Tuscan Escapes
Via Stalloreggi, 26, 53100 Siena SI, Italia 5.0 - Excellent
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No of Employees5
Founded Year2010
Number of Tours8
About Tuscan Escapes
Tuscan Escapes by Papilio SRL is an authorized tour operator based in Siena, Italy. We are a group of young professionals with years of experience in tourism and are licensed guides of Tuscany. We operate daily small group tours departing from Siena, visiting all of the main towns, sights and famous wine regions of central Tuscany. On our tours we visit historical towns such as Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, Montepulciano and Pienza, and tour wineries to taste the delicious wines of Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino.
Why Book With Tuscan Escapes
For us, traveling does not mean only visiting a new place. What matters most is the journey itself and what it gives us — the emotions it makes us feel and the memories we bring back. At Tuscan Escapes, we understand that going on a holiday is not just choosing a destination and a hotel to stay in. It is about discovering a new world, knowing the foreign, the stranger, the new and witnessing the passions, flavors and traditions of the place you visit. We welcome you to Tuscany where we live, and according to your needs and tastes, provide you with the right services.
Tours and Trips by Tuscan Escapes Tours
Explore our most popular and top-rated tours from Tuscan Escapes Tours
Meet your guide in front of the church of San Domenico in Siena at 9:30am, easy to find even if you are arriving from out of town with your own car, as there is parking in the vicinity.
Travel south of Siena into the val d'Orcia and the famous Montalcino hill where the Brunello Wine is produced. Enjoy a first stop at a small winery, walk along the rows of vines, explore the cellars and learn about the different barrels that can be used to make this 5-year old, prestigious wine. Enjoy an introductory tasting of the famous Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino wine and contemplate its complexities and legendary aging potential.
Visit the hill town of Montalcino, the place that gives its name to this famous wine. Marvel at the fortress walls where the brave soldiers of the Republic of Siena made their last stand against Florence and the army of the Medici Family. Spend time visiting the towns squares and streets, browsing the stores and enjoying the incredible views overlooking the valleys and vineyards below.
Be welcomed into a family-run winery, meet its owners, winemakers or workers and take a visit around the farm before sitting down to enjoy a traditional Tuscan meal accompanied by the farm's delicious wines.
Enjoy a brief visit to the mystical Abbey of Sant'Antimo, a church that was once part of a large Benedictine monastery and explore its ancient spaces set in the postcard-perfect landscape. Enjoy a walk around the grounds and see the ancient trees that permeate peace and tranquility.
Take an afternoon visit to a third winery, where we deepen our knowledge of the wine making processes, the tools used from the vineyard to the cellars to care for the vines and wines. Explore the different aging barrels that are both small and large and always made of oak, which the Brunello wine must age in. Finally, sit down for another tasting of this nectar of the gods and enjoy its persistent flavors.
We always choose to visit small and medium sized wineries that work in harmony with the surrounding nature, whether certified organic or not. We believe that they make premium wines that are richer in character and more difficult to find elsewhere, often more interesting and pleasant than the simpler and more mass-produced wines made by larger wineries.
9 hours
Meet your guide in front of the church of San Domenico in Siena, easy to find even if you are arriving from out of town with your own car, as there is parking in the vicinity.
Let's begin by taking a look at the magnificent Basilica of San Domenico to admire its architecture and art, as well as the important relic that it contains, of the patron Saint of Italy and Europe: Saint Catherine, who was born in Siena. Continue to explore Siena’s medieval streets and squares and listen as your guide points out the most important historical buildings linked to the city’s main houses of power. Marvel at Rocca Salimbeni, housing the most ancient bank in the world, Monte dei Paschi, home to the main offices and an impressive collection of archives and works of art. Walk with us to Palazzo Tolomei, which is said to be the oldest private palace in Siena and see the imposing stone tower of Palazzo Chigi Saracini, a mid-12th century palazzo built by the powerful Marescotti family. Currently, this building is the seat of the prestigious Accademia Musicale Chigiana, a music school founded in 1923.
Admire one of Italy's most beautiful piazzas, the Piazza del Campo built in the shape of a shell, with the impressive Palazzo Comunale or Town Hall with its imposing bell tower, the Torre del Magia. This is the square that enjoys one of the most famous medieval tournaments, the Palio horse race, held twice a year by the city's Contrada neighborhoods and is to this day, the heart and soul of this magnificent medieval city.
End the tour with a guided visit to one of the most spectacular cathedrals in Italy, the Siena Duomo (Cathedral), with its rich interiors that span the centuries. Your guide will escort you into this breathtaking monument to see impressive masterpieces by Donatello, Bernini and Michelangelo. Admire the exquisite Gothic architecture, the ancient pulpit, and visit the chapels. Walk below the naves and marvel at the Renaissance busts of popes and the intricate marble decorations and stained-glass windows.
