Aug. 29 -Overnight travel via Paris to Florence, Italy
Aug. 30 -Arrive at Florence Airport and transfer to Pienza.
“The Ideal Renaissance City” – In the midst of the rolling farmland of Tuscany's
Val d'Orcia, on a tiny bump of a hill, sits the village of Pienza At the height of
the 15th century Renaissance, the humanist Pope Pius II, with the help of
architect Bernardo Rossellino converted the tiny village into the ideal Renaissance
city. We will stay within the walls of Pienza for 5 nights in the Hotel Relais
“Cloister” - a former 15th century convent offering very comfortable accom-
modation in a peaceful and relaxing setting overlooking the Orcia Valley.
Included - Dinner & Overnight
Aug. 31 Sant'Antimo, Montalcino & Montepulciano
After a leisurely paced morning we will leave the hotel to go a short distance
to the Cistercian abbey of Sant'Antimo. This stunning Romanesque temple of
yellow/white stone rises amid olive groves in a setting that makes you gaze
upon it. If we pick the right time we may hear the Gregorian chant of the
resident monks. Then it is just a short distance to Montalcino. This hill town is
my favourite. Its dominate feature is the 14th century fortress which comes with
a wonderful story of brave resistance and determination during the power struggle
between the Florentine's and the Sienese.
We always enjoy at the 'Enoteca' (inside the old keep of the fortress) an included
lunch. They have the best selection of local cured meats, pecorino cheese,
and my favourite Italian wine - Brunello di Montalcino 'Tuscany's Big Red'.
– Oh and yes we will tell you the story of brave resistance and dertermination.
After our lunch in the 'Fortezza' we will take a stroll down into the main
square for a look at how people of the 21st century live and work in the very
soul of these ancient streets and buildings. There is a great café where I always
like to have a coffee or an ice cream – it's tradition !
After our lunch and stroll we must have a visit to Montalcino's rival hilltown,
Montepulciano – the biggest and the highest of southern Tuscany's hill towns.
It has a plethora of Renaissance palazzi and medieval alleyways and to complete
the rivalry Montepulciano produces a 'violet-scented, orange-speckled ruby wine
called 'Vino Nobile di Monepulciano' – accordingly referred to as the
'King of All Wines' – Well we'll just have try this one too !
Included - Lunch, Dinner, 2 Wine Tastings
Sept. 01 Chianti Classico, Brolio, San Gimignano
Today we visit the prestigious 'Chianti Classico' region –
According to Daniel Thomases author of “The Wines of Tuscany” illustrating the
similarity between the landscape and this wonderful wine -
“In the case of Chianti Classico, the landscape seems to have been transferred directly
into the wine, its contrast of the sensual and the austere, the reality of a lush beauty
balanced by order and restraint”
We will drive the roads of the “Gallo Nero” region to Gaiole in Chianti and
the location of the spectacular Brolio Castle, to visit and enjoy a wine tasting at
the residence of Baron Bettino Ricasoli, a powerful and controversial statesman in
the newly-united Italy, as well as the inventor (130 years ago) of the Chianti blend
as we know it today . The castle itself passed to the Ricasoli family as far back
as the twelfth century and was the subject of frequent tussles between the
Florentines and the Sienese.
We will also enjoy lunch with a wine tasting here.
After lunch we will go onto another medieval favourite -
San Gimignano – The medieval Manhattan. The scene that hits you as you
walk through the Porta San Giovanni gate in San Gimignano's walls and walk
up the narrow flagstone Via San Giovanni is thoroughly medieval. At the top
of Via San Gimignano is the center of town, formed by two interlocking triangular
squares. The Piazza della Cisterna with its centerpiece – a 1237 well and the
Piazza del Duomo. Both squares are guarded by the tall medieval towers that have
made San Gimignano the “city of beautiful towers”. San Gimignano was at its
height of prosperity as a stop along the great Pilgrimage Route from Paris to Rome.
It is wonderful even if you haven't seen the movie 'Tea with Mussolini' – but it's
even better if you have.
San Gimignano is the home of Vernaccia – Italy's first 'DOCG' white wine
so of course we will have a tasting here as well.
Included - Lunch with Chianti, plus a Vernaccia wine tasting
Sept. 02 Arezzo – The 'Giostra Del Saracino'
Arezzo is a charming medium-size Tuscan city whose history goes back before
the Romans. (It was an important member of the 12-city Etruscan confederation).
