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Cradle of Renaissance, drenched with inspiring rolling landscapes, ancient Etruscan towns and idyllic roads lined with cypress trees. Tuscany is all this and much more. A world-renowned region where life goes on a slower pace among vineyards, rolling hills and medieval villages. We’re going to experience the essence of Tuscany through the senses, from the sight of awe-inspiring landscapes to the taste of local cuisine and world-class wines.
We’ll wait for the first rays of the day in Val d’Orcia, enjoy the majestic beauty of Pitigliano and Pienza, drive among cypress roads and finally rest in the warm thermal waters of Saturnia.
This tour is an incredible opportunity to immerse in the fairytale atmosphere of this land and grab unique photographs of its finest glimpses.
We meet at the Rome intl. airport at 2pm, and after a short get-to-know-you we start our drive to our first domicile – the idyllically situated Altarocca Wine Resort. A decelerating break awaits us here in the midst of 20 hectares of vineyards and olive groves – in other words: pure enjoyment at the gates of Orvieto. After we have settled down a bit, we want to take the time to get to know the beautiful hilltop town a little better. The “old” Orvieto sits majestically on a rock plateau made of tuff stone – so we can see it from afar. During a photographic walk through the narrow, cobblestone streets, we will be impressed by the charm of the medieval town with its houses made of tuff and the magnificent Gothic facades. The cathedral of Orvieto (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta) in the heart of the city is known beyond the national borders of Italy – it is considered a masterpiece of Romanesque-Gothic architecture and a jewel of Italian history and art that is second to none. The city rock is criss-crossed by a fascinating, partially accessible labyrinth of cellars, corridors and huge cisterns. Also worth seeing is the Chiesa di San Giovenale from 1004 and the Romanesque monastery Abbazia di San Severo e Martirio as well as the associated fountain Pozzo di San Patrizio.
After a sunrise session in Civita di Bagnoregio we make our way into Tuscany heading to the northern tip of our trip, to the medieval towns of San Gimignano and Volterra. We spend the day strolling around the narrow alleys of the two towns before heading for sunset to the Balze Cliffs, a natural fascinating phenomenon where chasms have formed due to the erosion of the soil.
Now that we have started to enjoy the Tuscan beauties, it is time to immerse ourselves completely in the magic atmosphere of Val d’Orcia, the definitive highlight of our trip.
Part of UNESCO World Heritage site list, in the heart of Siena province, Val d’Orcia is home of the landscapes that are imprinted in our minds as the quintessential image of Tuscany.
Rolling hills, fabulous villas, medieval towns, with cypress trees stealing the scene, marking roads in tidy rows and dotting the landscape.
We’ll wake up way before sunrise to catch the magic of the first light where the long shadows enhance the slopes and a subtle fog makes a fairy-tale atmosphere.
In the same way we’ll make the most out of the late afternoon golden light till into sunset.
We’ll swing through all the iconic top-notch locations that make this portion of Tuscany stands out as a dreamy destination worldwide for photography and tourism, setting our tripods in due time to catch the best conditions for true postcard-like photographs.
Podere Belvedere, Vitaleta church, the famous cypresses grove, the Crete Senesi, Tuscany villas with cypress lined driveways, the medieval hamlets of Pienza and Bagno Vignoni, are just a few of the remarkable locations we’re going to impress in our memory (cards).
And though photography is our focus when the light is more favorable, a true Tuscan experience isn’t complete without a dive in the Tuscan cuisine. So everyday we’ll enjoy a traditional meal with local food and wine that will overwhelm our tastes like the surrounding landscape will overwhelm our eyes.
After the last sunrise it’s time to leave Val d’Orcia and head south to the ancient tuff towns of Pitigliano and Sorano. The sight of Pitigliano is breathtaking, with soaring tuff walls of the best medieval architecture and houses jetting on wild ridges and surrounding lush valleys.
We’ll enjoy the sunset waiting for the magic moment when the natural and artificial lights blend and make a charming scene, before enjoying a well-deserved typical dinner in town.
Well before sunrise we head to the last location of our trip, the magic Saturnia hot springs where we will take beautiful surreal images among the bluish thermal waters (and eventually a warm bath) waiting for the first light to hit the steams.
We’ll return to our hotel for breakfast and packing stuff before heading to Rome for the last greetings.
Unforgettable mornings, evenings and nights let us tell stories that will be remembered for a long time through our pictures. Today we go home with lots of impressions and photos in the camera.
To book this tour send an email to mail@marcobottigelli.com or fill the form below
Tour Operator: Brockmann Photography
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