Buona Sera,

What an amazing trip we are having! Everything is running very smoothly and we are enjoying every minute. We left Florence on Saturday and traveled to Greve in Chianti to meet our guide Luca. After a short walk (only about 2 hours) we had lunch in Greve and then on to Radda in Chianti where we spent three nights in the Palazzo Leopoldo. Our booking service had been unable to find rooms in Greve so they upgrade us to an amazing four star hotel in this small hill town. After four nights in hostel dorm rooms we suddenly had huge rooms and en suite bathrooms! Each morning Luca would arrive and we would be off on walks to various other towns and villages including the small village of Lemale where he grew up.



The students have been amazing with no complaints as we wind our way up and down gorgeous Tuscan hills. After a morning in the amazing city of Siena, we transferred today to the south to the Renaissance village of Pienza where we will spend the next three nights. The Piccolo Hotel La Valle is only three star but still amazing accommodations. We had a beautiful late afternoon walk through early spring rolling hills of wheat with pastel colors of pink and purple in the hills all around. Tomorrow we have our longest walk as we trek to the town of Montepulciano. I have attached some photos of the group. Our blog is a little behind as we have had some difficulty connecting. Hope you are all well and we will see you on Friday.

Ciao,
Matthew
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