Oct 2 to Oct 9, 2012

Come join us on the Amalfi Coast: we will drive the most beautiful coastal road in Italy, eat fish caught fresh from the sea, drink lemoncello, visit ancient cities and, as always, have great conversations over some of the best meals you could dream of!

Our trip begins in Rome where you will spend your first night in a hotel located only steps away from the Pantheon. After getting acquainted over prosecco and hors d’oeuvres, we’ll go out for dinner alla Romana. Then, you’ll have a chance to sleep off a bit of jet lag and be ready to travel the next day to Tivoli where you will see Italy’s most famous water garden. At the end of the day, we’ll make our way to our hotel in Ravello where we will be staying for two nights.

In Ravello we’ll visit the amazing gardens of Villa Cimbrone with their meandering paths and their fabulous statuary offset against the sparkling blue of the ocean below. You’ll have a chance to explore Ravello’s lovely side streets and shop for pottery if the spirit moves you. And we’ll also have a special private wine tasting and dinner at the home of one of Ravello’s most renowned celebrity chefs.

“Along this coast, where one mountain after another plunges sheer into the sea, there is a string of towns that not long ago were accessible only by boat. Today the Amalfi Drive, a spectacular road of “a thousand bends”, covers the route… Nature here has created an amazing vertical landscape, a mix of sharp crags and deep green forests… In doing so, she inspired the Italians to add three of their most beautiful towns.

- Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls in the Cadogan Guides’ Bay of Naples and Southern Italy*

The following day we’ll make our way to the town of Amalfi where we’ll visit the historic center with its airy, elegant Cathedral. We’ll continue along the spectacular coastal road to Positano. We’ll stay two nights in Positano, one of Tuscany Tours’ favorite towns (and John Steinbeck’s too!) in terms of charm and whimsy: the pastel-colored houses spilling over the side of the cliffs rival the best of the local flower displays. We’ve reserved ocean view rooms for everyone at a top-rated Trip Advisor hotel in Positano. From Positano we will visit the amazing ruins of Pompeii where our guide, Fiorella, will make the ancient stones come back to life! And, we’ll end the day with a fabulous dinner at one of Sorrento’s best restaurants.

Our final stay will be two luxurious days on the fabled isle of Capri. We’ll have an opportunity to fully circumnavigate the island by private boat and–weather, tides and fates permitting–to visit the famous Blue Grotto. The rest of the time you’ll be free to enjoy some of the best food, scenery, shopping and swimming known to humankind.

Along the way, as always, you will have the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Italians – friends and guides who will share their homes and lives with you as you immerse yourself in The Best of the Amalfi Coast.

To request a detailed itinerary for this Amalfi coast tour, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: June 25, 2012 to July 02, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $4413, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $4285 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $850. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 7 nights lodging in carefully restored, historic properties; (1 night in Rome, 2 nights in Ravello, 2 nights Positano and 2 nights Capri) All rooms have private baths.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily. All meals–after breakfast!–include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All land and sea transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Amalfi Coast area varieties (including small local producers and famous well known producers).

Guided Tours with local authorized expert guides: Pompeii, Ravello, Amalfi and Capri

Admissions: Entrance fees for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Italy since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

June 25 to July 2, 2012

Come join us on the Amalfi Coast: we will drive the most beautiful coastal road in Italy, eat fish caught fresh from the sea, drink lemoncello, visit ancient cities and, as always, have great conversations over some of the best meals you could dream of!

Our trip begins in Rome where you will spend your first night in a hotel located only steps away from the Pantheon. After getting acquainted over prosecco and hors d’oeuvres, we’ll go out for dinner alla Romana. Then, you’ll have a chance to sleep off a bit of jet lag and be ready to travel the next day to Tivoli where you will see Italy’s most famous water garden. At the end of the day, we’ll make our way to our hotel in Ravello where we will be staying for two nights.

