Tuscany in Depth

Tour highlights (Oct 24 - Nov 02)

Exclusively designed for the discerning client who has a taste for good food and wine. We have put together this tour with a lot of care and detail. There are NO long drives on the tour. The longest is from Florence to the hotel, a mere 1 hour 45 minutes. Luxury accommodations in a 5-star Tuscan villa located amongst vineyards and cypress trees, in an ideal location in the Tuscan countryside. Start your everyday adventure with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, freshly baked bread, eggs, salami, ham, fresh fruit, various fruit juices and much much more....
Tour itinerary

Day 1 - Day of departure

Depart on your overnight flight from Toronto or Montreal to Florence.
Day 2 - Florence / Asciano

On arrival, you will be met by our ground operator and transferred to your Tuscan Villa located in Asciano. The afternoon is at leisure, to rest from your long flight. This evening, enjoy a Welcome cocktail followed by a typical Tuscan 4-course dinner.
Day 3 - Asciano / Montepulciano / Pienza

Start your morning with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and home baked bread, while enjoying a sumptuous buffet breakfast at your hotel. A professional Sommelier will give you an overall prospective of the characteristics of each different wine you will be tasting during the trip, and his take on Italian wines vs French wines. After the lecture, depart for Montepulciano, an ancient hilltop town in southeast Tuscany. Worthy of a visit because it is a treasure trove for enthusiasts of medieval and Renaissance architecture and artifacts, it also the home of a very fine Sangiovese-based red wine. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, is one of Tuscany's classic red wines. You will visit the Poderi Boscarelli winery, and taste their famous Vino Nobile. Lunch will be at "Osteria La Porta". After lunch, continue to Pienza. Spend the afternoon exploring this charming art center. It is one of the best planned Renaissance towns. Interesting sights include the Cathedral, the Museum and the Palazzo Piccolimini. Return to your villa for dinner and the night.
Day 4 - Asciano / San Gimignano

After a leisurely buffet breakfast at your hotel, depart for San Gimignano. You will have free time to explore this small 14th century town, which has kept its medieval appearance unchanged. Stroll along the narrow streets lined with palaces, and old villas. After lunch at a local restaurant (independent), visit the Azienda Agricola Panizzi, for a tour of their estate, and taste their "Vernaccia di San Gimignano" wines. Return to your villa for dinner and the night.
Day 5 - Asciano / Montalcino

Leisurely buffet breakfast at your hotel, followed by a visit to the Abbey of Oliveto Maggiore, dating back to the 13th century. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Montalcino, an agricultural center situated on top of a hill covered with olive groves and vineyards. The area is renowned for its Brunello Wines, made from the Sangiovese variety, also called Brunello in Montalcino. This grapeÕs characteristics include a low productivity and a high content of extractive substances in the skin, thanks to the soil and the particularly favorable microclimate of Montalcino. Enjoy a wine tasting tour of the Poggio Antico Estate, which produces Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Rosso di Montalcino DOC. Return to your villa for dinner and the night.
Day 6 - Asciano / Siena

After breakfast, depart for Siena. The motto "Siena opens its heart to you" is inscribed in the Camollia gate in Siena. The town invites a stroll through its narrow Gothic streets lined with palaces and patrician homes. Encircled by ramparts, the town's plan extends over three converging red clay hills from which the colour "burnt siena" is named. Interesting sights include fan-shaped Piazza del Campo, the town hall and the Cathedral or Duomo. The Duomo was begun during the 12th century and finished in the 14th century. Lunch will be at "Le Logge" Restaurant. After the lunch, there will be free time for shopping and exploring on your own. Return to your villa for dinner and the night.
Day 7 - Asciano

Leisurely buffet breakfast at your hotel, followed by a cooking class by the hotelÕs professional chef. Lunch on this day will consist of the items cooked during the cooking lesson. The rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy the facilities at your hotel and the tranquil Tuscan atmosphere. Dinner and overnight will be at your villa.
Day 8 - Asciano / Gaiole in Chianti

After breakfast, depart on an excursion to the beautiful Chianti region. There will be a wine tasting at Rocca di Castagnoli, which produces an award winning Chianti Classico DOCG. They also produce their own extra virgin olive oil. Lunch will be at the hotel's restaurant. The afternoon is at leisure, to explore the beautiful village of Gaiole in Chianti at your own pace. Dinner and overnight will be at your villa./p>
Day 9 - Asciano / Florence

Buffet breakfast at your hotel, and check-out. Depart for Florence, where you will enjoy a half day guided tour will include such sights as the Duomo and Baptistry, Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio (Villa Medici) and Santa Croce. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore this beautiful city at your own pace. Dinner this evening will be at the Celestino Restaurant.
Day 10 - Day of Return

Transfer to the airport in order to take your return flight to Toronto or Montreal.
Contact Touringhouse

Our Tour Escorts are personable and knowledgeable. Contact us for more information on any of the travel experiences we offer.

Tour costs include:

Roundtrip airfare from Toronto or Montreal to Florence and back via a European gateway
All transfers between the airports and hotels
7-night accommodations in a five-star villa in Tuscany
1-night accommodation in a four-star hotel in Florence
Buffet breakfast and four-course dinner daily (including half a litre of wine per person, bottled mineral water and coffee with dinner)
Six two-course lunches at local restaurants and trattorias, including a beer or glass of wine, mineral water and coffee
Light snack will be served at the hotel on the day of arrival
Cooking lessons by the hotel's professional chef (lunch that day will consist of items cooked during lesson)
One hour lecture by the hotel's professional Sommelier, on the characteristics of the wines you will be tasting during the tour (at the hotel)
Deluxe charter coach transportation throughout the tour
Excursions and visits to the following places:

- Visit to Montepulciano and Pienza (no guide)
- Visit to San Gimignano (no guide)
- Visit to Monte Oliveto and Montalcino (no guide)
- Two-hour tour of Siena (with a guide)
- Visit to Gariole in Chianti (no guide)
- Half day Florence (with a guide)

Four wine-tasting tours as follows:

- Poderi Boscarelli winery (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano)
- Azienda Agricola Panizzi (Vernaccia di San Gimignano)
- Poggio Antico Estate (Brunello di Montalcino)
- Rocca di Castanoli Estate (Chianti Classico DOCG)

Entrance fees as follows:

- Santa Croce (Florence)

All service charges and taxes

Cost per person:

Tour costs

Based on double occupancy	$3,389.00
Taxes/fuel surcharges (subject to change)	$480.00
Optional package tour insurance	$345.00
Single supplement	$1,539.00
Optional insurance for single supplement	$69.00