September 15 to September 29, 2012 15 days (Departure Sept 14 from Toronto)
Day 1 –Saturday, Sept 15
Arrival to Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci Airport where Casa Toscana guides will be waiting for the group. Transfer by minivan to Radda in Chianti, Tuscany (approx. 1 hour trip).
Check in to our villa IL CORNINO. Relaxing afternoon at the villa and welcome dinner by the swimming pool (Included).
Highlights: Villa Il Cornino is a traditional stone villa set in a stunning elevated location on a family estate. Surrounded by endless rows of vines and woodland, it is a perfect refuge to relax and unwind in. The villa has two independent apartments, one with 5 bedrooms and one with 4 bedrooms. The villa is only 4kms from the charming town of Radda in Chianti. Lele, Luca’s mom, who runs the cooking school “Tutti a Tavola” , will cook and serve a Tuscan welcome dinner for the group by the swimming pool.
Day 2 – Sunday, Sept 16
After Breakfast: Transfer to Radda in Chianti village. Visit of the town and free shopping. Light lunch with local products. Around 4:00pm meet with the Tuscan ladies of “Tutti a tavola” cooking school for a hands-on cooking session learning how to cook some typical Tuscan dishes. Evening dinner with the food prepared and entertainment offered by Luca (Included).
Highlights: Luca’s mom Lele and Cristina will introduce you to the original Tuscan cooking smiling and laughing most of the day, and you will wonder how it’s possible they don’t have their own Food Network channel yet!
Day 3 – Monday, Sept 17
Around 10am, departure from our villa for a visit to Monteriggioni. Light lunch in local deli with cheeses and cold cuts. (At own expenses)
Afternoon: visiting the medieval town of San Gimignano. We will have time for shopping and for a visit to Dondoli Gelateria where we will enjoy the world’s famous “gelato” ice cream. Dinner: Pizza night at local pizzeria. (At own expenses)
Highlights: A nice walk around Monteriggioni and San Gimignano, the 100 towers town, also called “New York of the Middle Ages” and visit of a Historic Ice-Cream shop with tasting. Dinner to “Al Trovatore” Pizzeria, where classical background music is played and taped lyrical shows are provided while enjoying your dinner during an incomparable evening.
Day 4 – Tuesday, Sept 18
After breakfast: Visit to Siena. Light lunch in town. (At own expenses) Afternoon: (around 3:pm) visiting Pienza. After a stop in Montepulciano for some olive oil and wine tasting to our friend Roberto’s wine farm we will enjoy a dinner with homemade Pici (Pici is a typical hand-made pasta of Southern Tuscany). (At own expenses)
Highlights: The day tour will last approx. 9 hours and there will be a total of 3 hours of driving by highway and scenic routes. We will frequently stop for taking pictures and for refreshments. Following the route of the Via Francigena, the old pilgrimage route from northern Europe to Rome, like pilgrims we will venture into mysterious alleys, among towers and castles, in search of the breathtaking views of the city of the Palio.We will then visit Pienza, crossing the beautiful Val D’Orcia Valley. Coming back we will have a stop to our friend Roberto wine farm in Montepulciano for a Vino Nobile wine and E.V. Olive Oil tasting and then we will enjoy a PICI Pasta dinner at Ristorante Tre Stelle before returning in Radda to our villa.
Day 5 – Wednesday, Sept 19
After breakfast:
Option1: Trip to Volterra with a visit to some artisan workshop and the Etruscan Museum. Around noon: Light lunch in Osteria. (At own expenses)
Option 2: Relaxing day by the swimming pool.
In late afternoon we will return to the Chianti Region for a visit to Fattoria Le Fonti winery (Luca’s brother wine farm) tasting one of the best wine of the region. A winemaker’s welcome dinner at the winery (Included) will be the highlight of the visit.
Highlights: The “magic and mysterious” Etruscan city of Volterra has its roots in three thousand years of history. At the highest point of Volterra is the Etruscan acropolis with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The archaeological site is part of a park that includes foundations of two Etruscan temples. The Guarnacci Etruscan museum, which displays the famous Etruscan statue Ombra della Sera “Evening shadow” is one of the earliest public museums in Europe.
Halfway between Florence and Siena, in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, lies the small village of Panzano. Just below the village church, at 450 m above sea level, is the Fattoria Le Fonti. Since 1994, the Schmitt-Vitali family has replanted all of the vineyards, taking great care in selecting the right type of plant with the correct root stock; and renovated the cellars, incorporating the latest technology to help them make better and longer lasting wines.
