“Show and Tell”: Exploring Tuscany in a Day

It doesn’t matter how often you visit Tuscany, you can never tire of its breathtaking views. Whether you are driving through the quintessential Tuscan countryside of Val d’Orcia, or the hidden gem of Versilia, you won’t be disappointed with the scenery.

Recently, we were invited to join a newly launched day trip experience by Walks of Italy to Tuscany from Rome. With a small group, you will be chauffered through the stunning area of Val d’Orcia, leaving bright and early from Rome and will get you back in time for dinner, Italian time, which means after 8pm.

A long day yet an incredibly memorable experience. Here are some of our favorite photos from this experience.

6 Favorite Photos from Exploring Tuscany in a Day

1. We’ve driven through Val d’Orcia before but have never been to some of the towns in this itinerary. We love exploring small towns in Italy as there’s just a sense of authentic charm about them. Monticchiello was our first stop and while the windy roads leading to the town may leave you frazzled, the views from here will immediately revitalize you. Well-worth that ride.

The countryside around Monticchiello with Pienza in the distance.

2. Monticchiello is small, it takes less than 10 minutes to walk around the town, yet I could spend a few hours here exploring the hidden corners and taking time to look at the details. A Tuscan jewel!

Details in Monticchiello

3. We’ve also never been to Pienza before and can assure you that we’ll be back to fully explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also if you love cheese, this is your kind of place. Pienza is renowned for its pecorino cheese and we had the opportunity to taste and buy some. I surely bought my share.

Street of Pienza

4. For us, one of the highlights was the stop at the organic farm for lunch. The views from here as well as around the farm had us in awe. We were in luck that day and as it is mating season, we were privy to this courtship ritual.

Courtship ritual

5. With all the talk about “zero-kilometer” food, this is as good as it gets. All the dishes served for lunch were made with ingredients from the farm. This salad served with goat cheese (yes, aslo made at the farm) was divine. I could have just had salad and their freshly baked bread and would have been more than happy. Instead we continued with pasta, a cheese plate served with honey and jam, and then dessert.

Delicious salad for lunch

6. As the evening came around, there’s no better way to end than a stop at a vineyard. We toured the facilities and were given insights in the makings of the famed Brunello di Montalcino and enjoyed some tastings of their best wines before we headed back to Rome.

Vineyard in Tuscany

Huge thanks to Walks of Italy for the invite and a wonderful day in the Tuscan countryside. It makes for a nice getaway from the bustle of Rome and while the cost of the day trip is usually €159, they are running a sale until May 31st where you’ll get 10% off.

Have you been to Tuscany? What are your favorite cities/towns?