Montalcino to Buonconvento

0.01km – Begin today’s walk at the Porta Burelli Gate (if you are staying at the Hotel Dei Capitani turn right outside the front door and walk 200m to the gate). Walk STRAIGHT ON through the gate and walk down the same road for 400m, ignoring any roads off to the left and right.

0.4km – Just after the stone posts on your right, BEAR RIGHT (signposted to Az. Agri. Molinari Carlo) and walk down this road for just over 2km as it continues to descend to the valley. Ignore any turnings off to the left or right. Lower down you will pass vineyards to your left and right.

2.1km – After crossing the wooden bridge, BEAR RIGHT on the same gravel road, ignoring the gravel road off to the left. 400m further on at the give way sign continue on the same road BEARING RIGHT and ignoring the road going left.

3.0km – At the next give way sign BEAR LEFT on the same road and then 50m later TURN RIGHT at the stop sign towards Montalcino. Walk along the main road for 200m taking care of traffic. Then TURN LEFT following signs to P. Collodi and Torrenieri. Walk up this wide tarmac road which then narrows and begins to ascend and becomes gravel. After a while the road flattens out and you pass a large stone house on your left and the entrance to Agri. Collodi. Walk past the house for a further 200m.

4.2km – TURN RIGHT towards Podere San Carlo and the Via Francigena (see brown sign on the right as you turn). Descend up this gravel track for a further 1.5km walking past vineyards and farmhouses en route. There are great views towards Montalcino as you walk. You will also see occasional Via Francigena signs, normally wrapped around posts.

5.7km – Here you pass a large stone farmhouse on the right. 500m later you need to be vigilant as there is a left turning which is very indistinct. At this point the road bears slightly right and descends, but you need to look to your left. You will see a white “Divieto di Cassia” sign just off to your left in the field. TURN LEFT and walk towards it. Next to it on the floor to the right are some concrete slabs, mostly round and a small tree. (This is reassurance that you have walked towards the correct sign). Pass this white sign and head for the next white sign posted at the right hand edge of this field. At the time of writing this field was very overgrown, but keep going and walking down and through the field and at the end of the field pass through wooden posts STRAIGHT ON and then bearing right where the trail becomes more distinct and where, at the bottom of this field you can see a dirt track. Meet the dirt track and continue along it with a small wooded valley to your left and a house surrounded by cypress trees, walk towards it.

7.2km - As you pass the house on your right you may need to step over a metal chain in order to continue STRAIGHT ON. (If there is no metal chain just carry straight on as well). After a few metres BEAR RIGHT, ignoring the sharp right turn leading to the same house you just passed and the trail on the left. Descend on the same road for 300m.

7.5km – At the junction where there is a barn to your left go STRAIGHT ON. 100m later BEAR RIGHT at the fork next to a small pond. Descend on the same road for 1km until you meet a main road.

8.5km – At the main road TURN LEFT. Be very careful of traffic here as it is a busy road and there are occasionally lorries and buses. Please be vigilant and try to walk behind metal barriers and on the grass verge where possible. You need to walk along this main road for 600m.

9.1km – TURN RIGHT at the next right turn and walk up this gravel road ascending.

10.3km – At the fork BEAR LEFT following the direction to S. Guiseppe on the wooden signpost. Continue to walk up the same gravel road for just over a km. At the first cluster of farm buildings here keep STRAIGHT ON.

11.3km – At the T-junction TURN RIGHT, ignoring the sign and trail to the left for San Guiseppe.

11.7km – With the yellow sign to San Guiseppe on your right hand side and pointing in the direction you have just come from TURN LEFT ascending, ignoring the track descending and going straight on. Continue on same gravel track for 1.3km.

13.0km – After passing a house on your right and at the junction where there is a green iron gate to your left, and a gravel road going sharp right leading to the house you just passed go STRAIGHT ON and walk down the same road for 600m.

13.6km – At this junction ignore the trail off to the right signposted to Agriturismo Torricella continue STRAIGHT ON for another 600m.

14.2km – At the next junction TURN LEFT (with signs to S. Guiseppe and Podere Torricella pointing the way you just came).

Keep walking on the same road for a further 2.6km until you come to the Agriturismo Pieve a Salti. Don’t be tempted to stop too soon as there are plenty of other Pieve a Salti  buildings, but keep going until you see a sign for Reception on your right.

16.8km - Where you see the Reception sign on your right and at the fork, BEAR RIGHT and up the Agriturismo Pieve a Salti driveway.

17.0km - The walk finishes at the agriturismo’s front entrance.