Florence & Tuscany tour 8 days/7 nts

1^st day - Florence

Arrival at Florence Peretola Airport , transfer and accommodation at hotel.

In the afternoon visit with local guide or The Uffizi Gallery, one of the most complete Italian painting gallery. It was the private collection of the Medici Family, who were as interested in money as in art. Several hundred works were bought, confiscated and commissioned in over 200 years of their political regency. The tour starts with the rooms dedicated to medieval painting (Giotto's Maestà and the works of Cimabue and Duccio). From there we visit the most famous paintings of Botticelli, Leonardo and Michelangelo's only accomplished painting, the Tondo Doni. At the end a visit to the rooms dedicated to Raffael, Tiziano, Tintoretto and Veronese. Dinner at hotel and overnight.

2^nd day – Florence

After breakfast you will start your tour of Florence with local guide. You will reach the Accademia Gallery where you can admire Michelangelo's David. Everything in the fascinating story of its creation contributes to its lasting fame: the fact that the work was begun by another artist, the low quality of the marble block and Michelangelo's genius, which finally transformed it into the figure of a man with classical shape and an anatomically perfect body. Finished in 1504, the statue was exposed for 250 years on the Piazza della Signoria, right opposite of the Palazzo Vecchio. Proceed for the visit of the Duomo and its Giotto’s bell tower that was begun by Giotto in 1334, carried on after his death by Andrea Pisano, and finished in 1359 by Francesco Talenti; the Baptistery of Saint John, for centuries thought to be a pagan temple "converted" to Christian use. Dante calls it his "lovely Saint John's". And from the 14th to the 16th century, the exterior sculptural decoration for which the Baptistery is famous was put in place: three sets of bronze doors and the bronze and marble statuary above them. These works illustrate Bible stories which the believer is invited to ponder if he would live his faith to the full. Free time for light lunch and in the afternoon visit of Piazza della Signoria and admire the marvellous Palazzo Vecchio (external visit) and the beautiful Loggia del Lanzi. Continue to Ponte Vecchio and Santa Croce Basilica. The architect Arnolfo di Cambio begun the construction in year 1294 and became one of the masterpieces of the Italian gothic style. Cimabue , Brunelleschi, Giotto and Donatello worked in this basilica. Dinner at a restaurant of the centre. Overnight.

3^rd day - Florence/ Pisa / Lucca / Florence

After breakfast visit of Pisa with local guide .You will discover Pisa's most important monuments and squares: our walking tour starts with a visit to the world famous Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) with many medieval masterpieces: Leaning Tower, Baptistery, Cathedral (inside visit) and the Campo Santo (inside visit) cemetery. Passing medieval Tower houses we head for Piazza Dante with Pisa's State University where Galileo Galilei taught and finishes at Piazza dei Cavalieri, the central civic square of medieval Pisa with Italy's academic showpiece, the Scuola Normale Superiore. In the afternoon visit of Lucca with local guide . The tour starts with the visit of San Frediano church with its magnificent thirteenth-century mosaic representing Christ in Majesty and an amazing facade. Next, visit the nearby Piazza del Anfiteatro, the most beautiful square of Lucca. Passing by the elegant shops of Via Filungo and through small, typically medieval streets we reach the Duomo which houses the famous Volto Santo and a splendid marble sarcophagi, a masterpiece of Jacopo della Quercia. Passing Piazza Napoleone you will reach piazza San Michele, the central civic square of Lucca since Roman times. Back to Florence for dinner and overnight.

4^th day - Florence/ San Gimignano/Greve in Chianti/ Radda in Chianti/ Siena

Breakfast and departure for the visit of the Tuscan countryside. Full day with touring guide, dedicated to the visit of the Chianti Classico area. In the morning visit of S.Gimignano, small medieval village with its 13 towers, where is possible to taste the “Nobile di Montepulciano”.Continue to Greve in Chianti, for a lunch in a castle with the roast suckling pig “ Maialino Chiantigiano” and to visit the wine cellar with wine and olive oil tasting: Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva, Super Tuscan Le Marangone, Vin Santo and Grappa. In the afternoon visit of Radda in Chianti located in the heart of the Chianti hills. The fortified part of Radda encompasses within its walls the intact medieval village, including the Podestà Palace built in '400 with its fifth century fresco belonging to the Fiorentine school. Famous even abroad with top-quality wine and olive oil production. Departure to Siena. Accommodation at hotel, dinner and overnight.

5^thday - Siena

After breakfast half day visit of the city with local guide. This city has managed to preserve its medieval character completely. Your guided tour starts with a visit to San Domenico, a church much frequented for its venerated relics of Saint Catherine, patron saint of Italy and Europe. Then we head for the magnificent palace of Monte dei Paschi bank, founded in 1472 - the oldest bank in Europe. From there we reach nearby Piazza del Campo, the unrivalled centre of vivid city life. Here is the place where the Palio is played , Siena's breathtaking bareback horse race. With a stop at the Chigi-Saracini Palace you finally reach the Duomo with its marble pavement made with a startling sequence of 56 marble. Free time for personal activities. Dinner at restaurant facing the famous fan-shaped Piazza del Campo where you will taste “ Pici al ragout di cinghiale” , home-made pasta with boar sauce and the cakes Panforte, Pan Pepato and the Cantucci with Vin Santo.Wine tasting in Siena with the oenologist: Vernaccia San Giminiano, Chianti Colline Senesi, Chianti Classico.Overnight at hotel.

6^th day - Siena /Montalcino/Pienza/Montepulciano/ Siena

Breakfast and full day visit with touring guide dedicated to the Brunello di Montalcino area. Visit of a wine farmhouse, famous for the “Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino”. Short visit of Bagno Vignoni, where the main square is made by a thermal water basin closed on three sides by the town’s walls and the water flows at 52°. Then visit with local guide of Pienza famous for the “Ewe’s Cheese”, the Cattedrale dell’Assunta and Piazza Pio II. Continue to Montepulciano for the visit of a wine cellar and dinner including a wine tasting of “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano”. Back to hotel in Siena and overnight.

7^th day - Siena / Arezzo / Cortona/ Siena

After breakfast departure for the visit of Arezzo.St. Francesco’s church a Tuscan Gothic church, late XIII century, houses the famous fresco cycle of The Legend Of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca , that describes Jesus Way of the Cross. Painted in the 15th century for a local merchant family is only one of Piero della Francesca’s masterpieces that you can see in the area between Arezzo, Monterchi and San Sepolcro, his birthplace. Continue to Cortona positioned high over an unrivalled panorama which stretches as far as the Sienese mountains and Lake Trasimeno. A town of Etruscan origin which grew rapidly during the Medieval and Renaissance periods and left behind some important reminders of its past that are still perfectly conserved. Presumably the medieval city sprung up inside the Etruscan walls and was subsequently enlarged with the addition of some splendid Renaissance buildings. Dinner at a local restaurant and back to Siena. Overnight.

8^th day - Siena / Florence

After breakfast departure to Florence Peretola Airport for departure.