Discovering “Verdi” with Tasting and Landscapes of Tuscany
9 Days / 8 Nights
Day 1: Milan
Arrival in Milano.
Check-in at the hotel. Overnight
Day 2: Milan
After breakfast full day visit of Milan.
Pleasant stroll to visit the most famous places of
Milan.
Piazza della Scala - and Galleria, - the city's splendid
parlor. From the Brera Art Gallery in search of inestimable
masterpieces of italian art. Free lunch. Then the
famous Corso Vittorio Emanuele and its shopwindows,
the Duomo, S. Ambrogio Basilica and the Scala, the
famous opera theatre. Free time at the end of the
visit.
Overnight by the hotel.
Day 3: Parma
Arrival in Parma - Check in the hotel in the city
center.
Full day excursion in search of Giuseppe Verdi: native
house of the composer in Roncole, Bussetto and Villa
Verdi in S. Agata. Afternoon in Parma, Italian capital
of the opera (Cathedral, Farnese Theatre, Certosa).
Back to the hotel.
Overnight stay.
Day 4: Parma
After Breakfast departure to Langhirano for a tasting
of raw ham in a famous Prosciuttificio.
Guided visit and possibility to taste the famous ham.
In the afternoon visit of a Fattoria for the tasting
of the “Culatello” ham and then of the
famous cheese Parmiggiano Reggiano.
Back to the hotel and overnight in Parma.
Day 5: Bologna
Breakfast in the hotel and departure to Bologna.
Departure for guided visit to the historical centre:
Neptune’s Fountain, Palazzo Comunale,
Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo di Re
Enzo, San Petronio Basilica, the two
towers and the Santo Stefano Complex. Lunch
in typical restaurant. In the afternoon, continuation
of the guided tour: the monumental complexes of San
Francesco and San Domenico or the Art
Gallery or the Morandi Museum. Accommodation
in the hotel in Bologna.
Overnight in Bologna.
Day 6: Siena - Monte Oliveto Maggiore
After breakfast departure to Siena. Arrival in the
ciry and check in at the hotel
Start with sightseeing in Siena with local guide in
one of Italy's most remarkable cities with middle
age palaces and churches decorated by artists from
1200-1300 époque.
The cathedral is one the most important from the gothic
period and within it it is possible to see the Piccolomini
library and the frescoes from Pinturicchio. Close
to Piazza del Campo is Palazzo Pubblico where it is
possible to admire work of art of the Siena school
where gothic lines was mixed with the Byzantine gold
and colour art.
In the afternoon excursion to Monte Oliveto Maggiore Abbazia (Monastery) of
Monteoliveto Maggiore is one of the most impressive monasteries of the middle
age in Tuscany.
Located in a remote area on a hill and surrounded by a wood it gives the visitor
the possibility to find the peace and quite that the founder Bernardo Tolomei
wanted when he choose the place
The monastery is very big and has many cloistergardens to see.
We eat common lunch in the country side and during the afternoon we visit the
gardens of Iris Origos. The property was bought 1924 and the owners spent their
whole life trying to help local people by building schools, hospital and farmhouses,
Iris Origos did write a book, about La Foce and the creation of the garden,
that is possible to find in many languages. Overnight stay.
Day 7: Siena - Pienza - Bagno Vignoni - Montepulciano
After breakfast departure to Pienza. Pienza was transformed around 1450 from
a small farmers town, that was called Corsignano, into the ideal renaissance
town to pay homage to the Pope Pius II, that was born here.
The town is far from all main roads and has therefore had few changes, remaining
the ideal renaissance town that was shaped by the architects of Pius, we visit
the Dome and have some time on your own.
Bagno Vignoni is a tiny little town with Italy's strangest square, it is actually
not a square but a large pool where many mineral water springs fills it with
52 °C water. Around the pool there are buildings from different époques
and one of them was built by Pius II (1400) a house where he lived during some
periods of the year.
The hot water today is led to a small thermal establishment and to a large swimming
pool within an hotel. During 2002 excavations the rests of the roman baths were
found together with the channel that was used to bring the water and the channel
has been reopened.
Some of the water flows in another antique channel and people from the small
towns around comes here to put their tired feet's in the hot water to give them
new energy.
Continue to Montepulciano. Is close to Chianciano terme and is located, as many
Italian towns, on top of a hill, all roads leading up to the centre are flanked
by houses from different époques and on the main square is the church
with many buildings from 1400-1500. Around the town are all the famous wine
producers of the wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and most of the producers
has a wine cellar in the town as it has been for generations. Back to the hotel.
Overnight.
Day 8: Florence
After breakfast departure to Florence.
Florence, the Medicean city and one of Europe's art-history
and historically remarkable cities. Here the renaissance
was borne and from here comes some of the most important
artist of the époque like, Brunelleschi, Botticelli,
Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo or poets like Dante
and Petrarca.
We start with a sightseeing by foot which takes us
to the Dome and the bell tower from 1300 and the baptistery
from 1100 with the excellent sculpted doors, we go
on to Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio, the
well known bridge over the Arno river that was built
during the roman time and is today flanked by small
artisan shops.
Free lunch.
Overnight in Florence.
Day 9: Florence
After breakfast departure to Florence / Airport.
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