The Other Tuscany

From the Silver Coast to Siena

The Other Tuscany: From the Silver Coast to Siena offers an active week of walking and hiking through the Maremma region of Tuscany. Seven days are barely enough to learn about the past, appreciate the present and begin to unravel the mystery of this magnificent area. Unlike the rest of Tuscany, you will not find English spoken by many of the locals, and roadsigns are not in two languages! We find that refreshing, and invite you to see why.

Aptly named for the shimmering waters of the Tirrenian Sea that nearly surround this hilly promontory, the Silver Coast lies at the southernmost corner of Tuscany and offers delightful combined flavors of Tuscany and its neighboring region, Latium. Our journey begins by exploring the flavors, scents, foot paths and hospitality of seaside Maremma. While the outstanding beauty of the Silver Coast attracts hordes of Italians during July and August, we will have it to ourselves during our spring and fall trips. We will walk to a former Etruscan town and an imposing convent, visit medieval towns and fishing villages, dine on fish caught that very morning, and see how sheep's yogurt is produced at a local farm. And we'll sample fabulous wines with exotic names like Morellino di Scansano, Montereggio di Massa Marittima and Montecucco.

The latter part of the week finds us 40 kilometers south of Siena, in the northernmost reaches of the Maremma near a town called Montieri. Here the setting and the sensations are delightful and different. The view from our windows in the morning is one not of sparkling waves, but of mountains covered with chestnut and oak trees as far as we can see. The tastes are not sea bass and scampi, but wild boar and freshly gathered funghi. We will enjoy walks through the woods, evenings of cooking and fine wine, and time around the fireplace or at the intimate bar of our hotel. Time will have slowed down, and we think you'll depart contemplating just how these folks in a small corner of Tuscany have gotten life so right.

Dates: Aug. 28, 2010 through Sep. 4, 2010 - 8 spaces left for this date.

Price: $3,885 per person; $750 single supplement

Meals: All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners. Local wines are served with included meals.

Activity Level: Two easygoing 5-7 kilometer walks, a guided walking tour of Pitigliano and three days of hilly 6-12 km hikes, with easier and more difficult options available.

Guides: Liz Mesick