The Tuscany Experience
August 10, 2024 – August 17, 2024
Itinerary:
Day 1 (Saturday, August 10, 2024) – Rome to Orvieto to Montespertoli (Tuscany). Today we depart Rome by private motor coach to Le Fonti a San Giorgio Agriturismo and Inn in the heart of the Tuscany Countryside. Le Fonti a San Giorgio will be our home for 7 nights as we explore Tuscany. En-route to Tuscany we will be stopping in the Umbrian hilltop town of Orvieto. We will have a guided tour followed by leisure time for lunch. Upon check-in at Le Fonti, please join us for a Welcome Reception and a tour including the farmhouse, wine cellar, vineyards, and olive groves. This evening, enjoy our Benvenuti Toscana Dinner. Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2 (Sunday, August 11, 2024) – Siena. Today we start our day with a morning guided tour to Siena, Italy’s most magnificent medieval city. We will visit the Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped piazza where the Palio takes place each summer and where the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia strike formidable figures in the Tuscan Sky. Other than Florence, Siena holds more pleasures for art and lovers of architecture than any other Tuscan town. You will then have a few hours of free time to explore Siena at your leisure. This evening we enjoy a traditional Toscana dinner at Le Fonti. Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 3 (Monday, August 12, 2024) – Florence. Today we enjoy a morning guided walking tour of Florence, visiting famous sites, including the Piazza Michelangelo, Duomo – Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiore (with an opportunity to climb to the top), Piazza della Signoria, Piazza del Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio and more. The tour will conclude at the Central Market. You will then have several hours of time this afternoon to enjoy Florence on your own. If you are interested in visiting “The David” at the Accademia Gallery, or The Uffizi Gallery, please let us know so we can secure your tickets in advance. This evening we enjoy a classic Italian Dinner at Le Fonti. Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 4 (Tuesday, August 13, 2024) – Greve-in-Chianti. Verrazzano Castle. This morning we stroll through the unofficial capital of Chianti, the town of Greve-in-Chianti. You will have an opportunity to walk around the arcaded main square, Piazza Matteotti, or perhaps have a morning taste of some local vintages at their high-tech wine bar, Le Cantine de Greve. Our day continues with the famous Tuscan Wine and Food Experience at the Verrazzano Castle. Here we have a guided visit of the Castle’s gardens and historical aging cellars followed by a guided tasting of wines and lunch with gastronomic specialties prepared with ingredients from the farm and other Tuscan producers. We return late afternoon to Le Fonti, in time for a stroll through the vineyards or dip in the pool. After the hearty food experience at lunch, we will have a lighter Tuscan dinner this evening at Le Fonti. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 5 (Wednesday, August 14, 2024) – A Relaxing Day on the Vineyard. Today we enjoy an amazing day on the vineyard at Le Fonti a San Giorgio. We start the day by truffle hunting on the vineyard. We accompany the hunting dogs in search of the truffle delicacy. You might even see the truffles we find as part of future meals served at Le Fonti. Later this morning we have a special olive oil tasting lesson, in which we learn all about this ‘liquid gold’ and how all olive oils are not the same. You will walk away from the lesson with a greater appreciation of what it takes to make great oil. We then have a casual lunch on the vineyard, followed by an afternoon of leisure time to explore and appreciate our Tuscan surroundings. This evening we come together for another great meal at Le Fonti. Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 6 (Thursday, August 15, 2024) – Pisa. Today we head to Pisa. No trip to Italy is complete without a visit to the world’s tipsiest tower. We will enjoy a guided tour of the Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower. Following our guided tour, we will have free time in Pisa to climb the tower, enter the Duomo, or visit the other sites. This evening we enjoy a Grand Chianti Wine Tasting Dinner. Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 7 (Friday, August 16, 2024) – San Gimignano. Today we head to the hilltop town of San Gimignano and its famous towers. Thirteen of 70 original towers are still standing since the town’s heyday, from the 11th to the 13th centuries. We will have a guided tour of the town, followed by free time to explore San Gimignano at your leisure. Sites include the Church of Sant’Agostino, the Museo Civico & Torre Grossa (in which you can climb the 175-foot tower for one of Tuscany’s best panoramic views), and the Museo della Tortura. This evening we will enjoy our farewell QTS Tuscan dinner party. Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 (Saturday, August 17, 2024) – Montespertoli to Cortona to Rome. This morning we depart Tuscany by private motorcoach for our return to Rome. On our way to Rome, we stop for several hours of free time in Cortona, the steepest town in Tuscany and site of Frances Mayes’s Under the Tuscan Sun. Here you will have ample time to meander the streets, checking out the many shops and galleries Cortona has to offer. The are many great photo opportunities of charming alleyways, quaint gardens, and beautiful vistas. We then continue to the Rome Airport, arriving at approximately 5:00pm. Meals Included: Breakfast.
Group Size:
This travel experience can accommodate up to 26 travelers.
Pricing:
The price is $2745 per person, based on double occupancy. $150 discount for past QTS tour travelers. Single supplement is $645.
A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due at the time of reservation. 2nd payment of $500 due 90 days later. Final payment is due 90 days prior to the start of the tour.
What is Included:
• 7 nights’ accommodation on the vineyard at Le Fonti a San Giorgio Agriturismo
• Motorcoach transportation to and from Rome and Le Fonti a San Giorgio
• Welcome Cocktail Reception and Tour of Agriturismo Le Fonti a San Giorgio
• 7 Multi-Course Dinners (including Wine) at Le Fonti a San Giorgio – including the Benvenuti
Toscana Dinner, Alfresco Pizza Party, Grand Chianti Wine Tasting Dinner, the QTS Farewell
Dinner Party, and more
• Vineyard and Castle Tour, including The Tuscan Food and Wine Experience at Verrazzano Castle
• A total of 7 breakfasts, 1 Lunch (Food and Wine Experience), and 7 Dinners (with wine)
• Full days of Sightseeing with Guided Tours of Orvieto, Sienna, Florence, Pisa, and San Gimignano
• Professional English-Speaking Local Guides
• All taxes and VAT for our stay at Le Fonti a San Giorgio
• Gratuities for dinner waitstaff and gratuities for the Verrazzano food & wine experience
What is Not Included:
• Airline flights
• Gratuities for bus driver, local guides, breakfast waitstaff, and hotel housekeeping
• Travel Protection
• Personal expenses such as shopping, meals not included in the itinerary, and alcoholic beverages
To join us on this experience, please fill out the registration form link here:
https://form.jotform.co/QTSolutions/RegistrationForm
For more information:
Don Capparella
info@qualitytravelsolutions.com
602-614-6679