In Ravello we’ll visit the amazing gardens of Villa Cimbrone with their meandering paths and their fabulous statuary offset against the sparkling blue of the ocean below. You’ll have a chance to explore Ravello’s lovely side streets and shop for pottery if the spirit moves you. And we’ll also have a special private wine tasting and dinner at the home of one of Ravello’s most renowned celebrity chefs.

“Along this coast, where one mountain after another plunges sheer into the sea, there is a string of towns that not long ago were accessible only by boat. Today the Amalfi Drive, a spectacular road of “a thousand bends”, covers the route… Nature here has created an amazing vertical landscape, a mix of sharp crags and deep green forests… In doing so, she inspired the Italians to add three of their most beautiful towns.

- Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls in the Cadogan Guides’ Bay of Naples and Southern Italy*

The following day we’ll make our way to the town of Amalfi where we’ll visit the historic center with its airy, elegant Cathedral. We’ll continue along the spectacular coastal road to Positano. We’ll stay two nights in Positano, one of Tuscany Tours’ favorite towns (and John Steinbeck’s too!) in terms of charm and whimsy: the pastel-colored houses spilling over the side of the cliffs rival the best of the local flower displays. We’ve reserved ocean view rooms for everyone at a top-rated Trip Advisor hotel in Positano. From Positano we will visit the amazing ruins of Pompeii where our guide, Fiorella, will make the ancient stones come back to life! And, we’ll end the day with a fabulous dinner at one of Sorrento’s best restaurants.

Our final stay will be two luxurious days on the fabled isle of Capri. We’ll have an opportunity to fully circumnavigate the island by private boat and–weather, tides and fates permitting–to visit the famous Blue Grotto. The rest of the time you’ll be free to enjoy some of the best food, scenery, shopping and swimming known to humankind.

Along the way, as always, you will have the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Italians – friends and guides who will share their homes and lives with you as you immerse yourself in The Best of the Amalfi Coast.

To request a detailed itinerary for this Amalfi coast tour, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: June 25, 2012 to July 02, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $4413, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $4285 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $850. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 7 nights lodging in carefully restored, historic properties; (1 night in Rome, 2 nights in Ravello, 2 nights Positano and 2 nights Capri) All rooms have private baths.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily. All meals–after breakfast!–include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All land and sea transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Amalfi Coast area varieties (including small local producers and famous well known producers).

Guided Tours with local authorized expert guides: Pompeii, Ravello, Amalfi and Capri

Admissions: Entrance fees for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Italy since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

May 14, 2012 to May 20, 2012

If you’ve already seen Rome, Florence and Venice-or just prefer small towns and countryside-this tour offers you a chance to really experience “deep Tuscany” in all its glory!

Your adventure begins in the marvelous medieval town of Siena. After we get acquainted over wine and cheese, we’ll give you a preview of some of the amazing sites that we’ll be seeing during the coming week. We’ll be visiting Siena’s world-famous cathedral, and we’ll climb up to the ramparts over its unfinished façade to see an unforgettable, bird’s-eye-view of town and countryside. We’ll have a walking tour to introduce us to the city, and lots of free time to explore on our own. And you’ll learn all about Siena’s famous mystical horserace–the “Palio”–which is has been run since the 15th century!

The next segment of our tour takes us to the ancient Etruscan hilltown of Cortona, best known today to many travelers as the setting for the book (and the movie), “Under the Tuscan Sun”. We’ll be staying in a plush four-star hotel located in a Renaissance palazzo in the heart of town with commanding views of the Valdichiana valley below. We’ll spend a couple of days exploring Cortona’s present natural beauty as well as the surviving monuments of its Renaissance and Etruscan past.

The final portion of the trip takes us to our luxurious Villa in the Chianti countryside where we’ll be based for the remainder of the week. We’ll feast at a family-owned winery down a scenic, country road that makes some of the best new “Super-Tuscan” wines on the market. And we’ll visit the Chianti region’s most famous castles where we’ll have a private tour of the cantinas at one of Tuscany’s oldest and most sophisticated wineries. Along the way, we’ll be taking you to tiny villages that you’ve probably never heard of, but will certainly never forget.

