Treasures of Tuscany

• Meeting at 5 pm at the hotel in Pisa to discuss the Itinerary.
• Dinner: Local restaurant
• Night: Hotel or B&B

• Breakfast.
• Morning.
  Visit of Pisa with its famous leaning tower, the Cathedral, Borgo Stretto. We will visit then Keith Haring probably last murals, because he died only after few months painting this beauty. The little Church along the Arno river is now the venue of art exhibitions, we cannot not admire its beauty.
• Afternoon.
  Parco di Massaciuccoli: trip with a “barchino”, a small boat being able to pass in the channels and the lakes, discovering its wildlife. We will visit then the ruins of a Roman Villa with its thermal bath next to the little village of Massaciuccoli. After our exploration experience we will have a wine tasting matching with cured meat and ‘salumi’ at the local “Tana”, Tana Romana.
• Lunch: Pisa
• Dinner: Tana Romana
• Night: Hotel or B&B

• Breakfast.
• Morning.
  Lucca: Walk or bike on its 4km walls from which we can admire Palazzo Pfanner’s garden, the Torre dell’Orogorio the Torre Guinigi, the San Frediano Church, and much more. We will Visit the Italian emigration museum, where you can even start your own historical search for people who emigrated. Then visit of Cathedral and its mysterious labyrinth stone. We will visit then the Torre Guinigi, the only one left with oak trees on its top.
• Afternoon.
  After lunch we will stop in the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro (built on a roman amphitheater). We will then take the car and visit Villa Torrigiani renown for its beautiful interiors and Villa Reale in Marlia famous for its garden.
• Lunch: Typical Lucca cuisine restaurant in Lucca
• Dinner: Local restaurant near Marlia
• Night: Hotel or B&B near Pisa

• Breakfast.
• All day.
  Visit of Santa Maria Novella Church and its Chiostri. Visit Firenze with its Duomo and the Cupola. Discover hidden curiosity about Florence and its art in every corner of the town. Visit of the Mercato Centrale Sail on the ‘barchino’, a typical boat that the ‘renaioli’ (men of the sand) used to extract the sand from the river Arno. You will see Firenze from a different perspective, passing under the Ponte Vecchio at sunset it’s something to tell to your friends.
• Lunch: Central Market of San Lorenzo in Florence
• Dinner: local Casa del popolo on our way back
• Night: Hotel or B&B near Certaldo

• Breakfast.
• Morning.
  Visit of medieval villages of Certaldo, the outpost of Florence during the war with Siena. The name originating from Latin, “altura ricoperta di cerri” refers to a hilltop covered in trees. However, it has been speculated that these “hills” may actually have Etruscan origins…thus may not be as natural as they look. Certaldo Castello, or simply “Castello” for friends and family and Certaldo Basso flourished due to their proximity to the via Francigena.
• Afternoon.
  Visit of San Giminiano, called the medieval New York because of its tower, symbols of power of the families owning them. We will visit one of them transformed in an apartment of 11 small floors (if it’s not rented on the day). San Giminiano is also famous for its leather handbags and it’s Vernaccia. Time for shopping.
• Lunch: Certaldo
• Dinner: Siena
• Night: Hotel or B&B near Siena.

• Breakfast.
• Morning.
  Visit of Monteriggioni is still very important for pilgrims that are walking the Via Francigena, the old pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome. It was the outpost of Siena during the war with Florence. Visit of Bagno Vignoni, known because of its thermal baths main square
• Afternoon.
  Visit of Siena starting with the Cathedral. We will go on the roofs and we will be able to see its magnificent marble decorated floor.
• Lunch: Bagno Vignoni
• Dinner: Siena
• Night: Hotel or B&B near Siena

• Breakfast.
  Time to relax before our Cooking Lesson starting at around 10am. Based in the Val d’Orcia, the cooking classes are Tuscan at heart, but anything from pizza to risotto can be included. Lunch will depend on your ability in cooking!
• Afternoon.
  Pienza a small village whose name comes from Pope Pius II, who was born here, and it means the city of Pius. In 1996, UNESCO decided to make the centre of Pienza into a World Heritage Site “considering that the site is of outstanding universal value as it represents the first application of the Renaissance Humanist concept of urban design, and as such occupies a seminal position in the development of the concept of the planned “ideal town” which was to play a significant role in subsequent urban development in Italy and beyond.”. In 2004, the entire Val d’Orcia was included on the list of UNESCO’s World Cultural Landscapes.
• Lunch: Cooking lesson
• Dinner: local restaurant in Montepulciano
• Night: Hotel or B&B near Montepulciano

• Breakfast.
• Morning.
  We will visit Chiusi, less than half hour drive from Montepulciano. This sleepy little town on one of the most southern border of Tuscany was one of the most important cities of the Etruscan empire between the 7th & 5th centuries BC. The town is an enchanting mix of Etruscan ingenuity, Roman prowess and Medieval struggles. We will access the ‘Porsenna Labirynth’, passing through the Cathedral built in the middle of the VI century using salvaged material. This labyrinth, in reality, is an Etruscan aqueducts. Our visit will continue with a tour of the famous Etruscan necropolis, usually not open to the public.] Next stop will be the Catacombs, open to the public just on request.
• Afternoon.
  Visit of Montepulciano, renown worldwide for its wine. Free time for shopping and strolling in the village. Stopping at the Cathedral of the Cantina de’ Ricci, maybe the most beautiful cellar in Tuscany. We will have then another wine and food pit stop at the ‘Cittá sotterranea’, a historic cellar. In both cellars we will taste local products such as pecorino cheese, oil, salami. Vino nobile di Montepulciano will be served in a breathless atmosphere of ancient hidden rooms where the richness of this wine was jealously guarded in the 1400s.
• Lunch: Chiusi
• Dinner: Montepulciano
• Night: Hotel or B&B near Montepulciano

• Breakfast 
• Morning
  We will leave late in the morning to make our way through the beautiful Tuscan countryside towards Pisa.
• Afternoon
  Visit of the roman ships of Pisa. Free time for shopping.
• Lunch: Local restaurant in Pisa
• Dinner: Local Restaurant in Pisa
• Night: Hotel or B&B in Pisa

• Breakfast
• Transfer to Pisa Airport

Your accommodation will be in double room with private bathroom in characteristic hotels or B&B located in quiet area of Rome. You will be able to rest and relax in company with friends and a local glass of wine.

We take total advantage of being in the country that’s arguably the food capital of the world. Every lunchtime, we take a break to taste Rome fresh, seasonal products.

Dinner Time: We dine in local restaurants, tasting local homemade dishes and regional wines

One major difference between Italy and some other cultures, such as the USA, is the subject of tips. Italian workers in the tourism industry earn a living wage that is not reliant on tips to bring their wage up to a reasonable level. It’s not that they are insulted if you tip them, it’s just that it is not a requirement to do so. If you feel that you have received good service, it will be seen as very nice of you to show your appreciation by leaving a tip.