Trekking in Tuscany | From Montalcino to Buonconvento | Hiking trails in the Arbia and Ombrone valleys

Itinerary in the great scenery of the Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi (literally Sienese clays), in a picture-perfect setting, just about 26 km north of Podere Santa Pia. This itinerary starts in Montalcino at the Piazza Garibaldi and brings you to Porta Burelli where you leave the city.
This hike takes you to an astoundingly attractive area, the Crete Senesi, and to some of the most beautiful valleys in southern Tuscany. You walk along strade bianche or 'white streets', dotted with silvery olive orchards, small villages, and vineyards, passing some of finest wineries on the northern slopes of Montalcino.
There is no difficulty in following the track.
This particular walk crosses the stage of the Via Francigena, which runs from Buonconvento to San Quirico d'Orcia (Ponte dArbia - San Quirico d’Orcia). This stage starts near the Ponte d'Arbia in the region known as the Crete Senesi (literally Sienese clays) noted for its dramatic landscape, along strade bianche or 'white streets' leading to Torrenieri, and ends in San Quirico d'Orcia in the Val d'Orcia.

Montalcino

This itinerary from Montalcino to Buonconvento starts on Parcheggio Viale Strozzi, on Via Pietra Strozzi (nearby the Chiesa della Madonna del Soccorso), takes you for a brief walk through the city, along the Piazza del Popolo, the main square of Montalcino, and leads you to the Porta Burelli where you leave town.

Map Montalcino - Pieve a Salti | Enlarge map

Montalcino is known for some of the most spectacular wines found in Italy, Brunello di Montalcino. From Porta Burelli you follow the Strada Comunale del Canalicchio, passing the vineyards of La Gerla, ParaVal di Cava, Podere Collodini, Podere Viti, Comunità Incontro.
At km 9 you cross the Via Cassia, turn left and after 300 meters turn right, in the direction of Chiusure and the Abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore. You pass by Podere Monte Landi, Podere Capannone, Podere Poggioli until you reach the Strada Provinciale di Pieve a Salti where you turn left. Val di Cava, Podere Collodini and Podere Casella.

At km 9 you cross the Via Cassia, turn left and after 300 meters turn right, in the direction of Chiusure and the Abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore. You pass by Podere Monte Landi, Podere Capannone, Podere Poggioli until you reach the Strada Provinciale di Pieve a Salti where you turn left. At km 17,5, with Poggio dell’Amore on your left, you turn right. You walk along the typical unpaved white roads until you cross the famous Strada Bianca di Pieve a Salti (Strada Provinciale 75) that connects San Giovanni d'Asso with Buonconvento (km 15).
Turning left you walk on this dirt road for about 2,5 kms where you turn right.
Halfway this stretch, at km 16, you walk through the borgo Pieve a Salti where you could consider a lunch at Ristorante Podere Caprili (lunch: 12.30 - 14.00; dinner: 19.00 - 21.00 (open every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, bridges and public holidays and summer period June-September).

Directions

Download gpx tracks here

Lenghth: 16 km | 3 hours circa
Total climb 340 m
Total descent 611 m

You can also consider expanding your walk to a longer itinerary, and continue to the Abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore. [Buonconvento - Abbazia Monte Oliveto Maggiore | Download gpx tracks here - Lenghth: 11.60 km | 2,5 hours circa].

From Buonconvento you can take a bus back to Montalcino. Timetable here.

Buonconvento

Being so close to Buonconvento, a visit to this picturesque medieval village is a must. Via Soccini is the main shopping street in the historic center, where you find most restaurants, café's, the church, the town hall and other palaces and civic buildings. The local museum of Sacred art is one of the best in the area, and houses works by Duccio di Buoninsegna, Pietro Lorenzetti, Andrea di Bartolo, Matteo di Giovanni and other Tuscan painters.

Comune

Ufficio turistico comunale | via Soccini 18

Weekly market is outside Buonconvento’s walls every Saturday on Piazza Antonio Gramsci (8:00 -13:00).

