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What are the accommodations?
We’ll be staying at Hotel Corsignano, a great four star hotel in Pienza with an even better breakfast buffet. Pienza has been around since at least the 9th century, however, in the 15th century Pope Pius II (who was from Pienza and whose surname was Corsignano – the original name of the town) decided to rebuild Pienza as the ideal Renaissance town, which became the city plan for many other Renaissance towns throughout Italy.
The hotel has two jacuzzi’s on the deck if you’d like to bring a swim suit. Hotel Corsignano also offers laundry services for those who prefer not doing the sink wash.
What Will the Riding Be Like?
In a word – heaven. We’ll be riding on the storied gravel roads of the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the famous L’Eroica old school Grand Fondo, the professional spring classic Strade Bianche, and recent gravel segments of the Giro d’Italia.
We will be riding between 25 miles and 50 miles a day (it’s gravel so it takes longer) and climbing around 1,000’ per 10 miles. The riding will be a mix of paved and gravel, with an emphasis on gravel, with rolling hills interspersed with some short punchy climbs and a couple of longer sustained efforts.
Some of the towns and areas we’ll ride through include Montalcino, Montepulciano, Montechiello, San Quirico, Buonconvento, and Bagno Vignoni (the only town with a hot springs pool as its town square.) We’ll also ride by the Monastero Sant’Anna in Caprena (the setting for The English Patient) and Crete Sienese (the Sienese clay formations).
You do need to be comfortable riding gravel. While most of the gravel roads are hard packed there are some softer sections and some washboards from time to time that can sneak up on you. We really emphasize that everyone “stay in the boat” and ride well within your comfort window. Afterall, we are here to soak in the Tuscan landscape, absorb the history of the Strade Bianche and immerse ourselves in La Dolce Vita of Tuscany vs chasing Strava segments.
The rolling hillsides through which we’ll ride are a mixture of vineyards (likely lush with grapes ready for the harvest), olive groves (heavy with olives undergoing their last growth spurt before harvest in early November) and newly cultivated hillsides.
All rides will be guided and we’ll likely split up into two groups so everyone can ride at their comfortable pace. We’ll also provide GPS links of the routes so you can ride solo or with a friend if you’d like to soak in the Tuscan countryside in a smaller setting.
What will the food be like?
We’re in Tuscany, one of the two foodie provinces of Italy so you can just imagine. And you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sample the delicacies since in Italy it’s either time to eat or almost time to eat.
Our breakfasts will be full American buffet style with a Tuscan flair. Local meats, cheeses, egg dishes and handmade crostata or tarts along with muesli, cereals, yogurt and fresh fruit. And of course accompanying breakfast are cappuccino and coffees to your liking. Lunches will be on our own out on the road most days.
Dinners are a real treat. We’ll walk into town for our dinners at some incredible restaurants all focusing on local cuisine and hyper local ingredients. We’ll also take a short drive one evening to a fantastic farm to table restaurant to enjoy the sunset and a wonderful dinner in the rolling hills around Pienza.
You’ll also have one dinner out on your own so you can explore the town and spend some time on your own.
If you have any dining preferences and or allergies we can likely accommodate your needs. Gluten free and vegetarian options are available and to date we’ve been able to easily accommodate any allergies. Just let us know.
What will we see?
The rolling hills around Pienza are magical. Vast vistas of cultivated hills broken up by vineyards, olive orchards and porcini mushroom rich forested areas. The area includes the Val d’Orcia (valley of the Orcia River) where the entire region is a UNESCO Heritage site due to its uniqueness and preservation of old school farming techniques.
The area is also home to just about every postcard and calendar photo you’ve seen of Tuscany. Cultivated hills, lines of cypress trees and ancient buildings dotting the hilltops. It is also home to a long list of well known films, including as recent at Jay Kelly, in addition to Under the Tuscan Sun, Letters to Juliet, Romeo and Juliet (the ‘68 version) Twilight: New Moon, The English Patient, Shadows in the Sun and, of course, the wheat field scenes in Gladiator (shot just below Pienza).
Some of the towns and areas we’ll ride through include Montalcino, Montepulciano, Montechiello, San Quirico, Buonconvento, and Bagno Vignoni (the only town with a hot springs pool as its town square.) We’ll also ride by the Monastero Sant’Anna in Caprena (the setting for The English Patient) and Crete Sienese (the Sienese clay formations).
We’ll also see this living landscape up close, riding through the network of strade bianche (white dirt roads) tying the area together.
What is a typical day?
Most mornings we will begin with yoga to awaken our senses and limber our bodies before enjoying a buffet breakfast with foamy cappuccinos. We’ll then pedal the strade bianche, famous for their vast vistas, welcoming forests, lack of traffic, and occasional sheep herds.
Each day will be a full adventure. We’ll ride the famous dirt roads of L’Eroica, Strade Bianche and the Giro d’Italia, see medieval villages and ancient churches, and walk the cobbled streets of the famous wine towns of the Val d’Orcia. We’ll stop for lunch (on our own) most days on our rides so the days will be full adventures, however, we’ll be back in time for a rest or a stroll in Pienza before dinner.
