This review is for the full-day Pienza & Montepulciana small group tour with Guillermo ("William"). The tour is well-designed and provided the Tuscan experience I was hoping to have. There was just the right amount of time to pause on the road to take photos of the beautiful landscape and a stop in the tiny, peaceful, charming village of Chiusure. Then on to Pienza, where we had free time to roam the lovely hilltop town with wonderful views and shops (the smell of cheese luring people in to taste). The highlight of the day was lunch at an organic dairy farm - Podere I'll Casale. We had a prime table at the edge of the terrace with an uninterrupted view of the valley and hills. Stunning. The cheese plate was amazing - every single cheese (all produced on the farm) was delicious. The rest of the meal (featuring ingredients grown or made on the farm) was tasty and the portions were just right so that I left feeling satisfied, not stuffed. The final stop was another hilltop town, Montepulciano. We visited a wine shop and while the historic wine cellar and cave were interesting, I could have done without the tasting and spent more time wandering the shops and stopping somewhere of my choosing for a treat. Overall, a magnificent day.
Guillermo/William is a natural-born tour guide and the group benefited from his knowledge and enthusiasm. There was a hiccup in the morning when a couple left with the wrong tour, but William handled it with professionalism and just the right amount of humor to keep the mood happy while he worked to fix the situation. He was accommodating, thoughtful, and clearly loves giving people a wonderful experience in Tuscany. read more