Discovery Italy

Day1: 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 are going to start walking and discover Florence, beginning with the most representative places of the city: Piazza della Signoria, the magnificent Palazzo Vecchio, visiting inside the Saloon from 500-century with the famous frescoes of Vasari and the courtyard.
You are going to admire 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 then continue in the magical atmosphere with the illuminated small streets of the village.

Day 2: FLORENCE
UFFIZI GALLERY, VASARI CORRIDOR, WONDERFUL VIEWS FROM PONTE VECCHIO AND ARNO RIVER
PIAZZA DUOMO AND ITS CATHEDRAL, BAPTISTERY, CAMPANILE GIOTTO, MUSEUM OF DUOMO
Uffizi Gallery, Vasari Corridor, wonderful views from Ponte Vecchio and Arno River,Piazza Duomo and its cathedral, the baptistery, Campanile Giotto, Duomo cathedral.After a good rich breakfast in Florence, together with your Tour Leader you continue discovering the beautiful Florence.
You start with the visit to one of the most prestigious world’s museum, 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 you can admire the original collection of portraits 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 Arno that you have in front of you when you walk on the Old Bridge. Of equal beauty are the panoramic views of the hills surrounding Florence.
Lunch in a restaurant with delicious Florentine cuisine (you must try the Florentine steak, la “fiorentina”, a dish of 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 train/bus or on foot (according to the preferences)
IMPRUNETA – GREVE IN CHIANTI 16 km by train/bus or on foot (according to the preferences)
Wine tasting and local gastronomic products
Your morning starts with a tour to discover the Chianti Hills. A few kilometers from Florence you are already going to be in the heart of the vineyards in a stunning landscape that alternates 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 traditional feast.

You visit Basilica Santa Maria and the rest of the center.
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 can join a wine and local gastronomic products tasting in an old cellar

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

Day 4:
GREVE IN CHIANTI – PANZANO 7 km by bus or trekking (according to the preferences)
PANZANO – RADDA IN CHIANTI 15 km by bus or trekking (according to the preferences)
After a rich breakfast you continue your guided tour to 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 surrounding walls.
Your guided tour takes you also to the ancient village with buildings from eighteenth-century.Lunch in a restaurant and then you continue the journey through Chianti vineyards and beautiful tuscan landscapes.
The tour continues now southerly to Radda in Chianti, another major stop to discover the roads of the famous Chianti wine.
The village that you are going to visit and about which you are going to be told the history, 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 in a local farm a tasting of cold cuts, cheeses and delicious wines from local vineyards.

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

Day 5:
RADDA IN CHIANTI – CASTELLINA IN CHIANTI 11 km
CASTELLINA IN CHIANTI – MONTERIGGIONI 15 km
Wine tasting and local gastronomic products
Now you're 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 are going to visit the old town with the medieval Via delle Volte and the etruscan tomb dating back to VI century b.c.
Then the itinerant tour brings you to the medieval village of Monteriggioni, where in addition to a visit of the old town you can enjoy a tasting of extra virgin olive oil, gourmet products and wines of Siena at Monteriggioni Castle.
This place preserves a charming rustic style and from here you can admire the beautiful evocative scenery.

Evening: senese dishes and beautiful atmosphere at Osteria della Chiacchera

Day 6: MONTERIGGIONI – SIENA 21 km by train/bus or on foot /(according to the preferences)
Late afternoon you are going to explore the medieval Siena in the heart of the city.
Piazza del Campo, with its shape of a seashell, Palazzo Pubblico, Torre del Mangia and beautiful Gaia mountain are your first destinations in Siena.

Evening: senese gourmet tasting local 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 senese art life and history:
Baptistery of San Giovanni, the magnificent cathedral with its distinctive façade of marble black and white stripes, 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 restaurant "Le Logge".
During the late afternoon you continue your tour to Museo Civico with saloons where are exposed many frescoes of famous painters

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