Florence

Tours

Depart Florence and journey to the historic Chianti Classico wine region by air-conditioned minivan while your English-speaking driver explains the stunning landscape where the most famous wines from Italy are produced. Visit two wine estates, with wine and food pairings. Sample 3 of the first wine estate's wines, along with some of the fresh olive oil they produce. Learn more about the unique techniques used to produce wine and get a better appreciation of the local viniculture on a tour of the wine cellars. Continue towards the second wine estate to take a tour of the cellars and compare and contrast their techniques with the first winery. Taste different wines and olive oils produced on the farm, paired with local specialties from Tuscany, such as cheese, salami, cold cuts, and bruschetta.

Get a taste of 'la dolce vita' on this jam-packed tour to the Cinque Terre, a collection of quintessential Italian towns dotted along the coast of Tuscany. After meeting your guide in central Florence, listen to an insightful introduction about the Cinque Terre on the 2-hour bus journey to La Spezia. After a quick bathroom break, board the first train of the day. Arrive in Manarola, the first of the Cinque Terre villages you will visit. Here you will join a small guided walk through the vines, and then enjoy some free time to explore at your own pace. Next, take the train to Corniglia. Climb the steps to reach the center of this quaint village and take some time to wander around. If you have selected the add-on, sit down at a local restaurant with a beautiful terrace and sea views. Tuck into a lunch of fresh fish for your 'primo' and homemade pesto pasta for your ‘secondo’. Then, choose to either go on an adventurous guided hike from Corniglia to Vernazza, or if you prefer to take it easy, follow your guide and take a train instead. Once in Vernazza, sit at one of the local cafés, or take a refreshing dip in the sea. Next, board a train to Monterosso, the village renowned for its beautiful beaches and artisan shops. If the weather allows it, you will then board a boat to navigate along the coast of the Cinque Terre. Arrive in Riomaggiore, an ancient fishing village and the most southern of the 5 villages. After exploring this last village, board the train back to La Spezia and then take the coach back to Florence.

Begin your journey of Tuscany at Florence’s central train station, where you will be greeted by your guide who will take care of you throughout the day.  Head straight to Siena, Italy’s most picturesque medieval city, whereupon arrival your guide will take you on a walking tour. Look up to admire the lovely terracotta roofs adorning the buildings and marvel at the magnificent Gothic and Romanesque architecture of the main cathedral.   Next, head to the hilltop town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO world heritage site, famous for the tower houses built in the Middle Ages. Enjoy free time here to see its splendid squares, palaces, churches, and magnificent towers. The last stop on your Tuscan excursion is a visit to Pisa and its iconic leaning tower. Take a stroll through the Piazza dei Miracoli and see other marvelous monuments, before driving back to Florence. Best of all, choose from either a small-group or private guided experience to make your trip special. Choose the lunch option to enjoy a homemade lunch paired with an informal wine tasting at a traditional wine estate in the Chianti wine region. Savor 4 regional wines at lunch and learn about their unique production techniques. Feast on an organic, farmhouse meal while you overlook the rolling vineyards under the Tuscan sun.

Immerse yourself in Italy's renowned winemaking culture on this guided tour by van from Florence. Leave the city behind as you head out into the Tuscan countryside, marveling at the landscape around you. Visit two local wineries and enjoy wine tastings in both of them, learning about the wine-making process from locals. Arrive in the charming town of Radda in Chianti and visit one of the town’s traditional wineries. Enjoy a tasting session of 3 regional wines, then have the opportunity to purchase them. Spend some free time exploring the narrow streets of the town. Continue towards a traditional farm and winery. Learn about the winemaking process from grape to glass. Then enjoy another tasting session of 3 Chianti wines as well as local products. Finally, sit back and relax on the return journey to Florence.

On this guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, see beautiful artwork from the Middle Ages and Renaissance Period, a vast array of ancient statues found in the corridors, and beautiful architectural features, many designed by Giorgio Vasari. Explore the gallery's halls and see works including Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Caravaggio's Medusa, Michelangelo's Doni Tondo, and drawings and paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci. As you marvel at the art, learn about the art and artists found within the gallery's collection. After your guided tour, you will be free to explore the rest of the gallery for as long as you like.

