Many of you will be familiar with Iris Origo's extraordinary memoir, War in Val d’Orcia. In 2023, The Oldie was lucky enough to be one of the first groups to hire her entire villa with its gardens designed by Cecil Pinsent and, arguably, the best views in all of Tuscany.
This time, we are going one better: Iris's biographer, Caroline Moorehead has agreed to lead a tour of the area which she knows well. She has continued to research the horrors of wartime Italy and will make a highly informed guide. Caroline has plotted a fresh itinerary and is very keen both to take you on the trail of Piero della Francesca, as well as Perugia with its newly redone Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria – and great opportunity to learn more about the Etruscans who are often overlooked.
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ITINERARY
Friday 8th October – arrival
Depart London Heathrow on BA flight at 13:15; arrive at Fiumicino at 16:55 and drive to La Foce (two hours). Welcome drinks; 8.30pm dinner at La Foce.
Saturday 9th October – Perugia and Gubbio
9.30am depart for Perugia; 10.30am meet the guide at Piazza Partigiani and visit recently-reopened museum.
3pm depart for Gubbio, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Italy and home to the 2nd-century-BC Iguvine Tablets.
5pm return to La Foce;
8pm dinner at La Foce.
Sunday 10th October – day at home
10am optional departure to visit the National Etruscan Museum, at Chiusi, complete with necropolis.
1pm Lunch at La Foce.
4.30pm Tour of La Foce’s garden, designed by Cecil Pinsent.
8pm Dinner at Dopolavoro, the estate’s former social club.
Monday 11th October – Cortona and Montepulciano
A morning tour of lovely Cortona where we will have a good stroll around the town's prettier sites, including Santa Maria Nuova.
Then we will head to Montepulciano for a wine-tasting and lunch. On the way home, we will stop at the Tempio San Biagio, designed by Antonio da Sangallo on a Greek-cross plan. Dinner at La Foce.
Tuesday 12th October – Arezzo, Sansepolcro and Monterchi: the trail of Piero della Francesca
Today, we will see all the extant artworks by the Master.
9.30am depart for Arezzo; 10.30am meet at Piazza Guido Monaco for guided tour.
12.30pm lunch in Antica Osteria l’Agania.
Afternoon visit to Sansepolcro and Monterchi.
5.30pm return to La Foce;
8pm Dinner at La Foce.
Wednesday 13th October - Monterrigioni and Volterra
Depart for morning tour of Volterra, one of the most important Etruscan cities, including the Duomo and Palazzo dei Priori.
12.30pm lunch at Osteria Fornelli.
3pm depart for Monterrigioni, 'one of the most remarkable sights in Tuscany’, according to the Blue Guide. Dante wrote of its 13th-century walls surrounded by towers, and they are still there. Just 50 people live in this tiny medieval masterpiece.
8pm Dinner at La Foce.
Thursday 14th October – Pienza and Orvieto
10am depart for Pienza, a World Heritage town, including a visit to Palazzo Piccolomini.
12.30pm depart for Orvieto
1pm lunch at Grotte del Funaro, Via Ripa Serancia, 41
3pm walking tour of Orvieto
5.30pm return to La Foce.
8pm dinner at La Foce
Friday 15th October – home
Depart La Foce at 10am to visit Ostia Antica, the ancient Roman port with its amazing mosaics, near Fiumicino airport, before catching the 16.05 BA flight which lands at Heathrow at 17.45.
HOW TO BOOK:
Call 01225 427311 or email Katherine at reservations@theoldie.co.uk.
PRICES
£3,950 per person sharing doubles/twin inc the usual 9 doubles and 1 twin, excluding flights but including all meals, all drinks (in and out of the villa), transport and entrances.
Non-refundable deposit £750; balance due by 1st July 2027.
WALKING & MOBILITY
Our tours have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. In order to enjoy these holidays you need to be reasonably fit, able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 40 minutes, to go up and down a staircase without assistance and to stand – perhaps in a queue – for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to Katherine on 01225 427311.
TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Although we are pleased to welcome clients with disabilities, their participation will depend on the nature of the disability and in some cases it will be necessary to be accompanied by an able-bodied companion. In order to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all participants on any tour we must ask you to declare full details of your disability, especially if this affects your mobility, so that we can consider your personal circumstances.
