Tuscany, Rome and the Amalfi Coast

Itinerary

• Day 1
  Take a short flight from the UK to Pisa Airport, where you’ll be met by your friendly local tour manager, before heading out on a scenic transfer to your hotel in Chianciano Terme, the heart of Tuscany. You’ll have the evening to settle in before exploring the surrounding area at your own pace. Afterwards, return to your hotel for dinner.
• Day 2
  Enjoy a relaxed breakfast with time at leisure this morning, perhaps spent exploring Chianciano Terme’s historic town centre or with a visit to one of the region’s famed thermal baths. This afternoon, find lunch (on your own account) before rejoining your tour group for an indulgent wine tasting experience in vineyard-laden Montepulciano. Renowned for its winemaking heritage and panoramic views over the surrounding Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana, the town offers the perfect introduction to Tuscany’s easy-going communities. Upon arrival in Montepulciano, explore the hilltop town’s breath-taking architecture starting at the Piazza Grande, the lively heart of the city, where you might catch a glimpse of the region’s thriving theatre culture with a live performance. After a short time exploring, join your tour group for a complimentary tasting of the town’s finest local labels with a tour of a traditional wine cellar. Later this afternoon, reboard your coach for the journey back to Chianaciano Terme and enjoy spectacular views as you pass through the bucolic Tuscan countryside. This evening, join your fellow guests for dinner at the hotel.
• Day 3
  The choice today is yours to either take advantage of a full day at leisure or join an unforgettable optional excursion to Siena and San Gimignano, the ‘town of fine towers’. Your first stop on this excursion will be Siena, famous for its medley of medieval brick buildings positioned around a fan-shaped square, Piazza del Campo. Here, you’ll also get to view the city’s Gothic town hall, Palazzo Publico, and its 14th-century tower, Torre del Mangia, which gazes out over the surrounding countryside. You’ll then continue to another hill-top town, San Gimignano, with its 14 picturesque towers rising amongst the other roofs. A ring of 13th-century walls encloses the UNESCO-listed old town centre, which is set around a triangular square and dotted with medieval houses. The Duomo di San Gimignano, a 12th-century church promises to be an unmissable highlight of your visit with its fascinating assortment of frescos. At the end of the day, you’ll return to your hotel for a well-deserved rest and dinner.
• Day 4
  Fuel up on breakfast as you have a jam-packed journey around Florence today. The tour will lead you to the centre of the Renaissance movement and showcase the highlights of the city, followed by time to survey the winding streets at your own pace. The imposing Florence Cathedral, Duomo di Firenze, is the starting point of this tour, and you can gaze at it in all its Gothic-style glory from the Piazza del Duomo. This striking structure, dating back to 1296, along with Baptistery and Giotto's Campanil are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site enveloping the historic centre of Florence. You’ll then see the splendour of the Basilica di Santa Croce before meandering across the medieval Ponte Vecchio bridge, spared by the retreating German forces. This afternoon, there will be time at leisure to seek out Accademia, which houses Michelangelo’s fabled statue of David, and the Uffizi, where Botticelli’s famous Birth of Venus, as well as the sprawling Piazza della Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio frieze and Fontana di Nettuno. Your coach will then take you back to the hotel, where you can put your feet up, maybe with an Aperol Spritz in hand before having dinner. 
• Day 5
  Check out of your hotel after breakfast this morning and board your coach for the drive to Tivoli, an enchanting town on the outskirts of the Roman campagna. As you head south through the Tuscan countryside, you’ll stop in picturesque Orvieto, a former Italian city-state nestled at the top of a volcanic bluff. Here you can enjoy a brief guided tour of the hilltop town’s most historic sights. Keep an eye out for the Palazzo del Captiano Populi, a grand 13th-century landmark, which became a symbol of feudal power throughout the middle-ages. Another of the town’s major highlights is the Torre del Moro Orvieto, an impressive clocktower which has watched over the Umbrian countryside for almost a millennium. Following a fascinating tour of the city, you’ll arrive at the day’s extraordinary highlight, the magnificent Duomo di Orvieto. This imposing cathedral was originally built to house a holy relic, the Corporal of Bolsena, in the late 13th century and still displays it to this day. Marvel at the building’s intricate facades, complete with a rose window and a collection of golden mosaics, before heading inside. You’ll be free to take in the cathedral’s pillared cloisters and colourful frescoed chapels either on your own or as part of a group. You’ll also have the opportunity to see the Corporal of Bolsena, a cloth which was stained when a communion wafer miraculously started bleeding, in person. After your visit, reboard the coach for the final part of your journey to Tivoli, where you’ll settle into your hotel for the night.
