaissance had already commenced the cultivation of vines and have continued to do so up until the present day. The tour provides a visit to:
The Sala delle Feste – The Party Room (generally closed to the public) where can be admired the frescos with a series of interesting perspectives such as the door of the gardens finished with a niche or the false door or the landscapes, all enclosed with splendid twisted columns. The frescos from 1702 are by Andrea Pozzo (1642-1702).
The cellar of the Palace (XIII century) with a series of arches and trenches testify to the military origins of the place (it was for the body of the guard for the narrowest part of the city wall) has been transformed, for centuries, into a cellar for the wine making, refining, aging, packaging and selling the wines of the Contucci vineyard. At the end of the tour there will be a tasting of the wines: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano and Bianco Della Contessa.
The Palazzo Ricci: a building of great simplicity and elegance, a commission for the architect Baldassarre Peruzzi by Cardinal Giovanni Ricci (1493-1574). In 1983, the palace became the property of the Municipality and at the end of the 1990’s the restoration and its use was entrusted to the European Academy of Music and Art. Originating from the Conservatory of Cologne, the Academy it the only musical institution among the German cultural institutes in Italy. It organises summer master classes for young musicians from all over the world with famous international teachers, concerts, exhibitions and other cultural events. The tour provides a visit to the available rooms. On some dates it will be possible to be present at lessons or concerts. From the internal courtyard the view opens out onto the surrounding hills and the Temple of San Biagio. From here the internal floors of the Ricci Palace can be accessed where is found the majestic Cantina Redi, the work of Sangallo the Elder.


Duration: about 2 ½ hours
Time of departure: Only the 1st and 3rd Thursday afternoon of each month at 3.30p.m.
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7 Price per person: from 5 to 9 persons € 33. 00 from 10 to 20 persons € 23. 00 from 20 to 40 persons € 13. 00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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8.Tour by bicycle
The Fila farm. The bike ride opens up the borders of the territory of the Municipality of Montepulciano that embrace the initial part of the Valdichiana; it will be a voyage immersed in the ‘mezzadrile’ – share cropping, that animated the life of these places until the second half of the last century; now they remain superb farm structures constructed after the long reclamation of the valley which has left a rich and fertile territory still yielding. Cycling alongside an environmental guide on a silent country road among the cultivation of tobacco, beetroot, vegetables and fruit (a taste is allowed) studded with mulberry trees whose leaves until a short time ago fed the silkworms that produced silk.

Length: 30 km (2 hours)
Difficulty: Easy
Place of departure: Montepulciano Railway Station
Price per person: min. 3 persons - € 39.00 (plus € 15.00 for bike rental)
Tour for 2 persons with bicycle included €180.00 (all inclusive)

Lake Montepulciano and the Nobile vineyards. The Reserve of Lake Montepulciano, departure point for the ride, is an area in which are present the habitat and species of animals and vegetation of notable scientific interest. Numerous species of animals will accompany the trip and in particular herons and winged creatures that have found a home in this Lake. After an initial flat ride the road climbs up the first slope of the high hill on which Montepulciano lays, encircled by vineyards where the famous ‘Nobile’ is grown.

Length: 30 km (2 ¼ hours.)
Difficulty: medium/easy Place of departure: Montepulciano Station
Price per person: min. 3 persons - € 39.00 (plus € 15.00 for bike rental)
Tour for 2 persons with bicycle included €180.00 (all inclusive)

Montepulciano and Pienza among art, history e culture: The white hilly roads linking Pienza and Montepulciano reveal the essence of Tuscany: the flavours, culture and the area reach the maximum level. Arriving and visiting the Hamlet of Monticchiello, a true and real balcony over the Valdorcia, famous for it Theatre of the Poor, visiting those places that have been used for such films as: The Gladiator or The English Patient etc. Between the gentle descent and the tough ascents Pienza is reached then on to the monastery S.Anna in Camprena. Returning to Montepulciano climbing up through the man made countryside that leads to the Temple of San Biagio. The hilly territory makes it necessary to pedal hard, but the effort will be well worth it.

Length: 25 km (2 ¼ hours) or 40 km (whole day)
Difficulty: hard (for experienced cyclists)
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: min. 3 persons - € 39.00 (tour 25 km) or €65.00 (tour 40km) (plus € 15.00 for bike rental)
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)


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9.Montepulciano by carriage (Only on request)
An unusual tour of the fifteen hundred metres along the streets of the historical centre in the 1876 covered carriage, “Milord” drawn by Brava, a bay trotting horse, or in an ancient style “Vagonet” carriage, drawn by Mondeo, a draught horse of Polish origin..