Day 6 – Thursday, Sept 20
After breakfast: Departure by minivans for a 6 hours visit to Florence.
Option 1: Visit to major attractions included visit to Uffizi Gallery or/and Accademia (Michelangel’s David).
Option 2: Time at leisure and for shopping. At 6:00pm return to our villa. At 7:30pm dinner in a typical local restaurant. (At own expenses)
Highlights:The city of Florence lies on the River Arno; it is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture and, more generally, for its cultural heritage. A centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance; it has been called the Athens of the Middle Age. A turbulent political history included periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, religious and republican revolution. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy.
Day 7 – Friday, Sept 21
After breakfast: Chianti Classico Tour. During this day we will discover the jewels of the most famous wine region in the world, such as Greve and Panzano.
Lunch to “Antica Macelleria Cecchini“, tasting local meat specialties. In the evening: dinner in Radda in Chianti. (At own expenses)
Highlights: Chianti is an area of Tuscany, made famous by the red wine of the same name. It has much to offer for a visitor interested in wine, food and natural beauty. The Chianti Classico region is defined by the town between Florence and Siena: Greve, Panzano, Castellina, Gaiole and Radda.
L’Antica Macelleria Cecchini is the butcher shop of Dario Cecchini in Panzano. a fifth generation macellaio (butcher), whose family has owned the butcher shop for over 250 years. The shop is full of paintings, sculpture, and books on art, history, poetry, cooking and travel; and then also, there is a lot of meat.
Day 8 – Saturday, Sept 22
Check out. Leave for Versilia Coast. Light lunch on the road.(At own expenses)
Accommodation in front beach three star hotel in Viareggio.
Afternoon: Orientation and shopping. Evening: Seafood dinner in a typical restaurant by the beach. (At own expenses)
Highlights: The Versilia is a part of Tuscany in the north-western province of Lucca named after the Versilia river. Known for fashionable Riviera resorts, it consists of numerous clubs that are frequented by local celebrities.
The most famous and populated part of this area is Viareggio, which extends along the coastline and is at the foot of the Apuan Alps, traveling from South to North, beginning at Stazzema and up to Marina di Massa.
The coastal shelf is sandy sloping gradually into the Ligurian Sea, which stretches from the ligurian coast up to the Piombino promontory, and not from the Tyrrhenian Sea as mistakenly believed, whose name has replaced the historic nomination, The Tuscan Sea.
Day 9 – Sunday, Sept 23
After breakfast: Visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and to the medieval town of Lucca (Sauro’s hometown) where we will have a light lunch tasting Cecina (Chickpea Pizza) (At own expenses)and some time for shopping.
Evening: Seafood dinner in a typical restaurant by the beach. (Included)
Highlights: Lucca is the capital city of the Province of Lucca. Among other reasons, it is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.Lucca was founded by the Etruscans (there are traces of a pre-existing Ligurian settlement) and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum. Traces of the amphitheatre can still be seen in the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro.
Day 10 – Monday, Sept 24
After Breakfast: One-day boat trip to Cinque Terre visiting Portovenere and the 5 fisherman villages.Light lunch in Vernazza. (At own expenses)
Hiking the “Via dell’Amore”. Return to Versilia and dinner in a typical Osteria. (At own expenses)
Highlights: The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia. “The Five Lands” is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Over centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre is a very popular tourist destination.
Day 11 – Tuesday, Sept 25
Check out: Departing for Verona. Stop in Modena to Acetaia Montale, a small Traditional Balsamic Vinegar producer, with Balsamic tasting and lunch (Included). Transfer to Valpolicella wine region and check in to our accommodation.
Highlights : Verona is a city in Veneto, northern Italy, home to approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the second most populous municipality of the region and the third of North-East Italy. The metro area of Verona has an area of 1,426 km2 (550.58 sq mi) and has a population of 714,274 inhabitants. It is one of the main tourist destinations in northern Italy, thanks to its artistic heritage, several annual fairs, shows, and operas, such as the lyrical season in the Arena, the ancient amphitheatre built by the Romans.