What Sets This Tour of Tuscany Apart? Group size is limited to only 16 participants. You’ll have a chance to enjoy off-the-beaten-path venues that large commercial tours never visit, and that you would never discover on your own. Along the way you’ll experience a deep immersion in the amazing variety and richness of Tuscany’s traditions in art, wine and cuisine, and you’ll return home with memories that will last a lifetime.

Based on our experience of leading similar tours over these last 14 years, we’ve developed a good sense for what people find interesting and memorable. We carefully combine planned activities along with lots of free time for you to explore on your own, or just relax and enjoy. Our tours attract people who are interested in local culture, who appreciate fine food, and enjoy having the details of travel arranged for them.

To request a detailed itinerary for this tour, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: May 14, 2012 to May 20, 2012

Cost:The land cost of the tour is $2830, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $2750 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $525. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 6 nights lodging in elegantly restored, historic properties; (2 nights in a Siena hotel, 2 nights in a Cortona hotel, 2 nights in a villa in the Chianti region). Rooms are spacious and beautifully furnished, and all rooms have private baths and air-conditioning.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. We will take some of our meals on-site and others at restaurants in the towns we visit. All meals–after breakfast!–include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All ground transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Tuscan varieties (including small local producers and famous well known producers)

Workshops and Presentations: We include slideshows and presentations that provide essential background information to enhance your visits.

Admissions: Entrance fee for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

Small, Intimate Group: We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Pick Up and Drop Off: The tour begins at our hotel in Florence. A taxi from the Florence airport to the hotel costs approx. €25 euro and takes about 20 minutes. Or, we can arrange for you to be met by a private driver at additional cost. On the final morning of the tour, we arrange shuttle transfers from Radda in Chianti for everyone to either Florence or Siena at a cost of €40 euro per person. Alternatively, public bus service from Radda to both Siena and Florence is also available. Pick-ups or drop-offs at other locations can be arranged through our travel partners for an additional fee.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer Hilt and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Tuscany since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

We’ve designed this tour as a sampler that provides a taste of the many pleasures that Florence and Tuscany have to offer. You’ll have a chance to go wine tasting in Chianti, visit medieval castles, see art treasures of the Renaissance, explore Tuscany’s picturesque towns and villages, and enjoy exquisite local cuisine.

We’ll be staying at charming, comfortable hotels and villas in Tuscany. We’ll spend the first portion of our week in Florence at a lovely hotel in the historic core of the city, only steps away from many of the world’s greatest collections of artistic masterpieces. We’ll then transfer to the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona which has recently been made famous by the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. We’ll be staying in a luxurious palazzo in the old town at the top of the mountain with commanding views of the Valdichiana plains down below.

For the final portion of our adventure in Tuscany we’ll based at an elegant Villa in the Chianti countryside that was a 16th century noble residence. From here we’ll visit the fascinating medieval city of Siena with its world-famous Gothic cathedral. And we’ll make several short excursions to explore wine, food, and art in the marvelous hilltowns and villages that make this one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.
You will have the opportunity to experience both the excitement and stimulus of the cities of Florence and Siena and the beauty and tranquility of rural Tuscan life. The small size of our group allows us to move about without following a red umbrella and to eat in restaurants and trattorias that are popular with the locals. Apart from breakfast, we share one full-course meal every day as a group, either lunch or dinner. (For other dining, we’ll suggest locations where you can enjoy a gourmet meal at your leisure, or you may want to choose a quick bite and spend some time shopping).

The Best of Tuscany Tour combines daily planned activities along with unstructured time that you may spend as you like. If you have special activities that you’d like to pursue during the unscheduled portions of our tour in Tuscany, we’re happy to help you make the arrangements.

