TUSCANY, ITALY

Upon arrival, proceed to baggage claim. After clearing customs, you will be met by our professional tour director and transferred to your hotel in Montecatini. You can spend the rest of the day at leisure. Have a welcome cocktail and briefing at 7:00 PM in the hotel. Tonight, dinner is at the hotel. (D)

Today’s tour will take you to Florence, a magical and magnificent city known for its art, history, and culture. Your walking tour will take you through streets and piazzas lined up with elegant Renaissance-style buildings, gorgeous marble sculptures, fine leather and jewelry stores, and restaurants serving delicacies that have made Tuscan cuisine famous worldwide. See the Cathedral, whose gigantic “cupola” is the symbol of Florence’s artistic achievements, the Baptistery (from outside) with its fine bronze doors adorned with the famous gates of Paradise and the Piazza della Signoria. Next, take part in our Cultural Discovery Series - Visit the artisans’ workshop in the vibrant Oltrarno district and see how local artists use centuries-old techniques when creating art, jewelry, and leather. Enjoy free time for shopping or visiting some of the numerous museums and art galleries. (B)

Today, enjoy a tour of Lucca and Pisa. Lucca is a peaceful place with narrow lanes that wind among the medieval buildings, opening suddenly to reveal churches, tiny piazzas, and many other reminders of the city’s long history, including a Roman amphitheater. This town is well known for its magnificent 16th and 17th-century ramparts, which have remained intact, encircle its narrow streets, lined with many medieval buildings. In the afternoon, we continue to Pisa to see its incredible Leaning Tower. It is 14 feet off center at the top because of settling after construction was started in 1173. Your visit to Pisa will also include a sightseeing tour of Pisa’s Campo dei Miracoli, or Field of Miracles, to see the Baptistery and Duomo (entrance included); all are fine examples of the Pisan- Romanesque architectural style. Later, visit a Tuscan farmhouse, meet the family members, and learn about their organic farming on the guided tour of the estate. Later on, enjoy music and a delicious dinner in this lovely countryside estate - Cultural Discovery Series. (B,D)

After breakfast, transfer to Siena for your full-day tour. Set in the most beautiful Tuscan countryside of rolling hills, lush vines, and gray-green olive trees. Siena offers much to see, from the fine palaces that line the narrow cobbled streets and the superb Duomo to the celebrated Piazza del Campo, where the famed Palio horserace is run yearly. Enjoy the Piazza del Campo, the ancient Tuscan capitol, a fascinating art town. Take time to explore the museums and churches of Siena and the glamorous shops of the Via dei Banchi de Sopra. (B)

Enjoy a day of leisure or join the optional full-day excursion to Cinque Terre. After breakfast, depart from your hotel and transfer by coach to the train station of La Spezia. By train, you will discover the renowned region called Cinque Terre (Five lands in Italian), taking its name from the five villages on the cliffs that overlook a blue sea and a coastline of astounding beauty. Our first stop will be the village of Manarola, the smallest “Borgo” after Corniglia, but with a nice tiny square and a lovely view of the coast. After some time for a coffee, we take the train to reach our second stop Vernazza. The last destination is Monterosso, the biggest village, where you will have time for lunch in one of the typical restaurants or cafes facing the sea. This afternoon you will take the train back to La Spezia and drive back to Montecatini by coach. (B)

Today, enjoy a tour of San Gimignano, a town of Etruscan origin. Built by noble families, the fourteen remaining towers that line the ramparts look like medieval skyscrapers. As we drive south through the Italian wine country of Chianti this afternoon, your stop will include a winery to taste the superb local wine. Together we will learn what makes a Chianti Classico - Cultural Discovery Series. This day is sure to be a highlight! (B)

Spend the day at leisure to explore Montecatini on your own, enjoy a spa treatment or just relax. Tonight we will enjoy dinner at the hotel. (B,D)

This morning, transfer to the airport for your return flight home, taking with you many beautiful memories of Italy. (B)