In this Etruscan city you can still feel the life of the past and recapture the experience of a mediaeval town, walking through Volterra's maze of narrow streets and looking from the ancient walls across the rolling hills.
We would like to show you Volterra's medieval past, walking past tower-houses and Renaissance palaces until we reach the Piazza dei Priori, the Cathedral and its Baptistery. And, we will not forget the Etruscan and Roman remains along the way.
Let us introduce you to the remains of the civilisations that followed one another over the centuries, then turn our attention to Etruscan and Roman material culture: to complete this tour of the city, we propose a visit to one of the most interesting collections of Etruscan artefacts in Italy housed in the Museo Guarnacci.
Volterra is also the city of alabaster, which has been worked here from Etruscan times onwards. Examples of this production can be admired in workshops of long tradition. This tour can be combined with others from our list of proposals, for example a food and wine tasting or a visit to San Gimignano.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

Do not miss this chance to discover this small mediaeval town perched on top of mountain among Tuscan hills. Thus you will come to understand how the landscape was able to influence the thought of the greatest genius of all times: Leonardo da Vinci was born here in 1452. The castle of the Conti Guidi houses a museum dedicated to the memory of Leonardo which displays a collection of machines of all kinds: to fly, to weave, for military purposes and to navigate - all created according to his original designs.
Nearby, amidst the olive groves, the house believed to be Leonardo's birthplace is situated.
This tour can be combined with others from our list of proposals, for example a food and wine tasting or a visit to the Medici Villa of Cerreto Guidi, where Cosimo I's daughter Isabella is rumoured to have been killed for adultery by her husband Paolo Giordano Orsini.

We are happy to organise a tour dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci in Florence with a visit to the Uffizi and to other sites with a connection to the great Maestro.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

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One of the many interesting places in this area is San Giovanni Valdarno, which was founded as a fortification by the Florentines at the end of the 13th century. Here Masaccio was born, the young innovative artist who transformed the language of painting from Gothic style to that of the Renaissance.
A must-see, and in the neighbourhood, are the churches of Propina, that of St. John the Baptist, the Oratory of S. Lorenzo, and the convent of Montecarlo which preserves a beautiful Annunciation by Fra Angelico. Nature lovers of all ages will be attracted by the Parco di Cavriglia, where animals such as moufflons, roe deer and fallow deer, and lamas live in liberty and where it is possible to organise special walks and games for the children. The rose garden with its unmatched collection of ancient roses is a must-see.
Il Valdarno, a region of artisans and small manufactures, is also known today for its large number of outlets, in which it is possible to purchase designer labels at bargain prices.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break)

Located between Toscana and Liguria, and crossed in the past by the Via Francigena on which the pilgrims travelled to Rome, this un-spoilt valley is characterized by its many Romanesque parish churches and mediaeval castles that have remained virtually unchanged over time.
Part of the tour will be the fortified Borgo of Fosdinovo and its fourteenth-century Castello Malaspina, where according to legend Dante Alighieri spent part of his exile.
We shall discover together the baroque city of Pontremoli and her noble palaces.
The mysterious statues-stelae in sandstone were created and venerated more than 5000 years ago by an, as yet, unknown people. After a visit to the beautiful Romanesque Pieve (parish church) of Sorano on the via Francigena, you will have occasion to taste typical dishes and products of the Lunigiana, such as the testaroli, the torte d'erbi, or the famous castagnaccio.

The tour will take approximately 8 hours (lunch break included) and can be combined with an excursion to Sarzana.

For those of you who love long walks and nature, we propose itineraries along the paths of the Florentine mountainside across important protected natural parks. These will lead us from the origins of the Arno on the Monte Falterona to the Sanctuary della Verna, where St. Francis lived for a while, and to the Abbey of Vallombrosa, isolated among the forests of fir trees and ilex.
This territory has been used for settlements from the mists of time onwards and there are still traces of the Etruscan civilisation to be found. In the 15th century it became part of the Florentine Republic.
As is the case with the Mugello, the Florentine mountainside also offers the possibility to organise particular hiking tours and to taste the typical specialities of this area.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