During the course of the tour we offer presentations and slideshows to help you better appreciate the art and the places we visit. The rest of the time, we attend to all the details to make your travel adventure as smooth as possible. You get to relax and experience The Best of Tuscany!

To request a detailed itinerary for this tour of Tuscany, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: May 1 to May 9, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $3390, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $3300 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $695. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 8 nights lodging in carefully restored, historic properties; (3 nights in a Florence hotel, 2 nights in a hotel in Cortona, and 3 nights at a villa in the Chianti region). All rooms have private baths.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. All meals-after breakfast!-include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All ground transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Tuscan varieties (including small local producers and larger well-known wineries).

Workshops and Presentations: We include slideshows and presentations that provide essential background information to enhance your visits.

Admissions: Entrance fee for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

Small, Intimate Group: We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Pick Up and Drop Off: The tour begins at our hotel in Florence. A taxi from the Florence airport to the hotel costs approx. €25 euro and takes about 20 minutes. Or, we can arrange for you to be met by a private driver at additional cost. On the final morning of the tour, we arrange shuttle transfers from Radda in Chianti for everyone to either Florence or Siena at a cost of €40 euro per person. Alternatively, public bus service from Radda to both Siena and Florence is also available. Pick-ups or drop-offs at other locations can be arranged through our travel partners for an additional fee.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Tuscany since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

We’ve designed this tour as a sampler that provides a taste of the many pleasures that Florence and Tuscany have to offer. You’ll have a chance to go wine tasting in Chianti, visit medieval castles, see art treasures of the Renaissance, explore Tuscany’s picturesque towns and villages, and enjoy exquisite local cuisine.

We’ll be staying at charming, comfortable hotels and villas in Tuscany. We’ll spend the first portion of our week in Florence at a lovely hotel in the historic core of the city, only steps away from many of the world’s greatest collections of artistic masterpieces. We’ll then transfer to the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona which has recently been made famous by the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. We’ll be staying in a luxurious palazzo in the old town at the top of the mountain with commanding views of the Valdichiana plains down below.

For the final portion of our adventure in Tuscany we’ll based at an elegant Villa in the Chianti countryside that was a 16th century noble residence. From here we’ll visit the fascinating medieval city of Siena with its world-famous Gothic cathedral. And we’ll make several short excursions to explore wine, food, and art in the marvelous hilltowns and villages that make this one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.

You will have the opportunity to experience both the excitement and stimulus of the cities of Florence and Siena and the beauty and tranquility of rural Tuscan life. The small size of our group allows us to move about without following a red umbrella and to eat in restaurants and trattorias that are popular with the locals. Apart from breakfast, we share one full-course meal every day as a group, either lunch or dinner. (For other dining, we’ll suggest locations where you can enjoy a gourmet meal at your leisure, or you may want to choose a quick bite and spend some time shopping).

The Best of Tuscany Tour combines daily planned activities along with unstructured time that you may spend as you like. If you have special activities that you’d like to pursue during the unscheduled portions of our tour in Tuscany, we’re happy to help you make the arrangements.

During the course of the tour we offer presentations and slideshows to help you better appreciate the art and the places we visit. The rest of the time, we attend to all the details to make your travel adventure as smooth as possible. You get to relax and experience The Best of Tuscany!

To request a detailed itinerary for this tour of Tuscany, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: May 1 to May 9, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $3390, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $3300 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $695. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 8 nights lodging in carefully restored, historic properties; (3 nights in a Florence hotel, 2 nights in a hotel in Cortona, and 3 nights at a villa in the Chianti region). All rooms have private baths.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. All meals-after breakfast!-include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All ground transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Tuscan varieties (including small local producers and larger well-known wineries).

Workshops and Presentations: We include slideshows and presentations that provide essential background information to enhance your visits.

