$3459
(non-member: $3559)
Single Room–add $654

Activity Level:
 90% Easy;
   10% Moderate
  
 

• WTT Tour Leader and local tour guides throughout the tour.

• Breakfast daily, 4 lunches, 3 dinners, and a welcome reception.

• Sightseeing and admission to all sights described in the itinerary.

• Cooking-lessons in a Tuscan country house

• Wine and Olive Oil tasting

• Chocolate Tasting

 __________________

Air Information
Travelers will make their own air reservations and are requested to arrive and depart as follows:

Airport:
Florence, Italy (FLR)

Arrive: Friday, 17 September no later than 11:30am.

Depart: Saturday, 25 September at your convenience.

Early Arrival:
To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, consider arriving a day early. Our hotel will be located near the Florence Airport. The room rate includes breakfast:

     $120dbl  $240sgl

- You will need a valid passport for this trip.  Check you expiration date.  It cannot expire less than 6 months after your travel completes.

- Air from your home and return to your home

- Meals and activities not specified in the itinerary

- Any personal expenses and any guide/driver gratuities.

- You will be responsible for your own airport transfer(s) if you arrive or depart at times or dates other than specified above when transfers are provided.

- Transfers are not provided for early arrival or late departure.

Friday, September 17: Arrive Florence, lunch stop with olive oil tasting on way to Siena. Welcome Reception

Arrive Florence Airport no later than 11:30am.  We will be met at the airport by our coach where we will drive south and stop in Impruneta, just 40 minutes south of Florence.  We will stop and visit a Villa where the family produces their own Olive Oil. We take a walk to see how the olives grow while the owner explains the different stages of production. After that we gather for a nice buffet style lunch and taste the fresh olive oil. Upon arrival to our Siena hotel you will have a chance to refresh, unpack or explore before getting together for a welcome reception at the hotel. Overnight Siena at the NH Siena (4 Star).  (L, Welcome Reception)

Saturday 18 September: Morning walking tour of Siena. Afternoon at leisure

This morning we will be met by a local guide at 9:30am who will take us on a walking tour for an overview of the town. During our walking tour, we will see the town's most important landmarks, including the wonderful black-and-white Gothic Duomo, the Piazza del Campo, the Palazzo Pubblico with its impressive frescoes and the Torre del Mangia bell tower. The remainder of the day is at leisure to further explore this wondeful town.  (B)

For those who want to have a more indepth education about the wine of the Tuscany Region, this optional class is available from 1 – 3 this afternoon. 45 Euro. (Price of class is based on 2009 rates and is subject to change.)

Sunday 19 September: Tuscan Cooking Lesson and Afternoon free in Siena

Today we drive north from Siena on the Chiantigiana road towards Greve. Our destination is Panzano in Chianti and the home of Giulietta where she will teach us how to cook the Tuscany food we will enjoy for lunch, paired with local wines produced by Giulietta. This is a hand’s on experience with lunch to enjoy our creations!

On the way back to Siena we will stop at Monteriggioni, a 12th Century Fortress. The rest of the day is at your leisure. (B,L)

Monday 20 September: San Gimignano, Wine Tasting

After breakfast this morning we will take a scenic drive through the Tuscan hills, carpeted with vineyards, as we make our way to the Medieval Manhattan town of San Gimignano, known as the "City of Beautiful Towers." The town's distinctive skyline is comprised of a high number of towers once used for family protection.

A local guide will meet us and we will take a walking tour of about 1 – 1.5 hours where you will see the Piazza della Cisterna, lined with medieval towers and named after the well in the center of the square, the Piazza del Duomo, the monumental tower in the Palazzo Vecchio del Podestà, and the small but superb Museo Civico, known for its exquisite Renaissance frescoes located in the 13th-century Town Hall.  

Lunch is on your own in San Gimignano.  Our visit to this spectacular town will be followed by a local wine tasting. You will have time to do a little more exploring before we return to Siena.  In Siena we will go out as a group to a local restaurant selected by the WTT tour leader for dinner. Overnight Siena (B, D)

Tuesday 21 September: A Day in the Tuscan Countryside

We leave Siena after breakfast and have a local guide with us for the day to share her knowledge about the sights we will see today.  Travelling south down to the lovely monastery of Sant'Antimo, we visit this peaceful retreat for monks, enjoying the beauty of the place surrounded by fields on the hills and silence. 

After this we drive to the beautiful town of Pienza that was transformed around 1450 from a small farmers town, that was called Corsignano, into the ideal renaissance town to pay homage to the Pope Pius II, who was born here. The town is far from all main roads and has seen few changes, remaining the ideal renaissance town. We visit the Dome and will have some time on explore before haveing lunch in town.

After lunch we drive through the countryside and stop at a cheese producer to taste some of the typical cheeses from this area.

Our next stop is the small town of Bagno Vignoni, a tiny little town with Italy's strangest square. It is actually not a square but a large pool where many mineral water springs fills it with 125 degree water. Around the pool there are buildings from different époques and one of them was built by Pius II (1400) - a house where he lived during some periods of the year. The hot water today is sent to a small thermal establishment and to a large swimming pool within a hotel. During 2002 excavations the rest of the roman baths were found together with the channel that was used to bring the water. The channel has been reopened and people from the surrounding towns come here to put soak their feet. (B,L)

Wednesday 22 September - Siena Countryside, Dinner at a Medieval castle followed by Chocolate tasting & Desert Wine

Our day begins with a visit to Brolio Castle and Winery in Chianti. As time permits we will stop in Radda and other towns in the Chianti region to see the beautiful buildings and countryside that surrounds the towns.  Lunch is at your leisure today during one of our town visits. We conclude our outing with a stop in Castellina in the Chianti Region for the ceramic shop visit.

We will return to Siena and our hotel this afternoon for an opportunity to rest and freshen up before we have dinner at a Medieval Castle this evening that includes a chocolate tasting with desert wine after dinner. (B,D)

Thursday 23 September: Return to Florence & afternoon city tour

This morning we return to Florence and have a driving/walking tour of Florence. Our guide will join us as we arrive into Florence. Our sightseeing tour will include a visit to the Mercato Centrale, a covered market that sells wine, cheese, truffles, meats, seafood, spices, limoncello, produce, pasta and more. In addition to the market visit we will learn about the art and architecture of Florence during our city tour. We will visit places such as the 13th century Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (also known as Duomo), the octagonal Baptistery, Giotto's Bell Tower, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti and Santa Croce Square. 

We'll have lunch in a traditional “trattoria”  followed by an opportunity to visit one of the leather schools and admire this renowned craft.

We check into our hotel in the late afternoon. The remainder of the day is free to shop or to visit more sights in Florence. Overnight Hotel Balestri, centrally located and in walking distance of the major sights. (3 Star) (B, L)

Friday 24 September: Visit Galleria dell'Accademia & afternoon at leisure (no coach available today)

This morning we visit the Galleria dell'Accademia with a reserved visit time to admire Michelangelo's David, a Renaissance masterpiece that became a symbol for the city. In 1873, Michelangelo's famous statue David was moved to a specially designed room in the Galleria dell'Accademia from his position in front of Palazzo Vecchio, where he had stood since Michelangelo's time. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy everything Italian. The WTT tour leader will offer suggestions as to how best use your day in Florence. We will conclude the day as we gather at a local restaurant for our farewell dinner. (B, D)

Saturday 25 September: Return home

Sadly it is time to say Arrivederci to this wonderful country. Make your return flight at your convenience but no later than 3:00pm. There will be 2 group transfers, one for those departing at 10:00am or earlier, and a second transfer for those departing after 10:00am. (B)