Duration: about half an hour Time of departure: Monday 10.00am. – in summer time 9.00pm. Place of departure: Piazza Grande Price per person: On request On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed). (The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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10.Tour of the cinema settings
Every tour includes an initial screening of a short movie that shows scenes of the tour’s settings.
On the return to Montepulciano a film, set in one of the visited places, will be screened.

Montepulciano settings. A Walk to discovery of the cinema settings of the historical centre, where there is the Poliziano Theatre, the Redi Cellar, the San Francesco terrace and the Temple of San Biagio. Besides the splendid Piazza Grande which has been used from the beginning of the last century, both for movies and for advertising spots; many directors have entrusted the natural scenic corners of the Renaissance city with its suggestive architecture and surrounding countryside.
At the end of the historical centre visit it is proposed to screen one of the films that have been set in Montepulciano - for example “Forbidden Christ”, “The Pleasant Nights”, “Nostalgia”, “The Arch-devil”, “In the name of the Papal King”, “A Walk in Time”, “The English Patient”, “ Mid-summer Night’s Dream”, “Under the Tuscan Sun”, “Strange History of a Sonour Band”.

Duration: 3-hours+ time of film screening
Time of departure: 3.30pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande
Price per person: min 4 persons €25.00

In Valdorcia. Tour by minibus from Montepulciano of the locations outside the gates: castles, country houses, tree-lined roads, small churches and monasteries in the countryside, jewelled hamlets and noble palaces which seduced and continue to seduce, among others, film directors and audiences from all over the world. Spaces often forgotten in the daily routine of the inhabitants, places that represent the memory of a sleepy land that woke up thanks to the magic of the movie camera.
The itinerary cuts in two Valdorcia, passing Castelluccio della Foce and the “calanchi of clay” of the Natural Reserve of Lucciolabella, where in 1950 were shot the introductory scenes of the Forbidden Christ by Curzio Malaparte, proceeding along the ancient Cassia Road till Bagno Vignoni, the thermal hamlet of Roman origins, chosen by the Russian Andrej Tarkowskij for Nostalghia –1983- and by Carlo Verdone for the scene of a night bath in his Al lupo al lupo –1993-). Returning to Montepulciano via San Quirico d’Orcia. From the main road, it is possible from various points, to see the familiar parts of the landscape, for those who have watched, at least once, The Gladiator by Ridley Scott –2002. Return and film screening.

Duration: 3-hours+ time of film screening
Time of departure: 3.30pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande
Price per person: min 6 persons €35.00

Pienza and Sant’ Anna in Camprena. The main part of the tour is by minibus to visit Pienza, 13 km from Montepulciano, declared a patrimony of Unesco in 1996 and decisively a cinema set, under the open sky, a city location, that has a long list of films in which it appears at least in one scene (without adding the advertising spots): for some decades this part has been used as a set at least once a year. The city was constructed by the desire of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, Pope Pio II, who was born in here and wanted to transform this humble hamlet of Corsignano into a “city” honoured with a Pope. The project was given to Rossellino, an apprentice of Leon Battista Alberti. Here the first example of urban planning was applied, resulting from geometrical rules that were regulated by the harmony between man, architecture and the surrounding landscape.
The tour includes a visit to the nearby Monastery of S. Anna in Camprena, where Antony Minghella shot many scenes of The English Patient (1996), exploiting the original settings and modifying them with reconstructions: in fact the little church that was turned into a library at the end of the film will not be found as it was destroyed by bombardment. Return and film screening.

Duration: 3-hours+ film screening time
Time of departure: 3.30pm
Place of departure: Piazza Grande
Price per person: min 6 persons €35.00



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11.Walking Tour in the vineyards
Guided tour across the vineyards of the wine producers, where the mature Sangiovese grapes (Prugnolo Gentile) are used in the production of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Return to Montepulciano by mini bus

Duration: about 2 ½ hours
Time of departure: 5.30pm (July and August); 10.00am (all the other months)
Place of departure: Piazza Grande 7
Price per person: over 4 persons € 15.00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 31.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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12.Iris Origo Tour – Garden of the Villa La Foce
Guided visit of the Italian garden of Villa, work of the landscape architect Cecil Pinset, realised between 1927 and 1939 for the Tuscan residence of the Marquess Origo, situation along the delightful roads of Valdorcia. Open Wednesday afternoon only.

