One thing we can promise you is that you will have buns of steel by the time we send you home. There is a lot of walking involved in this tour – a lot! As we are visiting many clifftop towns, we sometimes have to walk to the top (i.e Montepulciano) as the streets are far too narrow for coaches and in some cases the streets are pedestrianised. Don’t worry we’ll take it slowly and at a reasonable pace – maybe even stopping for a gelato along the way – but you will need to have an average to good level of fitness to enjoy this trip. For those of you not used to walking we suggest you “get into training” before the trip departs. The good news is that there is always amazing wine waiting for you at the end.
YES! We have listened to your feedback and now have a few rooms allocated for single travellers that have a small supplement. We also offer a “roommate matching” service where if you would like to share a room, we will match you with someone of the same gender.
July in Italy is hot. On average you can expect the days to be around 30°C/86°F so pack lots of shorts, t-shirts/tank tops, hats, and sunscreen. Good walking shoes are ESSENTIAL, you will be wearing them every day. There will be a couple of evenings where you may want to dress up a little, for example our Grand Welcome Reception and other evenings where you may want to wear something “smart casual”. A lot of your afternoons/early evenings will be spent around the pool at our castle so a selection of swimwear will never go astray – as would the odd Kaftan. For those of you adding our Rome and Venice extensions, both hotels also have roof top swimming pools for you to enjoy. We will also be holding a “White Party” around the pool on our final night at the castle so think about something fabulous to wear. It would also be very handy if you pack a refillable water bottle to help keep yourself hydrated during those warmer days. Face wash cloths are not common in Europe so if you like to use one, please also pack what you will need.
YES! Surprisingly, Italy has some of the best drinking water in all of Europe. It all comes from the alpine mountain region. You will see many public drinking fountains throughout Italy and it’s 100% safe to fill up your water bottles – in fact it is usually better than the bottled water you purchase.
All of our hotels have complimentary WIFI however the walls in the castle are made of THICK travertine so reception can be patchy at times. We would recommend you purchasing a “pay as you go” SIM card when you arrive in Italy so you can have access to data so you can post your photos to Facebook and Instagram whenever you like. The biggest phone carriers in Italy are VODAFONE, TIM and WIND.
Standard European sockets are used everywhere in Italy. (Type F) - 2 pins, 220V. For those of you travelling from the United States, to protect your appliances and to not blow the fuses on the castle and in the hotels, please make sure your travel adaptors also have a currency converter in them as everything operates on 220 volts.
YES! We have found its easier for everyone if we include all your gratuities. So please know that we will take care of, (on your behalf), the gratuities for all local specialists, restaurant staff and local drivers. Of course, if you would like to give them something extra, they won’t say no! In saying this, please do continue to tip your restaurant staff and hospitality workers when you are dining/travelling independently. We recommend 10% of the bill when dining out.
If you book our Rome and/or Venice extensions and would like to have extra nights at either hotel please let us know when you make your booking and we will arrange it for you (depending on availability). We generally get better rates than you will receive online and are happy to help you. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to book extra nights at the castle as they are already booked out!
If you are doing our 2-Day Rome Extension then you will be met at Fiumicino Airport by a driver who will transfer you to the Mercure Roma Centro Colosseo Hotel. You will then be transferred to Castello dello Serre on the 21st of July by a luxury motor coach.
On Sunday 28th we will transfer everyone to Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence where our Taste of Tuscany tour will end. For those of you continuing to Venice we have booked business class seats on the high-speed train from Florence to Venice. At the end of our 2-day Venice extension on Tuesday 30th July you will be transferred to Marco Polo Airport by private water taxis.
If you wish to join us in Rome for the 2-day pre-tour extensioin then you need to fly into Rome Fiumicino Airport on July 19th. Likewise if you are just doing the Taste of Tuscany tour you can also fly into Rome and meet us on the 21st at the Mercure Roma Central Hotel for a 10am departure to the Castle (please arrive no later than 9:30 am).
Alternatively, if you want to explore more of Europe before the trip you can fly into any airport and make your own way to the Castle in Serre di Rapolano.
The Taste of Tuscany Tour finishes at Santa Maria Novella Train in Florence station on Sunday 28th July. You could fly out of Florence, although it is a small airport, but from the train station you have easy access to either Milan or Rome airports.
If you are doing the Venice extension then you can fly out of Venice on Tuesday 30th July.
The 8-day “Taste of Tuscany” departs from the Mercure Roma Centro Colosseo Hotel on Sunday 21st July at 10:00 am sharp for your transfer to Castello delle Serre. Please arrive at the hotel no later than 9:30 am to check in. If your flight is delayed and/or you miss our departure please contact Kyle on +44 7385769780 and we’ll discuss your options to meet up with us.
On Sunday 28th July we will all depart Castello delle Serre at 9:30 am and plan to arrive at Florence’s main train station at approximately 11:45 am. Our tour will conclude here. Florence has a small international airport nearby or you could continue by train to Milan, Rome, Naples – or anywhere in Europe! Alternatively, please join us for our 2 day extension to Venice.
This is a tricky question to answer as the situation is about to change. As of July 2023, you DO NOT need a visa to travel to Europe but that is set to change in 2024. We will keep you all updated on the current requirement as details of them come to hand. At this stage it looks like you will just need to apply for an “online visa” which will grant you 90 days access to the Schengen states over a period of 180 days. Italy and most of Europe is part of the Schengen Agreement. This is all an unfortunate biproduct of BREXIT.
Of course! Please let us know through your online booking form if you have any strict dietary requirements. For example, we definitely cater for vegetarians, vegans, lactose intolerant, but we do not cater for “fad diets” such as Keto, Atkins etc. We also do not need to know if you do not like, for example, pumpkin or red onions (unless it is an allergy). One of the beauties of travel is trying new foods and new flavours. This particular itinerary has been designed as a “food and wine experience” so we encourage you all to be adventurous and sample things that you may not necessarily try at home. Whilst wine will be a focal point of the tour, please let us know if you do not drink alcohol and we will have alternative drinks for you.
Absolutely! Our castle is located atop a gorgeous medieval village called Rapolano di Serre. There are a few small local restaurants you will be able to try on these nights. We have structured our program to ensure your free nights coincide with the nights they are all open. Plus, there is an absolutely amazing restaurant with in a 5-minute drive from the castle (Agriturismo Ischieto). This is one of the best restaurants in the Siena region and requires a reservation which the hotel will happily do for you. They will also arrange your transportation to and from the restaurant.
The castle does not have laundry services on site but there is a business in the village within walking distance who can do wash and fold or other professional cleaning/pressing needs. Services require a full 36 hour turnaround time and is closed on Sundays and most Saturdays. The reception will be able to give you directions.
The hotel does have two “ironing stations” available and a clothes steamer but irons are not in every room. If you like to freshly press your items you may wish to bring a small portable iron with you.
Yes, a continental breakfast is included every day. A typical Italian hotel breakfast consists of a selection of meats, cheeses, pastries, yogurt, fruit, fresh juices and of course Italian coffee. At the castle you will also be able to order “eggs made to order” every day and if you are doing the extension to Venice the breakfast buffet is not to missed!
The castle has a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available at your disposal. When using the honour bar service you simply write down your name, room number and what you have selected to drink. If you don’t see what you are looking for in the selection, please see the reception for a full list of spirits and other drinks. You can settle your account at check out.
Alternatively, you are invited to drink your own drinks purchased outside of the villa (perhaps from one of the wineries we visit) in the hotel common areas.
