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ONE WEEK IN ITALY TOUR

Rates & Dates    •    Tour Overview    •    Includes    •    Itinerary    •    Information Request    •    Reservation Form

CLICK HERE FOR RATES & DATES » Limited to 14 people Touring:  Florence, Pienza, Bagno Vignoni, Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti - Greve, Montalcino, Cortona, Monteriggioni, Assisi, Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio Tour Overview: The best of Italian art, history, architecture and cuisine in one week. This fabulous upscale tour of Italy is the perfect getaway vacation. In this small group tour of Italy you will travel to ancient hilltop towns like Cortona and Monteriggioni, UNESCO World Heritage sites like Pienza, picturesque vineyards in Chianti and medieval walled cities like Siena and San Gimignano. You will see Etruscan and Roman ruins in cities like Orvieto and Assisi, and colorful markets and Renaissance churches scattered all over Tuscany and Florence.  Sample renowned wines and cheeses as we enjoy the Tuscan and Umbrian landscapes, especially the vineyards and olive groves.  The trip begins and ends in Florence, an important cultural center, where you will have the opportunity to see such famous works of art as Michelangelo’s Statue of David, Masaccio's oil paintings and Giotto's frescoes. Departure & Arrival Airport: Florence airport NOTE: These small group tours of Italy traveling to Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio are also offered as women-only group vacations.  Please refer to our tour calendar for more information. VIEW Rates & Dates »

Tour Includes: 8 Days of Land Tour Comfortable, Charming and Centrally Located Hotels 3 Dinners and 2 Lunches with Wine Services of Tour Manager Throughout The Tour Licensed Local Guides for Florence, Assisi, Orvieto Farm Visit in San Gimignano With Lunch Wine Tasting in Chianti Winery with Lunch Wine Tasting in Montalcino Transportation to All Planned Activities Entrance Fees to All Scheduled Museums And Sites Airport Transfer On Arrival Day Not Included: Gratuity to your Tour Manager Airport transfer on Departure Day

INFORMATION REQUEST FORM ›        •        RESERVATION FORM ›

ITINERARY
Note:  Activities or order of activities are subject to change due to unforeseen closures, etc.  We reserve the right to replace an activity.

Dress appropriately to enter the churches.  Knees and shoulders must be covered.
(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch,  D = Dinner)

DAY 1:
Arrival in Florence, Transfer to Pienza, Welcome Dinner, Overnight in Pienza
Arrive Florence by midday.  Your tour manager will meet you at the airport in Florence and escort you to Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage site and our base for the next six nights.  Our hotel overlooks Orcia Valley, arguably the most scenic and definitely the most photographed area of in all of Tuscany.  Pienza is the birthplace of Pope Pius II, who ordered the town to be redesigned into a masterpiece Renaissance city.  Charming Pienza has many specialty stores, including food markets where you can sample pecorino cheese, one of the locally produced delicacies.  We will get to know each other over a welcome dinner tonight.  (D)

DAY 2:
Montalcino, Wine Tasting, Sant’Antimo, Bagno Vignoni, Overnight in Pienza
This morning we will travel through scenic countryside to reach Montalcino, whose acclaimed vineyards produce Brunello di Montalcino. We will tour a winery renowned for this fabulous red wine and sample some of the fruits of the vine.  You will have free time to enjoy this town, enjoy a leisurely lunch on your own and buy some wine to savor later.

In the afternoon, we will continue traveling Tuscany's backroads to reach the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo, an unforgettable 9th-century Benedictine monastery.  It is a simple yet magnificent stone church, set amongst the field of olive trees. We plan to arrive in time to hear the monks, clad in their white robes, chant their prayers in Latin at the altar.

After visiting the abbey, we will head to the little town of Bagno Vignoni, famous for its thermal waters since Roman times. We will return to Pienza, where you will have the evening to relax or explore on your own.  (B)

DAY 3:
Siena, Lunch at Farm, San Gimignano, Overnight in Pienza
In the morning, we will continue our tour of Tuscany and head to San Gimignano, one of Italy’s most well-preserved medieval towns, known for its beautiful towers and a white wine called Vernaccia.  You will have free time to stroll the medieval streets, shop for some unique souvenirs, and photograph the picturesque valley the town overlooks.