Admissions: Entrance fee for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

Small, Intimate Group: We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Pick Up and Drop Off: The tour begins at our hotel in Florence. A taxi from the Florence airport to the hotel costs approx. €25 euro and takes about 20 minutes. Or, we can arrange for you to be met by a private driver at additional cost. On the final morning of the tour, we arrange shuttle transfers from Radda in Chianti for everyone to either Florence or Siena at a cost of €40 euro per person. Alternatively, public bus service from Radda to both Siena and Florence is also available. Pick-ups or drop-offs at other locations can be arranged through our travel partners for an additional fee.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Tuscany since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

We’ve designed this tour as a sampler that provides a taste of the many pleasures that Florence and Tuscany have to offer. You’ll have a chance to go wine tasting in Chianti, visit medieval castles, see art treasures of the Renaissance, explore Tuscany’s picturesque towns and villages, and enjoy exquisite local cuisine.

We’ll be staying at charming, comfortable hotels and villas in Tuscany. We’ll spend the first portion of our week in Florence at a lovely hotel in the historic core of the city, only steps away from many of the world’s greatest collections of artistic masterpieces. We’ll then transfer to the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona which has recently been made famous by the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. We’ll be staying in a luxurious palazzo in the old town at the top of the mountain with commanding views of the Valdichiana plains down below.

For the final portion of our adventure in Tuscany we’ll based at an elegant Villa in the Chianti countryside that was a 16th century noble residence. From here we’ll visit the fascinating medieval city of Siena with its world-famous Gothic cathedral. And we’ll make several short excursions to explore wine, food, and art in the marvelous hilltowns and villages that make this one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.

You will have the opportunity to experience both the excitement and stimulus of the cities of Florence and Siena and the beauty and tranquility of rural Tuscan life. The small size of our group allows us to move about without following a red umbrella and to eat in restaurants and trattorias that are popular with the locals. Apart from breakfast, we share one full-course meal every day as a group, either lunch or dinner. (For other dining, we’ll suggest locations where you can enjoy a gourmet meal at your leisure, or you may want to choose a quick bite and spend some time shopping).

The Best of Tuscany Tour combines daily planned activities along with unstructured time that you may spend as you like. If you have special activities that you’d like to pursue during the unscheduled portions of our tour in Tuscany, we’re happy to help you make the arrangements.

During the course of the tour we offer presentations and slideshows to help you better appreciate the art and the places we visit. The rest of the time, we attend to all the details to make your travel adventure as smooth as possible. You get to relax and experience The Best of Tuscany!

To request a detailed itinerary for this tour of Tuscany, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: May 1 to May 9, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $3390, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $3300 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $695. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 8 nights lodging in carefully restored, historic properties; (3 nights in a Florence hotel, 2 nights in a hotel in Cortona, and 3 nights at a villa in the Chianti region). All rooms have private baths.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. All meals-after breakfast!-include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All ground transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Tuscan varieties (including small local producers and larger well-known wineries).

Workshops and Presentations: We include slideshows and presentations that provide essential background information to enhance your visits.

Admissions: Entrance fee for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

Small, Intimate Group: We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Pick Up and Drop Off: The tour begins at our hotel in Florence. A taxi from the Florence airport to the hotel costs approx. €25 euro and takes about 20 minutes. Or, we can arrange for you to be met by a private driver at additional cost. On the final morning of the tour, we arrange shuttle transfers from Radda in Chianti for everyone to either Florence or Siena at a cost of €40 euro per person. Alternatively, public bus service from Radda to both Siena and Florence is also available. Pick-ups or drop-offs at other locations can be arranged through our travel partners for an additional fee.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Tuscany since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

We’ve designed this tour as a sampler that provides a taste of the many pleasures that Florence and Tuscany have to offer. You’ll have a chance to go wine tasting in Chianti, visit medieval castles, see art treasures of the Renaissance, explore Tuscany’s picturesque towns and villages, and enjoy exquisite local cuisine.

