TUSCANY AND CINQUE TERRE
Day 1 – (Friday) ROME
Arrival at the local airport and transfer to the Hotel. Free afternoon to tour the city on our own and do some shopping. Overnight.
Day 2 – (Saturday) ROME
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Today we will enjoy a sightseeing panoramic tour of the city with a local guide, driving through the most important places: Piazza Venezia, Via Veneto, the Roman Forums, the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, Castel Sant’Angelo, and others. We will continue with the visit of the Vatican Museums including the famous Sistine Chapel and the Basilica of St. Peter. Lunch is included. Afternoon free, we recommend an optional visit inside the Coliseum and the Forums. Overnight.
Day 3 – (Sunday) ROME
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Free day to continue visiting this fascinating city on your own.
On Sundays at noon, the Pope traditionally prays the Angelus in St. Peter’ Square and imparts the blessing Urbi et Orbi to the crowd: we recommend to attend it on your own, no tickets are required.
Overnight.
Day 4 – (Monday) ROME – PISA – LA SPEZIA (435 kms)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Pisa. Upon arrival we will enjoy a regular city sightseeing tour. Pisa is a quiet city and very pleasant, close to the sea, that has preserved various evidences of her past
greatness. We visit the famous Piazza dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), and will admire its Duomo, the Leaning Tower and the Baptistery. We visit the Cathedral. In the afternoon we will continue to La Spezia. Pernottamento.
Day 5 – (Tuesday) LA SPEZIA – CINQUE TERRE – SIENA (225 kms)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Departure on a full day excursion at famous “Cinque Terre”. Five fascinating towns of vivid colors located on cliffs above the sea. Hundreds of hiking trails run through this unspoiled landscape, framed by nature and wonderful views. We will enjoy Castles, walls and other ancient buildings, as well as many small beaches, some of them isolated and unspoiled. In the afternoon we will continue towards Siena. Overnight.
Day 6 – (Wednesday) SIENA – MONTALCINO – SAN GIMIGNANO – SIENA (175 kms)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. City sightseeing tour of the city including Piazza del Campo, site of the famous Palio race, and the Cathedral that we will visit inside. Free time for lunch. Next, we will go to
Montalcino where we will visit a small and typical winery, take a little walk through the ancient
vineyards, visit the barrel room and taste the excellent wines, accompanied by local products.
After the winery, we will continue to San Gimignano, a small walled town located on a hill that has remained intact throughout the centuries, famous for its tall towers, frescoes and other valuable works of art. Brief visit through the old town, where we will have free time to discover the tiny streets and nice squares in the city center. Return to Siena at the end of visit. Overnight.
Day 7 – (Thursday) SIENA – PIENZA – MONTEPULCIANO – ROME (270 kms)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Today we will enjoy an excursion to the Val D’Orcia, visiting two little gems of Italy, the cities of Pienza and Montepulciano. We can consider them the perfect introduction to this fascinating natural area, one of the most beautiful in Italy, where you will enjoy these charming little
cities and the captivating landscapes of their surroundings. Pienza is considered the “touchstone of Renaissance urbanism” and is also renowned for its pecorino cheese that we can taste and buy in local stores during our free time. Later we will continue our tour to Montepulciano and will admire its architectural treasures, its beautiful Renaissance buildings and impressive churches. Another feature of this city is its old wine tradition, the Nobile of Montepulciano, one of the most famous Tuscan wines. We will enjoy a fantastic wine tasting in one of the most popular wineries in the region. We then continue to
Rome. Overnight.
Day 8 – (Friday) ROME
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Free time until our transfer to the local airport, in time for our flight back.