

Tuscany & Cinque Terre
Soak in the Tuscan sun and explore the Italian Riviera on this incredible tour of some of Italy's most and alluring locations. Experience the Italian way of life through its history, culture and flavors. Wander though medieval alleyways and bicycle atop the walls of Lucca. Enjoy a cooking class, learn about Italian olive oils and enjoy Tuscan wine tasting. Italy awaits you!
8 Days • fr. $4,990
Tour Includes
- Small groups from 22 – 26 guests for a more personal travel experience
- A guided tour of Florence
- Private, early-opening visit to Florence's Basilica di Santa Croce, final resting place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini and more
- A traditional Tuscan dinner at a Florentine restaurant
- Join concert pianist Gregario Nardi at his Pallazzo Bargellini including a personal tour followed by a recital on a Steinway grand piano
- A two-night stay with sea-view rooms at the only full-service hotel set within Cinque Terre National Park
- Hike along Cinque Terre National Park's coastal paths amidst breathtaking views
- Go inside an artisan's workshop and studio with a Restoration Specialist; learn the rich history of Florence's artisan guilds
- Discover the new Opera Duomo Museum in Florence on a guided tour
- Take a guided tour of the quarries where Carrara marble has been mined since Roman times
- A wine and olive oil tasting in Tuscany & a cooking class in the art of making pasta
- Bicycle ride atop the walls of Lucca
- A guided walking tour of Siena with a local guide
- Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as detailed
- All customary gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff and local guides are included.
Not Included
- The customary gratuities for the Tauck Director and local drivers are not included. We ask that gratuities be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.
- All items of a personal nature (room service, beverages, telephone charges, laundry, dry cleaning, special food requests, etc.) and meals not specified on the tour itinerary are not included and must be paid by the client.
- Airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included.
- All rates exclude airfare unless expressly noted.
Meal Inclusions
- 7 breakfasts
- 2 lunches
- 3 dinners
Hotel Details
- Plaza Hotel Lucchesi in Florence, Italy (3 nights)
- Grand Hotel Portovenere in Portovenere, Italy (2 nights)
- Grand Hotel continental in Siena, Italy (2 nights)
Day 1
Reliving the Renaissance in Florence Location Information Description
Florence, Italy
The tour begins at 3:00PM. A transfer is included from the Peretola Airport to the elegant Hotel Plaza Lucchesi, a historic property overlooking the Arno River in the center of Florence since 1860. Your room will have a view featuring the river or the Duomo and Santa Croce.
A twisted Maze of narrow alleyways... and your Tuscan travel adventure begins. Florence's Renaissance heart makes yours beat a little faster as you ramble through it with your Florentine guide. Stroll along the Arno and check out Santa Maria del Fiore and the Duomo. See, touch and feel the mark of Michelangelo and Brunelleschi in stately palazzi and beautiful basilicas and tour the new Opera Duomo Museum.
Cocktails and canapes on your hotel's rooftop terrace (weather permitting) offer a warm and tasty welcome tonight along with 360-degree views of the city! Then it's a short walk to a local Florentine restaurant for a true Tuscan welcome dinner. The venue is lively and the conversation stimulating. You have arrived in Italy!
Dinner
Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Day 2
Explore an artistic Florence neighborhood Location Information Description
Florence, Italy
For centuries, the arts have flourished and received encouragement in Florence. Join a local guide this morning begins with a walking tour along the cobbled streets of Florence, in the neighborhood of old San Niccolo and the Oltrarno area. The area is home to Florence's rich artisan traditions, boasting local cafes, bistros, and small craft studios. Enjoy beautiful views of the historic center from the Arno River and meander through the narrow medieval streets to take in the local flavor.
The afternoon and evening are free to explore as you please in Florence.
Breakfast
Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Day 3
Florentine Artisans and Artists Location Information Description
Florence, Italy
Michelangelo's shadow looms large in Firenze. Sightseeing begins today with an early-opening, private morning visit of the 15th-century Basilica di Santa Croce. Dubbed the "Temple of Italian Glories," Florence's answer to London's Westminster Abbey is filled with the tombs of major Italian legends – including Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini, Machiavelli, and more, along with a statue that inspired the Statue of Liberty. Discover some of the city's masterpieces on a guided visit to the fabulous Uffizi Galleries – Europe's oldest art gallery, founded by the Medicis to display their countless treasures - today housing some of the world's most beloved art. By midday you'll understand how art and history are inextricably intertwined in Florence.
Following an afternoon exploring as you wish, join concert pianist Gregorio Nardi at his Palazzo Bargellini, where you'll enjoy a personal tour, a recital on a Steinway grand piano, lively discussions on history and local politics, and an aperitivo. Your evening is free to dine as you please.
Breakfast
Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Day 4
Carrara Marble to Cinque Terre National Park Location Information Description
Carrara, Italy
The road winds and twists and turns as you travel toward the Gulf of Genoa. Take a winding road deep into a mountain aboard a 4x4 to see where celebrated Carrara marble, considered the finest on Earth, has been quarried since Roman times, at what is the oldest industrial site on Earth.
