Tuscany Itinerary
Tuscany is also known as the gardens of Europe.It is a beautiful region in central Italy and perhaps the symbol of the good Italian life. Nowhere in the world is there a landscape as beautifull as here. Heavy cypress lanes, gentle rolling hills full of vines and crunchy olive trees. Between ancient, famous and well-known art cities such as Florence, Montecatini Terme, Carrara, Volterra, San Gimignano, Siena, Elba , Arezzo and Pisa, as well as smaller villages that we find the leafy 'La Dolce Vita' still quiet. This beautiful area is a treasure room full of art and culture, food and wine, history and beautiful landscapes.
- The distance from Florence railway station (Firenze Santa Maria Novella)
- 1. To Milan - 3h 22min (301 km)apx.
- 2. To Rome - 3h 15min (276 km)apx.
- 3. To Venice - 2h 50min (255 km)apx.
- Program :
- The distance from Florence railway station to Montecatini Terme - 32min (43 km)apx.
- Day 1 Montecatini Terme / Montecatini Alto - Transfer from airport to your accommodation hotel. The lovely town of Montecatini Terme is in the valley of the river Nievole and is one of Italy's most famous thermal baths, although it is quite new to Italian concepts, the cure starte only around the year 1773. The water enjoys global fame because of the beneficial properties of the body, especially against constipation and cholesterol. There are also a lot of shops and nice terraces. In the afternoon, an authentic wooden train from 1894, a funicolare takes you to Montecatini Alto for a beautiful view of the area.
- Day 2 Pisa - Lucca - Pisa is close to the coast and is characterized by large houses with primordial and pink facades. In Pisa, of course, attention is paid to the Campo dei Miracoli with the Leaning Tower, the Duomo, the baptistery, and the Campo Santo cemetery. A walk through the old town center where you can see various Medici's Pallazo's. In Lucca a city walk over the famous 16th and 17th century city walls surrounding the entire city. From this cityscape you have a view of the colorful facades, churches, squares, and courtyards. You walk up to San Martino with the Volto Santo and further to the Piazza Amphitheatre and afterwards to San Frediano with the grave of Saint Zita. The day ends with a visit to the birthplace of world-renowned composer Giacomo Puccini in the town of Foro.
- Day 3 Carrara - Visit to the marble groves of Carrara and more specifically those of the Fantiscritti Caves where the “ox-drawn cart" awaits you. Visit the heart of the mountain where the famous white marble is carved. The great Michelangelo took the marble for his 'David'. The guide of Fantiscritti takes you with the marble grooves. Here, the temperature of about eighteen degrees is much lower than outside, but the chicken skin on our arms is mainly caused by the immense blocks of marble and the story that lies behind the already chopped blocks. Since marble digging has already been demarcated at the time of the Romans, you simply cannot imagine how many blocks of marble there have been chopped and dragged, and how much blood, sweat and tears it should have cost. Add to that all the beauty that has ever been made of the marble, and it feels almost like a holy place. Afternoon at your leisure to enjoy the swimming pool of your beautiful hotel or to explore with the guide the town you stay. Admire the many classicist and art-nouveau buildings.
- Day 4 Volterra - San Gimignano - Excursion to Volterra for a walk that will lead you to the medieval city square with its palaces. High on a hill between two valleys, Volterra, a city of a small 15,000 inhabitants, was founded by the Etruscans. San Gimignano, with its unique skyline, is a beautiful city and was once called the Middle Ages of Manhattan. The late Middle Ages were a period of great tensions: between Guelphs and Ghibellines, between cities, between the noble families in the cities. In order to protect themselves and radiate power, the important families built a private tower. Of the initially 76 family squirrels who exceeded each other, 13 still left. The famous Dom of Collegiata is famous for its frescoes, including Taddeo di Bartolo. It is also the town for the gourmets: the delicious Vernaccia wine, ham of wild pork and the delicious Italian ice cream.
- Day 5 Siena - The mighty beautiful Siena, the city of the Palio rider, is waiting for you. Seated on unsaddled horses, the riders of the different neighborhoods then battle with each other. The famous Piazza del Campo, possibly the most beautiful square in Europe, has been fired with medieval buildings and the Palazzo Pubblico plus of course the Fonte Gaia will not to be missed. Visit to the Duomo Santa Maria Assunta with its baptistery. This city has so much to offer that museum lovers, shopping fanatics and wine tasters will definitely come true.
- Day 6 Elba - One of the highlights of your trip is today the excursion to Elba Island. Elba is only 10 kilometers from the Italian west coast of the Italian city of Grosseto. You take the ferry from Piombino to Portoferraio. Elba is known for its tranquil nature, impressive mountains, and the beautiful coastline. The coastline consists partly of rock formations and partly from sandy beaches. Inland you will find many nature areas and beautiful landscapes, the highest point of which is the Monte Capanne with a height of 1019 meters. The local economy of Elba is mostly about wine and tourism. Elba is known as the island where Napoleon Bonaparte was in exile from 1814 to 1815. Visit to the old villa of Napoleon, Porteferraio, Porto Azurro, Marina di Campo and a tour of the many beautiful bays.
- Day 7 Arezzo - Trip to Arezzo where the fantastic film 'La vita é bella' was turned on the Piazza Grande. Admire the Palazzo della Fraternita, close to the Logge of Vasari. In the basilica of San Francisco you have the opportunity to admire the beautiful frescocycle of Piero della Francesca. These frescoes, which he did not paint in chronological order, were made following the 13th century and text about the mysterious story of the Holy Cross of Christ. To be able to follow the story one has to look from one wall to another. Afterwards, taste the tasty Tuscan specialties and of course the necessary white and red wines. Do not forget to try the Vin Santo dessert wine with the famous cantucci cookies!
- Day 8 Florence - Florence was once the capital of Italy for a short while. Noble families sponsored many artists, resulting in a grand architecture, colossal sculptures, colorful frescoes, and sublime painting. The three centuries almost uninterrupted domination of the powerful Famiglia de Medici has made Florence the cultural and intellectual heart of Europe until about 1730. They also culminated in the emergence of banks as lenders. By train, you will get to Florence where the guided walk begins at Santa Maria Novella and beyond the Capelle Medici and San Lorenzo. Visit to the Duomo of St. Maria del Fiore and the beautiful baptistery of course. Later admire Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and finally the famous Ponte Vecchio. For the lovers there is the possibility to visit the Galleria degli Uffizi. Florence has much to be visited, but today you will be able to admire almost all the highlights.
- Day 9 Departure - Free time for shopping until the transfer to Florence Airport for the flight home.
- Package price on request
Tuscany is also known as the gardens of Europe.It is a beautiful region in central Italy and perhaps the symbol of the good Italian life. Nowhere in the world is there a landscape as beautifull as here. Heavy cypress lanes, gentle rolling hills full of vines and crunchy olive trees. Between ancient, famous and well-known art cities such as Florence, Montecatini Terme, Carrara, Volterra, San Gimignano, Siena, Elba , Arezzo and Pisa, as well as smaller villages that we find the leafy 'La Dolce Vita' still quiet. This beautiful area is a treasure room full of art and culture, food and wine, history and beautiful landscapes.
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