After the Strasimeno Marathon: Siena and the Val d'Orcia

The Route: Lake Trasimeno → Val d'Orcia (1 night) → Siena (2 nights) → home Logistics: A hire car is the practical way to see the Val d'Orcia, since buses are infrequent and the towns sit on hills. Siena can be reached by train via Chiusi or by road. Rural Sunday public transport is thin, so check carefully before you commit to it. Marathon Month: March Duration: 3 nights

Lake Trasimeno ──(car, about 45 mins)──> Montepulciano or Pienza (night 1)
                                                │
                                  Val d'Orcia roads and hill towns
                                                │
                             ──(car or train)──> Siena (nights 2 and 3)

The Val d'Orcia is a valley of rolling clay hills, lines of cypress trees and farmhouses on ridge tops, which is the landscape on the front of a thousand Tuscan calendars. The clay is pale blue-grey and ploughed in spring, which gives the slopes a bare, sculpted look. The valley is on the UNESCO list.

For a marathoner, the main challenge is the hill towns, which sit at the top of steep streets. Choose a hotel at the edge of the old town with a lift, and use the car.

March in the Val d'Orcia and Siena: the weather is changeable, with cold wind, rain and spells of bright sun. The hills turn green after the winter rains, and the crops are just beginning. Tourist numbers are low, and some places close for a break. Check opening times.

Getting there

From Castiglione del Lago, the drive to Montepulciano or Pienza is in the order of 45 minutes. Chiusi, a rail station on the Rome to Florence line, is the main public-transport gateway. Check the bus connection to Montepulciano and be ready to take a taxi. Hire a car in advance if you want flexibility.

Night one: Montepulciano or Pienza

Montepulciano is a long hill town known for Vino Nobile, a red wine made from Sangiovese, and its main street climbs steeply. Pienza is flatter and smaller, a Renaissance village laid out in the fifteenth century by Pope Pius II, and famed for pecorino cheese. Pick one and check winter opening for cellars and cheese shops. Both are good places for a long lunch.

Days two and three: Siena

Siena is built on three ridges, and its centre is a rolling, brick-red maze. Piazza del Campo is the shell-shaped main square, which slopes down to the town hall, and the Palio horse race is run around it. The cathedral has a striped facade and an inlaid marble floor, whose opening hours and ticket rules vary. The streets are hilly, and a taxi or a slow pace helps. Check the museum opening times.

Where to stay

In Siena, choose a hotel near Piazza del Campo or the cathedral, with a lift. Check the winter rates, parking and breakfast times. In Montepulciano or Pienza, ask about parking and the approach to the hotel.

What to eat

Tuscan food suits March: pici, a thick hand-rolled pasta, with garlic and tomato; ribollita, a bread and vegetable soup; wild boar; and pecorino. Ask for the local wine. Book on weekends.

Getting back

Siena has trains to Florence and Pisa, and a bus network to the airports. Check the timetable, and leave time for the car return if you have hired one.