Between Rome and Tuscany Gran Tour

Program 11 days 10 nights

1 day Arrival in Rome. Transfer by private bus from Fiumicino airport to the hotel in the center of Rome. If the flight time permits, a panoramic tour of the seven hills of Rome near the Great Fountain

2 day in the morning after breakfast, meeting with our qualified Spanish-speaking guide for a classic Rome itinerary at the archaeological area of ​​the Imperial Forums - Palatine Hill - Piazza del Campidoglio - Colosseum (external only) - Temple of Vesta - Mouth of Truth. Lunch during the itinerary. In the afternoon guided tour of the Capitoline Museums which contain the great heritage of imperial Rome. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
       
03 day in the morning entrance with guided tour of the sublime Palazzo Doria Pamphili Built on the original nucleus of the residence of Cardinal Fazio Santoro dating back to the early sixteenth century, it is a concentration of art and history, a history made of nobility, politics and unions between some of the greatest Italian noble families: from the Della Rovere to the Aldobrandini, from the Pamphilj to the Doria then Doria Pamphilj, to the Facchinetti, to the Colonna, to the Borghese, to the Savoia. The grandiose residence is the result of evolutions, annexations and enlargements that have taken place for 500 years to present itself before our eyes today in all its centuries-old splendor. The exhibition heart of Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is in the Four Arms of the Gallery, overlooking the internal Bramante courtyard with its splendid Renaissance arches, as well as in the two large adjacent rooms, the Aldobrandini Room and that of the Primitives, where most of the masterpieces are concentrated from the private collection of the Doria Pamphilj family. Lunch near the palace and afternoon departure from Rome to Florence via the A1 motorway (3 hour journey). Arrival in Florence with hotel accommodation with dinner and overnight stay.

04 day  full day dedicated to the guided tour of Florence, jewel of Humanism and the Renaissance. We will start from the large Basilica of Santa Croce (entrance included) where illustrious Tuscans and Florentines such as Michelangelo and Galileo rest, with Giotto's fourteenth-century frescoes. Walking among the tower-houses of the Dante district, the tabernacles and the small squares of the Gothic city you will arrive in Piazza Duomo, the religious center of Florence dominated by Giotto's bell tower and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with Brunelleschi's dome, symbol of Florence. Stop for lunch during the itinerary. Return to the hotel with dinner and overnight stay.

5 day dedicated to visiting the Villas in the surroundings of Florence where the Medici family, lords of the city for centuries, created the great artistic and monumental heritage that we still see today. The day will be dedicated to these unique places. The itinerary will see Villa la Petraia, an evocative Medici building located on a panoramic terrace on the outskirts of Florence in the small hamlet of Castello. From its viewpoint you dominate the rich garden below and the famous city of the lily. The first owners of the property were the Brunelleschi family and after several changes of ownership it was finally purchased by the Medici family. It was Cardinal Ferdinand, who became Grand Duke in 1587, who radically transformed the structure from an elegant building to a princely residence. The entire project was built around the fourteenth-century central tower which was converted into a belvedere, but the most significant changes occurred in the garden. The space was divided into three magnificent terraces: in the first orchards of dwarf plants were planted, the second was adorned with flowerbeds and the third was occupied by two large elliptical areas structured with trees and citrus fruits. Continuation to Villa Medicea di Castello nearby The Villa di Castello is one of the oldest suburban residences of the Medici family, who owned it since 1477. Favorite by Cosimo I, it was the object of particular care and its garden, designed in 1538, a year after the young duke's rise to power, it was designed to celebrate the prince's power through the symbolism of his statues, fountains, and caves. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2013. Transfer for a typical lunch in Fiesole and in the afternoon guided tour of the town which stands on the hill behind Florence and can boast an incomparable panorama of the lily-covered city. We will visit Piazza Mino da Fiesole with Etruscan and Roman traces, the Romanesque cathedral of San Romolo, with the characteristic bell tower in the shape of a tower. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel in Florence with dinner and overnight stay.

6 day in the morning departure for the Val d'Orcia with arrival in Montalcino Visit to the village of Montalcino, perched on a gentle hill in the Val d'Orcia. Lunch in restaurant. In the afternoon, guided tour of the historic center of Montepulciano, a medieval village with a unique charm where you can relive all the atmosphere of the medieval and Renaissance eras. Historic buildings, cobbled streets and corners will surprise you. Stop for a typical snack with tasting of the famous local wines. Transfer to Siena for overnight stay and dinner.

 

7 day in the morning guided tour of Siena with the famous Piazza del Campo with the famous Torre del Mangia, the stage of the exciting Palio with its particular shell shape, it is the heart of Siena. Declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, it houses the symbols of the Sienese Middle Ages and its glorious past. Splendid period buildings, such as Palazzo Tolomei and Palazzo Salimbeni, still adorn the streets of Siena to form the most elegant and elegant part of the city. Stop for lunch. Afternoon external and internal visit of the Cathedral, with pre-booked entry. One of the examples, not crowned with complete success, of the attempts made in the 13th century to transform a building completed in its essential parts in 1250 according to Gothic aesthetics, according to Italian canons, according to a project still of Romanesque spirit. Time available with return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

 

08 day in the morning in the direction of Rome, departure for Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri, villages of sublime beauty with a stop and typical lunch. Arrival in Rome with accommodation in the same hotel as the previous days.

 

09 day in the morning continuation of the itineraries with a guided tour of Baroque Rome: we will stroll like nobles through Piazza di Spagna, Trinità dei Monti, Via Condotti, Via Veneto, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain. Free lunch. Afternoon visit to the magnificent museum of Villa Borghese, one of the most famous Renaissance palaces in the world which contains works by Caravaggio, Bernini and Raphael. At the end of the visit, free walk in the park of the villa, one of the largest in Rome. Return to the hotel with dinner and overnight stay.

 

10 day dedicated to Catholic Rome and the Vatican Museums Full day guided tour of "Catholic Rome": Vatican city with the majestic St. Peter's Square designed by Bernini and the interior of the largest Basilica in the world (entrance included). We will then enter the Vatican Museums (entrance included), custodians of works of art of inestimable value, among which Michelangelo's famous "Last Judgment" will leave us speechless. Lunch in a restaurant in the Trastevere area. Return to the hotel with dinner and overnight stay.

 

11 day departure from Rome

Quotation on demand for groups and individuals

The price includes coach buses for the entire duration of the tour as scheduled; 07 overnight stays in Rome in a very central 4-star hotel with breakfasts and dinners as indicated in the program; 04 overnight stays in hotels in central Florence with breakfasts and dinners indicated in the program; 02 overnight stays in a hotel in Siena with breakfasts and dinners as scheduled. Guided tours in English speaking in the cities and villages as scheduled with headphones; lunches during excursions where indicated; booking entrances to palaces and museums in Rome; booking entrances to palaces and museums in Florence and its surroundings; tasting in the Montepulciano wine cellar. Typical Cerna in Rome 13 October. Tour leader for the entire duration of the tour. Mandatory medical baggage insurance in Italy for organized groups. City Tax in Rome, Florence, Siena.

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