New Year in a Venetian Villa & Tuscany Tour

Your tour commences this evening in Milan. A welcome drink and dinner are included tonight. This is an ideal opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers.

Boarding our coach we drive east and make a lunchtime stop to explore Verona, the city where tragic lovers, Romeo and Juliet, avowed a love that spanned the centuries. Later this afternoon we arrive at our Venetian Villa hotel, where we stay for three nights.

After a leisurely start we visit nearby ‘Venezia’ (Venice) – arguably one of the most romantic cities in the world.

At Tronchetto we board a private boat to take us along the magnificent Grand Canal to St Marc’s Square, where we join our expert local guide for a walking tour through the central city’s historic back streets to the famous Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square. We have included visits to St Mark’s Cathedral, the pink and white marble Doges Palace and Bridge of Sighs. The rest of the day is free to meander through the myriad of narrow, water lined streets and alleys spanned by humped back bridges.

Dinner this evening is back in ‘our’ magnificent Villa.
 

Our first stop is in beautiful Vicenza. Rich in history and culture, Vicenza was awarded UNESCO World heritage status principally due to the legacy left by the famous local architect Andrea Palladio. Considered one of the greatest architects of all time, you will find more than 16 of his palaces and villasscattered through the compact old town. In the glorious Piazza dei Signori, you will find the most beautiful of all – the Basilica Palladiana. A local guide will join us for a walking tour of the medieval and renaissance town centre, and later you will have free time to explore and enjoy the excellent shopping down the central Corso.

We continue to Treviso to enjoy an afternoon stop in the historic centre. Later we will return to our villa to rest and relax before enjoying a grand evening celebrating the New Year in the hotel’s Restaurant “Le Scuderie”. At midnight we will make a toast with Spumante, accompanied by ‘Cotechino and lentils’ - the traditional Italian way to welcome the New Year. The sausage is said to bring good luck into the New Year.

New Year’s Day! A very leisurely start today before boarding our coach to drive south into Tuscany. We stay the next three nights in the typically ‘Tuscan’ town of Lucca – a medieval walled city, filled with palaces, churches and ancient houses. After settling into our hotel we will enjoy a short guided walking tour of this beautiful city. The remainder of your afternoon has been left entirely free to explore delightful Lucca. Perhaps visit the former home of Puccini, where he wrote Turandot, walk, or hire a bike and ride, around the entire town on top of the broad city walls. Delightful! This evening we have included dinner in a local restaurant.

This morning we visit nearby Pisa with its famous Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistery in the magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli. As a highlight we drive into the picturesque Tuscan countryside to visit a local Olive Farmhouse Estate, and enjoy an olive oil tasting accompanied by Tuscan wines and a selection of antipasto including local meats, cheese and bread – all specialities of this region, followed by a light lunch.

Today is dedicated to nearby ‘Firenze’ (Florence). A local guide will bring to life this truly beautiful city which is otherwise known as the ‘Cradle of the Renaissance’. Your tour starts with a visit to the famous Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s ‘David’ and numerous extraordinary Italian, Florentine and Renaissance works of art. We see the Duomo and the magnificent statues in the Piazza della Signoria. Your afternoon is entirely free to enjoy Florence at your own pace.

After a leisurely start we drive across the Tuscan Hills to enjoy lunchtime in the fairytale ‘town of towers’ San Gimignano, famous for its 13th and 14th century Tuscan towers. Exploring the pedestrian walkways of this hilltop town is an absolute delight. On arrival in Rome we enjoy a guided panoramic tour to see the famous landmarks, from the magnificent fountains by Bernini, the palaces and open squares to Piazza Venezia and the massive Colosseum. Tonight we will enjoy a farewell dinner in a traditional local restaurant.

Your New Year tour ends after breakfast and it is time to say farewell.