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For the
whole week the clients will stay in a nice hotel in
Siena and they will enjoy daily excursions, by car and
driver/guide, to many of the towns and villages, in a
wonderful hilly landscape, that made of Tuscany the most
visited region of Italy.
Day 1 Siena: the first day of our tour will be
dedicated to the discovery of Siena,
the second most interesting town in Tuscany after
Florence, that preserves its medieval character to a
remarkable degree; morning, 4-hour car and walking tour
with a local guide; lunch in a typical restaurant;
afternoon and evening car at your disposal for
sightseeing, shopping and dinner.
Day 2 from Siena to Montalcino, Pienza and
Montepulciano: from Siena we'll drive to Monte
Oliveto Maggiore, a very important Abbey whose cloister
was frescoed by Signorelli and Sodoma;
next stop will be in Montalcino, a charming little
walled town beautifully situated above vines and olive
groves, famed for its red wine, the remarkably
long-lived Brunello, one of the choicest Tuscan wines
(wine tasting ); after lunch in a typical restaurant we'll
drive to Pienza, a little Renaissance
town, whose monumental main square, with splendid
buildings all built between 1459-62, was designed by
Bernardo Rossellino (cheese tasting). Last stop will be
in Montepulciano, a beautiful town set high on a hilltop
overlooking Orcia Valley and Valdichiana. Among the
architects who built this town are Michelozzo, Antonio
da Sangallo, Peruzzi and Vignola (tasting of the famous
Nobile wine).
Driving times: from Siena to Monte Oliveto 25
minutes, to Montalcino 25 minutes, to Montepulciano 30
minutes, back to Siena 1 hour.
Day 3 from Siena to Monte Argentario and Pitigliano:
we'll first visit the ruined Abbey of San Galgano, in an
isolated position on a plain in beautiful farming
country. The church is a remarkable French Cistercian
Gothic building; after a pleasant driving in the
beautiful countryside between Siena and the Tyrrhenian
coast we'll reach the Monte Argentario, an almost
circular peninsula, covered with wild flowers in spring,
in which we'll visit Porto Santo Stefano and Porto
Ercole, famous as exclusive holiday resorts with
harbours for yachts and lively fish markets; after lunch
in a typical restaurant, we'll drive, through an area of
great natural beauty, to Pitigliano. The small town is spectacularly
situated on a rocky spur overlooking on all sides a
gorge which has been excavated by three torrents; with
its medieval stone houses dominated by the cathedral,
the area is also known for its excellent white wine
(wine tasting).
Driving times: from Siena to San Galgano 30 minutes,
to Monte Argentario 1 hour and 15 minutes, to Pitigliano
25 minutes, back to Siena 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Day 4 from Siena to the Chianti area: this
route runs through the Chianti Classico region, from
Siena north to Florence, Tuscany's most famous
wine-making zone; driving along Castelnuovo Berardenga
we'll reach Castel di Brolio, one of the most
interesting medieval castles in the area, and a winery (wine-tasting);
we'll then reach the town of Gaiole, that lies amid
hills covered with vineyards; next stop will be in the
town of Radda, whose small streets invite any visitor to
stroll around. We'll then continue with a visit to the
Castello di Verrazzano, a well known olive oil and
Chianti wine producer, (lunch in the castle). After
lunch we'll have a gorgeous drive through the towns of
Castellina and Greve to stop in Impruneta, known for its
pottery kilns (here Brunelleschi fired
the bricks used to build the Cupola of Santa Maria del
Fiore).
Driving times: from Siena to Castel Brolio 25
minutes, to Radda 25 minutes, to Castello Verrazzano 15
minutes, to Impruneta 40 minutes, back to Siena 1 hour.
Day 5 from Siena to Pisa, Viareggio and Lucca:
after a pleasant driving in the Tuscany countryside we'll
reach Pisa, a beautiful town, standing
on the Arno a few miles from its mouth, famous for its
Piazza del Duomo, with the Cathedral (designed by the
architect Buscheto), Leaning Tower, and
Baptistery, splendid monuments begun in the 11th and
12th century when Pisa was a great maritime Republic;
(3-hour tour with a local guide). We'll then drive to
Viareggio, the main town of Versilia, and the most
popular resort on the West coast of Italy, with
beautiful Art Nouveau houses and old grand hotels and
cafès, (lunch in a typical restaurant). After lunch we'll
drive to Lucca, one of the most
beautiful small towns in Tuscany, surrounded by
magnificent 16th -17th century ramparts which are its
most remarkable feature; it conserves much of its Roman
street plan, and is especially rich in Romanesque
churches.
Driving times: from Siena to Pisa 1 hour and 15
minutes, to Viareggio 30 minutes, to Lucca 25 minutes,
back to Siena 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Day 6 from Siena to San Gimignano, Volterra and Massa
Marittima: we'll start with the visit of
San Gimignano, a charming hill town
which has preserved its medieval appearance more
completely than any other town in Tuscany, famous for
its numerous towers, its beautiful monuments, and for
its wine (tasting of the white wine Vernaccia); after
lunch in a typical restaurant we'll drive to
Volterra, an austere medieval walled town that
lies in a magnificent position on a precipitous hill,
with open views in every direction across a splendid
yellow and grey landscape. Last stop will be in Massa
Marittima, an ancient mining town in beautiful
countryside; its period of greatest glory was from 1225
to 1335 when it was an independent Republic: its
splendid Duomo, with its remarkable sculptural works,
dates from this time; Massa Marittima remains one of the
most fascinating and enchanting towns in southern
Tuscany.
Driving times: from Siena to San Gimignano 40
minutes, to Volterra 20 minutes, to Massa marittima 40
minutes, back to Siena 1 hour.
Day 7 from Siena to Cortona, Lake Trasimene and Arezzo:
we'll first stop in Cortona, a delightful, peaceful
little town, so well and carefully described in "Under
the Tuscan Sun". It has olive groves and vineyards
reaching up to its walls, but also many interesting
churches (including Santa Maria del Calcinaio, a famous
Remaissance building), and two fine museums (the artists
Luca Signorelli and Pietro da
Cortona where born here). We'll then drive to
Lake Trasimene, the largest inland lake in peninsular
Italy, surrounded by a plain and rolling hills with
olive groves and vineyards, (lunch in Castiglione del
Lago); last stop will be in Arezzo, a
lively art town, with very interesting museums and
churches (in the church of San Francesco is the famous
fresco cycle painted by Piero della Francesca).
We'll then drive back to Siena; dinner party in Florence.
Driving times: from Siena to Cortona 50 minutes, to
Castiglione del Lago 20 minutes, to Arezzo 30 minutes,
back to Siena 1 hour; from Siena to Florence 45 minutes.
The
above tour is for individuals as well as for small
groups, and it can be modified on the base of client's
interests. |