Location Information Description
Cinque Terre, Italy
After stopping for a simple lunch in the village of Colonnata, continue to Portovenere on the Gulf of Poets, where you'll instantly get why this stunning Roman-Byzantine town was named for the goddess Venus. Colorful houses cascade along a hillside against the azure sea… the black-and-white-striped Gothic church of San Pietro perched above... images captured as your motor boat (weather permitting) navigates the Mediterranean waters along Cinque Terre to Portovenere in the heart of the "Gulf of Poets" for a two night stay inside Cinque Terre National Park where all guest rooms have sea views.
Dine this evening at your hotel overlooking the harbor... images not soon forgotten...
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Grand Hotel Portovenere
Day 5
"The Five Lands" of Cinque Terre National Park Location Information Description
Cinque Terre, Italy
Travel by ferry to Monterosso al Mare, one of five remote fishing villages strung like jewels along the coast – Cinque Terre National Park, "the five lands." They're now linked to the outside world by rail, but for centuries were accessible only by sea… or on foot, the best way to appreciate life in what is truly a world of its own.
If you wish, join the group for one of the world's most spectacular coastal hikes, through terraced vineyards overlooking the sea from Monterosso to Vernazza – the "pearl of Cinque Terre." If not, you'll take a walking tour with a local guide. Spend the afternoon in Vernazza, and fall in love with village life… indelible seascape memories… or perhaps a visit to a sidewalk café, alive with the flavors of local wines, citrus, olives, and the catch of the day.
Return late day to Portovenere, where the evening is free to spend as you please.
Breakfast
Grand Hotel Portovenere
Day 6
Cycling & Cooking in Lucca & on to Siena Location Information Description
Lucca, Italy
A jog, or a swim, is an excellent way to start the day before a drive through the Tuscan hills to Lucca. This medieval city's surviving Renaissance-era, red-brick walls shut out traffic and the modern world… leaving a peaceful community that still revolves around its original Roman street plan, encircled by a delightful, tree-lined promenade. And because it's topographically flat – unlike most Tuscan towns – Lucca is a cyclist's dream. One of the best ways to explore this historically powerful and culturally rich city is by bicycle... and, led by your local guide, you'll do just that – down its narrow lanes… across its ancient piazzas… even along the top of its massive walls. Guests who choose not to join the bicycle excursion can spend the time walking and exploring the center of Lucca as they please.
Location Information Description
Capannori, Italy
If you're wondering if Tuscany is all about the food, a hands-on lesson with experts in the art of making fresh pasta at Fattoria Colle Verde, one of the region's foremost wineries and olive oil producers, may shed some light. After a little testing and a little cooking, cap your pasta-making debut with a little virgin olive oil tasting… a little Tuscan wine tasting… and more than a little pasta tasting at lunch.
Location Information Description
Siena, Italy
After an amazing lunch it's on to the historic Tuscan city of Siena for a two-night stay.
Breakfast, Lunch
Grand Hotel Continental
Day 7
Siena's Many Treasures & a Tuscan Farewell Location Information Description
Siena, Italy
Awaken in beautiful Siena and spend the morning exploring as you wish; your Tauck Director can suggest museums, galleries and other points of interest, as well as great spots to enjoy lunch on your own.
Later, accompany your local guide to discover Siena's many architectural treasures on a walking tour – including its black-and-white Duomo, one of Italy's great cathedrals, with scenes inlaid in the marble floors and sculpture by Michelangelo. You'll see the Piazza del Campo – where the famous Palio bareback horse race has been held twice every year for centuries – Palazzo Salimbeni, Palazzo Tolomei, Torre di Mangia, Santa Maria della Scalla and more.
After some time to explore on your own, cap your Tuscany travel adventure with cocktails and canapés in an ancient wine cellar, followed by a memorable dinner of Tuscan specialties in an absolutely magical spot… under the setting Tuscan sun.
Breakfast, Dinner
Grand Hotel Continental
Day 8
Arrivederci, Tuscany Location Information Description
Florence, Italy
The tour ends in Florence. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Siena's Grand Hotel Continental to Florence Airport, Peretola, or Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.
Breakfast
Important information:
Important Information
Cancellation Policy
- 60 days or more before departure: $600.00 per person
- 59-8 days before departure: $900.00 per person
- 7-1 days before departure: $1500.00 per person
- On departure day and later: 100% of total price
- Any changes or cancellations to airline reservations made through Tauck either before or after departure are subject to the cancellation / change policies of the individual airlines. In n some instances these cancellation / change fees may be up to 100% of the ticket price.
- Cancellation fees may also apply to any additional services, including extra night accommodations, independently supplied services, and optional excursions reserved prior to, during, and after the tour. If flight changes, including, but not limited to, flight cancellations or name changes, are requested after full land and air deposits are received, revision fees, change fees, or airline cancellation fees will apply.
- All cancellations must be received in writing prior to tour departure. The cancellation policy will apply according to the date that the cancellation notification is received. The MINIMUM cancellation penalty is the deposit amount.
- The purchase to trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.
Terms and Conditions
- Land only “from price” is per person based on two people sharing a room together and does not include airfare unless expressly stated.
- All prices are in US Dollars.
- A $600 non-refundable, non-transferable, per-person, per-vacation deposit is required to reserve space for you. Payment of the deposit indicates you have read and accepted all Terms & Conditions. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit payment is processed and you receive a confirmation invoice.
- Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Within the final payment date, payment in full is required at time of booking to reserve space. Reservations (land, cruise, and air) are canceled if final payment is not received by the due date.
- Additional deposits or payments are required for international air added to the start and/or end of your vacation.