We’ll be staying at charming, comfortable hotels and villas in Tuscany. We’ll spend the first portion of our week in Florence at a lovely hotel in the historic core of the city, only steps away from many of the world’s greatest collections of artistic masterpieces. We’ll then transfer to the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona which has recently been made famous by the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. We’ll be staying in a luxurious palazzo in the old town at the top of the mountain with commanding views of the Valdichiana plains down below.

For the final portion of our adventure in Tuscany we’ll based at an elegant Villa in the Chianti countryside that was a 16th century noble residence. From here we’ll visit the fascinating medieval city of Siena with its world-famous Gothic cathedral. And we’ll make several short excursions to explore wine, food, and art in the marvelous hilltowns and villages that make this one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.

You will have the opportunity to experience both the excitement and stimulus of the cities of Florence and Siena and the beauty and tranquility of rural Tuscan life. The small size of our group allows us to move about without following a red umbrella and to eat in restaurants and trattorias that are popular with the locals. Apart from breakfast, we share one full-course meal every day as a group, either lunch or dinner. (For other dining, we’ll suggest locations where you can enjoy a gourmet meal at your leisure, or you may want to choose a quick bite and spend some time shopping).

The Best of Tuscany Tour combines daily planned activities along with unstructured time that you may spend as you like. If you have special activities that you’d like to pursue during the unscheduled portions of our tour in Tuscany, we’re happy to help you make the arrangements.

During the course of the tour we offer presentations and slideshows to help you better appreciate the art and the places we visit. The rest of the time, we attend to all the details to make your travel adventure as smooth as possible. You get to relax and experience The Best of Tuscany!

To request a detailed itinerary for this tour of Tuscany, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: May 1 to May 9, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $3390, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $3300 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $695. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 8 nights lodging in carefully restored, historic properties; (3 nights in a Florence hotel, 2 nights in a hotel in Cortona, and 3 nights at a villa in the Chianti region). All rooms have private baths.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. All meals-after breakfast!-include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All ground transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Tuscan varieties (including small local producers and larger well-known wineries).

Workshops and Presentations: We include slideshows and presentations that provide essential background information to enhance your visits.

Admissions: Entrance fee for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

Small, Intimate Group: We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Pick Up and Drop Off: The tour begins at our hotel in Florence. A taxi from the Florence airport to the hotel costs approx. €25 euro and takes about 20 minutes. Or, we can arrange for you to be met by a private driver at additional cost. On the final morning of the tour, we arrange shuttle transfers from Radda in Chianti for everyone to either Florence or Siena at a cost of €40 euro per person. Alternatively, public bus service from Radda to both Siena and Florence is also available. Pick-ups or drop-offs at other locations can be arranged through our travel partners for an additional fee.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Tuscany since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

We’ve designed this tour as a sampler that provides a taste of the many pleasures that Florence and Tuscany have to offer. You’ll have a chance to go wine tasting in Chianti, visit medieval castles, see art treasures of the Renaissance, explore Tuscany’s picturesque towns and villages, and enjoy exquisite local cuisine.

We’ll be staying at charming, comfortable hotels and villas in Tuscany. We’ll spend the first portion of our week in Florence at a lovely hotel in the historic core of the city, only steps away from many of the world’s greatest collections of artistic masterpieces. We’ll then transfer to the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona which has recently been made famous by the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. We’ll be staying in a luxurious palazzo in the old town at the top of the mountain with commanding views of the Valdichiana plains down below.

For the final portion of our adventure in Tuscany we’ll based at an elegant Villa in the Chianti countryside that was a 16th century noble residence. From here we’ll visit the fascinating medieval city of Siena with its world-famous Gothic cathedral. And we’ll make several short excursions to explore wine, food, and art in the marvelous hilltowns and villages that make this one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.

