For those taking an independent trip, we provide general information on public transport options from destination airport to first hotel or a taxi can be booked via your Route Manager who will be in touch with you 2 weeks before departure.

For those taking an Escorted trip, your Tour Manager and Tour Leader will meet you at the destination airport at a specified time to transfer you to the first hotel or you can opt to make your own way to the first hotel.

All the hotels booked on the Independent programme are conveniently situated along the route… Each itinerary will include a variety of hotels in terms of star-rating and character, and on most routes there is an ‘upgrade option’ which will include hotel upgrades where available and as specified within the itinerary.

ATG selects the best and most characteristic hotels available for its Escorted programme, conveniently situated for travellers on foot – whether an atmospheric palazzo in the heart of a medieval city, an idyllically situated mountain hotel or family- run B&B.

Whether booking an Independent or Escorted trip you should expect successive hotels to differ in character – part of the adventure of travel.

Please let us know about any dietary restrictions or allergies in advance so that our Tour Consultants can ensure that you are catered for during your holiday. Most dietary restrictions do not present a problem on our trips and our Tour Consultants can discuss your requirements in more detail with you at the start of your trip.

On an Independent trip you will be provided with a detailed route book that will tell you everything you need to know to enjoy your holiday including walking directions, marked maps, town maps and information. In addition you can navigate the route using an app downloaded to your smartphone. Your Route Manager will also be available by phone at any time during your trip provide you with support and advice.

If you opt to book an independent trip at Pieve a Castello, you will be provided with a route book detailing walks in the area and our Client Services Co-ordinator will be on hand to provide information and advice for the duration of your holiday.

On an Escorted trip you will be accompanied on all the walks and visits by the Tour Leader who will have an excellent knowledge of the area and the trip, and who will provide you with two-minute ‘sound bites’ during the daily activities to keep you informed and entertained. If you want to know more please ask the Tour Leader, who will be delighted to respond. In this way you get to know as much (or as little) as you like.

The walks are graded according to difficulty but you can walk as much or as little as you like (see ‘What if I don’t want to walk?’)

Easy: walking along well-established paths and tracks with some short ascents/descents. These trips are suitable for most people who enjoy occasional exercise.

Easy to Moderate: walking along well-established paths and tracks. Occasional loose (gravel) surfaces. Ascents/descents up to 1 hour.  These trips are suitable for most people who have a reasonable level of fitness.

Moderate: walking along a variety of paths and tracks. Occasional uneven areas. Ascents/descents 1-2 hours. These trips are suitable for those who have a reasonable to good level of fitness.

Moderate to Challenging: walking along varied paths and surfaces, occasionally challenging, with ascents/descents of 2-3 hours. These trips are suitable for more experienced walkers who have a good level of fitness.

You don’t have to!

On an Independent trip you can ask your Route Manager to arrange taxis or advise you of local transport options to facilitate shortening the walks.

On an Escorted trip you can either get a lift with the Tour Manager to the lunch location or the next hotel, or we can suggest options to allow you to walk for part of the day. If the itinerary does not involve a hotel change on a given day, you can simply stay in the town and explore, and join (or not join) the group for lunch. The Tour Leader will discuss the next day’s options with the group every evening.

On each route there is an ATG Route Manager, who is there to take care of all the practicalities and ensure the success of your trip. Route Managers have all been ATG-trained, speak English and the language of the country fluently, and live in the local area. Your Route Manager will make contact with you a couple of weeks prior to departure (usually by email) and will then meet you at the start of your trip and will be available during your trip to move your luggage from hotel to hotel, provide local information, make restaurant reservations and do everything possible to ensure that you derive maximum enjoyment from your holiday.

For more information about our Tour Consultants, click here: People & Quality

Escorted  trips are accompanied by two of ATG’s fully trained Tour Consultants, from the moment they welcome you at the airport, through to the end-of trip airport transfer. The Tour Manager looks after the practical side of the trip – luggage transport, hotels, food and drink. The Tour Leader will lead each day’s walk, and after dinner each evening will tell you about the following day’s itinerary. Both Tour Consultants will explain their role, and how the trip will run, on the first evening at dinner.

