Magical Tuscany & the Portofino Peninsula

Your trip starts today with your arrival in Florence, the cultural capital of Italy and the gem in Tuscany's crown. No activities are planned so you may arrive at any time. Please make your own way to the joining hotel that is centrally located (details are in your travel documents).Whilst at your discretion, we recommend arriving/ departing by train where possible within Europe due to this method of transports minimal carbon emissions. There really is so much to see in Florence, so if you are arriving earlier, plan to make a few discoveries of your own. In the evening we meet our tour leader and our fellow travelling companions at a Welcome Meeting (this is usually at 6pm, but you will be advised as to the exact time and place in a notice, located near the reception at our hotel), where our leader will give us a briefing on what lies ahead on our tour. This evening we will enjoy a group dinner together at a local restaurant in Florence.

From our hotel we walk into the heart of Florence with our tour leader and take some time to explore the outstanding works of art preserved over the centuries in this captivating city. Florence is considered the birthplace of Renaissance, as well as the cradle of the Italian language. We will stroll along its fascinating streets, and enjoy the essence of Italian history and culture. We will pass along the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, visit Piazza della Signoria and gaze up at the landmark of Florence, the Duomo. At around midday we will drive to the town of Arezzo, the setting for the movie 'La Vita è Bella' and in Roman times the most important city of the Etruscan federation. We are free to wander around this interesting town and enjoy lunch at our leisure. In the late afternoon we travel on to Montepulciano, one of Tuscany's most attractive hill towns. We settle into our hotel in the historical centre, and have some time to walk through the old town and perhaps have a drink before enjoying a group dinner together.

After breakfast we walk to the impressive Chiesa di San Biagio a 16th century Church nestled at the edge of the village walls overlooking the winding valley below. From here we commence our walk into the picturesque valley and through vineyards, olive groves, past pastel coloured villas and across rolling hills. This is a morning of delightful Tuscan scenery enjoyed and experienced at its best - by foot. We then reach the restful village of Monticchiello, where we enjoy a flavoursome lunch under the welcome shade of creeping grapevines with a stunning view out upon Monticchiello's ancient main village gateway. After lunch our bus picks us up from Monticchiello and we drive back to Montepulciano and then enjoy a sightseeing tour of its labyrinthine maze of alleyways and laneways and imposing defensive walls. We then are hosted to a wine tasting in a local cellar sampling this regions fine nectar. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to explore and shop further amidst Montepulciano's classy boutiques. (3 - 4 hours walking/ 10 kms)

This morning we are transferred to the beautiful village of Pienza for a short sightseeing walking tour. Part of our tour will include the views from Pienza's city walls that are quite simply spellbinding. We take time to pause and enjoy the captivating vistas afforded us. The epitome of Tuscan landscapes rolling expansively before us - burnt orange villas, tightly wound hay bails, meandering country lanes and fields of barley. We then depart for the charming village of San Quirico d'Orcia, where we buy lunch. The distinctive landscapes of the Val d'Orcia, flat chalk plains interspersed by almost conical hills topped by fortified settlements inspired many artists. It is in this bucolic setting that we embark on our next splendid walk that takes us to the unique Spa town of Bagno Vignoni. Here the main town 'square' is actually a picturesque ornamental pool built by the Medici family! We can also cool our heels in the many Etruscan water channels that surround the old watermills just outside of the centre. This is a truly unique attraction in the Val d'Orcia all but unknown to mass tourism. We then complete this fabulous day with our arrival into Siena in the late afternoon.

After breakfast we walk directly from our hotel to commence our morning sightseeing tour of Siena a fascinating chance to discover the best of this most celebrated medieval city. Its heart, in every sense, is the famed 'Piazza del Campo', a grand fan-shaped piazza built on the site of the old Roman forum. Bordering the southern flank of the square is the 14th century Palazzo Pubblico, with some fine early Renaissance frescoes. Also of interest is the fine main church, the Duomo, a wonderful mixture of Gothic and Romanesque architecture, with a particularly splendid façade. Our guide shows us the most interesting monuments as well as the hidden corners of this 'red city' before there is free time to explore. Afternoon at leisure to shop or further explore the multitude of museums on offer. Many may just take a seat in the Piazza del Campo, sip on a local glass of sangiovese and partake in another fine Italian tradition - the art of people-watching.

