Italian Gardens – Escorted
We start this tour north or Rome before basing ourselves at Pieve a Castello, ATG's 8th Century, historic monument set in unspoilt landscape in central Tuscany, a landscape characterised by medieval hilltop villages and scattered cypress trees, undulating vineyards and olive groves.
We combine visits to diverse gardens in the regions of Rome, Siena and Florence with sightseeing and gentle, optional walks into the Tuscan countryside.
This tour complements the Tuscan Gardens itinerary, making a progression from further south, visiting some wonderful gardens, ancient and modern - all very different in character, but each in its own way outstanding.
Duration: 8 days
Trip dates:
06 - 13 Oct 2026
Itinerary
From Rome Fiumicino airport we drive (1.5 hours) to the Monti Lepini and visit Ninfa, ‘the world’s most romantic garden’.
The 'world's most romantic garden', the garden of Ninfa stands on the remains of the medieval town of the same name, stretching over eight hectares, where parts of the castle, the walls, and remains of churches dot the landscape. The beauty of the ruins themselves was exalted by the 19thcentury German historian Ferdinand Gregorovius in “Passeggiate per L’Italia”.
Formerly a watchtower, located in the heart of medieval, hilltop Sermoneta
We drive (1.5 hours) to gardens created 1,900 years ago at Tivoli’s Villa of the Emperor Hadrian. We continue (1 hour) to the Monti Cimini. And visit the splendid Villa Farnese at Caprarola and its influential 16C gardens, before continuing to Sutri and our hotel in a lovely setting.
Hadrian's Villa (Villa Adriana)
One of the best kept and most visited archaeological sites in Italy, the villa was built by Roman Emperor Hadrian at the foot of the Tiburtine Hills between 118 and 138AD. The vast residential complex extended over an area of about 120 hectares (about 300 acres) and looked very much like an ancient Roman city, including buildings, baths, temples, barracks, theatres, gardens, fountains and nymphaeums. Today it is possible to see only40 hectares, which fortunately still attest to the magnificence and significance of this complex.
Villa Farnese
The Villa Farnese (also known as Caprarola) is situated directly above the town of Caprarola and dominates its surroundings. It is a massive Renaissance and Mannerist construction, opening to the Monte Cimini (a range of densely wooded volcanic hills), designed on a pentagonal plan by the military architect and engineer, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. After Sangallo’s death, Vignola began to work at Caprarola around the mid sixteenth century: keeping the pentagonal shape of the fortress walls, he designed an elegant palazzo with a beautiful Italian garden.
Comfortable tranquil hotel in country setting
We visit the Villa Lante gardens, a synergy of Vignola’s Palladian geometry with his patron’s taste for outdoor living. We then visit the starkly contrasting, 16th century, Surrealist Gardens of Bomarzo gardens, before continuing (2 hours) to Pieve a Castello.
Villa Lante
Villa Lante at Bagnaia is a Mannerist garden of surprises near Viterbo, attributed to Jocopo Barozzi da Vignola. The gardens of the Villa Lante feature cascades, fountains and dripping grottoes. The visual and harmonious choreography of water and the mechanical perfection of its flow was only achieved after Tommaso Ghinucci, a hydraulics engineer and architect from Siena, was called in to oversee the hydraulics and building work.
Bomarzo Gardens
About 92km north of Rome, the Sacro Bosco (Sacred Wood) was built in the16th Century by Pier Francesco ‘Vicino’ Orsini, a great military leader and patron of the arts, bucking the tradition of the Italian Renaissance garden. Instead of the ornate fountains, neat hedgerows and intricately sculpted Roman gods and goddesses, Orsini left the trees and shrubs undisturbed and filled his garden with unusual and grotesque creatures – a ‘garden of monsters’.
View of the pool at Pieve a Castello
We drive (25 minutes) to Villa Vicobello, and visit the fine Renaissance garden built by Baldassare Peruzzi for the Chigi family in the 16th century. Optional afternoon visit to Siena.
Villa Vicobello
Built for the Chigi family in the 16th century (owned by the family ever since) this fine villa with terraced gardens is attributed to Baldassare Peruzzi, architect of many notable villas and gardens around Siena.
Siena
Radiating from the magnificent Piazza del Campo, Siena is famous as one of the most perfectly preserved and beautiful medieval cities in Europe. An impressive cityscape combining Gothic and Romanesque styles, it is home to the spectacular bareback horse race ‘Il Palio’, run on 2 July & 16 August, in honour of the Virgin and fiercely contested by the historic contrade into which the city is traditionally – and passionately! – divided.
View of the courtyard at Pieve a Castello
We drive (1 hour) to the Florentine countryside to visit the magnificent gardens of Boboli and Bardini, with wonderful views across the city and the surrounding hills. Evening: private concert in the church.
Boboli Gardens
A historical park of Florence that opened to the public in 1766. Originally designed for the Medici, it represents one of the first and most important examples of the Italian garden, which later served as inspiration for many European courts. The park hosts centuries-old oak trees, sculptures, fountains and a haven from the bustling city.
