Florence and Tuscany Itinerary

Day 5 - September 29

Guests will be met at the Florence Santa Maria Novella train station to begin a walking tour. You will make your way to the Cathedral and the Baptistry with its famous bronze “Gates of Paradise”. Installed between 1425 and 1452, the Gates have been praised by generations of artists for their compelling portrayal of scenes from the Old Testament. The Cathedral as we see it today is the end result of years of work that covered over six centuries of history.

We will walk towards Piazza della Signoria, the open air museum of Florence, and its political center since the Middle Ages. It is arguably one of the most beautiful squares in this wonderful city. Its ideal location near all of the city’s museums and principal monuments has made it a famous meeting point for years. Our guides will then lead us to the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge that attracts so much curiosity because of its unique appearance. Here you can browse the fabulous jewelry shops lining this ancient landmark. After a delightful lunch on the Piazza della Repubblica, we'll be taken to our hotel for our private check-in.

Our first evening in Florence will be spent dining at one of Florence's highly regarded restaurants.

Day 6 - September 30

Our guests are invited to select from one of these included choices:

Excursion to Siena and San Gimignano. This pleasure-filled full-day excursion through the world-renowned Chianti wine region stops first in Siena, a medieval town built on three hills between the Arno and Elsa Rivers. We will see the huge Cathedral, the Town Hall, the world’s oldest bank and many masterpieces of Italian painting and sculpture. It is in the famous Piazza del Campo that draws visitors to Siena. Here the locals celebrate their rich past with events like the semi-annual Palio, a wild horse race between the city’s seventeen competing districts. After leaving Siena, we visit in San Gimignano, an incredible medieval walled city. This spectacular setting boasts numerous noble watch towers incorporated into the city walls. Combined with the picturesque alley, this town is a photographer’s paradise!

Half-day Florence Art Lovers' Tour. Experience Florence's two most famous art museums on this combined tour of both. The Uffizi Museum proudly holds the largest private collection of mind-boggling works of art which were donated to the City of Florence in 1743 by the last living member of the Medici family. This magnificent Renaissance Palace houses the works of such masters as Botticelli, Perugino, Signorelli, Michelangelo, Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael. The Uffizi also contains some of the most famous representative paintings of Italian, and in particular, Tuscan art, and includes important sections devoted to Flemish, French, Dutch and German painters. No explanation could possibly do justice to this wonderful collection of tapestries, paintings, drawings and sculptures. We will walk towards Piazza della Signoria and pass by the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore (also known as the Duomo of Florence) with its magnificent dome and bell tower. We'll reach the second highlight of our experience, The Galleria dell’Accademia. This museum is famous for its sculptures by the great Renaissance artist, Michelangelo. His Prisoners (or Slaves), his St. Matthew and, above all, the Gallery’s main attraction: Michelangelo’s 17-foot sculpture, the magnificent statue of David. Admire the lifelike contours of the marble figure’s muscles and veins, completed when the artist was only in his twenties. The main halls at the Accademia also offers visitors works by great Italian artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Allessando Allori and Orcagna, to name just a few of the painters.

Our Farewell Cocktail Reception is accompanied by live music at the hotel. Our gala dinner is at the stunning Michelin-starred St. Regis Winter Garden, where we'll enjoy the accompaniment of a dance band.

Day 7 - October 1

After breakfast, you will either be transferred to the airport for your flight home or, if you're staying on for the extension to Portofino, you'll board a motorcoach for your ride to the coast which includes a stop in Pisa.

Please note: the itinerary is subject to change.