• 13 days private program
• 4 star hotel
• Private services
• Florence and Tuscan countryside
• Food and wine of Tuscany
• 11 dinners, typical Tuscan foods and wines

• Wine tasting lesson and tasting in various areas of the region
• Cooking lesson
• Book of recipes and wine log
• Horseback riding

On arrival at Florence by air, train or car you will be transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day will be at leisure.

4-Star: Hotel Pierre

(or similar star rating hotel)

Day 2: Florence Tour

You will be met by your private tour guide.

The center of Florence will be the spectacular frame of a tour dedicated to the city's glorious past and also to its stimulating present life. The slow paced walking tour will introduce you to the most important monuments of Florence.

Begin at the Cathedral with the famous Dome by Brunelleschi and the gold "Paradise" doors of the Baptistery. You will see elegant palaces, pass some fashionable shops, and walk through the charming narrow medieval streets.

Continue on to Piazza Signoria, which has been the political complex of Florence since the 1300's when Florence was considered the richest city in Europe. Walk to the Ponte Vecchio, the bridge which attracts so much curiosity not only for its unique and charming appearance but also for the fabulous jewelry shops that line the bridge.

You will visit the impressive gothic church of Santa Croce - pantheon of famous Florentines such as Michelangelo and Galileo.

End the tour at the Accademia Gallery of Fine Arts Museum where you will have the opportunity to admire the eternal Florence masterpiece: Michelangelo's David (plus a few of his other pieces).

Day 3: Florentine Artisans and Tuscan wine

You will be met at your hotel by your local English-speaking driver. In the streets between Santo Spirito and the Porta Romana gate you will discover the workshops of the local craftsman whose traditional skills are unmatched. You will see living museums of art in the areas of brass work, goldsmithing and paper making. You will have lunch at an old traditional "Trattoria".

Your driver will transfer you to your accommodations at the Relais Torre Guelfa in Figline Valdarno in the afternoon. After check-in at this oasis of comfort in the midst of vineyard and olive groves, you will meet with a local sommelier for an introductory lesson to the oenological features of the Tuscan region. Your instructor will join you for dinner at the hotel this evening.

Together with an oenologist, you will discover the old fashioned wine world. You will learn about the wine area of Tuscany, and the principal characteristics of the different wines through the guided wine tasting.

After this initial introduction you will have dinner all together! As you enjoy the flavors of Tuscan food you will also learn how to match wines with what you are tasting.

Day 4: The Wine and Cheese of the Golden Valley

You will depart this morning with your driver for a full-day excursion into the Val d'Orcia: Italy's Golden Valley. A feast for the palate and the eyes all in one day!

This area's naturally beautiful landscape was sculpted during the Renaissance, not only to meet agricultural needs, but also to reflect the aesthetic sense of the period, and this concept has been maintained to the present day. The resulting landscape pleases both the eyes and the spirit of the traveler, and has in the past inspired painters and writers from around the world.

Your first stop will be the small but fascinating town of Pienza. Built almost entirely during the Renaissance, Pienza is one of the first examples of modern urban planning. While here, you will visit a local cheese laboratory to witness the traditional methods still used to produce high quality products. You will enjoy a tasting of the cheeses made here before departing with your driver for the afternoon component of your excursion.

You will arrive in Montepulciano in the afternoon, where you will have time to wander around this picturesque, walled hill town and see its Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The real reason for your visit however, is the town's famous Nobile wine, a mellow-flavored red with a mildly floral aroma that features a distinctive iridescent orange tone.

Your driver will return you to your hotel in the evening, where you will enjoy a dinner, tasting typical local dishes accompanied by a selected Nobile wine.