Chianti Walking & Wine

Most Inspirational Moment

It was all memorable. Each day was different!

Thoughts on Group Leader

A big shout out to Ale Moreiras! Ale was a fantastic group leader. He was so knowledgeable, enthusiastic and good humoured (even when some of the group missed the train in Siena!) Ale made sure we all had a great time and looked after us! Thank you Ale!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do this trip if you enjoy leisurely walking, some good wines and a little culture thrown in! Sadly, there were some negative reviews because the previous accommodation/meals were not so good. This has now been rectified and we loved Hotel Le Renaie and the chilled vibe. A great find Exodus!

Suggestions

Thanks to the hotel and the wonderful staff. The four course evening meals were a highlight on the terrace watching the sun go down. The Agriturismo Cesani wine tasting was the best wine tasting and the views incredible! We spent three days in Lucca at the end of our trip and would recommend a visit to this enchanting city.

Most Inspirational Moment

Apart from the hills, steps, steps and hills - because there were a few!! And i loved them....I'd say it's making the friends I did and the trust I found in them and the laughs we shared.....

Thoughts on Group Leader

LOVE Rosanna, the trip wouldn't of been what it was without her!! She is amazing, made sure we were all happy, fixed the glitches straight away- there's always one or two, kept smiling, tried so hard to give us information and treats!! She kept us up to date with times , trips, things to do on days off so we werent lost, rosanna put so much into making it the best -I just think she is brilliant, don't think there's anyone who could top her!!! Lovely soul!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just book it and go do it!! Italy is amazing , the wine is so delicious and if you are lucky enough to have Rosanna you will have the best time ever!!

Most Inspirational Moment

We loved the walks, and visiting Siena and San Gimignano. The walking tour of Siena was very interesting thanks to the wonderful guide Alessia. We also had a lovely walk to Fonterutoli on our day off, where we had very very nice tapas and wine.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rosanna was fantastic, she couldn't do enough for us and was always cheerful and enthusiastic.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring good walking shoes, insect repellant, sun cream and waterproofs (I got several bites and we had some thunder showers in June)

Suggestions

I feel Exodus let us down sending us to this accommodation while they were obviously winding down as we were their last Exodus booking. It would put me off booking another Exodus holiday in case the same thing were to happen again.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing members of my group who were struggling with the terrain conditions, steadily make it up steep muddy slippery dangerous embankments and over rocky paths in the pouring rain. It gave me the courage to press on to reach our destination.

Thoughts on Group Leader

She was a good driver in the rain along twisting roads with frequent racing cyclists sharing it. I felt safe in the van when road conditions were poor. I do not want to go on a trip again where the guide is also the driver and is required to run all the way back to fetch the van while we wait in a town for her return. Our driver was quite the athlete. After lunch and a look around the town, some days we had an hour or more to kill waiting for the van, as we hit the hours in Italy where shops and museums are closed. We could have made much better use of our time and the guide's time if she hadn't also been our driver. Had I known this was the arrangement, I would have chosen a different trip. I chose a guided trip expecting the guide to arrange for little extras besides wine tastings in the afternoons.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Think long and hard about signing on for this particular itinerary. READ ALL THE REVIEWS of recent travelers before you book. The Villa Casalta is not up to Exodus standards for the kind of trip you think this is: walking and wineries attracting those who want hiking plus culture. The Villa is a cold drafty place, rather dungeon-like place, not deserving of the word Villa. We all thought it would have been better if we could have sat on the terraces. But rain and cold didn't allow and it was mid May. Also, the pool was freezing and filthy. No matter, unheated so couldn't be used as advertised. The breakfast buffet was not replenished daily so by week's end, there was three-day old cake were still offered. The espresso machine didn't function properly most days and we were in a rush to start our hikes. The dinner meal varied in quality. Pasta uniformly filling, meat course ranged from OK to overcooked to downright inedible brochettes. Fortunately, we had a terrific group of high-spirited good humored people who kept things lively cracking jokes about the Villa. The owner showed up when we arrived and never appeared again. He was miserly and absent, like when it came to our day off, allowing us to use the glassware for our wine and cheese party but no plates or cutlery. Odd. He was completely stingy. The staff are trying their hardest but without the owner onsite or dropping in, the staff have their hands tied and can't do anything to help. Some people froze in their rooms at night even with extra blankets. No heat. The owner couldn't manage but one heater for one person. It was ridiculous that we were paying to stay at this haunted house outside of the village. Too dark at night to walk into town or a little too far to wander in in the late afternoon. So you're basically stuck at the Villa between excursions. If you fancy that, this is the trip for you. Best of luck!

