• 7 day private package
• 4 star hotels
• Guided tours
• Uffizi Gallery tour
• Truffle factory visit and tasting

• 3 dinners, 1 lunch
  
• Wine tasting
• Guided tours
• Winery visit with Oenologist

Upon arrival in Florence you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.  The afternoon is at leisure.

At 5 p.m. you will have an informal walk in the center with your local guide, who will provide information on the city and answer any questions you may have about your stay in Florence and Tuscany.  The guide will walk with you and drop you off at the restaurant where you will have the first Tuscan dinner of your stay. After dinner you will return to the hotel on your own.

Hotel: Hotel Pierre (or similar)

Day 2: Florence Tour

You will be met at the hotel by your private 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.

A 3 hour easy, slowly-paced walking tour will introduce you to the most important monuments of Florence, including the Cathedral with the famous Dome by Brunelleschi and the gold "Paradise" door of the Baptistry, elegant palaces, fashionable shops, and the charming narrow medieval streets. You will then continue to Piazza Signoria, the political complex of Florence since the 1300's when Florence was considered the richest city in Europe, then to Ponte Vecchio, the bridge which attracts so much curiosity not only to its unique charming appearance but also to the fabulous jewelry shops lining the bridge, the impressive gothic church of Santa Croce  - pantheon of famous Florentines such as Michelangelo and Galileo, and finally to the Florence eternal masterpiece: Michelangelo's David (plus a few of his other works) in the Academy of Fine Arts Museum.

You will have time to have lunch and relax.  Meet your guide for your tour of the Uffizi gallery. Enjoy and actually understand the masterpieces in this world famous gallery, and get the answers to questions like: Why are there so many blondes in Renaissance paintings? How did Michelangelo out-smart a famous skinflint? Who was that beautiful woman in Botticelli's famous "Birth of Venus"? All this and more when you discover the highlights of the Uffizi Gallery with our  fascinating and exclusive introduction to Renaissance art & its famous artists.

Then dinner and overnight on your own.

Day 3: Pisa & Lucca

Depart with your private driver/host for a full-day excursion. Free time walking in Lucca and Pisa to explore and visit their treasures.

Pisa was once one of the important Republics of the Sea and spread its power out to the island of Corsica. Its decadence has been determined by both the rivalry with other cities belonging to the inland (Lucca and Florence) and, most of all, by the clash with Genova, a "dangerous" rival in oriental trading. Its artistic estate is mostly in Miracles' Square where you can admire the Cathedral, the baptistery and especially the bell tower, known all over the world as the "Leaning Tower".

The city of Ilaria, the unfortunate bride. Many are the definitions of Lucca, which is one of the more distinguished Italian cities, comparable to a costly case containing invaluable historic and artistic treasures. St. Martin Cathedral, St. Michael in Foro Church or St. Frediano Church are examples of the architecture typical of Pisa and Lucca.

The Ilaria Monument is well worth a visit - Ilaria was Paolo Guinigi's wife. In 1405, she died when she was still very young. Another relevant monument you can enjoy in Lucca is the tower belonging to Guinigi's Palace: on this tower, considered the symbol of this city, grows imposing Holm-oaks and from its top you can enjoy a wonderful view, with the town-wall's profile perfectly recognizable.

The Roman amphitheatre (2nd century) holds 10,000 spectators and its shape is still recognizable. You have to slowly discover the beauties of this city; they are to be found in the churches, in the streets, in the palaces, in the squares and in the museums.

This evening, before returning to Florence, you will enjoy a typical Luccan dinner at a local restaurant.

Continuing your trip you'll visit a Balsamic vinegar farm, where you can see the barrels and take a tasting. Return to Florence in the evening.

Day 4: Michelangelo

Meet the guide for a half-day walking tour discovering the works of Michelangelo. Visit the Buonarroti House, the Medici Chapels and the Academy Gallery.

It is difficult to describe the importance of the works by Michelangelo in Florence. The fame of The David tends to obscure all his other masterpieces, almost as though it is his only great work in the city. Your tour starts from the Buonarroti House, where you'll find the Madonna of The Ladder and The Battle of The Centaurs. You'll visit the Galleria dell'Accademia for the following works of art: Prigioni, San Matteo, David and Pietà di Palestrina, the Sagrestia Nuova of the Cappelle Medicee and the scalone and the vestibolo of the Biblioteca Laurenziana (Library).

And then, finally, you will see Michelangelo's David. Everything in the fascinating story of its creation contributes to its lasting fame: the fact that the work was begun by another artist, the low quality of the marble block and Michelangelo's genius that finally transformed it into the figure of a man with classical shape and an anatomically perfect body.

Afternoon free in Florence on your own.

Days 5-7