Got started on day 7 at 8:30 and checked into my rustic room at 1:30—another hill-top town with the last half mile really steep. I departed Colle di Val d'Elsa in a series of sharp switchbacks until reaching the valley floor that surrounds this hilltop town. The trail was a mix of country roads, gravelly backroads and shaded trails through forests some dotted with outcrops of stone that made foot placement quite challenging.
Although the temperature hit low 80s, I managed to rest along the way to cool down periodically. The town of about 10,000 has a rich history going back to the 1200s. As a walled bastion, Siena built it and used it as a forward defense against Florentine advances. My hotel, called Rooms and Wine al Castello, has a rustic touches inside along with ultramodern bathroom plumbing. It’s located on the hilltop’s single square lined with its church and numerous restaurants.
At 5:00 pm, the hotel provided a wine tasting for its five guests (2 Dutch, 2 UK, and me) that centered on their own vineyards producing Chiantis —very informative.