Are bikes available to rent?
We’ll be renting Canyon or Scott Addict Gravel bikes, or something similar. These are full carbon bikes with plenty of gear and tire size. For the bike-arati, the easiest gear on the Scott’s is a 42 – 46 running 45mm tires. There are two water bottle holders so remember to bring two bottles.
Bring your pedals and shoes or you are welcome to ride flat pedals and tennies. Bikes come with helmets but you are welcome to bring your own.
We’ll send out a request for your measurements prior to the trip so the bike shop can dial in your bike ahead of time.
The rental cost for the week is 375 euro.
Do I need to be an athlete to attend this retreat?
No way, but for this trip you do need to be comfortable riding gravel and putting in some reasonable climbing. The climbs are mostly short punchy affairs but there are a couple of longer sustained climbs. While most of the gravel roads are hard packed there are some softer sections and some washboards from time to time that can sneak up on you. We really emphasize that everyone “stay in the boat” and ride well within your comfort window. Afterall, we are here to soak in the Tuscan landscape, absorb the history of the Strade Bianche and immerse ourselves in La Dolce Vita of Tuscany.
We encourage everyone to ride regularly when weather permits to be comfortable riding the distances and the gravel roads. While the distances are manageable for an intermediate rider, we do not suggest doing this tour “off the couch” to ensure you can enjoy each day and start the next fresh.
Do I have to participate in everything on the schedule?
You do not need to participate in everything; you can pace yourself so that it is the perfect amount of activity for you. We fully support you in doing as much or as little as is right for you at the moment. While some may experience FOMO (fear of missing out) if they skip something, we embrace JOMO (the joy of missing out) for those looking for a change of pace.
The schedule gives you a sense of the flow of each day. It is subject to change, depending upon the needs of the group, weather, etc. We will go over the schedule each day at breakfast.
What is the average age on this retreat?
We have a wide range of people who attend our retreats, from 15 – 70 years young. Each retreat will vary. Please contact us if you have questions about the ages on a specific retreat.
What if I come alone?
The majority who attend our retreats come by themselves. This is a co-ed retreat so some past Questers bring their husbands, some bring partners and some bring best friends but plenty of people come alone. Italy is a safe and easy country to travel as a single female. English is widely spoken and we are here to answer any questions about travel that you may have. Although you may come alone, you will leave the retreat with new, lifelong friends!
What if I am new to Italy or Europe?
If you’ve never been to Europe, relax! You will love it. If you’ve been many times – you’ll be surprised, refreshed, and delighted by our intimate version of the European experience. We’re always available for any questions and provide a helping hand. You’ll feel like part of an extended Italian family at this retreat.
What weather can I expect?
Tuscany in the Fall typically enjoys temperate weather. Daytime temperatures are generally in the mid 70’s and nights tend to be cool, but of course temperatures can have significant swings. When it rains in Tuscany it POURS, so do bring proper rain gear. Visit your favorite weather app for “PIENZA” prior to departing to see what the weather may have in store for us.
Payment Policy
To secure your spot on a retreat, a non-refundable deposit is required:
- $500 for domestic retreats
- $1,000 for international retreats
Single room reservations a $950 deposit. Reservations cannot be held without a deposit.
Full payment is due 90 days prior to the retreat. If payment is not received by this deadline, you may lose your reservation. For bookings made within 90 days of the retreat, payment in full is required at the time of registration.
Payment Options:
- Avoid fees by paying via check or Zelle.
- Payments via PayPal or Stripe incur a 4% processing fee.
Cancellation Policy
- 91+ days before the retreat: Refund of payments (minus your deposit).
- 90 or fewer days before the retreat: Payments are non-refundable.
Women’s Quest reserves the right to cancel a retreat due to insufficient enrollment. In such cases, all retreat payments will be refunded. In the event a retreat is cancelled due to a natural disaster or other unforeseen event Women’s Quest will return all payments less any fees required to be paid by Women’s Quest to its vendors or other parties for the cancelled retreat. In the event a retreat is cancelled for either of the foregoing reasons, Women’s Quest is not responsible for any additional expenses you may have incurred, including (but not limited to) airfare, lodging, or other travel costs.
Travel Insurance
We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment in case unforeseen circumstances prevent you from attending or completing the retreat.
Travel insurance is particularly important in the event you:
- Need to cancel due to illness or injury (including testing positive for COVID-19).
- Require medical care during the retreat.
- Face trip interruptions, delays, or unexpected quarantine requirements.
We suggest a policy that covers:
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Medical expenses
- Quarantine costs
For maximum flexibility, consider a “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) policy, which provides additional peace of mind. While this type of coverage is more expensive, it offers the most protection for unforeseen changes.
To compare and purchase travel insurance, we recommend using Squaremouth, a trusted platform to find the best policy for your needs.https://www.squaremouth.com/22393
Before purchasing any policy, consult a travel insurance agent to ensure it meets your coverage expectations.