2 hours
Our trip starts with a drive towards San Gimignano. On our way, we stop for a walk in the fortress of Monteriggioni, a medieval and perfectly preserved fortress with a complete ring of walls and turrets built in the 13th century and mentioned by Dante in his Divine Comedy. This was Siena’s main bastion of defense against the armies of Florence.
We then continue to the fascinating town of San Gimignano, one of the most characteristic of Tuscany’s hill-towns with its many austere medieval towers that defiantly survived the centuries and are still standing today. It has recently been recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site as a testimony of medieval architecture.
Here we can walk along the ancient route of the Via Francigena, the main route to Rome for travelers and pilgrims from all over Europe. Today, the bustling San Gimignano flourishes with artisanal boutiques of the local trades and stores selling the towns ‘red gold’, the saffron spice and the centuries old Vernaccia white wine.
After spending time visiting San Gimignano and its the stores, churches and museums. We make our way to a small family run farm where we enjoy a wholesome traditional lunch prepared using the farm's own seasonal products. During lunch you will taste dishes prepared with saffron accompanied by the refreshing Vernaccia white wine.
After lunch we continue on panoramic roads towards Volterra where we will first stop at a small artisanal alabaster workshop to meet the traditionalist craftsman and witness the ancient art of sculpting this semiprecious stone in the company of the jovial artists. We proceed to Volterra, the ancient Velathri, a harmonious blend of Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance art and architecture.
You will have free time to walk along the streets of the historical centre visiting the town’s famous Etruscan museum, the still standing millennia old Etruscan arch, the Roman theatre and the other monuments of town.
8 hours
Meet your guide in front of the church of San Domenico in Siena at 2:30pm, easy to find even if you are arriving from out of town with your own car, as there is parking in the vicinity.
Travel north into the Chianti hills, an area rich with dense oak wood forests and cypress trees, neat rows of vineyards and olive groves, landscapes shaped into works of art by the combined action of nature and man. We visit a Chianti wine estate where we will visit the property’s vineyards and wine cellars and learn about the winemaking process before sitting down to enjoy a tasting of the famous Chianti Classico Black Rooster wines.
Continue to visit the Chianti by taking a walk around Monteriggioni, a medieval and perfectly preserved fortress with a complete ring of city walls and turrets built in the 13th century and mentioned by Dante in his Divine Comedy: this was once Siena’s main bastion of defense against the armies of Florence. Enjoy its quiet and charming atmosphere browsing the alleys and shops of local crafts and products, or lighting a candle in the local church as the pilgrim's once did.
In the late afternoon, arrive in the Unesco protected site of world heritage San Gimignano, just as the day’s large crowds and strong light begin to dwindle. Visit this beautiful and romantic Town of Towers at a leisurely pace, enjoying personal time to see the Collegiata church with its chapel dedicated to the local Saint Fina, or marvel at Sienese and Florentine art in the Civic museum. Browse the many boutique shops of artisanal goods such as leather and hand painted pottery, or sample local products in the food and wines stores, particularly the local saffron and Vernaccia wine for which the town is known. Take a walk up to the Rocca fortress to marvel at the surrounding views or spend your time exploring the town’s many hidden beauties.
After working up an appetite walking the medieval streets of San Gimignano, head out of town to a farm and enjoy a full Tuscan farm to table dinner with local wines. Enjoy a wholesome meal served on a terrace overlooking the nearby cultivated fields (weather permitting) just as the sun begins to set (during colder months or bad weather conditions, dinner will be served comfortably indoors).
On some occasions the itinerary might vary a little. In this case, the tour could be slightly modified but will maintain a similar general imprint, of the same duration and with all the same inclusions.
8 hours
Our first stop is under the walls of the Castello di Brolio, here we have time for taking pictures and getting an up close look at the vineyards. It is here that the Baron, Bettino Ricasoli first stimulated the renewal of the areas agriculture and gave the world the precious formula for making Chianti wines, famous the world over for easy drinkability and now no longer used straw flasks.
From here we continue to the small and quaint fortified medieval village of Radda in Chianti, perched on top of a hill and surrounded by magnificent views. Here you can enjoy a coffee in a little local bar, visit the characteristic stores or just walk on the cobbled streets and admire the architecture and panoramic vistas of vineyards and forests.
We then make our way to our first Chianti wine estate of the day where we sit down to a traditional Tuscan lunch of local products accompanied by a tasting of the farm's wines.
In the afternoon we visit a second winery where we are introduced to the local producer and shown around the estate that has remained in the hands of the same family for many centuries. See the old cellars, learn about the traditions and lifestyle of the ‘Chianti folk’ and walk among the gardens, all the while savouring and learning about the great Chianti wines.