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to cook with a beautiful estate just outside of Florence as your backdrop. Learn the whole pizza-making process, from making and kneading the dough to choosing the perfect toppings. Whenever possible, the ingredients are even picked from the estate's own vegetable garden! Once the delicious pizza comes out of the wood oven, you'll relax and enjoy it alongside a glass of Chianti wine or a cold beer. Then, the fun continues with a lesson on the special techniques used to make creamy gelato. Not only will you leave with your tastebuds satisfied, but you'll also have a unique and memorable experience to take home with you.

Journey through the wine-producing region of Tuscany on a day trip from Florence. Admire the Tuscan countryside and learn about the region from your driver. Visit three wineries and enjoy lunch. Start your day trip driving to the south of Florence, through the Tuscan countryside. Reach the first winery to learn about the winemaking process. Visit the farm, and satisfy all of your curiosity. Next, move on to another selected hilltop wine estate, where a wine expert is waiting for you to share the facts and anecdotes behind this product. Take a guided tour of the farm and learn all of the secrets to making wine. Sit down for lunch accompanied by the winery's own wines and Vin Santo (dessert wine). Nothing is rushed, so take the time to relax and enjoy. After lunch, head to Greve in Chianti, the most representative village of the Chianti Classico countryside. Take some free time to admire the attractive main square. Continue to the third winery, and taste their products, before you head back to Florence.

See Florence from a whole new perspective, with a relaxing and leisurely cruise down the Arno River. Hop on board the “barchetto”, one of only four original traditional wooden boats left in Florence. A traditional rower will steer you through the water with a long, sweeping oar. Your guide will tell you about the secrets and history of the Arno River as you cruise on its calm waters and admire the beautiful Palazzos that frame its ancient riverbed. See the Uffizi and the charming Ponte Vecchio from the water, and hear stories of the mysterious Vasari Corridor. You will also have the chance to pass under the Santa Trinita Bridge and the amazing Palazzo Corsini. Enjoy a refreshing glass of wine onboard, to celebrate your romantic evening in Florence! See and experience a new side of this special city from the comfort of a traditional, gondola-style boat.

Join this fun day-trip made for 18 to 35-year-old travelers to the Chianti countryside by van, and discover why the area is famous for its scenery as well as its wine. Visit two local wineries and taste their flavorful wines, as well as local produce samples. Walk through the streets of San Gimignano at your own pace, discovering this charming town first-hand. Head straight to a wine tasting school, your first stop, where you will taste 4 different type of wines, including the famous Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. and a Super Tuscan wine, a 30 year-old balsamic vinegar, and the delicious truffle extra virgin olive oil. Here, learn how to recognize the different flavors and develop your taste buds together with a wine passionate producer. Next, drive to your second stop, a local winery located in a stunning area well-known for the production of the D.O.C.G. Vernaccia white wine and facing the famous towers of San Gimignano. Let the winemakers guide you through the vineyards and the cellars and they will share the secrets of the wine and oil production as well as the best wine and food combinations. At this winery, take the opportunity to buy their local products and wine at a convenient cost to bring back home or to ship to friends and family. In the afternoon, enjoy visiting and spending time wandering through the narrow streets of San Gimignano at your own pace. Shop 'til you drop and enjoy gelato from the world-champion ice-cream making gelateria. Your departure from San Gimignano is at 3:45 PM with an estimated travel time of 1 hour and 10 minutes. You'll arrive back in Florence at about 5 PM.

Explore the historic center of Florence by electric golf cart and leave your conscience clean as you cover more sights than possible on a walking tour. Climb aboard the eco-friendly cart in Piazza San Firenze and drive through the streets of the Renaissance city, passing Piazza Signoria and the Porcellino Market. Continue to the Duomo and marble façade of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. Journey along the banks of the River Arno to Piazza Ognissanti. An MP3 player will be provided with commentary about the history of the city and its sites so that you can sit back and relax as your escort drives you across the Santa Trinita Bridge. Marvel at the Pitti Palace and Ponte Vecchio. Continue to the Ponte alle Grazie, rebuilt after it was destroyed in World War II. Go to the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale (National Central Library) on Piazza Santa Croce to see the largest library in Italy.