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Fine food, gourmet food, slow food, and of course some excellent wines: we have it all during this 10 day holiday-tour in Tuscany. A touch of luxury: in a convivial relaxed atmosphere we’ll enjoy an exploration of some of the marvelous treasures of Tuscany and experience why this region remains many travellers’ most popular Italian destination.
We’ll spend our first 2 nights in Firenze (Florence), followed by 7 nights in a comfortable and elegant country villa, with a swimming pool, on a secluded wine and olive estate. With the exception of our day in the region of Liguria (to visit the Cinque Terre) we spend all of our time in Tuscany.
From the time we meet, everything is included. We have our own comfortable minibus/people mover (usually Mercedes) and professional driver for most of our day and half-day trips from our villa. All meals are provided, and also wine with 9 lunches and 9 dinners. And we never have more than 8 people in our group!
Immerse yourself in the sites and tastes of Tuscany. We stroll through various parts of the small but beautiful city of Firenze, visiting some of the less touristy sites, linking many to the history of the famous Medici family. With our charming and knowledgeable accredited Fiorentine guide we visit two major art and history museums/sites; we also journey to nearby Chianti to spend some hours at a celebrated vineyard to take a guided tour, guided tastings of their wines and lunch with matched wines chosen by their sommelier; we wander through tiny hill towns - a few of which are no larger than a castle with some small houses or shops. We spend a day at the National Park of the Cinque Terre – the five beautiful little villages clinging to sheer cliffs or in tiny inlets - listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site: the precipitous slopes of which have been cultivated into vineyards using terracing. We’ll see the 5 villages by boat and will walk the easy Via Dell’Amore (lovers’ walk), and a more challenging section also - if you are very fit and wish to do it.
On another day you’ll be able to indulge yourself at a thermal spa town, with an opportunity to relax in the large external pool with warm spa waters claimed to have therapeutic qualities, and perhaps choose a “treatment”- maybe a massage, facial, or something a little more exotic. Other towns we’ll visit include Pisa (and yes, you can climb the tower if you wish!), Lucca, with its stylish shops, famous wide fortress walls on which we can ride our bikes, and dinner in the food focussed town; the unique San Gimignano, another UNESCO town of architectural significance, still with 14 of its original 72 towers remaining. We visit enotecas and taste some of the most famous wines of Tuscany, including Chianti Classico, San Gimignano’s local wine Vernaccia, and Rosso di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: and of course we visit and buy provisions at some of the local fresh food markets.
And yes, we do recognize that sometimes you may want to relax at home… maybe stretch out for a snooze or read in the shade, or bask in the sun beside the pool, or wander around the beautiful countryside. We’ll share many memorable meals together ….but you’ll be under no pressure to do more than you want to do.
Cost:
$AUD6700.00 pp twin share (land content only): limited single accommodation available at supplement of $AUD650.00
For additional information or to receive a more detailed itinerary. please contact Ciao Bella Tours or telephone 03 95833087
Booking:
To make a booking for Tour D 2012, “Italian Healthy Indulgence and Slow Food”, please read the Terms and Conditions documents, then complete the Booking Form, and post to Ciao Bella Tours Pty Ltd, P.O. Box 6068, Cromer 3193 AUSTRALIA, enclosing a cheque for $AUD550.00 per person, as your deposit.
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