Day 12 – Wednesday, Sept 26
Morning dedicated to relaxing and shopping. In the afternoon visit to the Valpolicella wine area with a stop to a local Amarone winery company with wine tasting, and dinner to their own restaurant. (At own expenses)
Highlights: Valpolicella is a viticultural zone of the province of Verona, Italy, east of Lake Garda. The hilly agricultural and marble-quarrying region of small holdings north of the Adige is famous for wine production. Valpolicella ranks just after Chianti in total Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) wine production.
Amarone della Valpolicella, usually known as Amarone, is a typically rich Italian dry red wine made from partially dried grapes. Grapes are harvested ripe in the first two weeks of October and then are dried on straw mats. This process is called “appassimento” or “rasinate” (to dry and shrivel) in Italian.
Day 13 – Thursday, Sept 27
After Breakfast: Visit to Verona and tour of the city, visiting Romeo & Juliet’s house and the Arena. In the afternoon transfer to Lago di Garda. Visit to the villages of Lazise and Garda. Light lunch on the way. (At own expenses)
In the evening experience one of the best seafood dinners of your life! At famous Ristorante Il Giardinetto in Garda. (At own expenses)
Highlights: Verona is one of the main tourist destinations in northern Italy, thanks to its artistic heritage and the Arena, the ancient amphitheatre built by the Romans.
Immortalized by Shakespeare in the first line of his play, Verona holds the claim to having the houses of perhaps the greatest lovers in history Romeo & Juliet. Of course, there is much debate as to whether the lovers existed or not. That hasn’t stopped hundreds of thousands of tourists from wanting to see the Casa di Giulietta, or Juliet’s House.Lazise is located about 120 km west of Venice and about 20 km northwest of Verona.
Day 14 – Friday, Sept 28
Check out. Transfer to Venice and check in to our hotel three star. Visiting all the important Monuments: from San Marco Square to the Rialto Bridge. Light Lunch in typical Venetian Osteria. (At own expenses)
In the afternoon: Grand Canal Boat Tour featuring a cruise along the Grand Canal. After that some time for shopping. Dinner in Venetian Restaurant. (At own expenses)
Highlights: The city stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater lagoon stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po (south) and the Piave (north) Rivers. The population estimate of 272,000 inhabitants includes the population of the whole Comune of Venezia; around 60,000[5] in the historic city of Venice (Centro storico); 176,000 in Terraferma (the Mainland), mostly in the large frazioni of Mestre and Marghera; and 31,000 live on other islands in the lagoon.
The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades .
Day 15 – Saturday, Sept 29
Early morning: Check out and departure from Venice’s airport to Toronto.
Rates:
CAN$ 4,750.00 per person, plus taxes (HST=CAN$ 617.5), plus eventual fuel surcharges at departure time.
Single supplement: CAN$ 1,000.00 plus taxes (HST=$130.00).
Deposit due at booking: CAN$ 650.00 per person. Final payment: 60 days prior departure.
Deposit is not refundable under any circumstances, except the tour is cancelled because minimum number is not reached.
Air discount for passengers wishing to buy their own ticket $ 1,000.00 per passenger.
The tour requires a minimum of 14 participants. If minimum numbers are not reached the tour will be cancelled and participants will receive full payment reimbursement.
Once the tour has been confirmed, no refunds will be made under any circumstances for any unused sectors or sections.·If the reason for a client cancellation is covered by the client insurance policy, the client will be able to make a claim under that policy.
Terms and conditions click here
Rates Include:
- Round Trip Flight: Toronto to Florence, Venice to Toronto
- Ground Transportation by air-conditioned minivans/train
- Private Driver/guide (English speaking)
- Accommodation in hotel 3 stars and/or villa including daily breakfast
- Museums, Parks, Boats Tickets
- Wine Tasting
- 3 dinners (Above indicated as Included)
Insurance (Medical, cancellation, interruption) also available. Not Included.
We strongly recommend a full coverage for each participant.
The Tuscan Sun Import & Travel Inc
Casa Toscana
16/A Main Street W.
L3M 1R4 Grimsby,ON, Canada
tel.289-235-8888
mobile 289-219-2830 (Sauro Bertolozzi)
mobile 289-213-4054 (Luca Vitali)
www.casatoscana.ca
Operating in travel through Sauro Bertolozzi, co-owner and TICO Registered Travel Counsellor since 2009 (certificate Number T716558) and Aldershot Travel, 175 Plains Road East Burlington, Ontario IATA – 67520913 TICO – 50007312.