From here, we will visit a family-owned farm where we will enjoy a festive lunch on their terrace overlooking San Gimignano.  You will feast on cured meats and cheeses produced at the farm along with some pasta and grilled meats accompanied by wine they also produce.  After lunch, our tour of Tuscany takes us to historic city of Siena.  A short orientation tour will get you acquainted with the city and comfortable enough to explore it on your own.  Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has one of the most beautiful squares in Italy.  Siena's fan-shaped Piazza del Campo has a 14th-century tower and a beautiful cathedral featuring the work of such famous artists as Donatello.    

You're on your own for dinner, but as always, your tour manager is happy to join you or make restaurant recommendations.  (B, L) 

DAY 4:
Assisi, Cortona, Overnight in Pienza
This morning, our small group tour of Italy will take us to Umbria, to magical Assisi, the hometown of St. Francis, patron saint of the animals. A guided walking tour of this spectacular city of Assisi, built up the steep slopes of Mount Subasio, includes the tomb and Basilica of St. Francis, famous for Giotto's brilliant frescoes depicting the saint's life.  Our group will also travel through time through Assisi’s various historical sites, from the Temple of Minerva and Piazza del Comune, both built two millennia ago, to a thirteenth-century church called Chiesa di Santa Chiara.  Free time to explore and lunch on your own after the walking tour. 

In the afternoon, this Italy small group tour will also visit Cortona, one of the oldest hill towns and best-preserved Etruscan cities in Tuscany. As you follow Cortona’s meandering medieval walls, you will be treated to magnificent views of vineyards, olive groves and Lake Trasimeno.  As you explore Cortona’s charming medieval streets, it will be clear why it was chosen as the setting for the movie “Under The Tuscan Sun.”  Free time on your own; group dinner in the evening.  (B, D)

DAY 5:
Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio, Overnight in Pienza
Today, we continue our wanderings to the village of Civita di Bagnoregio in Lazio.  We will cross a 300-meter bridge to reach the earthquake-prone village, only accessible by foot.

Our group will also tour Orvieto, an ancient Umbrian hill town dramatically situated atop volcanic tufa rock.  Our guided walking tour of this charming medieval town features a beautiful Gothic cathedral and chapel where pilgrims and art lovers alike come to see Luca Signorelli's colorful frescoes vividly depicting the Apocalypse.  Orvieto is just as interesting below ground as it is above, with Etruscan and medieval caves, and the underground remains of an old olive press, for example.  A guided tour of underground Orvieto can also be arranged.  Advise us ahead of time if you are interested.  Orvieto is also famous for its museums, ceramics, and wines (most notably the Orvieto Classico).   Enjoy exploring this beautiful town on your own after the tour.  (B)  

DAY 6:
Chianti:  Verrazzano, Greve, Monteriggioni, Overnight in Pienza
Today, we will follow the scenic Chianti road to Greve, another famous wine-producing town.  We will stop briefly here to enjoy the town square and wine shop which houses a small wine museum.  From here, we will head to Verrazzano castle, featuring a magnificent garden and terrace overlooking the estate and the vineyard.  After a tour of the Verrazzano cellar, we will lunch Tuscan style: traditional dishes carefully paired with local wines. On the way back to Pienza, we will stop and tour sleepy Monteriggioni, once a fortress and now a walled medieval village. (B, L)

DAY 7:
Florence:  City Walking Tour, Accademia Museum, Farewell Dinner, Overnight in Florence

NOTE: Dress appropriately to enter the churches.  The visit to the Uffizi museum is not included in the tour.  However, we can make arrangements for you to visit the museum on your own or with an expert museum guide.  Advanced reservations are required.

This morning, we will travel to the romantic city of Florence for our last day together.  We will overnight in Florence so you can enjoy this fabulous city thoroughly.  A great way to end a fabulous trip to Italy.  We will have a guided walking tour of Florence and the Accademia museum, where you will see some of Michelangelo's works, including the Statue of David. After the walking tour you are free until our farewell dinner tonight.  A day in the beautiful city of Florence is a fairy-tale ending to this fantastic tour of Italy.   (B, D)

DAY 8:
Departure for Home.
The end of your Italy vacation.  Prepare for your flight home.  A private transfer is scheduled to take the group to the airport in Florence. (B)  

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