MONTECATINI

DAY 1

Upon arrival in Tuscany, we will be met by our tours hosts and transferred to our Hotel. We will enjoy lunch and an afternoon at leisure at the hotel prior to our orientation meeting this evening followed by dinner.

DAY 2

After breakfast, depart by private motorcoach with an English speaking escort for Florence. On our tour, we will walk around the stirring sights of Florence including: Giotto’s Bell Tower, Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, and Brunelleschi’s Dome. The tour ends in Signoria Square. Box Lunch. Afternoon at leisure to explore. Late afternoon return to Montecatini for dinner at our hotel.

DAY 3

After breakfast, morning will be at leisure to get to know Montecatini and possibly exchange money at the bank. We will depart for Pisa right after an early lunch. In Pisa, we will wander around the Square of Miracles with the famous Leaning Tower and have a narrated tour of Pisa’s Duomo and Baptistery and Camposanto Monumente. Half – hour ride to Lucca, home of the great composer, Giacomo Puccini, with a short tour and time for shopping. Return to Montecatini for dinner at our hotel.

DAY 4:

After a relaxing breakfast, enjoy a full day at leisure where you can explore Montecatini, do some individual sightseeing or simply relax. Lunch and dinner are at the hotel today.

DAY 5

After breakfast, we will depart for Siena. We will drive southwest through the heart of Italian wine country, over the rolling hills of Chianti. Our escort will lead us to Piazza del Campo, through the narrow streets, past medieval towers and walls. Box Lunch. We may want to stop at a café and enjoy some”Ricciarelli”cookies, a specialty of Siena. On the way back to Montecatini, we will visit San Gimignano, a charming medieval hilltop town famous for its many towers and great shopping. Dinner at our hotel.

DAY 6

Early morning at leisure for shopping in Montecatini. Mid – morning to noon visit to Montecatini Terme, world renowed for its health spa centers, the most charming being Terme Tettuccio. Here, we will want to spend a morning sitting all’aperto, sipping the thermal waters, medically approved to be curative and healthy for everybody. We will find the waters salty/less salty and hotlwarm/cold to suit any taste. The surroundings are from a movie, (entering through a melange of beautiful Carrara marble, with iron gates and walls frescoed to depict people drinking water). We will be provided with a glass with which we can drink as much water as we want. And, we would not be in Italy if this scenario did not have music. There will be a delightful orchestra/ensemble playing for us the most enjoyable classical music. When we have had enough thermal water, sit and relax to the sound of music before lunch at our hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner followed by entertainment at the hotel.

DAY 7

After breakfast, depart our hotel for Venice. On the way, pass Bologna and Padova, home of the Basilica of St. Anthony. We will board a vaporetto to San Marco Square where a local guide will be waiting to show us around this unique city, ”the Queen of the Adriatic”. Visit San Marco’s Basilica, walk over small bridges to the Bridge of Sighs and past winding waterways to the Rialto. Box lunch. The afternoon is free for shopping. Dinner in Venice arriving back at our hotel in Montecatini late evening.