Food & Wine in Tuscany

Today, you can visit all three levels of the Duomo. The ancient church, the current Duomo, the dome itself, and the bell tower. For one of the most spectacular views of the city you’ll need to climb. The many flights of stairs to the dome and bell tower are not for the faint of heart, but they’re well worth it. Directly across from the Duomo, you’ll find the Baptistry of San Giovanni. It features the same colored marble, highlighting Ghiberti’s exquisite bronze doors.

Once accessible only to the Medici family, since the early 1700s the Uffizi is open to the public. Maria Ludovica de’ Medici, the last of the family, determined the museum was the birthright of Florence and its citizens. The museum contains the greatest collection of Italian Renaissance paintings and sculptures in the world. Beginning with pre-Renaissance masters such as Giotto, and progressing through Masaccio, da Vinci, Michelangelo, and many others. Don’t miss the Botticelli rooms, his “Spring” and “The Birth of Venus” are breathtaking. There’s also an excellent selection of northern masters, especially Rubens, Van Dyck and Rembrandt. In addition, the Uffizi has an entire wing devoted to works by Caravaggio and others that were previously in storage. The terrace cafe atop the Loggia della Signoria provides wonderful views of the Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the town of Fiesole on the horizon.

The Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is celebrated for its incredible beauty, picturesque landscape and cultural value. For this full-day excursion, you will be picked up and dropped off at your hotel. You will meet your guide in Riomaggiore. Due to rock slides, Via dell’Amore and some of the Cinque Terre’s paths are currently closed until further notice. While you won’t be walking between the villages, you will be taking the train or public boat instead.

Sassicaia and Ornellaia are magical words around the world, synonymous with the highest quality wine. This excursion takes you to the wineries where Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta and Lodovico Antinori started it all. Your driver and English-speaking guide will meet you at the villa. This full-day program begins with a guided visit of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, followed by a wine tasting. From there, enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch at Enoteca Tognoni in Bolghieri, followed by a guided visit of Le Macchiole Winery with wine tasting. Conclude the day with a visit of the Michele Satta Winery with wine tasting before being transferred back to your hotel.

Free day to sleep in or explore at your leisure

You’ll begin your excursion in the gorgeous medieval city of Lucca, often called the “City of 100 Churches.” The tops of the walls are so wide they were converted into jogging paths. There’s even a park that overlooks the historic center. Head to the Piazza Antiteatro, the site of a former Roman theater, now lined with buildings. The original amphitheater retains its structure below the road. You can still see signs of the old structure in the buildings and shops surrounding the plaza. After exploring the town, you’ll have a guided visit to Tenuta Maria Teresa, for a wine tasting and lunch featuring their wines. Following lunch, you will have a guided visit to the Valgiano winery with wine tasting. You will then be returned to your hotel, perhaps with a few bottles in tow.

You will begin your day with a guided visit to the town of Volterra. A distinct shadow of Etruscan past, Volterra has an elevation of almost 2,000 ft. One of the original neolithic settlements in the area, it dates back to 9 BC. Volterra’s Duomo offers visitors the chance to see baroque paintings, terracotta nativity figures, and carved portraits of Volterra’s Saints. Palazzo dei Priori is the town hall and one of the oldest standing Gothic structures in Tuscany. Florence’s own Palazzo Vecchio was modeled after Volterra’s. Next, you have some free time in the medieval town of San Gimignano. Just 25mi. southwest of Florence, it’s one of the most charming and picturesque of the Tuscan hill towns (and that’s saying a lot). You will end your day with a guided walking tour of Siena. This picturesque, well-preserved medieval town is a bitter rival with Florence. It is a treasure trove of art, pageantry, and architecture.

Check-out of the hotel. Private transfer for departure flights.