Pearls of Tuscany: 6 days, 5 nights tour

Pearls of Tuscany – 6 days, 5 nights tour

Day 1, Saturday – Florence.

Arrival of participants to the hotel ,accommodation and room assignment.

Lunch in a restaurant in the historic center.  In the afternoon guided tour of the city.

Given the location of the hotel, this will be a walking tour to be able to admire closely the wonders of the city. It will begin with a visit to the magnificent Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, certainly one of the most beautiful churches in Florence, continue towards Piazza del Duomo, with the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo), symbol of the Tuscan capital, familiar to all of us for the very famous Brunelleschi’s Dome.

On the right side of the Cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower.

Walking through the streets of the iconic center we will have a typical light lunch,

We will then proceed for the city tour with its splendors including, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, Palazzo Vecchio, to get to the amazing spectacle of Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti.

Back to the hotel and dinner in a typical Tuscan restaurant .

Day 2, Sunday – Pisa and Lucca

Breakfast at the hotel and departure with our guide for a tour of Pisa and Lucca.

Pisa, a museum under the open sky

The city, with its prestigious buildings in Gothic and Renaissance style overlooking the river bank (Lungarno),  offers an exhilarating experience.

Meeting with the guide to visit the most famous square in the city: Piazza dei Miracoli. Here you will find not just  the Leaning Tower which was built as a bell tower but also the Baptistery, the Cathedral and the Cemetery. Tour of the Cathedral and the Baptistery.

After seeing the Square we keep on exploring other suggestive places of the city: Piazza dei Cavalieri with the majestic  Palazzo della Carovana, once the seat of the Knights of

St.Stephen is now home to La Normale a very prestigious university. The tour continues passing through Borgo Stretto until we reach Pisa Lungarno.

Lucca:

Historical circumstances have made Lucca a splendid fortress , which preserves a real artistic and architectural heritage within its walls.

Via Fillungo, via Santa Croce, The Forum ,The Amphitheatre, built in the second half of the first century AD, which today is one of the most important and picturesque squares of the city.

While walking through the alleys, we will make a stop to taste the traditional local dessert, “il buccellato”.

In the afternoon, return to Pistoia and dinner in a farmhouse, where you can enjoy a rich and delicious Tuscan menu.

Day 3, Monday– Bolgheri and the “Wine route”.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure by bus for  Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri.

After meeting with our guide, who will accompany you throughout the day, we will start with the first wine tasting of the day at a well-known winery, where the “sensorial tasting” will be carried out, guided through colors, aromas and flavors of the wine.

We will proceed to Castagneto Carducci, with a visit to the  Carducci Museums and the tasting of local products.

In the afternoon: Visiting Bolgheri and the ancient village

Dinner and lodging at the hotel.

Day 4, Tuesday – San Galgano, Chiusdino, Siena

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Siena. Along the route, two remarkable stops cannot are fundamental.

The first one is the particular Abbey of San Galgano, a place with a timeless charm.

As in the legend of King Arthur, many tried to extract Galgano’s sword from the ground but still today you can find it in its place, covered by a dome.

Second stop  Chiusdino, built in the early Middle Ages on the peak of one of the Metalliferous Hills.

Lunch in a typical restaurant, followed by a tour of the charming medieval town, where everything seems to go back in time. In the afternoon continue to Siena, hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight stay.

 Day 5, Wednesday – Siena

After breakfast at the hotel the guided tour of the city starts

from Piazza del Campo, rightly considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world, to then continue with the visit of Duomo. Free time for lunch and for the afternoon to walk through  the districts.

Back to the Hotel late afternoon.

Dinner in a typical restaurant, where you can taste the specialties of the Sienese cuisine.

Day 6, Thursday –Monteriggioni, San Gimignano,  Antinori Winery in Bargino, back to Florence

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for borgo di Monteriggioni

To get around  Monteriggioni you only need few minutes; the village is small and doesn’t have many streets. This image imprinted in your memory, will last forever.

The tour continues to San Gimignano, medieval town that today attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Vernaccia, a dry and well-balanced wine, and Saffron are among the typical products of San Gimignano, well-known all over the world.

Lunch in a farmhouse with a menu of traditional local dishes:

the classic Tuscan crostini with chicken liver, platters of cold cuts and local pecorino cheese, first course dishes served with wild boar sauce, and for the main courses mostly meat.

After San Gimignano, before returning to Pistoia a new interesting stop, not just for wine lovers: the Antinori Winery in Bargino.

It is, in fact, a historical link with the Chianti Classico area, a place where tradition and innovation coexist harmoniously.

The Antinori winery in Chianti Classico is part of Toscana Wine Architecture, an association that unites unique and original wineries designed by famous contemporary architects.

The tour of the cellar will be followed by an abundant selection of wine tasting, accompanied by platters of cold cuts and cheeses.

The tour ends with us heading back to the hotel in Florence for an overnight stay.

End of services