Via Francigena In Italy

Family Walking on the Via Francigena in Tuscany

Rate:
Price: from 340€ per person
  • Activity Walking or Cycling
  • Distance 48 km
  • Duration 4 Nights
  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Tour Type Family Caminos
  • Time To Go Year Round
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Family Walking on the Via Francigena in Tuscany

We have selected the best of Family Walking on the Via Francigena in Tuscany. This route will take you through the most beautiful section of the Via Francigena in Tuscany and it is perfect for a laid-back but still active family holiday.

Family walking on the Via Francigena in Tuscany is a great introduction to all that Italy has to offer for families who prefer an active rather than a beach holiday in the sun.

You will start your family walking adventure in the medieval village of San Gimignano with its impressive walls and finish in the stunning city of Siena, one of Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Over the course of 4 days, your family will be walking through the spectacular Tuscany countryside, in and out of vineyards, woodlands, and rural villages.

It is a perfect family walking itinerary if you are looking for a combination of sightseeing and nature, without forgetting the superb Tuscan cuisine.

Our Tuscan walking package will please the entire family as there are plenty of activities for the little ones to do along the way. From medieval castles to fortresses, museums to rural playgrounds, this trip will be rich in family experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.

To make your family holiday the perfect one, you can extend your stay in Siena and even sign up for a Food tour.

This itinerary can either be walked or cycled to suit your family’s needs.

Please get in touch with us to enquire about customising your trip or adding any extras such as the Food tour.

This itinerary is made for people traveling with kids (16 yo and under). If your party is made of adults only, have a look at the Via Francigena in Tuscany from Lucca to Siena

Map of the Family Walking on the Via Francigena in Tuscany

Itinerary For Family Walking on the Via Francigena in Tuscany

San Gimignano

Stage: San Gimignano

You arrive in San Gimignano.

14 km

Colle di Val d’Elsa

Stage: Colle di Val d’Elsa

After a generous Italian breakfast, it will be time for you to start your walk. You will have a pleasant walk through olive groves and cypress avenues up to the village of Montecchio. It is a spectacular stretch of the Via Francigena with breathtaking views of the Tuscan countryside.

The curious ones will enjoy learning about the production of glass at the information Crystal museum. Besides, it is worth making your way to the upper part of the town taking the popular Baluardo, the glass lift accessible via a tunnel. The whole family should enjoy the experience as much as the views from the top.

Your accommodation will be located in the medieval town center, with all amenities on your doorstep. Modern and comfortable, you will be hosted in a converted historic building. Tonight again, you will taste the delicious Tuscan cuisine.

14 km

Monterrgioni

Stage: Monterrgioni

From the Piazza in Colle di Val d’Elsa, you will continue your walk along tree-lined roads, starting with a long descent to Castel Petraia and then up to the densely forested hill of Montagnole. Your walking day on the Via Francigena takes you to the unique hilltop village of Monteriggioni with its circular wall.

Monterrgioni is an open-air playground for the little ones. Its fortifications and castle will be the perfect setting for them to travel to medieval times. We recommend taking the whole family on the wall walk to understand the function of such constructions in medieval times and enjoy the spectacular view over the countryside. The armor museum is an interesting visit to complete their discovery and dress as real medieval knights.

Surrounded by Chianti vineyards, your hotel will be the ideal place for the whole family to relax after a long day of fun. You can spend the last afternoon by the pool or walk in the shade of the landscaped gardens. For dinner, fine Tuscan cuisine will be served at the hotel.

On the following day, if you do not wish to walk the full 20km to Siena, you can ask your hotel to book a taxi to drop you at Chioccola castle. From there, the walk to Siena is 11km. The taxi should cost around 20€.

20 km

Siena

Stage: Siena

Today is your final stage to complete your Via Francigena. After a fulfilling breakfast, you will make your way to Siena. Approaching the city, you will pass through Porta Camolia, which is the traditional entrance taken by pilgrims since medieval times. Siena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited places in Italy.

As you can expect, Siena has plenty to offer for children. On top of the centrally located playgrounds, we recommend taking the whole family to Orto de Pecci, located 5 minutes from Piazza del Campo. It is a delightful park looking up at the city, ideal to offer the young ones some playtime. Apart from the green lawn, you will find a pond, farm animals as well as medieval gardens.

For your last night on the Via Francigena, your accommodation will be located a short walk from the old town.

We recommend an extra night to fully experience what Siena has to offer.

Accommodation

Standard Hotels

We have hand-picked hotels and guesthouses along the Camino for their character and warm hospitality. Up to 3-stars, you will be staying in the centre of town and close to your Camino trail. All rooms are en-suite with bathroom. For our family packages, we have hand-picked establishments with outdoor space and swimming pools where possible. Where accommodation with private outdoor space is not available, we have selected comfortable hotels with spacious common areas as well as a convenient location close to recreational areas and sights. As your comfort is our priority, we try to book hotels located within walking distance of the Camino. Despite our effort, on rare occasions your accommodation can be located a few kilometers away from the trail, so we organise transportation to/from your accommodation.

Standard Hotel & Guesthouse

Access

How to Get There

Live information on Rome2Rio. We can also arrange private transfers if you prefer, just ask us.