Known all over the world the Cinque Terre are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Their breathtaking landscape their fishermens' villages overlooking the sea provide a very special experience to the visitor.
Crisscrossed by hundreds of kilometers of pathways the Cinque Terre are typical for vineyards built on terraces and sustained by support walls, which are still built by the farmers according to century-old techniques.
Following the pathway of the Via dell'Amore we get to the villages of Manarola and Riomaggiore and finally visit together Vernazza and Monterosso and their splendid parish churches built by Genoese architects.
You will have the opportunity to taste the nectar of the Cinque Terre, called Sciacchetrà, a very special wine made from desiccated grapes that have been chosen one by one. Other specialties include the delicate extra virgin olive oil and the limoncino, a lemon liqueur produced locally with lemons grown in the area.

The tour will take approximately 8 hours (lunch break included) and can be combined with an excursion to Portovenere.

The Chianti, a landscape dotted with small towns and ancient farmhouses, has largely remained unchanged over the centuries. We are happy to take you across this magical landscape to the most important artworks and small towns - Greve, Castellina, Radda, Gaiole - but also help you discover ancient churches and castles which can still be found in this area.
You will taste the unforgettable flavours of the Chianti; we are ready to organise food and wine tastings of typical produce such as the renowned Chianti, of extra-virgin olive oil, of cheeses, and salamis. We can guide you to production centres and wine cellars that have for the past 30 years combined innovation with a deep respect for traditional methods of production.

Those interested in a deeper understanding of the Tuscan cuisine may wish to attend cookery lessons organised by us either in a place that offers farm holidays or directly at your home in Florence.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

This is an extraordinary example of a mediaeval city surviving to this day.
San Gimignano is renowned for her 15 towers, which are the sole survivors of the 70 exemplars that could be counted in the days of Dante.
These towers flanked the Via Francigena, an important mediaeval highway crossing central Italy and part of the trans-European pilgrimage routes that ended in Compostela. Being near this important artery made the merchants' fortune, especially of those trading in saffron, used for dying fabrics.
One of the most beautiful sights is the Collegiata church built in 1263, with the frescoes of scenes from the Old and the New Testament. Further Tuscan masterworks are the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian by Benozzo Gozzoli on the inner façade and the chapel dedicated to St. Fina, built by Giuliano e Benedetto da Maiano and frescoed by Domenico Ghirlandaio. The fortress offers splendid panorama into the countryside of the valley of the Elsa River, rich in vineyards and olive groves.
In San Gimignano the famous "Vernaccia" is produced, the only traditional Tuscan white wine. It is possible to organise food and wine tastings of typical local produce.

The visit can be combined with a trip to Siena.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break)

Pisa is a fascinating city with polychrome marble façades, elegant streets along the river, museums full of masterworks of the highest standards, all commemorating the splendour of this venerable naval republic.
Walk with us to the eye-catching Piazza dei Miracoli, where you can visit the Baptistery, the Cathedral, the famous leaning tower and the Camposanto (cemetery). Witness here the sophisticated union between a bold Gothic style and Romanesque architecture with an Eastern flavour.
We would like to show you more than this famous religious nucleus of the city. Under the Medici Pisa lived through a second period of splendour. Here Galileo Galilei was born in the 16th century.
Join us for a tour of discovery in neighbourhoods not yet overrun by tourists. Pisa is one of the most famous cities of the world. Expect pleasant surprises of the kind that only a professional guide can reveal to you.

This tour can be combined with a visit to Lucca.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

Originally called the castle of Corsignano, Pienza eventually became known as such in honour of Pope Pius II Piccolomini. In the second half of the 15th century the Pope commissioned the architect Rossellino, a student and collaborator of Leon Battista Alberti, to redesign the city according to a strictly formal and idealised image.
Pienza, designed on the architect's drawing board, has as her centre the main square on which the Cathedral and the beautiful Palazzo Piccolomini face one another. Montepulciano is situated near Pienza and offers you a visit to the Tempio di San Biagio, one of the most important architectural masterworks of the Renaissance. This church was built by Antonio da Sangallo in splendid travertine.
In Montepulciano the Middle Ages merge with the Renaissance: important architects working for the Medici in the 15th and 16th century gave this small city a new appearance. It was, in fact, Michelozzo, the favourite architect of Cosimo il Vecchio, who gave the Piazza Grande her harmonious image.
Today, one of the most significant sources of income for Montepulciano is the so-called "vino nobile", left to mature in the historical wine cellars in the bowels of the hill underneath the mediaeval city. Wine tastings can be arranged.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

