Hiking, Leisure, and Culture in Tuscany

You will stay in a charming Tuscan country house dating from 1881, at the foot of the Apennines, surrounded by olive groves and chestnut forests near the village of Aramo, one of the 10 stone villages of the “dieci castella” in the Svizzera Pesciatina.
Price for a double room per person, including full board: €690; single room supplement: €150

We cook fresh meals every day using vegetables from our own garden or from organic farms. We serve a hearty breakfast (brunch), a light snack after the hike, and a multi-course hot meal in the evening. Beverages are included in the price.

Participants will arrive on their own on Monday, September 14, 2026. In the evening, there will be a dinner at 6:00 p.m. to get to know each other in a relaxed setting. The next day, we’ll start with a hearty breakfast at 9 a.m. Afterward, we’ll hike to the medieval stone villages of Aramo and San Quirico. The hike takes between 3 and 4 hours. Around 3 p.m., there will be a snack and time to relax by the pool. Dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m. On Wednesday after breakfast (9 a.m.), we’ll drive to Pescia and hike to Collodi, the birthplace of Pinocchio. We’ll tour the village and the stunningly beautiful gardens of Villa Garzoni. We’ll return to Pescia via a wine trail. We’ll be back at La Gioiella early in the evening and have dinner there at 6 p.m. After breakfast at 9 a.m. on Thursday, we’ll take a hike through the chestnut forests of the Svizzera Pescatina. In the evening, there will be a bonfire in the olive grove. On Friday, after breakfast, we’ll hike to the 1,000-year-old oak tree near Monte Carlo and visit the lemon paradise in Pescia (Oscar Tintori). In the evening, we’ll host a pizza night at La Gioiella. On Saturday, September 19, we’ll wrap up with a brunch. The hikes may vary slightly. Arrival one day before the start or departure one day after the end is possible. Admission fees are included.

Pescia is easily accessible by regional train without a car, via Florence (train/flight) or Pisa (flight). A shuttle service (approx. 15-minute ride/€15 per trip) can be arranged from Pescia to Aramo.