Discovery Italy

Day 1: FLORENCE
PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA WITH PALAZZO VECCHIO, LOGGIA DEI LANZI AND NETTUNO FOUNTAIN
Arrival at the Airport, Welcome by Discover Italy Now Tour Leader, transfer to 3* Hotel or B&B. Refreshing welcome drink and free time to relax or to begin familiarizing yourself with the enchanting atmosphere of Florence.
During the late afternoon you start walking to discover Florence, beginning with the most representative places of the city:
Piazza della Signoria, the magnificent Palazzo Vecchio with its beautiful ‘500 Saloon with the famous frescoes of Vasari, the courtyard and the statue of David by Michelangelo in front of the building, the elegant Loggia dei Lanzi with important groups of sculptures and the Fountain of Neptune that the florentines call Biancone, the Court of the Merchandise and Ugoccioni Palace.

Evening: well known tuscan gastronomic tradition in trattoria and magical atmosphere with the illuminated small streets of the village.

Day 2: FLORENCE
UFFIZI GALLERY, VASARI CORRIDOR, WONDERFUL VIEW FROM PONTE VECCHIO AND ARNO RIVER
PIAZZA DUOMO AND ITS CATHEDRAL, BAPTISTERY, CAMPANILE GIOTTO, CATHEDRAL' MUSEUM
After a good rich breakfast in Florence, together with the Tour Leader you start discovering the beautiful Florence.
You start with the visit to one of the most prestigious world’s museum, the Uffizi Gallery which hosts masterpieces of famous painters as Gioto, Michelangelo, Raffaello, Leonardo, Boticelli just to name a few of the most important. Particular attention will be given to the Vasari Corridor where can be admired the original portrait collection of famous painters from Middle Ages, and portraits of the famous Medici family.
You will carry in your heart for a long time the view of the Arno river that you have in front of you when you cross the Old Bridge. Of equal beauty are the views of the hills surrounding Florence.
Lunch in a restaurant where can be tasted the delicious florentine cuisine (absolutely to be tasted are: florentine steak, roasted meat, ribollita, pasta with beans,florentine papardelle and local cheeses accompanied by a good glass of wine).During the afternoon you are going to find another nice corner of Florence: Piazza del Duomo with its important monuments built with white marble of Carrara by geniuses like Giotto and Brunelleschi. You also visit the museum hosting models and tools for the construction of the imposing cathedral.

Evening: in trattoria, tasting the florentine delicacies

Day 3:
FIRENZE – IMPRUNETA 20 km by bike
IMPRUNETA – GREVE IN CHIANTI 16 km by bike
Wine tasting and local gastronomic products
Your morning starts with a bicycle tour to discover the Chianti hills. A few kilometers from Florence you are going to be in the heart of the vineyards in a stunning landscape that alternates between grapevines, olive trees and cypresses
Impruneta is going to be your first step into the world of Chianti Classico and if your itinerary brings you here in September you can join the Grape Festival and harvest and in the middle of October you can attend the Fair of St. Luke, a party traditional festival.
You also visit Basilica Santa Maria and the rest of the town.After lunch, your guided tour takes you to Greve in Chianti, in the heart of the Chianti hills and you visit its ancient triangular square lined by palaces, porticoes, arcades and the parish church of Santa Croce.
On Saturdays you can enjoy the lively market in the main square and in September you can join Italy’s biggest and most important wine shows.
During the late afternoon you join a wine and local gastronomic products tasting in an old cellar..

Evening: Accommodation in 3* Hotel, B & B or Agriturismo

Day 4:
GREVE IN CHIANTI – PANZANO 7 km by bike
PANZANO – RADDA IN CHIANTI 15 km by bike
After a rich breakfast you continue your guided tour in the saddle of your bike towards the Castle of Panzano that, after the ancient battle between Florence and Siena and its plundering, still preserves a survived part with a beautiful front door and the surrounding walls. You also visit the ancient village with buildings from the eighteenth-century.Lunch in a restaurant and then your journey continues through the Chianti vineyards and the beautiful Tuscan landscape.
The tour continues now southerly to Radda in Chianti, another major stop to discover the streets of the famous Chianti wine. The village that you are going to visit is surrounded by the historic originally walls that covers the entire village built around the castle. You also visit Palazzo della Podestà and a few kilometers from the village, the charming church of San Giusto in Salcio, isolated in a green valley among the vineyards and then at equal distance to the north, the church of Santa Maria Novella.Back in Radda in Chianti you enjoy meat cuts, cheeses and delicious wines from local vineyards in a local farm

Evening: Accommodation in 3* Hotel, B & B or Agriturismo

Day 5:
RADDA IN CHIANTI – CASTELLINA IN CHIANTI 11 km by bike
CASTELLINA IN CHIANTI – MONTERIGGIONI 15 km by bike
Wine tasting and local gastronomic products
Now you are in the heart of ”Chianti Classico”. You cross other wonderful tuscan countryside landscapes to reach Castellina in Chianti, on the green hills of Chianti.
You visit the old town with the medieval Via delle Volte and the etruscan tomb from the VI century b.c. The itinerant tour brings you then to the medieval village of Monteriggioni, where in addition to the visit of the old town, you can enjoy extra virgin olive oil, gourmet products and wines of Siena at Monteriggioni Castle which preserves a charming rustic style. From the castle can be admired the beautiful evocative scenery

Evening: sienese dishes and atmosphere at "Osteria della Chiacchera"

Day 6: MONTERIGGIONI – SIENA 21 km by bike
In the morning starts your bike tour towards Siena.
During the late afternoon you are going to explore the mediaval Siena in the heart of the city:
Piazza del Campo, seashell shaped, Palazzo Pubblico, Torre del Mangia and the beautiful Fonte Gaia are your first guided tour in Siena.

Evening: Sienese gourmet dishes and a glass of wine in one of the charming narrow streets around Piazza del Campo.

Day 7: ANCIENT SIENA
Wine tasting
During your seventh day, after a rich breakfast including a good croissant and cappuccino you discover, together with your tour leader, another anchors of the sienese art life and history:
-Baptistery of San Giovanni
-the magnificent cathedral with its distinctive façade of black and white stripes marble,
-Archbishop’s palace with beautiful works of art
-Museo dell’ Opera Metropolitana, preserving paintings and sculptures of incredible beauty. From the 2° floor of the museum you can enjoy the most evocative views of the city.
Lunch at the restaurant ”Le Logge”During the late afternoon you visit Museo Civico with its beautiful saloons where there are exposed many frescoes of famous painters

Evening: End of the program dinner and wine tasting in an ancient sienese wine cellar