 

San Gimignano

Florence International Airport 60km: To reach Santa Maria Novella train station (S.M.N) from the airport the easiest way is to take the city line. There is a local bus “Volainbus” that is run by the SITA bus company next to the Santa Maria Novella train station. It goes to and from the station every half hour from 5:30am to 11pm (25 minutes approx travel time from airport arrivals to the station). Find the general information of departure points and timetable at www.fsbusitalia.it
When you are in S.M.N train station you need to get to Poggibonsi either by bus or train:
Bus: Take the 131 bus service to Poggibonsi, which takes around 50min and costs approx 8€. From Poggibonsi, change to bus 130 that will take you to San Gimignano in 20-25min. See Tiemmespa.it
Train: The train journey to Poggibonsi takes about 1h, see Trenitalia.com, from there take the 130 bus to San Gimignano as described above.

Pisa Airport 85km: You can reach San Gimignano by bus via Florence. From the airport take the Carrona shuttle busto Florence. The journey takes around 1h and costs 25€. The bus stops next to the Tram 2 line in Florence, which will take you to the Central bus station in approx 25min. From there, take the bus to San Gimignano as described above.

Rome Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino Aiport 300km: The fastest way to get to San Gimignano from Rome is by bus via Poggibonsi. You first have to go to Tiburtina station by bus, the journey takes about 1h and costs around 7€, check Cotralspa.it. From Tiburtina take the Flixbus daily service to Poggibonsi which takes around 4h and costs 25€, then take the to San Gimignano as described above.

You can also join San Gimignano by train via Florence. You have to get to Roma Termini Central Station to take an intercity trains either going to Pisa Central or Firenze Santa Maria Novella. There are many options to get from Leonardo da Vinci airport to Roma Termini. See Rome Aiport

The Leonardo Express train costs €11 and takes 30 minutes.
Terravision Shuttle Bus. Ticket is €9 for 70 minutes of travel.
City bus: The bus stop is located outdoors at ground level, 100 meters left from arrivals (teminals B&C). You can buy tickets at all tobacco shops – they have blue signs (Tabacheria). Fares is 4 Euros; 45-80 minutes travel time.
Taxis outside the passenger stations. The trip cost usually €40 to get to the city centre plus €1 fee for each suitcase.

Train to Firenze SMN will cost €43, and takes about 2h30min. For timetables and itineraries see Trenitalia.com Then follow the directions from Florence to San Gimignano as given above.

Siena

Florence International Airport 86km: You can either take the bus or the train. However they don’t stop at the same finishing point. The bus will drop you off in the heart of the historic city centre of Siena whereas Siena train station is located further away from the city centre and you might need to take a city bus (5 min travel time approx).
By bus:
– Autostradale bus express, coming from Pisa, stops in Florence and reaches Siena in less than 2 hours. See: www.airportbusexpress.it.
– SITA bus, www.sienamobilita.it. The bus station is just around the corner from the train station in Florence. SITA buses to Siena take just under an hour, run frequently and takes you to Siena historic city center. Make sure you take the rapide (express) and not the ordinarie, which stops in Poggibonsi and Colle Val d’Elsa. Ticket costs €12. To reach the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence from the airport, just take the city line Vola in bus from the airport. The service connects the city centre in just 20 minutes and the fare is €6 one way.
By train:
Trains from Florence to Siena leave Santa Maria Novella station roughly once an hour on most days, and a direct train takes about 1.5 hours. The ticket is in the €6-10 range (if you’re on the direct train). See www.fsitaliane.it for more information.

Pisa International Airport 130km: You can take two different buses outside the airport going directly to Siena (under 2hr approximate travel time), for more information, see: http://www.pisa-airport.com.
– Train S.p.a, see: www.trainspa.it. Leaving directly from the airport to Piazza Gramsci in Siena. It takes you around two hours travel time and costs €14 one way.
– Autostradale, see: www.airportbusexpress.it. It follows similar itinerary than Train S.p.a but with a change in Florence. One way ticket costs €15. All informations, timetable and route with Siena Mobilita.

Bologna International Airport 167km: There are bus and train connections available to Siena.  Shuttle bus from Bologna Airport to Bologna Central Station (every 11 mins, €6 one-way).  For more information see: http://aerobus.bo.it/en.  From here you will take the train to Siena with a change in Florence.  Train to Siena (2hr 30, from €24 one-way). For more information see: http://www.trenitalia.com/.

Bus from Bologna Airport to Siena Train Station. (4 times daily, from €18, Duration 2h40 – 3h40).  For more information see: https://www.rome2rio.com.

Whats Included

  • Included: Conveniently located family-friendly accommodation, with either family or connecting rooms and indoor and/or outdoor space for everyone to play or relax. Holiday Pack on your mobile phone (Route ebook and Google Maps) and a 24/7 support number providing assistance during your trip, for instance organising a support vehicle if needed. In 2021 we also offer a Free Postponement with every booking.
  • Not included: Flights, drinks, city tax, Travel Insurance (Recommended)
  • Optional: Luggage transfers (On by default. One bag up to 20kg per person), dinners (On by default, where available), bike rental and accessories (On by default) and airport transfers, etc…

 

Note on Accommodation: We aim to book you into each of the towns listed on the itinerary, however in case of low availability we may book you 2 nights in the same town with provided transfers. If you are booking Superior collection or Country cottages, please note it is subject to availability and therefore cannot be guaranteed. Superior/Country cottage accommodation may be away from the route with included transfers. More details.

Have questions? Read our FAQ pages.

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