Just north of Florence, between her rolling hills and the highest mountain tops of the Apennines, lies the green and attractive valley of the Mugello.
We are very pleased to help you discover this jewel, the place where the Medici originated and where they liked to return for periods of rest. This tour offers you a chance to visit the Villa of Cafaggiolo and the convent of Bosco ai Frati, where you can see Donatello's beautiful wooden Crucifix. Taste the flavours of the traditional local cuisine, for example the delicious tortelli made from potatoes and the chestnuts IGP (mark of distinction).

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

This small city was founded in 1203 as a spearhead of the Florentine republic and presents herself virtually unchanged in her mediaeval appearance. Particularly interesting are the city walls with 14 square towers, which Dante described in Canto XXXI vv. 40-41 of his Inferno.
Inside the walls the town has been able to preserve her mediaeval appearance.
It is possible to organise food and wine tastings with typical local produce, for example extra-virgin olive oil. The area is ideal for excursions by bicycle.
Nearby you can also visit Addia a Isola, an old Cistercian abbey founded in 1001

The visit can be combined with a trip to Siena and San Gimignano.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

This city's reduced scale and high quality of life are in perfect harmony with the importance of her urbanist and architectural monuments. You will be agreeably surprised by this small town that grew rich through silk production and trade and that to this day is able to fascinate her visitors.
We shall see the beautiful Cathedral of St. Martin, amble through the little streets of this old town, discover picturesque courtyards and shops with a long history and tradition, and also the square in the shape of the Roman amphitheatre, mediaeval tower houses, 17th-century palaces and other buildings, which are clearly influenced by the Napoleonic domination of Italy. Giacomo Puccini and Luigi Boccherini were born in Lucca. A stroll around the perimeter of the old city walls is a lovely experience that offers spectacular views into the city.
Near Lucca are two villas, Villa Torrigiani and Villa Mansi, considered to be among the most beautiful of this type of building in the area; they are richly furnished and surrounded by wonderful gardens.

The visit can be combined with a trip to Pisa.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

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Fiesole is one of the most beautiful small towns near Florence and offers a spectacular view of the city of Florence from her steep hills. Founded by the Etruscans ca 3,000 years ago, Fiesole was conquered by the Romans who left their stamp on the temples and public buildings now preserved in an archaeological park. You can visit the well-preserved theatre, the baths, and an interesting collection of Etruscan and Roman objects in the museum.
Fiesole's position high in the Florentine hills made many foreign aristocrats and artists choose her as their residence in the 19th century. The same happened to neighbouring Settignano.
Near Fiesole can be found Villa Gamberaia, with a beautiful Italian garden, the castle of Vincigliata and the Villa Medici, one of Lorenzo il Magnifico's preferred country seats where the Neoplatonic Academy gathered.

About 6 hours (with time for a lunch break).

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The marble quarries in Carrara, set in the majestic surroundings of the Apuan Alps, are a unique sight and have attracted the world's greatest sculptors from Roman times onwards.
Here Donatello, Giambologna, and Michelangelo personally suitable blocks of marble for their most admired masterworks, for example for the David, for the Pietà, or for the Moses.
You will visit surface and tunnel quarries in which it will be possible to observe closely the hard work of the miners. Then you will be able to see workshops run to this day by skilled craftsmen and sculptors whose families have been in the trade for generations.
This region is rich in pictoresque villages inhabited by miners. Colonnata, for example, goes back to Roman times and is world-famous for its aromatic lard produced in marble tubs. Carrara's historical centre offers pictoresque mediaeval lanes dominated by its 1000 year-old Cathedral entirely built from Apuan marble.

The tour will take approximately 6 hours (lunch break included) and can be combined with the excursion to the Cinque Terre.