• Day 6
  This morning, take breakfast at your hotel before venturing into the centre of the Italian capital for a captivating day of sightseeing. You’ll visit Rome’s famed Spanish Steps, a baroque staircase, which connects two plazas and frames the impressive 18th century Trinita dei Monti church. After time spent exploring the Piazza di Spagna and its charming collection of cafés and high-end outlets, you’ll move on to one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks, the Colosseum. This iconic open-air amphitheatre has remained a staple of Rome’s skyline for almost 2,000 years, and you can admire its spectacular arched facades, or perhaps capture the perfect holiday photo, with brief stop outside. Continue your tour of the Italy’s ‘Eternal City’ with a stop at Saint Peter’s Square, an expansive plaza ringed with pillars which borders the basilicas and papal landmarks of the Vatican City. Marvel at the breath-taking cupolas and facades of the Basilica di San Pietro, home to Michaelangelo’s frescoed Sistine Chapel, before heading back to your coach for the drive back to Tivoli. Returning to the hotel in the late afternoon, you’ll have the rest of the evening to spend at your own pace ahead of dinner.
• Day 7
  This morning, you’ll be free to do as little or as much as you’d like with time at leisure in Tivoli. Home to a striking array of towering castles and historic ruins, this suburban town offers plenty of interesting ways to spend the morning. You can visit Rocca Pia, a four-towered fortress overlooking the centre of Tivoli or wander along the River Aniene’s forested waterfront. This afternoon, make your way across Tivoli to the UNESCO-listed Villa d’Este, an opulent palace on the outskirts of Rome which typifies Renaissance style and culture. Complete with its manicured gardens, ornate fountains and regal interiors, the villa was once the official residence of Tivoli’s governors but has since become an Italian state museum. You'll have the entire afternoon to make the most of the villa's gardens, complete with their impressive water features, vibrant plant life and intricate statues. If you get the chance, be sure to spend some time by the Fontana di Nettuno, a series of three fishponds framing the villa and its surrounding gardens, which has inspired artists for centuries. You can also explore the villa’s palatial interiors, which house artefacts and frescoes dating back to the 15th century. After a captivating afternoon spent exploring Villa d’Este, return to your hotel for dinner and an evening at leisure.
• Day 8
  Have breakfast, check out of your Tivoli hotel, and board a coach for a scenic drive to Paestum. You’ll stop en route in Pompeii, nestled in the volcanic foothills of mighty Vesuvius, for a tour of the city's ruins. Having been destroyed and miraculously preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, Pompeii lay buried and forgotten for hundreds of years before being rediscovered in the 18th century and remains one of the richest archaeological sites in Italy. Watch the ancient history of this ill-fated city come to life as you join your guide for a tour of the villas, temples, and frescoed houses, and immerse yourself in the finer details of Roman life. After a fascinating few hours spent exploring Pompeii’s Roman ruins, continue to the coastal town of Paestum.
• Day 9
  This morning, have breakfast ahead of a full day at leisure. If you’d prefer a more relaxing day, make the most of your hotel’s expansive outdoor swimming pool or sip a cocktail on the seafront from one of the neighbouring beach bars. For a more active time, you can explore Paestum’s bustling town centre, complete with a charming collection of eateries, bars and boutiques, or tour the hilltop ruins of the town’s archaeological park, home to the pillared temples of Athena, Hera and Neptune. Alternatively, you can embark on an optional boat tour along the glorious Amalfi Coast to the colourful, flower-strewn streets of Capri. Board a hydrofoil boat for a crossing to the wonderful Isle of Capri. When you arrive in this famous hideaway of poets and artists, a minibus will take you to the picturesque village of Anacapri on the slopes of Monte Solaro. You’ll also have time to take a chair-lift ride to the summit of Solaro (payable locally) before you continue to the island’s main town to visit the Augustus Gardens, overlooking the Canzone del Mare, former home to the legendary Gracie Fields. However you choose to spend your day, reconvene at your Paestum hotel for dinner with your fellow guests this evening.
• Day 10
  Today marks one of the highlights of your Italian escape with a scenic visit to two of the Amalfi Coast’s most beloved towns, Ravello, with its spectacular cliff-side gardens, and the region’s namesake town, Amalfi. Enjoy an early breakfast before boarding a coach for the first leg of the day’s journey through the enchanting coastal vistas of Italy’s Campania region. Stopping first in Ravello, you’ll visit the town’s famous hilltop terraces and the medieval villas that they belong to with plenty of time to take in panoramic views of the open ocean below. Spend time exploring the Moorish halls and layered terrace-gardens of Villa Rufolo, and explore the neighbouring Duomo di Ravelo and the Museo di Corallo, which features hundreds of unique artwork and jewellery made entirely of coral. Continue on foot to the celebrated mountaintop gardens of Villa Cimbrone, an impressive medieval belvedere overlooking the Campania’s breath-taking coastal stretches. From here, you’ll be able to enjoy unparalleled views of the surrounding landscapes against the serene backdrop of the villa’s famous Terrazza dell’Infinito. After taking in Ravelo’s most impressive vistas, continue by coach to the crown jewel of the coast, idyllic Amalfi. This thriving resort town, famed for its colourful hillside houses and magnificent cathedral. Whilst in Amalfi, you'll be taken by boat to Maiori, a colourful lively town, which boasts the largest beach on the 50 km Amalfi coastline where you'll find a lovely waterfront promenade with restaurants, cafés, and shops.