The journey
An Italian tour through the wonders of Tuscany and the Ligurian Riviera — ten days of art, sea, extraordinary cuisine and landscapes that explain why the whole world dreams of Italy.
Florence is the most extraordinary open-air museum in the world. The Uffizi houses Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with Brunelleschi's dome dominating the skyline, Ponte Vecchio with goldsmiths' shops overlooking the Arno, Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset with the city's most famous view — red rooftops, bell towers and dome against the backdrop of hills. Michelangelo's David at the Accademia Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens: every corner tells the story of the Renaissance.
Siena and the magnificent Piazza del Campo — the shell-shaped square where the Palio horse race takes place, one of Italy's most thrilling spectacles. The black-and-white striped marble Duomo is a masterpiece of Italian Gothic art. The medieval lanes, the contrade with their crests and colours, the pastry shops serving ricciarelli and panforte.
The Val d'Orcia and Montepulciano: the Vino Nobile vineyards, the cypresses lining the white roads, the rolling panoramas of postcard Tuscany that have inspired directors and photographers from around the world. The cellars where you taste Brunello and Vino Nobile with Tuscan pecorino and cured meats.
On the coastal side: Chiavari on the Gulf of Tigullio, on the Ligurian Riviera — an elegant town with medieval arcades, pebble beaches and the freshest fish in Liguria. Castiglione della Pescaia, the pearl of the Tuscan Maremma on the Tyrrhenian Sea — the medieval village perched on the hill, the crystal-clear sea, the fragrant pine forests and beaches that fill with colourful umbrellas in summer.
A trip that reminds you: sometimes you don't need to go far to find beauty.
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