Bardini Garden
The Bardini Garden, offering astonishing views across Florence, comprises three styles of gardens: the Italianate Garden, with the magnificent baroque staircase; the English Garden which, with its exotic elements, represents a rare example of an Anglo-Chinese landscaping; and the Agricultural Park, in which an orchard and the iconic wisteria pergola are located.
One of the bedrooms
We visit two gardens near Siena: at the Certosa di Pontignano, with its impressive cloister; and at Villa Geggiano, with wonderful views over the city.
Certosa di Pontignano
Originally dating back to the 14th century, the imposing monastery visible today is largely the product of restoration work carried out in the 16th century, after a fire destroyed the Certosa almost entirely. Its charm is still there, however, in the cloisters and gardens which define its structure.
Villa di Geggiano
Originally built in the 14th century and renovated around 1780, the Villa di Geggiano, to the north of Siena, and its winery have been home to the Bianchi Bandinelli family since 1527. Declared a National Heritage site, the villa contains its original decorations and furnishings. Its modest garden contains an open-air theatre which hosts classical music concerts in the summer.
Picnic on the terrace at Pieve a Castello
We drive (30 mins) into the wooded hills behind Pieve to visit the 'Peruzzi' gardens of the Castello di Celsa. We enjoy a scenic drive through the Montagnola, with an optional walk (1.5 hours).Optional afternoon walk, followed by farewell gala dinner.
Home to the aristocratic Aldobrandini family, the private castle and its well-tended gardens are in a spectacular setting, just 8 miles from Siena and with views of the city, but in tranquil countryside.
The courtyard at Pieve a Castello at night
Departure day. Transfer to Florence and Pisa Airports.
Trip Planner
Walking & Terrain
Easy walking. This is an 8-day trip, with walks of 1-2 hours plus garden visits. Hours of walking, which may vary from group to group, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing or rests.
The escorted walking is gentle, along established paths, dirt roads and woodland tracks. Some of our walks are weather sensitive. If it is not possible to do a walk due to inclement weather, an alternative will be organised. Any such decision is at the discretion of the Tour Leader.
Our support vehicles allow you the flexibility to walk 'as much or as little as you like', with drop-offs and pick-ups appropriate to the given day's itinerary. The Tour Leader will tell you each evening about the following day's walking options.
For keener walkers, the gentle guided walks in the itinerary may freely be supplemented with self-guided walks at Pieve a Castello, where a wide selection of routes, with ATG ‘Footloose’-style walking directions (complete with measurements, maps, GPS coordinates and a wealth of other information) are available for anyone to enjoy.
Walking & Terrain
Easy walking. This is an 8-day trip, with walks of 1-2 hours plus garden visits. Hours of walking, which may vary from group to group, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing or rests.
The escorted walking is gentle, along established paths, dirt roads and woodland tracks. Some of our walks are weather sensitive. If it is not possible to do a walk due to inclement weather, an alternative will be organised. Any such decision is at the discretion of the Tour Leader.
Our support vehicles allow you the flexibility to walk 'as much or as little as you like', with drop-offs and pick-ups appropriate to the given day's itinerary. The Tour Leader will tell you each evening about the following day's walking options.
For keener walkers, the gentle guided walks in the itinerary may freely be supplemented with self-guided walks at Pieve a Castello, where a wide selection of routes, with ATG ‘Footloose’-style walking directions (complete with measurements, maps, GPS coordinates and a wealth of other information) are available for anyone to enjoy.
Your Personal ATG Route Manager
Route Book
The ATG Route Book is a detailed, day-to-day guide. The book anticipates your needs with easy-to-follow instructions, maps, plans and other information that will guide you to discover the best that the area has to offer and is the key to the success of an independent holiday with us.
Walking App
Your Route Manager can provide you with a link to download an app to your smartphone. This app provides the GPS track for your route on your phone. You can use this digital support to find your position and navigate the route, even without an internet connection or mobile phone reception.
Accommodation & Meals
We spend the first two nights of this trip near Rome followed by 5 nights at Pieve a Castello.
There are 10 bedrooms at Pieve a Castello, originally used for multiple-occupancy by medieval travellers. In a protected building of this antiquity, every room is different, each with unique features and all with views of the central courtyard and open countryside. Please let us know any room preferences when you book, which we will confirm subject to availability.
All evening meals are included and Pieve a Castello has a resident chef who combines first-class ingredients, including the organic produce from his vegetable and herb gardens at Pieve a Castello to produce delicious and elegant dishes that showcase the best traditions of Tuscan cookery.
At Pieve a three-course dinner is preceded by pre-dinner drinks and canapés, served in the library or its adjacent terrace (the ‘sunset terrace’).
Each day the Tour Manager will prepare one of ATG’s celebrated picnic lunches. You will be greeted with mineral water and a starter followed by wine and an abundant lunch of local organic produce and specialities. Picnics are colourful, varied and nutritious. Buffet-style, there is a choice of meats, cheeses, substantial salads, bread and fruit…and pudding. If it is cold there will be a hot dish.
