© 2008 Intimate France
14 April 2008
Hill towns, Chianti wines, antiquities, Florence and Siena - Book it!
12 days * September 13 - 25, 2009
Tour begins and ends in Florence
$3,895* per person, double occupancy * Singles, add $450
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Tour highlights * Day 1 (Sunday) From Florence we head south to our first stop – the heart of the privileged area of hills and vineyards called Chianti. Our lodging is an old farmhouse in the tiny hamlet of San Leonino, now converted into a comfortable rural hotel, in the midst of vineyards and olive trees. After settling in, we take an excursion to the pretty villages of Castellina and Radda. Late in the day, back at the hotel, we enjoy free time, followed by DINNER. OVERNIGHT – SAN LEONINO * Day 2 (Monday) We ease into Tuscany with a leisurely tour through Chianti, one of Italy's finest wine regions. It's packed with enchanting villages, long vistas, forests, vineyards and wineries. Along the way, we visit elegant Radda and the Abbey at Badia a Coltibuono. Later, we appreciate the timeless beauty of the village of Greve, arrayed around its old piazza. DINNER. OVERNIGHT – SAN LEONINO * Day 3 (Tuesday) The enchanting village of San Gimignano is first up today – a place hardly changed since the middle ages. We explore the old streets and appreciate its 14 gray stone towers encircled by an outer wall pierced by five gates. When we're tired of exploring the narrow streets lined with brick-built houses, we take a lunch break. In the afternoon, we return to our hotel via the ancient, wall-encircled village of Monteriggioni. DINNER at the hotel. OVERNIGHT – SAN LEONINO * Day 4 (Wednesday) We spend today (market day!) in Siena, one of Tuscany's most magnificent towns and a delight to the senses. After a walking tour to introduce us to Siena, we spend time in a caffè on the main piazza, the Campo, considered one of Italy's finest public squares. This sun-splashed, scallop shell-shaped plaza is the scene each summer of a wild horse race in which Siena's neighborhoods vie with each other. Other top sights include the very beautiful duomo, or cathedral, constructed of alternating white and black marble; and the slender campanile, or bell tower, towering over the tile roofs. Back, in quiet San Leonino, we have DINNER. OVERNIGHT – SAN LEONINO * Day 5 (Thursday) Today we explore the lovely hill town of Volterra, once a center of Etruscan (pre-Roman) culture. The fascinating Etruscan Guarnacci Museum showcases the art and architecture of these skilled craftsmen. Volterra is beautiful, with its town walls, narrow alleys and ancient stones. There will be time to look in on a workshop specializing in working the local alabaster. DINNER at the hotel. OVERNIGHT – SAN LEONINO *Day 6 (Friday) Reluctantly, we leave Chianti and venture south, to beautiful Montalcino, source of a fine red wine. Later, we arrive at the extraordinary hill town of Pienza and stroll through its enchanting streets. It's your chance to see the town walls, streets named for Love and Kiss, and a central square bordered by old buildings commissioned by Pope Pius II (he was born here) in the 15th century. Still later, we move on to the pretty hill town of Montepulciano, and explore this authentic Tuscan town, perched on a rocky ridge overlooking hillside vineyards. At day's end we arrive in the hill town of Cortona, our home for the next three days. OVERNIGHT – CORTONA *Day 7 (Saturday) We leave Tuscany briefly today and cross the border into Umbria, to the renowned and exceptionally pretty town of Assisi. Here we explore the town, hardly changed since the Middle Ages. Walk the narrow streets, admiring the old facades of pink stone, to the Basilica of St. Francis. This is the site of a renowned cycle of frescoes depicting the life of St. Francis, created by the master Giotto and his assistants in 1296. There's also time to explore the old center of Assisi, boasting one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Italy. OVERNIGHT – CORTONA * Day 8 (Sunday) It's time to get to know pretty Cortona. although you may feel you already know it from Frances Mayes' best-selling Under the Tuscan Sun. Cortona boasts an admirable collection of art in its Museo Diocesano; impressive Etruscan and Roman art and objects in the Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca; and timeless architecture (medieval, renaissance and gothic) in the central Piazza della Republica. OVERNIGHT – ASSISI * Day 9 (Monday) Today we leave Cortona and drive to Florence. First we stop in Arezzo to view the lovely Basilica di San Francesco, with its fresco cycle by Piero della Francesca. At mid-day we have a special LUNCH at the home of Beatrice Andreucci in a village near Florence. Beatrice lives there with husband, Simone, and daughters Livia and Clara. It's our chance to find out about life in a small Tuscan town. Late in the day, we enter Florence and check into our hotel, the Silla, housed in a 15th century palace on the left bank of the Arno, an area called the b. At day's end we take a walking tour of Florence to get our bearings OVERNIGHT – FLORENCE * Day 10 (Tuesday) The splendor of Florence is unmatched by any other city in Tuscany – an embarrassment of artistic and architectural riches. Our four-day stay allows us not only to appreciate the museums of this world-class city but also the palaces, parks, statues, the magnificent bridge called Ponte Vecchio and its Duomo, one of Italy's finest cathedrals. We will see as many of these sights as time allows. This morning we enjoy a tour of the city led by a certified guide, an expert in art history. Along the way we admire the center of Florence, the Piazza della Signoria, a virtual outdoor museum of statuary. On our schedule is a visit to the city's best museum, the Uffizi Gallery. Here, in a palace built by the Medici family and first opened in 1560, is arguably the finest collection of Renaissance art in the world. Botticelli, da Vinci, Raphael – they're all represented here, along with many others. In the afternoon, join us for another museum visit (optional) or take free time to explore Florence on your own. OVERNIGHT – FLORENCE * Day 11 (Wednesday) We head out of town today, to beautiful Lucca and to Pisa to view its Leaning Tower and other monuments. Along the way we enjoy LUNCH in Lucca, considered to have some of the best food in Tuscany. OVERNIGHT – FLORENCE * Day 12 (Thursday) Today is a free day in Florence to stroll, shop or visit churches or museums. We'll gather at mid-day for a special ARRIVIDERCI LUNCH. Your tour director will be available to suggest sightseeing possibilities and help with arrangements. Or you may wish to join us on a visit to one of the many grand churches or museums we haven't yet seen. OVERNIGHT – FLORENCE * Getaway day (Friday) We depart Florence for our journey home – or on to new and even more exotic locales!
Notes PRICE – $3,895 per person sharing a room. Single supplement of $450. Price may change due to currency (dollar/euro) fluctuations. MEALS – All tours include breakfast and eight other meals (lunches and dinners), as indicated in BOLD CAPS in the itinerary. OUR LODGINGS Hotel Belvedere di San Leonino, Castellina Hotel San Luca, Cortona Hotel Silla, Florence HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS – Subject to change according to availability. * TOUR PRICING – Price quoted is based on the U.S. dollar/euro exchange rate as of 3/27/08 and could change if there are significant exchange rate fluctuations. Call us for details -(800) 676-1247. ITINERARY – Aspects of this preliminary itinerary could change. A final itinerary will be issued closer to trip departure. |
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