You will have the opportunity to experience both the excitement and stimulus of the cities of Florence and Siena and the beauty and tranquility of rural Tuscan life. The small size of our group allows us to move about without following a red umbrella and to eat in restaurants and trattorias that are popular with the locals. Apart from breakfast, we share one full-course meal every day as a group, either lunch or dinner. (For other dining, we’ll suggest locations where you can enjoy a gourmet meal at your leisure, or you may want to choose a quick bite and spend some time shopping).

The Best of Tuscany Tour combines daily planned activities along with unstructured time that you may spend as you like. If you have special activities that you’d like to pursue during the unscheduled portions of our tour in Tuscany, we’re happy to help you make the arrangements.

During the course of the tour we offer presentations and slideshows to help you better appreciate the art and the places we visit. The rest of the time, we attend to all the details to make your travel adventure as smooth as possible. You get to relax and experience The Best of Tuscany!

To request a detailed itinerary for this tour of Tuscany, click here and the itinerary will be emailed to you immediately.

Tour Specifics:

Dates: May 1 to May 9, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $3390, per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $3300 per person for payment by check or wire transfer.

You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $695. Airfare is not included.

Accommodations: 8 nights lodging in carefully restored, historic properties; (3 nights in a Florence hotel, 2 nights in a hotel in Cortona, and 3 nights at a villa in the Chianti region). All rooms have private baths.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. All meals-after breakfast!-include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Transfers: All ground transportation during the tour.

Wine tastings of various Tuscan varieties (including small local producers and larger well-known wineries).

Workshops and Presentations: We include slideshows and presentations that provide essential background information to enhance your visits.

Admissions: Entrance fee for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

Small, Intimate Group: We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Pick Up and Drop Off: The tour begins at our hotel in Florence. A taxi from the Florence airport to the hotel costs approx. €25 euro and takes about 20 minutes. Or, we can arrange for you to be met by a private driver at additional cost. On the final morning of the tour, we arrange shuttle transfers from Radda in Chianti for everyone to either Florence or Siena at a cost of €40 euro per person. Alternatively, public bus service from Radda to both Siena and Florence is also available. Pick-ups or drop-offs at other locations can be arranged through our travel partners for an additional fee.

Experienced Tour Leaders: Pam Mercer and Sam Hilt of Tuscany Tours have been leading tours in Tuscany since 1997.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour or about traveling to Tuscany.

Register Now

April in Paris! explores the City of Light’s world-famous attractions in the realms of culture, cuisine, and entertainment. In between champagne river cruises, museum visits, and a potpourri of other adventures, our home base in Paris will be the exquisite Le Dokhans Radisson hotel, located in the Trocadero district just steps away from the Eiffel Tower.

As the week unfolds we will also meander over to Paris’ neighboring regions to see Monet’s gardens, visit the Cathedral of Chartres, stop at Mary Magdalen’s tomb, and enjoy Burgundy’s wines-(but not all in the same day!).

After getting acquainted over champagne at our hotel, we’ll head off to visit the Eiffel Tower and get an eagle-eye perspective on Paris from the tower’s panoramic viewing deck. Then it’s on to our first dinner together at Ladurée, a landmark restaurant on the fashionable Champs Élysées.

Our days in Paris will include visits to its two most famous museums, the Louvre and the Musée D’Orsay, as well as to a lesser known wonder, the Musée Jacquemart-André which we especially enjoy. It’s the former showcase residence of an aristocratic 19th century couple who married neither for love nor for money, but to share their passion for collecting art–much of it from Italy! The collection that they bequeathed to the city of Paris after their deaths is the monument which they spent their lives creating.

Needless to say, we promise that our museum visits will never be thorough! Focus on the best and skip the rest–that’s our motto…

Our Paris days will include an evening of frolic at the inimitable Moulin Rouge, a champagne cruise along the Seine, and even a daytrip (with an optional bike ride) to Monet’s retreat at Giverny. Seeing the gardens and ponds that Monet himself landscaped and designed…and then immortalized in his paintings…is not easily forgotten. The planting of the flower gardens is still maintained throughout the seasons precisely as Monet specified 150 years ago. The intensity and variety of color in the flower displays is itself a work of art.