After breakfast we journey towards ancient Volterra. On our way we pay a short visit to Monteriggioni (already mentioned in historic manuscripts from the time of Dante) and the charming small town of Colle Val d'Elsa. Monteriggioni, sitting atop a small natural hillock, is a completely walled medieval town in the Siena Province and dates back to the 13th century. Its splendid fortifications were ordered by the overlords of Siena to command the Cassia Road running through the Val d'Elsa and Val Staggia. Our next stop at pretty Colle Val d'Elsa is equally worthwhile in terms of scenic appeal and this small Tuscan town is responsible for close to 15% of the world's fine crystal glassware production. In the early afternoon we will arrive in beautiful Volterra, full of Etruscan history, and famous for its alabaster. We enjoy a guided tour through the town, the Roman theatre, and the Etruscan ruins. At the end of the day you may stroll through the restful parklands or catch Volterra's famed sunset from the town walls, before having dinner in a fine local restaurant.

We bid a fond farewell to Tuscany and enter the province of Liguria and our next destination - the Cinque Terre. Our vehicle brings us to La Spezia and from here we take a train to the village of Riomaggiore, the last village on the Cinque Terre. Riomaggiore is a tiny collection of pastel shaded houses clinging unfeasibly to cliff faces spilling down into the sea. The postcard perfect harbour, populated with tiny row boats painted in a kaleidoscope of colours, is where we begin our world famous walk. We walk the most scenic section of the 'Lovers Walk' to the village of Manarola and enjoy lunch looking out to sea. In the early afternoon - as a group - we can also opt to continue the walk towards Vernazza, arguably the prettiest of the 5 villages. In the late afternoon we board our train for an hour ride along the dazzling coast to our pretty base in the village of Santa Margherita Ligure. (4 hours walking/ 10 - 12 kms depending on route taken)

After breakfast we begin our scenic stroll to glamorous Portofino. En-route we spend time to explore the best of charming Santa Margherita including its wonderfully coloured historic heart and the awe-inspiring harbour. We walk through a pleasant agricultural landscape, dotted with beautiful fin-du-siècle villa's and monasteries. Along the intriguing 'Valley of Mills' we reach the pleasant beach of Paraggi, where we make a short stop. Along the coast then we walk on along a beautiful footpath to Portofino itself. As we approach Portofino proper we take time to visit its impressive castle and light house which are not be missed! The tiny hamlet of Portofino is arguably Italy's finest residential address and titles to properties here pass from generation to generation with the utmost of care and security. Its hillsides and picture perfect harbour are an enclave for presidents and movie stars. A visit here is truly something special. The afternoon is at leisure to explore or perhaps you may wish to make the optional extra walk back to Santa Margherita along a pleasant coastal route (in about an hour you are back in Santa Margherita). Otherwise you can take an optional powerboat ride or local bus back to our base for the evening. (3 hours walking/ 7 kms)

This morning a short train ride takes us to Camogli, one of the prettiest towns of Liguria. Its name has a double meaning in Italian. The first translation, ''houses close together,'' is apparent when you stroll through the town's narrow streets, which are lined by tall columns of pastel-coloured homes. The second meaning, ''houses of wives,'' is not so obvious; it refers to the fishermen's wives, who traditionally spent their time at home while their husbands were out at sea. From here we undertake a short scenic walk onto the western part of the Portofino Peninsula. A short climb brings us up to the hamlet of San Rocco, from where a very scenic path leads us to the southern end of the peninsula, from where the views embrace the whole Gulf of Genova, from Corsica to France. We then descend towards the small harbour of Punta Chiappa. A picnic lunch can be had either in the shade of the Romanesque church of San Nicolò, or in the sun at the sea shore of Punta Chiappa. Then we take the boat to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso - an 11th-Century 'jewel' that is set in a secluded cove and is reachable only by boat or on foot. We have over an hour to visit the monastery, make a short stroll to the charming fishing village or just relax on the beach or on a terrace with a drink, before returning by boat to Camogli. In Camogli, we take our time to wander around through the colourful historic centre and have a relaxed drink or grab a gelato on one of the many terraces. We then have a 5-minute train ride back to Santa Margherita. At night we walk to a good local restaurant for our farewell dinner. (2.5 hours/ 6 kms)

Our trip finishes this morning after breakfast in Santa Margherita. There are many regular train connections to cities such as Milan, Pisa, Florence and Nice from Santa Margherita station.