Suggestions

Buyer beware. Ask Exodus more questions after reading the reviews. Perhaps I'm an outlier with my concerns about the Villa Casalta and with how Exodus tasked our guide to be our driver, but I don't think so, having talked all week with others in the group.

Reply from Exodus

We would like to thank you for your review and are so pleased to hear that you gelled with your fellow travellers, as we always wish for harmonious groups on our trips. On the other hand, we were sorry that you were disappointed with some other aspects of the tour. We should emphasise that the trip has been designed and planned specifically to be led by a driving guide and has been running in this way for many years. This has been done in compliance with all safety regulations, including proper resting time both in terms of driving and working hours without impacting on the itinerary itself and clients’ overall experience. General previous feedback on this aspect has been positive. However,  our product team will certainly bare your comments in mind during future discussions about this tour. We also realise that comfortable accommodation is a major factor in our customers’ overall enjoyment of a trip, so we are sorry that the Villa Casalta fell below your expectations. The heating issue you brought to our attention strictly relates to the uncharacteristically inclement weather that affected several areas of the region this Spring. This coincided with the legal regional requirement to turn off central heating systems from 15th April. The average temperatures for this time usually mean that guests enjoy sitting outdoors and do not require heating during the night and whilst we are confident that your experience was a one-off, we are looking into contingency plans with the management team should this type of weather become more common. There are, in fact, indoor seating areas but we were not aware that these were temporarily not accessible to our clients as had always been the case before. Once the issue was raised,  we immediately asked the owner to unlock the communal spaces. The food at the villa had historically been good and to guarantee the expected high standards after the first post-pandemic season under new management, our product team asked the local team to commit to significant improvements, which was agreed to. One of the strategies involved sourcing a new chef and upgrades to meals and we were confident that this would have resolved any issues; we, therefore, regret that you were still unimpressed. Please be assured we are actively investigating and considering further measures to address any outstanding issues that may impact on our future guests. We sincerely hope that your experience on this trip has not discouraged you from booking with Exodus again as we would like the chance to regain your trust on a future tour.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting Sienna

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very Professional

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking the beautiful hills of Tuscany.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jordan was absolutely fantastic. Nothing was too much trouble. He kept us informed about where & when etc & his knowledge of the area made it fun & interesting. We had a great group & Jordan brought us all together. It was a fun trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just enjoy, it is such a beautiful place.

Most Inspirational Moment

The whole week was lovely.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jordan was fantastic! He went above and beyond on several occasions. He was good fun, helpful and joined us at several meals. Brilliant!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take mosquito repellent that contains Deet. Take Piriton tablets too in case you get attacked like I did. Eat lots of ice cream! It’s fabulous!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Liz is amazing, so helpful and full of knowledge. Really looked after us all.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring your towel for swimming at the Villa and insect spray whilst out on walks in the summer.

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk to San Gimignano on the last day; the guided walking tours of Siena and Florence; and the session at the Tuscan Wine School in Siena. I also loved my pre-breakfast swims in the pool and the sense of peace at Villa Casalta.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Teresa did a great job and was very personable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is a kettle in the room - and teabags - but bring some instant coffee if you are a coffee drinker!

Suggestions

I was very impressed how this trip ran so well despite the COVID restrictions.... but don't forget to bring a face mask.