Museum of Religious Art - Museo di arte sacra della Val d'Arbia | Via Soccini, 17 | Opening time: Tues. to Sat. 10-12 and 15-17, Sun. 10-12 (winter). Tues. to Sat. 10-12 and 16-19, Sun. 10-12 (summer) • closed on Monday

Le mura che circondano il borgo di Buonconvento, Toscana [3]

Extended Itinerary | Montalcino - Monte Oliveto Maggiore

Map Montalcino - Monte Oliveto Maggiore | Enlarge map


Restaurants Montalcino Boccon Di Vino Ristorante di di Mario e Vanna Fiorani . Via Traversa dei Monti, 201, 53024 Montalcino 39 0577 848233 Il menu Menù Degustazione € 38.00 a persona Email info@boccondivinomontalcino.it - Website: www.boccondivinomontalcino.it Torrenieri Osteria dei Briganti e dei Poeti Osteria dei Briganti e dei Poeti Strada Provinciale 137, 53024 Torrenieri +39 329 604 6174 Website Facebook: www.facebook.com Buonconvento Fattoria Pieve a Salti was founded in 1978. Its 700 hectares of organic farmland in the hills of the Crete senesi, predominantly clay soil, have always been cultivated, rotating between forage and cereals. In 1996 began the conversion to organic farming. The farm or Fattoria is divided into two complexes: "Borgo di Pieve a Salti, and at 1 km Podere Caprili, that hosts a restaurant. Ristorante Podere Caprili Agriturismo Pieve a Salti Loc. Pieve a Salti 53022 Buonconvento (Siena) Ristorante Podere Caprili Pranzo: 12.30 - 14.00 (Aperto ogni venerdì, sabato, domenica, ponti e festività e periodo estivo giugno- settembre). Cena: 19.00 - 21.00 Accomodation Villa Armena Villa Armena is a late Renaissance structure built of red brick. The villa an exclusive establishment with just 10 rooms. Localita San Domenico Armena SNC, 53022, Buonconvento 00 39 051 042 1133 Website: www.villaarmena.com

Photo Gallery Montalcino, Buonconvento and the Crete Senesi

View from our starting point on the Santuario di Santa Maria del Soccorso	Porta Burelli	Santa Maria delle Grazie, outside Porta Burelli, Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino vineti e Monte Amiata	Brunello di Montalcino vineyards, Montalcino	Cipressi nella Val d'Orcia. La storia di Cyparissus nella Metamorfosi di Ovidio

Panorama of Buonconvento, Province of Siena	Buonconvento, Porta Senese	Paesaggio tra le Crete senesi e la Val d'Orcia
Brunello di Montalcino Paradisone Colle degli Angeli Paradisone Colle degli Angeli S.S. PARADISONE COLLE DEGLI ANGELI Str. vic. del Canalicchio 222, 53024 Montalcino Tel. +39 348 604 9950 Email info@paradisone.it Website: www.paradisone.it La Gerla Fattoria La Gerla Loc. Canalicchio, Pod. Colombaio, 53024 MontalcinoTel.+390577-848599 Fax. +39 0577-849465 Email lagerla@tin.it Website: www.lagerlamontalcino.com Canalicchio di Sopra Canalicchio di Sopra Loc. Casaccia, 73, 53024 Montalcino Email info@canalicchiodisopra.com Website: www.canalicchiodisopra.com Casanova di Neri Azienda Agricola Casanova di Neri 53024 Montalcino, Province of Siena, Italy +39 0577 834455 Email njj casanovadineri.it

Map of the Brunello di Montalcino region \| Member companies of the DOCG Brunello di Montalcino	Casanova di Neri, Montalcino	Cantina Casanova di Neri, Montalcino
[1] Photo by Giorgio Galeotti, licensed under thea Creative Commons Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionaleicense. [2] Photo by Massimo Telò, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribuzione-Condividi allo stesso modo 4.0 Internazionale license. [3] Photo by ho visto nina volare, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic icense.
Crete Senesi trails Walking in the Crete Senesi \| Itineraries gpx Montalcino - Buonconvento - Abbazia Monte Oliveto Maggiore \| 27 km \| 5,5 hours circa Buonconvento - Abbazia Monte Oliveto Maggiore \| 11.60 km Anello Asciano \| 10,63 km \| gpx Anello Chiusure - Monte Oliveto Maggiore, Asciano \| 5,64 km Buonconvento - San-Quirico-d'Orcia \| Via Francigena \| 17 km Val d'Orcia WALKING TRAILS Walking in the Val d'Orcia \| The best hiking trails in and around Montalcino La Val d'Orcia \| Alla scoperta dei tesori d'Italia Travel guide for Tuscany \| Guide for Tuscany \| Val d'Orcia map Walking in Tuscany \| Val d'Orcia
Case vacanza in Toscana \| Podere Santa Pia

Podere Santa Pia	Podere Santa Pia	Colline sotto Podere Santa Pia

Podere Santa Pia, con una vista indimenticabile sulla Maremma Toscana
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