Room 1: Large, first-floor room with writing room, bath-shower (double/twin)
Room 3: Large, second-floor room with unique shower room (double/twin)
Room 5: Former dovecote on second floor with spacious shower (double)
Room 8: Courtyard room with bath-shower and side door to garden (double/twin)
Room 10: Cosy courtyard room with shower (single room with single bed with no single room supplement)
Room 2: Large, second-floor room with writing room, bath-shower (double/twin)
Room 4: ‘Cosy’ room on second floor with four-poster bed, bath-shower (double)
Room 7: Courtyard room with bath-shower and side door to garden (double/twin)
Room 9: Charming, corner courtyard room with shower (single room, French-sized double bed with no single room supplement)
Room 11: Courtyard room – with writing niche, shower and 8th-century apse (!) (double)
Food & Wine
Tuscan food is simple and uses good local ingredients which complement the excellent robust wines of the region. It is seasonal food usually prepared with home grown ingredients. Although the Tuscans are called ‘bean eaters’ (mangiafagioli) the main staple of their diet, apart from pasta, is bread which is traditionally unsalted to complement the salted prosciutto, salami and strong sheep’s cheeses. Whilst it is a traditional cuisine, it is not a poor one, and meat and game feature strongly, preferably cooked on an open fire. The Tuscans also have a sweet tooth, producing a variety of rich spicy cakes full of candied fruit and nuts, and light biscuits. The local cheese is predominantly pecorino (a sheep’s cheese: ‘pecora’ means ‘sheep’) enjoyed at varying stages of maturity.
During the course of your holiday you will see the vineyards of Italy’s most famous wine, Chianti. Known originally in England as ‘Florence Red’, the wine gained renown in the 19th century, when Barone Ricasoli (Italy’s second Prime Minister) developed the grape composition found in today’s wines. Chianti now occupies a large area of hills to the south (and east) of Florence, and Pieve a Castello is located in the designated Chianti zone called Colli Senesi (Sienese Hills), one of seven regions within Chianti. Alongside the more ‘serious’ Chianti Riserva are produced other, less expensive ‘quaffing’ Chianti made to be drunk within a year or so of production — an excellent accompaniment to local dishes. To the south of Siena, there are other superb local red wines, notably Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which with their full-bodied character and strong tannins complement Tuscan cuisine very well. The less aged Rosso of Montalcino is also very good indeed. Other good Tuscan wines include Vernaccia, the white wine for which nearby San Gimignano is famous, the delicious wines from Bolgheri in the coastal province of Livorno, and the delicious Tuscan ‘passito’ dessert wine, Vin Santo. At the start of your trip you will also have the opportunity to try some good wines made in Lazio.
History
Most of the towns and villages in this area are built on Etruscan foundations. Roman colonisation occurred from the 2nd century BC. Wealth in the Middle Ages, from trades such as banking and wool, led to the prominence of Siena, which became one of Europe’s greatest cities. During the 14th century Guelph-Ghibelline disputes resulted in the annexation of Sienese territories by Florence. Sienese towns and villages declined and have remained essentially preserved in their medieval state to the present day.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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 the Tour Manager can discuss your requirements in more detail with you at the start of your trip.
The walks are graded according to difficulty but you can walk as much or as little as you like.
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.
Single travellers will be booked into a double room which will carry a single occupancy supplement.
Flights are not included in the price of your ATG holiday and should be booked independently. We will advise you of the group meeting time at the destination airport and return transfer time to the airport at the end of your trip to enable you to book compatible flights.
Yes. All of our escorted trips can be booked privately, you can book a set departure or a date to suit you (subject to availability). In most instances if the group is 13-16 clients we will offer the trip at the published price. For 12 or fewer clients we would provide a bespoke costing.
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.
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 does not provide any form of insurance cover. However, it is a condition of booking that you have fully comprehensive insurance cover, including:
Cancellation/curtailment up to the cost of the holiday (preferably including flights)
Medical emergencies and repatriation
Travel delay / missed departure
Lost or stolen personal belongings
Personal liability
Legal expenses
Natural Disasters
Although most credit card companies offer travel insurance as something that is included when paying the balance with the card, it may be advisable to check that the cover offered is what you expect it to be. Very few companies include cancellation and curtailment or medical expenses. Whatever the insurance policy you have taken out, please read the documentation carefully. Please ensure also that you take it with you on your trip and refer to it in the case of any claim or emergency.
Yes, please click here for what to bring. A packing checklist is also included with your booking confirmation.
Sustainability
ATG was founded on principles of conservation and sustainable development. It was the first company to win the tourism industry’s two top awards: Tourism for Tomorrow (UK) and the World Legacy Award (National Geographic and Conservation International USA) and also the first to have an accredited Environmental Management System.
Everyone who walks with ATG contributes to the ATG Trust, which funds projects that benefit local communities in the regions visited. By supporting these initiatives, ATG promotes sustainable tourism. Past projects have included heritage restoration projects, environmental conservation and educational projects.
Your Tour Leader will be able to tell you about the ATG Trust project at Monteriggioni, a tiny medieval village near Pieve a Castello, involving the restoration of the Porta Romea. This restoration formed part of a much larger project to restore the walls around the village of Monteriggioni. The Porta Romea is the gateway facing Rome through which many ATG clients will have walked.
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