Tuscan & Umbrian Countryside

On a journey through Italy’s roads less traveled, discover its endless treasures from Rome to Umbria to Tuscany, and the marvels of wine, cuisine, culture, and history in between.

Italy’s dynamic capital city beckons. As arrival times will vary, there is no scheduled sightseeing today. Spend the day as you wish, exploring independently. Get a taste of the local culture and start your journey at a delicious welcome dinner. Today dinner will be included.

Olive and cypress trees accent the Umbrian hill town of Spoleto. Stroll the historic streets with a local expert and see centuries of architectural history, from the ruins of the Rocca Albornoz castle to the gilded elegance of the Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta. Pause at a family-owned frantoio (olive presser), where olives are pressed each November.* After learning about the many varieties of trees and oil-making methods, join a tasting of the EVOO produced at the mill. Then, take in the splendors of country life in a pristine Umbrian hill town, your home for the next 3 nights. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Travel to Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis. Set out on a walking tour of the old city with a local guide, learning about its history as you stroll the medieval streets. Visit the famous Basilica of St. Francis. Later, a local family welcomes you to their country home for lunch as their honored guest. Share stories and make an Umbrian friend (or two). Today breakfast and lunch will be included.

In the shadow of the Apennines, experience Umbria’s epicurean side. Join a local truffle hunter in search of the elusive fungi in the company of his trained, truffle-sniffing dogs. Sample the goods yourself during a rustic, home-cooked lunch before returning to your hotel in the late afternoon. Today breakfast and lunch will be included.

Leave Umbria for the villages of Tuscany, nestled among the rolling hills and cypress trees of the Val d’Orcia region (UNESCO). Taste the flavors of the region at a dairy farm producing prized sheep-milk pecorino cheese. Snack on some of the cheesemaker’s creations and take in the views of the sparse farmhouses and open fields on your way to Pienza (UNESCO), a Renaissance village where flowers and plants adorn the cobblestoned streets. The evening is yours to eat, drink, and explore the local scene. Today breakfast and lunch will be included.

Embark on a journey through the undulating landscape of the Orcia Valley. Pause in the unique hamlet of Bagno Vignoni, whose central piazza is filled with thermal water once used to cure pilgrims who stopped here on their way to Rome. Then explore hilltop Montalcino, namesake to one of Italy’s great red wines, the Brunello. Tour a winery’s estate and cellar before indulging in a tasting of these noble red wines. Back in Pienza for an afternoon at leisure, maybe you’ll explore the countryside along one of the many white roads that cut through the farmland. Today breakfast will be included.

Take a guided walking tour through Siena, delving into the local history as you learn about the world-renowned Palio Horse Race. Enjoy free time to explore more of this hilly town, perhaps visiting its cathedral or the town hall’s frescoes. An afternoon drive through the Chianti countryside takes you to the restored Tuscan villa** where your hotel is located. Today breakfast will be included.

**Villas and country estates in Tuscany are dotted throughout the region and we use different properties on this program. Some may be located in the countryside, removed from a city center. Still others may be closer to the hustle and bustle of the region. Each one is unique, full of history, with many amenities, and brimming with true Tuscan flavor. This is part of the fun!

Explore Florence, the “Cradle of the Renaissance,” during an extensive walking tour in the company of a local expert. View the Ponte Vecchio, the only Florentine bridge to survive WWII. Take in the Signoria Square and its imposing Palazzo Vecchio, where, for over 300 years, the Medici Family ruled over the city. Admire the Piazza del Duomo, richly adorned by polychrome marble and gilded bronze doors. Take some time on your own*** to explore the city’s seemingly endless treasures, before returning to your Tuscan villa in the evening. Today breakfast will be included.

***Due to the extensive walking required in Florence, free time will be limited to approximately 3 hours, during which, you may wish to visit the Academy or the Uffizi Museums. Both are closed Mondays, and both require advance reservations as tickets are often sold out on the day, or close to the day of visit. If you are interested, we recommend that you purchase tickets online, prior to departure, through the museum’s official website. You can expect your included walking tour to conclude by 1:00 p.m. and you will meet again for departure to Montecatini around 4:00 p.m. If booking tickets for one of the above museums, allow yourselves 30 minutes to reach them from the end point of your walking tour and 30 minutes to return to the meeting point in the afternoon.

Spend your morning in San Gimignano, whose 13th-century medieval towers stand tall over the surrounding vineyards. Nicknamed “the Manhattan of the Middle Ages,” San Gimignano’s towers soar over the landscape making its distinctive skyline stand out against the rolling hills. Taste authentic Italian gelato from an award-winning ice cream parlor while you wander the cobbled streets and gaze up at the imposing towers during time at leisure in this Tuscan gem. Return to your hotel mid-afternoon. As the sun begins to set, gather with your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner of Tuscan specialties. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Your journey through Tuscany and Umbria comes to a close today. Today breakfast will be included.