DAY 1 – Tuesday 6/11
ARRIVE IN FLORENCE
Meet our local tour manager at the airport on arrival. You will be transferred to the hotel Adler Cavalieri. After the check-in and welcome drink, you will make an orientation walk and take pictures. Welcome dinner at renowned local restaurant and return to hotel. (welcome drink, D=dinner).

DAY 2 – Wednesday 7/11
FLORENCE DAY
Your visit in Florence concentrates on the cultural heritage, combined with enjoying the local cuisine. After breakfast enjoy a walking tour of Florence with visit of Accademia (David!)  in the morning, lunch on your own at the famous foodhalls;  in the afternoon optional visit of leather factory or time on your own. Aperitivo and dinner in local restaurant near the hotel. (B=breakfast, aperitivo, D). NO BUS NEEDED.

DAY 3 – Thursday 8/11
FLORENCE TRAVEL
After breakfast, go for another walk through Florence. You cannot miss a visit of Galleria degli Uffizi or Palazzo Pitti. Lunch on your own to explore local food. In the afternoon the group will be transferred to Tenuta Di Artimino, (32km, 35min) check-in.  Medici dinner with Chef Michela Bottasso (chef at restaurant at Tenuta Di Artimino) (B, D).

The Tenuta Di Artimino offers many activities for the group that can be added to the basic program:

• Winetasting
• Secrets of the sommelier: how to combine wines with food
• Cooking class
• Olive harvest
• Honey making

DAY 4 – Friday 9/11
GROUP DAY
Tuscan country tasting tour. Looking for food-centric all day excursion outside Florence, e.g. wine estate near San Gimignano. (1 hour travel, 52 km). Return to Tenuta di Artimino for afternoon activity and private apertivo at the Tenuta di Artimino. Dinner at the local restaurant (B, W=winetasting, L =lunch, aperitivo, D).

DAY 5 – Saturday 10/11
EXCURSION TO MODENA
After breakfast, you will travel by coach to a visit a typical balsamico vinegar factory near Modena, tour and vinegar tasting, lunch. (142km, 1h50min); afternoon and tour of Ferrari Museum close by. Return to the hotel. Dinner and possible cooking class. (B,vinegar tasting, L,D).

DAY 6 – Sunday 11/11
TRAVEL DAY
Check-out from hotel, travel through the inspiring Tuscan landscape. Stopover in Monteriggioni for coffee on your own (70km, 1h20min) . Then proceed to Siena for lunch and afternoon tour of the town (17km, 40min). On to Cortona/Agriturismo I Pagliai to check in (80km, 1h30min). Dinner included. (B, L, D).

Optional activities at the hotel include:

• wine tasting
• cooking class
• olive picking

DAY 7 – Monday 12/11
CORTONA
Explore Lake Trasimeno with lunch in Passignano ( 22km, 21 min). Visit Cortona for shopping (10km, 15 min), Dinner in Cortona (B,L,D). Optional: Truffle hunt in Aqualagna (Marche), the most important truffle producer in Italy. Lunch included (120km, 1h40min).

DAY 8 – Tuesday 13/11
EXCURSION TO PIENZA/MONTEPULCIANO
Full day excursion for cheese tasting in Pienza (31km, 40min) and winetasting and lunch in Montepulciano (17km, 14min).  Optional biscuit cooking class. (B, cheese-tasting, W, L, D)

DAY 9 – Wednesday 14/11
TRAVEL DAY
Check-out at the hotel and departure for Volterra (111km, 1h30min) for coffee on your own (alabaster and home of the vampires…). Proceed to Bolgheri (41km, 52min) for lunch. Proceed to Lucca (98km, 1h) and check in at the Hotel Albergo Celide. Dinner included. (B, L, D).

DAY 10 – Thursday 15/11
GROUP TO LIGURIA
For the Cinque Terre excursion, the coach will take you to La Spezia (77km, 58min), and from there the group will proceed by train. Visit the villages Levanto for lunch (included), then visit Monterosso al Mare and Vernazza. Return to Lucca for dinner. (B, L, D).

DAY 11 – Friday 16/11
EXCURSION DAY
After breakfast you will travel to Pisa (20km, 26 min) and visit the famous Piazza dei Miracoli with its Leaning Tower. Enjoy a coffee break on your own in one of the many bars. Then proceed to Montecarlo (36km, 42min) and have a good farm lunch, wine tasting and some activity (cooking class focused on food of region chestnuts and legumes) Return back to Lucca in the afternoon for tour of Puccini’s home, and Puccini concert at 7pm. Dinner on your own. (B, L, W).

DAY 12 – Saturday 17/11
GROUP DAY
After breakfast, you will leave Lucca and travel to San Miniato (46km, 49min) for a visit to the truffle festival: tbc lunch sampling, afternoon wine tasting with a sommelier. Proceed to Montecatini. (31km, 41min) Check-in at Grand Hotel Vittoria, dinner. (B, L, D).

DAY 13 – Sunday 18/11
GROUP MORNING/EXCURSION AFTERNOON
In the morning: Winetasting and lunch with local food in Valdinievole, possible visit of a chestnut mill. Return to Montecatini for a relaxing afternoon in the famous Roman baths to relax. Dinner – Secret Supper/Farewell dinner  (B, W, L, D).

DAY 14 – Monday 19/11
DEPARTURE DAY
Return to the United States.

Services included:

• 2 overnights BB in Florence at the Hotel Adler Cavalieri**** (www.hoteladlercavalieri.com) or sim., porterage in/out
• 2 dinners in Florence restaurants without beverages
• 1 aperitivo in Florence
• 3 overnights BB at Tenuta Di Artimino**** estate near Florence (www.artimino.com.it ), or sim.. 1 Medici dinner, 2 dinners without beverages, 1 cocktail, porterage in/out
• 1 winetasting in wine estate near San Gimignano
• 1 balsamic vinegar tasting and lunch near Modena
• 1 lunch in Siena without beverages
• 3 overnights BB at Agriturismo I Pagliai*** near Cortona (www.ipagliai.it) , or sim., porterage in/out, 1 dinnner without beverages
• 1 lunch in Cortona or Passignano without beverages
• 1 dinner in Cortona without beverages
• 1 winetasting and cheesetasting in Pienza and Montepulciano
• 1 lunch in Bolgheri without beverages
• 3 overnights BB in Lucca at the Albergo Celide**** (www.albergocelide.it), or sim., porterage in/out, 1 dinnner with water, wine and coffee
• 1 lunch in 5 Terre region without beverages
• 1 dinner in a restaurant in Lucca without beverages
• 1 winetasting and farm lunch in Montecarlo
• 2 overnights BB in Montecatini at the Grand Hotel Vittoria**** (www.ghvittoria.com), or sim., porterage in/out, 1 farewell dinnner without beverages
• 1 dinner in a restaurant in Montecatini without beverages
• 1 winetasting in Valdinievole
• 2 HD guided tours of Florence with Accademia and Uffizi admissions
• full time tour assistant on the tour,
• Transportation with modern coach a/c, including entrance and parking fees as per program;
• whispers for the entire tour;
• hotel taxes;
• full board and overnight for driver and tour manager included
• 2 frees (free hotel,  free meals, free admissions and guiding, free travelling)

 All admissions and fees, hotel taxes as per today. Tips not included. Tickets for Puccini concert not included, on demand we will book the tickets for you.

Cooking classes and other activities not included in the “services included” paragraph  to be quoted on demand, we need more details to make perfect arrangements.

Send an email to Ruggero Scoma rstravel2@tin.it for more information and quote