Here is the main reason for the date of our tour -
Today – Arezzo pulls out all the stops for a full-fledged medieval jousting
tournament – the Giostra del Saracino, which dates from at least the 16th century.
After an afternoon of complex flag-tossing and pageantry, mounted, armored riders
thunder across the dirt-lined Piazza del Duomo with their lances aimed at the
effigy of a Saracen warrior – And we have reserved seats - in the shade !
Along with all this commotion there will also be an antique fair in town with more
Than 600 dealers (This is one of Italy's leading antique fairs – the dealers specialize
in 19th century furniture and 17th – 19th century glass, but items dating from the
Renaissance are well represented).
Included - Dinner & overnight at hotel
Sept. 03 - Siena
Today we visit fascinating Siena. Siena was a great banking and textile rival of
Florence in the middle ages and developed a highly sophisticated civil life. In the
13th and 14th centuries it was one of the major cities of Europe. We will enjoy a
walking tour through the web of streets and end up in the beautiful 'fan shaped'
Piazza for a lunch break
Siena is the home of the 'Enoteca Italiana' this is a true wine library housing
Wines from all over the country. We always visit the enoteca which is
housed in the great Medici fortress and here we will sample some of Italy's
famous wines from other regions.
Included - Dinner & Wine tasting
Sept. 04 - Spello, Umbria
After breakfast we will move from Tuscany to Umbria a region of dramatic verdant
Hills to our accommodation in the ancient hillside 'borough' of Spello and our
4-star hotel, Palazzo Bocci, an 18th century residence in the historic center of
'one of the most charming towns of Umbria'.
Included - Dinner
Sept. 05 - Asissi, Torgiano, Perugia
After breakfast we are off to fabled Asissi, the home of St. Francis.
On route to Perugia we will stop in Torgiano for a visit of
the Lungarotti Wine Museum, probably the most important
of its kind in Europe then visit their winery for a tasting .
In the afternoon we visit an amazing city and
capital of Italian chocolate, Perugia. Escalators take us up hundreds
of feet through the ancient medieval town to the new 'old town' and
pedestrian streets of this hip, ancient, exciting city. We have a fascinating
walk through the main sights, then free time for shopping or visiting
the Galleria Nazionale.
Included - Lunch in Asissi, wine tasting in Torgiano
Sept. 06 - visit a Cashmere Factory, Orvieto
After breakfast we will make a stop at a cashmere factory that has a
salesroom offering discounts on ladies and men's cashmere.
Then it's on to Orvieto where there will be time for lunch in this wonderful
ancient town perched high on an outcrop of tufa rock with a magnificent
Duomo, so beautiful it is referred to as the 'Wedding Cake Church'.
We will have lunch and a wine tasting of 'Orvieto Classico' here.
Included - Lunch, Wine tasting
Sept. 07 - Montefalco - Nocera - Bevagna
Today we first go to Montefalco 'The Falcon's Mount' (also referred to
as 'The Balcony of Umbria', and the home of 'Tessuti di Montefalco'.
We then go to Nocera to visit Edoardo for lunch in his farm restaurant to
enjoy truffles on eggs and toast along with filet of boar and roast hare, and
of course good wine. – This is where we find the rare Umbrian wine
'Sagrantino' found nowhere else in Europe
In the words of Italian wine guru Burton Anderson –
“The sagrantino has a remarkable 'dark purple-garnet colour, rich berry-like
scent, and warm rich full flavour, voluptuous body and staggering strength”
Included – Lunch & Wine tasting
Sept. 08 - Umbria to Florence
After breakfast we leave for Florence. As we arrive we first go to Piazza
Michelangelo. You can see all of Florence from this vantage point looking
down across the Arno at the city's heart. We then check into our hotel, Plaza Hotel Lucchesi, with
time for lunch before meeting our guide for a walking tour to orient us with
the main landmarks all within easy walking distance of our hotel.
Dinner is on our own - we have some restaurant suggestions for you if
you like.
Included – Breakfast
Sept. 09 -Florence at leisure
Breakfast is included at our hotel and the day belongs to you. This day is
for our passengers to do whatever they have in mind - see the David at the
Accademia, visit the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace & Boboli Gardens,
shopping in the outdoor leather market or any of the hundreds of shops,
or just sit, eat & relax in one of the many piazzas watching the activity.
For those who want to we will suggest a restaurant for everyone to enjoy
for our last evening together.
Included - Breakfast
Sept. 10 -After breakfast transfer to Florence airport to board our Air France flight to
Canada via Paris.
Included – Breakfast
