Rome to Tuscany: Civita di Bagnoregio, Pienza & Vineyard Lunch

Summary

Walk ancient bridges taste Tuscan wine and stroll Pienza streets

You’ll cross the dramatic bridge into Civita di Bagnoregio, sample local cheeses and handmade pasta at a Montepulciano winery with lunch included, then stroll Pienza’s golden streets with free time to explore. Expect real flavors, warm hosts, valley views that linger in your mind — and maybe a laugh or two along the way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Visit Civita, winery, and Pienza

• Arrive at Civita di Bagnoregio
• Cross pedestrian bridge to town
• Explore Civita di Bagnoregio freely
• Visit family-run winery in Montepulciano
• Taste local products and olive oil
• Optional visit to cellar museum
• Enjoy traditional Tuscan lunch with wine
• Travel to Pienza
• Free time in Pienza town

Top questions

How long is the day trip from Rome to Tuscany?

The tour lasts a full day with round-trip coach transport from Rome included.

Is lunch included on this Tuscany day trip?

Yes, a traditional Tuscan lunch with wine tasting is included at a winery near Montepulciano.

Do we get free time in Civita di Bagnoregio?

Yes, you have about 1.5 hours of free time to explore Civita di Bagnoregio.

Are entrance fees covered for Civita di Bagnoregio?

Yes, entry fees and shuttle bus tickets for Civita di Bagnoregio are included.

What food do we try during the winery visit?

You’ll sample pecorino cheese, prosciutto, salame, capocollo, bruschetta with olive oil, handmade pici pasta with aglione sauce, plus cantucci with Vin Santo for dessert.

Is there free time in Pienza?

You have about 1 hour of free time in Pienza to explore on your own.

Is transportation from Rome provided?

Yes, round-trip coach transport from Rome is included in the tour price.

Will there be an English-speaking guide?

An expert English-speaking guide accompanies you throughout the day.

What’s included

Your day includes round-trip coach transport from Rome with an expert English-speaking guide by your side; entrance fees plus shuttle bus ride into Civita di Bagnoregio; about 1.5 hours of free time there; a guided visit to a family-run winery near Montepulciano where you’ll enjoy tastings of wine and olive oil along with local cheeses and meats; watch (and maybe try) handmade pici pasta before sitting down for a traditional Tuscan lunch; finish with an hour of free time exploring Pienza before heading back to Rome.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the wind tugging at my jacket as we crossed that long bridge into Civita di Bagnoregio. It hangs there — the whole village — like it might just float off if you let your eyes linger too long. Our guide, Marco, pointed out the layers in the rock below us, all streaked with orange and grey. I was so busy staring I nearly tripped on a loose stone (he laughed, said everyone does it). The air smelled faintly of woodsmoke and something sweet from a bakery somewhere up those winding alleys. We had about an hour and a half to wander — honestly, I could’ve stayed all day just watching the old men play cards outside their doorways.

After that, we drove through these rolling green hills toward Montepulciano for the winery visit. The family running it greeted us like old friends — Nonna was already stirring something in a giant pot when we arrived. We tried pecorino that tasted sharper than I expected, plus prosciutto and olive oil on thick bread. There was this moment during the pici pasta demonstration where I tried to roll one out myself; mine looked more like a shoelace than real pasta but nobody seemed to mind. Lunch came with three different wines (I lost track after the second glass, not gonna lie), and dessert was cantucci dipped in Vin Santo — sticky and sweet and somehow perfect after all that savory food.

Pienza was our last stop, just as the light started to turn gold on those Renaissance buildings. The streets smelled of cheese shops and warm stone. I wandered past a little store selling honey jars stacked in crooked towers. There’s this one view over Val d’Orcia that made me stop mid-step — you know when you see something so wide and quiet it makes your chest ache? That was it for me. We only had about an hour here but it felt like enough time to let everything sink in before heading back to Rome.