|
Day 1: Arrive in Florence
|
And rest your jet-lagged body as you admire the Brunelleshi's amazing
Cathedral dome from your hotel garden.
Later- Catch a sunset along the Arno River then get a good night's
sleep!
|
|
|
|
Day 2: Florence
|
|
|
--Start the day with a Renaissance treasure hunt, discovering
the important sights of Florence.
|
|
The
Duomo interior
up close
|
|
|
--Florence's Gothic
Santa Maria del Fiori
cathedral with the third-longest nave in Christendom! Lets climb the
Cathedral's Dome for a glorious view of Firenzie.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Then its off to Siena for the afternoon
and dinner.
|
Learn
a little more about Siena
--Siena's main attractions:
-
Stroll Il Campo--Siena's central piazza
-
Duomo--Siena's beautiful stripped Cathedral
-
Museo dell'Opera e Panorama--the Cathedral Museum Santa Maria della
Scala--an old lavishly frescoed hospital (maybe we will be lucky enough to
hear the organist practice)
|
|
|
|
Ponte Vecchio --Florence's most famous bridge--is linned with
shops that have traditionally sold gold and silver.
|
Day 3: Florence The morning is yours to
visit Florence's Museums and Markets.
|
The Uffizi
Gallery--as interesting outside as it is inside
--has the greatest collection of Italian paintingss anywhere--with
plenty of works by Giotto, Leonardo, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens, Titian,
Michelangelo and Botticellis--
|
|
Michaelangelo's powerful David at the
Accademia
Museum is a quick "must see."
|
--After lunch, we are off to Cortona
|
--with a leisurely drive through some incredible Tuscan mountain
scenery.
|
Go to Day 4
- Stops like this for a capachino or a gilato, can happen
frequently
|
Add On Special:
Start your vacation
with this Tour or add another TERC Tour and
make them your special holiday. If you sign up for another TERC Tour just
before or after this one--TERC WILL THROW IN TRAIN TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN
the two destinations--(a $60-264 value). see:
Roman Ramble add on Tour
|
See what's included in this tour--
CONTACT TERC
![]()
Phone (808) 395-2083
Fax: 877 581 6594
E-mail: tercmele@aol.com &
we will be happy to phone you
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.......Explore Tuscan
& Umbrian Hill towns Tour.
|
Day 4: Aaahh,
Cortona
Your home "Under the Tuscan Sun" for the next 4 days—
You'll have all day to explore her crooked
cobbled stone streets with
many choices including a challenging hike to the Medici Fortress and
Basilica of Santa Margherita with spectacular
vistas . Click on photo for photo enlargement.
|
![[Image]](Cortonaoverview_sm.jpg)
|
|
Day 5: Off to Arezzo
— We'll drive to Arezzo -- for her once
a month antiques market. We will stroll her streets, poke our noses into
her Cathedrals and work up an appetite for a sumptuous Tuscan lunch -- a
TERC Cafe find! After Lunch we'll wind our way to mystical Gubbio.
|
|
|
|
Day 6: Tip Toe into Umbria
|
|
— Near by Lake Trasimeno --
the "Riviera" of Umbria -- is our first stop. Here we
|
|
catch a Ferry to the island of
Isola
Maggiore. We can stroll her village, watch the local women making
lace, then picnic in the court yard of San Michele Arcangelo--contemplating
the impact St. Frances made with his single visit here, in 1211. After
hiking the island we will take the "long way home" through
Umbria'a fascinating countryside which is full of fun surprises including
Montefeltro.
(Last night in Cortona)
|
|
|
|
|
Day 7: On our way to Assisi
|
|
— We're off to Assisi--one of the happiest
hilltowns I've ever visitied. But first we will stop
briefly in tiny
Deruta,
Italy's ceramic capital since the 14th century. After visiting
her museum, shops and lunch we'll continue our short drive
to Spoleto
and Spello. From
here we will head to Assisi where we
will sleep for the next two nights. Once settled into our B&B,we will
take an orientation stroll before dinner. Sleep in Assisi (2
nights).
|
|
|
Day 8: All Day in Assisi
— We will start our day with exploring the
opulent Basilica of
San Francesco.After Lunch you are free to discover the "hidden" Assisi
and her surroundings (or do laundry).
|
|
|
Day 9: Vineyards, Cheese, and Truffles amidst
Art on the way to Civita
|
|
— This morning we'll head due west, stopping frequently
to explore the time-worn stone villages such as Montefaico and
Todi
. This is vineyard country so we will stop to taste some well
known wines. We will discover "sheep are for savory cheese" and
learn which truffle products are best!
Our day ends in Civita di Bagnaregio — the ultimate
|
|
|
medieval hilltown. After hiking up a narrow pedestrian bridge to our
final home base, we'll have dinner together then sleep soundly with its
population of 15. (2 nights)
.
|
|
Civita--we
saved the best for last! We should be in condition,
by now, for the "pedestrian only" access to this Umbrian
jewel.
|
|
|
.
|
|
Day 10: With Civita as our homebase, we
are off to Orvieto.
|
|
— We'll spend the morning exploring our sleepy homebase
hilltown and marvel at it's well preserved antiquity which reaches back to
Etruscan times.
|
|
|
|
Then its off through the pines and olive groves to
Orvieto--
|
|
It is perched on a magnificent volcanic pedestal --a 1066 ft,
sheer-cliffed mesa. Orvieto is one of the 12 cities of the Etruscan
confederation. Today we will lunch in the shadow of her dazzling 13th
century Cathedral before admiring her spectacular interior.
And if we have timed things right, we should be hitting "Market Day"
in Orvieto. Back home in Civita we will have our last supper
together--prepared by our B&B host.
|
|
|
Day 11: Tour Over —
Your tour is over after breakfast.
You will be driven to Orvieto's Train Station
where it's a breeze to reach Rome or Milan airports. Your guide will
help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road
ahead.
or join our Roman Ramble add on Tour
|
|
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
See what's included in this tour--
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONTACT TERC
Getting ready for these tours--
See Day-to-Day Itineraries for:
Bath + London
Taste of Provence & Paris
Loire Chateau, Normandy + Paris
Tuscany & Umbria Italian Hill
Towns
Roman Ramble add on Tour
|
|
|
