Ashley and Gray 2018
Tuscany 2018
Join Ashley & Gray @ Montestigleano
Siena, Italy on November 15th
housing:
Montestigliano: the farm, hamlet, & villas.
There are several activities at Montestigliano including olive oil tasting. November is olive harvest time and special guided tours are available of the olive groves and visiting the "Frantoio" pressing works, where their golden nectar is produced. Other activities include cooking classes, wine tasting, golfing, going to the spa, walking, hiking and cycling. There is something for everyone!
Find out more at Montestigliano.com
If you are interested in staying at Montestigliano, you can contact Franceso at info@montestigliano.it
and be sure to mention you are part of Ashley & Gray’s party. Bookings are generally taken on a weekly basis from Saturday to Saturday, but you can ask about flexibility in November as it is their low-season.
Book @ Montestigliano Link
Staying in nearby Siena or Florence.
Tuscany is full of historic Italian cities and charming villages—you can really pick your perfect adventure here. We’ve listed some specifics for each of the major hot-spots in Tuscany under Activities & Day-Trips below. If you are interested in staying in Siena (a 30min drive from Montestigliano) or Florence (about an hour), here are some links to get you started. AirBNB offers a great variety of rooms, apartments and full homes that you can book as long as you like, and there are plenty of hotel options in Siena and Florence.
Stay in an AirBNB
Find a hotel
Staying elsewhere in Italy?
We want you all to make this YOUR Italian adventure. So if you’d prefer to only spend a day or two in Tuscany and focus your travels elsewhere in Italy or Europe — go for it! Here’s a helpful link to Rick Steves’ Travel that is full of info on planning your perfect trip.
Rick Steves’ Italy Link
the party:
November 15th
We were officially married on April 28th, but are saving the real celebration for Italy. You’re invited to join for a traditional Tuscan dinner, cocktails and dancing at the Montestigliano Granary. Here are the details:
Date: Thursday, November 15th
Location: Montestigliano Granary
6pm: Cocktails & Hors d'oeuvre
7-9pm: A traditional Tuscan dinner (family style)
9-midnight: Drinks, dessert, and dancing
Attire: Casual, comfortable cocktail, but bring a layer or two.
Weather in Tuscany in November can range from mid 70s during the day to low 40s at night, and may include quick showers or even a thunderstorm here and there.
activities + day-trips
Italy is an incredibly beautiful country — now's your chance to enjoy it!
Tuscany holds the beating heart of Italian culture, from the charming culture of Siena, to the museums and markets of Florence — there is something here for everyone, and it is all surrounded by rolling hills lined with vineyards and olive farms. If you can't find peace here, you never will.
siena
Siena, a city in central Italy’s Tuscany region, is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings. The fan-shaped central square, Piazza del Campo, is the site of the Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall, and Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th-century tower with sweeping views from its distinctive white crown. The city’s 17 historic “contrade” (districts) extend outward from the piazza.
Visit Siena
florence
Florence, capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture. One of its most iconic sights is the Duomo, a cathedral with a terracotta-tiled dome engineered by Brunelleschi and a bell tower by Giotto. The Galleria dell'Accademia displays Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture. The Uffizi Gallery exhibits Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” and da Vinci’s “Annunciation.”
Visit Florence
san gimignano, poggibonsi, & tuscan markets
San Gimignano is an Italian hill town in Tuscany, southwest of Florence. Encircled by 13th-century walls, its old town centers on Piazza della Cisterna, a triangular square lined with medieval houses. It has a skyline of medieval towers, including the stone Torre Grossa. The Duomo di San Gimignano is a 12th-century church with frescoes by Ghirlandaio in its Santa Fina Chapel.
Visit San Gimignano
Poggibonsi is a town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, central Italy. It is located on the Elsa River and is the main centre of the Valdelsa Valley.
Visit Poggibonsi
Gray’s favorite market is in Poggibonsi - on Tuesdays there is a big market, selling everything from knickers to chainsaws, and a big fresh-produce area, including excellent fishmongers and cheese sellers. Starring the favourite cheese man, brilliant vegetable lady, and lovely finocchiona & salsiccia man. Here is a link to all the Tuscany town markets.
Town Market Days
pisa
Pisa is a city in Italy's Tuscany region best known for its iconic Leaning Tower. Already tilting when it was completed in 1372, the 56m white-marble cylinder is the bell tower of the Romanesque, striped-marble cathedral that rises next to it in the Piazza dei Miracoli. Also in the piazza is the Baptistry, whose renowned acoustics are demonstrated by amateur singers daily, and the Caposanto Monumentale cemetery.
Visit Pisa
cinque terre
Cinque Terre is a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. In each of the 5 towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats and trattorias turn out seafood specialties along with the Liguria regions’ famous sauce, pesto. The Sentiero Azzurro cliffside hiking trail links the villages and offers sweeping sea vistas.
Visit Cinque Terre
registry/honeyfund
We already have a home full of everything we need, but you can contribute to our dream honeymoon, which includes throwing a killer Italian party for our friends and family. We’ll be enjoying our honeymoon throughout the week of the party and the following week in November.
Contribute to our Honeyfund
Honeyfund Password: Ashley&Gray2018
travel info/
need to know
Passport Required
You’ll need a passport to travel to Europe. Passports should have at least six months remaining validity beyond your departure date.
Apply for a passport
Getting to Montestigliano
Fly into Rome or Florence
Book a flight
Drive from Florence to Siena in about an hour
Drive from Rome to Siena in about a 3 hours
Rent a car
International Driver’s Permit
If you plan to rent a car while in a foreign country, you'll need an International Driving Permit.
Apply for a driving permit
Take a train from Rome to Siena, it's about a 3½ hour ride.
Take a train
Travel Agent Details
If you have one already — use them as they will be incredibly helpful. If you want an agent, here are some details for a great agent Ashley’s family loves:
Becky / Phone: 925.672.9840 / Email: Becky@travel-2-go.com / Book a travel agent
Travel Tips
Here is a great resource of travel tips from Rick Steves’ Europe including transportation, money, phone & tech and packing light. Packing light is important because you’ll need room for all the goodies you’ll collect along the way!
Travel Tips
QUESTIONS? Contact Us
We can’t book everyone’s trip, but we’ll definitely try to answer any questions you have to help you along the way. Send us an email and we will do our best to get back to you as quickly as we can.
We are so humbled, honored, and excited to have you join in our celebration! Can’t wait to see you all in Toscana!
Ciao ciao!!!
Ashley & Gray
Email Ashley
Email Gray
