Art, Wine and Food Italian Culinary Tour - Tuscan Heartland ULIT02

Personal Highlights:

• A walking tour of Renaissance Florence including the church of Santa Croce, the last resting place of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli

• Your choice of a private visit either to Pisa and its famous leaning tower or Fiesole a hillside town favored by the English aristocracy in the 19th Century

• Visiting the art treasures of Michelangelo at the Accademia Gallery and the masterpieces from Giotto to Raphael at the Uffizi Gallery with your own art expert.

• Savoring your choice of the wines of Chianti or comparing the red wines of Montepulciano and Montalcino in the areas where they are created.

• Tasting true Tuscan cuisine in the city and the countryside

Day 1 Depart USA

You board your flight for the overnight journey to Florence your initial stop on your exploration of Tuscany.

Day 2 Welcome to Florence

You arrive in Florence where you are met by your  guide and taken to your private car which will be used to provide an overview of the city as a preparation for in-depth exploration in the days ahead. After your tour you are delivered to your renownd hotel which is located the centre of the city.. You have a chance to relax or explore the neighborhood before enjoying dinner in the restaurant.

Day 3 Walking through the Heart of Florence

After breakfast your guide will meet you at the hotel to provide a more in-depth view of the city, the buildings and what they represent to the history of the city and, indeed, mankind. You will visit the Piazza del Duomo and learn the history of the dome created by Brunelleschi and the nearby bell tower by Giotto. A visit to the Ponte Vecchio will be followed by a tour of Franciscan Santa Croce church and its masterpieces by Giotto, Donatello and Brunelleschi. Within its walls are the burial sites of the Renaissance greats, Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. Dante is also honored but his sarcophagus is empty. A more recent addition is the great composer Rossini. You end your tour in the Piazza della Signoria, one of the most beautiful squares in the world. Following lunch, you have the rest of the afternoon free. This evening you go to one of our favorite Florentine restaurants to sample true Tuscan cuisine.

Day 4 A Day in the Tuscan Countryside

Today you have the choice of two trips into the Tuscan Countryside. Your first option is to visit the town of Pisa, world famous for its leaning tower and later to Lucca, less well-known but steeped in Roman and Romanesque history. Upon arrival in Pisa you will get an overview of the city before stopping at the complex called the Campo dei Miracoli. This is made up of the Duomo, Baptistery, Camposanto and the leaning tower. After lunch you visit the town of Lucca which was originally a Roman town and enclosed by massive red brick walls in the 16th and 17th centuries. You will walk along the walls and also visit the Roman Amphitheatre. Lucca is also famous as the birthplace of Puccini. Your other option is to visit the hillside town of Fiesole which, in the 19th Century, was a thriving British colony. You explore the town and enjoy lunch before moving to Settignano which is located on a hilltop facing Fiesole. The town is the birthplace of the famous sculptor Desiderio da Settignano. After either trip you return to Florence where dinner awaits

Day 5 Masterpieces by Michelangelo

After breakfast you visit the Accademia Gallery famous for its collection of sculptures by Michelangelo. In addition to the world-renowned "David", you will also see the four "slaves" created for Pope Julius II and the "Pieta di Palestrina". It is "David" however which is close to the hearts of the citizens of Florence since, as the young hero who is about to defeat the giant, Goliath, it symbolizes the determination of the Florentine Republic to defend its freedom no matter the size of the adversary.After your visit you have lunch and then the rest of the day is free for you to enjoy Florence at your own pace.

Day 6 Comparative Red Wines of Tuscany

Today you have the choice of visiting two regions noted for their wines, particularly reds. On your first option, your first stop is the beautiful medieval town of San Gimignano. The town is situated on a hill and is enclosed by an outer wall including five gates. Fifteen of the over 70 original watchtowers still exist making it unique among Tuscan towns. You will explore the city on foot and learn of its diverse history. Leaving the town you head further into the countryside where you stop in the Chianti region at a delightful family restaurant where you enjoy an a la carte lunch with wine on a terrace overlooking the typical Tuscan countryside. After lunch you will visit the town of Greve where cheeses and seasoned meats will be offered for tasting prior to your winery visits where you will have a chance to taste not only the wine but the olive oil and balsamic vinegar for which this area is also justly famous. If you select the second option your first stop will be the hill town of Montepulciano which, although overshadowed by its wines, is also of architectural interest. Once through the city gates you head up the Corso which is the main street taking you to the main square at the top of the hill. While you will spend some time exploring the area it is the tasting of the wine that is our prime activity. The area offers not one but two famous wines, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and Rosso de Montepulciano. You will sample both. A brief stop in the hill town of Pienza allows outstanding views and the chance to sample their famous Pecorino de Pienza a delicious sheep's' milk cheese. After lunch in a Trattoria you arrive in Montalcino known for Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy's most esteemed wines.

Day 7 Treasures of the Uffizi

Your day starts with a private tour of the Uffizi, designed by Vasari as an administrative office for the Medici's, it was, in 1591, turned into an art gallery to make available to the public the great works of art acquired or commissioned by the Medici family. It is a treasure trove of Renaissance art including notable works by DaVinci, Giotto, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Raffaello and after viewing and studying the art you take a coffee break at the Loggia della Signoria which offers superb views of the Palazzo Vecchio where the Medicis would sit and listen to music. After lunch you have time avalable for last minute shopping or sitting at an Enoteca watching the people flow by. This evening, have an elegant farwell dinner with wine to toast the end of your introduction to Tuscany.

Day 8 Return to USA

After breakfast your driver picks you up for the trip to the airport where your return flight to the US awaits returning you later that same afternoon.

Services Included

• 1st Class rail travel as indicated on the itinerary

• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)

• Private Transfers to and from the airport or rail station at destination

• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner

• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.

• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary

• Baggage handling at all hotels

• All applicable taxes and service fees

Service Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)

• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)

• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page

• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.

• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)

• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round