8 hours
Join us for a unique tour exploring the beautiful Chianti region of Tuscany by electric bike. These bikes make biking in Tuscany, one of the world’s most famous cycling areas, accessible to all!
Meet your authorized English speaking guide and fellow travelers for this small group bike tour at the Siena Train station at 9:00am (in front of the pharmacy). Before heading off, familiarize yourself with the E-Bikes and equipment. Easily set the difficulty of your ride and decide whether you would like the bike to do most of the work, or do the workout yourself. The silent electric motor, allows you to enjoy the smells, sounds and tranquility of the Tuscan countryside.
During the 3 hour ride, cross neat rows of vineyards, pretty olive groves, dense and shaded forests, and sleepy villages. Throughout the morning, stop frequently to take in the views of unchanged Chianti landscape, breathe the clean countryside air and stretch your legs.
Sit down to a traditional Tuscan lunch at a local, family-run winery where you will tour the estate's cellars and vineyards and learn about the wine making process. Sit down to a delicious tasting of the farms' Chianti Classico wines and olive oil accompanied by platters of tasty local products. After lunch, get back on the E-Bikes for final, return pedal to the Siena train station to complete a day experiencing some of the best that Tuscany has to offer.
6 hours
Your meeting point for the start of the tour is from the Siena train station (in front of pharmacy) at 9:00am. Give your mind a peaceful rest from the noise of the crowded towns, follow your expert guide on a pleasant walk along the Via Francigena, an ancient pilgrim route for the first time plotted down by the Archbishop ‘Sigeric the serious’ of Cantebury on his return from Rome in the 9th century and considered the main artery to Rome throughout the middle ages.
This route, that has for centuries been a highway of men and emotions, a spiritual pilgrimage and a wealthy trade route, has been forgotten and almost entirely relegated to history by the modern paved car roads. Only recently the route has been brought back from the grip of modernity and is today enjoyed by many pilgrims and hikers alike. Experience the beauty of the mixture between the Tuscan countryside and the glory of its medieval past, still present in its wonderfully preserved castles, villages and ruins.
See the Tuscany you would never want to miss before returning home, pass through forests and fields, vineyards and olive groves from Siena to the imposing fortress of Monteriggioni. A medieval walled town located on a natural hillock, built by the Sienese in the thirteenth century as a bastion of defense in their wars against Florence. It withstood many attacks from both the Florentines and the forces of the Bishop of Volterra until in an act of reconciliation with the Medicis, the town’s captain simply handed the keys of the town over to the Medicean forces - considered a "great betrayal" by the town's people. Once in Monteriggioni, you will enjoy a guided tasting of local organic wines before saying goodbye to your guide for the end of the tour. Feel free to explore the village and the surrounding area at your own pace.
You will be given a bus ticket to return to Siena at your own leisure. There are frequent buses departing from the nearby bus stop so you can return to Siena right away or enjoy lunch in Monteriggioni and return to Siena later in the afternoon.
The hiking tour is suitable for anyone in good physical condition and with experience in long walks. It is highly recommended you wear comfortable clothes and shoes, to bring water, a hat and in summer, sun cream.
4 hours
We head out of town on one of the most panoramic roads of Tuscany through the characteristic moonscapes of the Crete Senesi. We will have brief stops on the way for photo opportunities before visiting a quaint medieval hamlet or a Benedictine monastery for a coffee stop.
We then enter the UNESCO heritage site of the Val d’Orcia, where you come across some of Tuscany’s most iconic postcard landscapes. Enjoy time exploring the Renaissance City of Pienza, one of the first towns to be entirely planned out on paper by architects and artists of the time. They were called upon by Pope Pius II - the humanist pope - to help him renovate his native town and bringing it to new splendor. Visit the Cathedral and sites or pend your time shopping and enjoying the pretty alleys of this little town. After Pienza we make our way to a local dairy farm for a wholesome and refreshing lunch based on the fresh ingredients produced on the farm. Here you can learn about cheese making process, visit the farm's animals and learn about the lifestyle of the area. Lunch will be served on a panoramic terrace, weather permitting.
In the afternoon, we visit one of the biggest of the Tuscan hill towns, Montepulciano. This town was at first under the dominance of the medieval Siena and then under the renaissance Florence. Here you can recognize the influences of both towns in its architecture and art. The town is located on a steep hill overlooking the amazing views of the Tuscan - Umbrian border.
Visit the main square, Piazza Grande, and explore one of the many old wineries carved out of the ground below the city. This town is rich with many important palaces owned by the noble families that lived here.
Enjoy a brief cellar tour and tasting of the "Vino Nobile" of Montepulciano and sight-see around the stores, palaces, churches and streets of this proud hilltop town.
8 hours