Later in the week we’ll enjoy a guided walking tour of the intriguing Marais District that will be led by our friends and colleagues, David Downie and Alison Harris. David is the acclaimed author of Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light, with photographs by Alison. As a writer/photographer team, David and Alison have also produced several superb guidebooks to regional cuisines…including one that will especially benefit us on this trip: Food, Wine, Burgundy. The book is wonderful, but having the authors with us is even better!

David and Alison will be arranging a pre-dinner tasting of various Burgundy wines, matched with a variety of Burgundy cheeses. Suffice it to say that several of the pairings they arranged for last year’s tasting gave new meaning to the expression, “marriage made in heaven”. All this will serve as a prelude to this evening’s Burgundy-themed dinner entrée, Boeuf Bourguignon (i.e., beef in the Burgundy style). We will drink a toast to Julia Childs while we’re at it!

On the following day, David and Alison will join us as we head south-east out of Paris to explore the adjacent wine-producing region of Burgundy. Our day will include a visit to the medieval town of Auxerre and the town of Chablis where we’ll enjoy lunch along with tastings of a local vintage based on the Chardonnay grape, known as…no surprise…Chablis. While we’re in the neighborhood, we’ll make a special stop in the tiny village of Vézelay at the Benedictine abbey church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine where tradition has it that Mary Magdalen is buried. Slightly drunk and greatly blessed, we’ll then make our way back to Paris.

We’ll end our week with a visit to the town of Chartres, just outside Paris, which hosts one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals complete with flying buttresses, vivid stained glass windows, and, even, a labyrinth. The town of Chartres provides a delightfully frivolous contrast to the sober church, and it offers some great opportunities for last-minute shopping for the loved ones on your list.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll head back to our hotel to relax for a couple of hours and gather our forces for our last night’s farewell-to-Paris dinner!

And then, alas, it will be time to bid a teary farewell to the monuments of Paris-and to one another-until we meet again…

Come join us on our April adventure-we hope to see you in Paris! Click here to Register!

Tour Specifics:

Dates: April 12, 2012 to April 19, 2012

Cost: The land cost of the tour is $4248 USD per person, based on double occupancy. Cash discount cost is $4125 per person for payment by check or wire transfer. Airfare is not included. You may make your registration deposit using PayPal and/or your credit card and still be eligible for the cash discount cost if your final balance is paid by check or wire transfer. Single rooms are available for a supplementary charge of $795.

Accommodations: 7 nights lodging in an elegant, historic Parisian hotel. All rooms have in-suite baths. As always, we look for superior properties with ambiance and style, along with cordial, helpful staffs.

Meals: All breakfasts, one full-course meal daily, additional meals as scheduled. All meals…after breakfast!…include regional wines. We carefully choose the restaurants based on ambiance and quality of cuisine.

Wine Tastings: Scheduled tastings of various French wines (including small local producers and famous well known producers).

Transport: Within Paris itself we will use the Metro for daily excursions, supplemented by mini-buses for occasional late evening transfers. Transfers outside of Paris will be on comfortable, air-conditioned buses.

Admissions: Entrance fees for all planned visits to monuments, galleries and museums are included.

Small, Intimate Group: We will be limiting the number of participants to a maximum of 16.

Early Arrival/ Late Stay Options: Depending on hotel availability you may be able to arrive early or stay after the end of the tour. We’ll be happy to help you make these arrangements.

Arrival and Departure: The tour will begin at our hotel in Paris at 5pm on the first day and ends after breakfast on the 19th. If you require transfer services upon arrival or after the tour, transfers can be arranged through our travel partners for an additional fee. We would also be happy to book extra nights for you at the beginning or at the end of the tour.

Registration:

To reserve your place and register for this tour, please click the button below to jump to the Registration Page:

Please feel free to contact us via email or call us at (800) 634-3460 with any questions you may have about the tour.