For more information about our Tour Consultants, click here: People & Quality

The Client Services Co-ordinator will meet you on arrival at Pieve a Castello and be available throughout your stay for any assistance you may need including information on things to see and do locally, information on local walks, shuttle transfers to the local town or taxi bookings. 

Yes! All our itineraries are carefully designed to allow you sufficient time to enjoy everything offered in the itinerary and/or described in the trip ‘features’. If you want more time to explore a certain highlight, you can ‘opt out’ of the day’s walking (see ‘what if I don’t want to walk?’). Independent trips can also be customised if you wish to spend more time in any of the places on route.

Yes. The Independent itineraries are designed such that even on trips with full days of walking, as long as you set off by 0930 you should arrive at your hotel with plenty of time to relax before dinner.

On Escorted trips, even with full days of walking we aim to get you to your hotel in time to allow you a few hours to relax before dinner. We also build ‘free time’ in to each itinerary, which is important to maximise enjoyment.

Whether taking an Independent or Escorted trip, you can always opt out of part of (or all of) a day’s activities if you would prefer to relax at the hotel.

In addition to your travel costs to reach the route, you would need to consider costs for lunches (either a picnic style lunch or lunch in a café as you prefer) and evening meals. Where an evening meal is included at a hotel this is indicated on the trip page. For evening meals not included, the route book provides restaurant recommendations to suit a wide range of budgets. You would also need to factor in any entrance fees to museums, churches, galleries and other sightseeing costs, items of a personal nature, shopping expenditure and transport if you choose to not to walk on some days.

Tourist Tax

This tax is charged per guest per night and the rate is determined by the local council based on the star rating of the accommodation. The rate usually varies from €2 up to €5 per person per night, although the rate can be higher in major cities. This tax is not included in the price of your holiday but where applicable will be payable direct to your hotel in cash.

On escorted trips everything is included (per the published itinerary) apart from items of a personal nature and snacks or drinks outside of the set meals. 

In addition to your travel costs to reach Pieve a Castello, you should budget for travel costs for any day trips you may wish to organise.  You would also need to factor in any entrance fees to museums, churches, galleries and other sightseeing costs, items of a personal nature and shopping expenditure. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided at Pieve a Castello but if you go out for the day you would need to consider the cost for lunch.

We are delighted to book extensions for you at either end of your trip. We only book hotels with which we have an established relationship and where we can ensure a high level of service and enjoyment. If you would like an extension hotel booking please indicate this during the booking process and we will contact you with pricing information.

ATG offers suggested itineraries for each Independent trip and all independent trips can be customised to include additional activities where available (such as wine tasting, bike hire, cookery classes, boat trips and so on) which would be paid for locally and organised via your Route Manager. You can also build your own itinerary, for example if you wished to spend more time at any of the places along the route. Please refer to each individual trip page where you will find ideas and suggestions. Our Sales team will provide you with a quote based on your chosen itinerary.

Yes, please click here for what to bring. A packing checklist is also included with your booking confirmation.

Experience has shown that after an enjoyable trip, clients often like to show their appreciation to the Tour Consultant(s). Although in theory we are a ‘no tipping’ organisation, we do not insist on this. A gratuity is therefore not expected, but any such gesture will not cause offence.

Smoking in most European countries is now forbidden by law in indoor public spaces, including restaurants and bars. On all Escorted trips clients are asked to kindly refrain from smoking at meal times and generally when they are with the group.

Our holidays are fully supported. On our independent trips your Route Manager can be contacted 24 hours a day in case of emergencies, for independent stays at Pieve a Castello your Client Services Co-ordinator will be on site and on our Escorted trips you will be accompanied throughout by the Tour Leader and Tour Manager.