Duration: about 3 hours
Time of departure: 3.30pm (November to March) / 4.30pm (April to October)
Place of departure: Piazza Grande 7
Price per person: over 4 persons € 32.00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 48.00
On request: tea and cakes in a historical café in the town centre of Montepulciano.
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578717484 – fax 0578752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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13.A day in Montepulciano for those arriving by train (transfer from/to Railway station of Chiusi -Chianciano Terme)
For those who love travelling by train, Strada del Vino Nobile proposes a day tour to Montepulciano, organizing the transfer to and from the railway station of Chiusi (a 1 hour trip from Roma Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Perugia, Orvieto).
The tour comprises of a guided tour of Montepulciano, with a wine tasting in a cellar in the historical centre, lunch in a restaurant, visit to the Civic Museum (closed on Monday) and the entrance to the Town Hall Tower (the highest panoramic point of the city)– Open only in summer.

Duration: Entire Day Time: to be decided on the basis of the arrival time at the station (www.trenitalia.it)
Place of departure: Chiusi railway station/Chianciano Terme
Price per person: over 4 person € 70.00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 96.00
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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14.The Montepulciano Spa
Well-being and relaxation.
The itinerary dedicated to well being and relaxation: an immersion in a thermal water bath is an ideal preparation, followed by a massage enriched by the natural properties of essential oils together with their intense perfumes and aromas, providing a deep relaxation.
At the end of the treatment the relaxation continues in the elegant historic art deco café with an aperitif and a tasting of three wines as well as a sampling of bruschetta with extra virgin olive oil from Montepulciano, cheese and salami.

Duration: about 2 hours for the thermal treatments + free afternoon for an aperitif/ tasting of wine and local products
Price per person: € 95.00
On request: taxi service to/from the Spa.
On request: a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

Face and Body Treatment
A brief pause where the meeting between the purifying and toning properties of the mud, and the thermal waters, that merge with the qualities of the essential oils and the knowledge of the modern manual techniques to give the face and body a moment of well being and natural beauty.
At the end of the treatment the relaxation continues in the elegant historic art deco café with an aperitif and a tasting of three wines as well as a sampling of bruschetta with extra virgin olive oil from Montepulciano, cheese and salami.

Duration: about 2 hours for thermal treatments + free time for an aperitif /tasting
Price per person: € 95.00 On request: taxi service to/from the Spa.
On request: a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed)
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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15.Cooking course
A course of cooking to learn how to make traditional fresh pastas.
Together with the cook learning to “appiciare” (making pici: the typical pasta of this area); followed by a lunch that includes the dishes prepared during the lesson, accompanied by Montepulciano wines.

Duration: about 2 hours (excluding the meal time)
Lesson time: 9.00am / 4.00pm
Price per person: € 68.00
Minimum of participants: 2 Maximum of participants: 10
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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16.The more you taste, the more you learn
Wine tasting course
A brief course on approaching wine for enjoyment or simply for curiosity. The course consists of 2 lessons about the production of wine, tasting techniques and matching food and wine, with particular attention to the wines of the area. The lesson includes a guided tasting of the wines produced by the associates of the Strada del Vino Nobile.

Duration: about 4 hours (2 lessons)
Time of lesson starting: 4.30pm
Place for the lessons: Enoteca del Consorzio del Vino Nobile - Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: over 4 persons € 24.00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 48.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

Oil tasting course
An afternoon dedicated to the investigation into the production, techniques of tasting and the organoleptic characteristics of extra virgin olive oil. The lesson includes a guided tasting of extra virgin oils produced by the wine makers associated to Strada del Vino Nobile.

Duration: about 2 hours (1 lesson)
Time of lesson starting: 4.30pm Place for the lessons: Enoteca del Consorzio del Vino Nobile - Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: over 4 persons € 15.00 / for 2 or 3 persons € 24.00
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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17.Tracking down truffles
The search for truffles varies according to the season. From January till April it is possible to learn to recognize the truffles “marzuolo” or “bianchetto” in a private pinewood, while from June till September the qualities of black truffles, named “scorzone” can be appreciated. From October to the end of December the protagonist is the king of truffles, the prestigious white truffle.
The search for it is in a wood of black poplars and oaks, also private, is perhaps the most involving. On every excursion however, the real protagonist is the dog with its amazing sense of smell. At the end of the excursion, there will certainly be a small but pleasant gift from the guide, who will give out some recipes and how to cook the truffles.

Duration: about 2 hours
Starting time: 6.00pm summer months / 11.00am winter months
Place of departure: Piazza Grande, 7
Price per person: € 24.00 per person
Taxi service on request

N.B. the tour takes place in the woods; as a consequence it is necessary to have the adequate equipment (boots and anorak)
On request: a tasting of salami, cheese, Tuscan bruschetta and a wine tasting (€ 15.00 per person); or alternatively a meal in a restaurant (menu and price to be agreed).
(The tour must be booked in advance: tel. 0578 717484 – fax 0578 752749 – info@stradavinonobile.it)

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