Tuscan Delights

Welcome to Rome, the Eternal City! At Rome International Airport, your private driver will be waiting to take you to your five-star hotel. Enjoy the afternoon and evening at your own pace, exploring the narrow streets and beautiful piazzas or sampling the local cuisine in one of Rome’s fine restaurants. Ask your leisure travel consultant for recommendations of their favourite restaurants, cafes, and entertainment.

After breakfast, your licensed English-speaking guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Your private tour will take you on a journey through the city, in which the power and the glory of the Great Roman Empire developed and extended. Your guide will walk you through the enchanting ruins of the Imperial-era, beginning with the Piazza Venezia and its impressive monument, dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II and the Unknown Soldier. You will continue to the famous Piazza del Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo, with a breathtaking view of the Roman Forum. With the remains of the Forum as a backdrop, your guide will present the history and anecdotes on the social and political life of Rome, from its origin to the glorious days of the Great Roman Empire. Continue your tour to the magnificent Coliseum, an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome, and one of the most impressive buildings of the Imperial-era.

Spend the day sipping an espresso at one of the numerous cafes and exploring more of the deep history, culture and art of Rome on your own. Take an optional private tour of the Vatican Museum and Saint Peter’s Basilica, where you will see the famous Sistine Chapel, with its ceiling depiction of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s The Last Judgment, and wall frescoes, with artists such as Botticelli, Perugino, Rosselli, Ghirlandaio and Signorelli, all depicting the lives of Jesus and Moses. Continue to St. Peter’s Basilica, where Peter, the apostle considered as the first pope, was crucified and buried. The interior of St. Peter’s Basilica is impressive, with a display of the finest Renaissance monuments by great artists such as Michelangelo and Bernini, which fill every empty space. If open, you will have the opportunity to visit the Vatican Grottoes.

After breakfast, your private driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Tuscany, one of Italy’s most famous regions, known for its gorgeous landscapes, rich artistic legacy, influence on high culture, and unique culinary tradition.

Broaden your horizons on a full day of adventure in the beautiful countryside of Chianti, accompanied by your guide, making stops in the lovely hilltop towns of Greve and Castellina. Explore your senses with wine tastings at local vineyards and at villages known for their traditional cuisine, such as schiacciata con olio, better known as a focaccia-like bread with oil, and soft salami with fennel seeds, which Italians call finocchiona. Drive through the forests where, in October, the famous porcini mushrooms are grown. The area is also known for its all-year-round preserves, such as mushrooms, artichokes, and other vegetables, preserved in oil, a process known by Italians as sott’olio. You will have a lunch break in the town of Panzano, with time to explore at your leisure. Travel to Badia di Passignano, a medieval hamlet and abbey founded in 395 by the Archbishop of Florence. Monks of the Vallombrosan Order still live in the abbey, keeping its history and culture alive. You will return to your hotel in the evening, after a fun-filled day.

Enjoy a day of leisure in your Tuscan Village or set off for further exploration into the countryside. Ask your travel consultant for recommendations of their favorite activities and sites in Tuscany.

After breakfast, your private driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Florence. After checking into your luxury hotel, enjoy the remainder of your day by exploring the striking buildings, formidable galleries, and treasure-filled churches this beautiful city has to offer at your own pace.

Your licensed English-speaking guide will meet you at your hotel lobby to begin your private walking tour through the enchanting city of Florence, also known as the Cradle of the Renaissance. Bask in your stroll through the historical streets on your way to the Duomo complex, with Giotto’s bell tower, a Baptistery with bronze doors, including the famous Porta del Paradiso, and the Cathedral with the magnificent Cupola del Brunelleschi. The highlight of your day will be a visit to the Uffizi Gallery or the Accademia Museum. In the evening, enjoy an optional cooking class, as you learn to prepare a traditional Tuscan meal, later indulging in the fruits of your labour, while sipping local wine.

Explore Florence on your own or take a tour to the northern Tuscan towns of Pisa, Lucca, and San Miniato. Ask your leisure travel consultant for their personal recommendations of activities and excursions in and around Florence.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Florence Airport to catch your departure flight.