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 Tuscany 
Serious Tuscany from Rome ~ Most people use Rome as a gateway to Tuscany, flying into Rome's Fiumicino airport. That usually means spending your first night or two in Rome, then heading on by train to Tuscany. This itinerary is set up that way, with the first 2 nights in Rome, then 4 nights in Tuscany, and one night at the finish in Florence so that you can fly home from the Florence airport. If instead you would like to fly home from Rome, let us know so we can revise the itinerary (extra cost) to get you back to Rome at the finish. You can also add more nights in either Rome or Florence. But the maine emphasis of this itnerary is Tuscany. In fact, you'll have a big look at Tuscany in this one-week plan, getting private tours and staying in some of the most popular towns in the two most characteristic parts of Tuscany. You start in Rome with 2 nights, enough time for an introduction to the city on a first trip, or to visit parts of Rome you may have missed on an earlier trip. Either way, we'll be happy to suggest how to spend your Rome time. Then you take the train to a station in Tuscany, where you'll be met by a transfer driver to complete your trip to your first Tuscany lodging, which is in the Val d'Orcia, south of Siena. You'll stay at Montepulciano or Pienza, two of our favorite Tuscany towns. Next day, your driver-guide will arrive to take you on a private tour of the Val d'Orcia, an especially picturesque part of Tuscany we call the "calendar country." It really is a private tour, just you and your guide. The following day is another private transfer, heading further north through Tuscany's unique Le Crete terrain to your second Tuscany lodging at Radda, in Chianti. This is a distinctively different area of Tuscany, but just as charming and photogenic. Your second private Tuscany tour will focus on the towns and countryside of Chianti. If you wish, there can be a winery visit, or you can spend part of the day in the city of Siena. Then comes another private transfer, to the city of Florence for one night so you can be close to the airport. This gives you a chance to sample a few city pleasures, including museums or shopping, or simply to enjoy the big choice of restaurants in Florence. Your hotel will be right in the very center of the city. This is independent travel. You will not be with a group, and you will not have a tour director leading you around. This particular package is designed for people who want plenty of local support in Tuscany, including private drivers for transfers and tours, but who wish to manage their own sightseeing in Rome and Florence and don't need city tours built into the price. If you wish to consider adding sightseeing tours or private guides in the cities, please let us know, in which case we will ask you for a new budget limit -- over and above the package price -- to include the added services. Serious Tuscany from Rome
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888 868-1150 or click here... Just Tuscany ~ Our shortest, easiest, most economical plan for a big Tuscany experience. You fly into Florence where you're met at the airport by your private transfer driver for a one-hour trip to the marvelous Medieval city of Siena, the very heart of Tuscany. Within three hours of landing in Italy, you can be sitting at a cafe and sipping an espresso in Siena's Campo, one of Italy's most beautiful public spaces. On your second day, your private driver-guide will come to your hotel to take you south from Siena to the Val d'Orcia, what we call the "calendar country" because of the characteristic Tuscan scenes you've seen on calendars and book covers. Names you'll recognize there include Montepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino. It really is a private tour, so you control the pace and emphasis. Next day your time is free to spend in Siena. See the imposing cathedral, one of Italy's greatest, being sure not to miss its fascinating Piccolomini library. Observe Siena's distinctive art history in its museums. Stroll the narrow ancient lanes, where there's no modern construction to spoil the feel of stepping back in time. On your third day, your transfer driver will pick you up for the short but scenic transfer to your second Tuscany location, the town of Radda, Chianti's best-preserved Medieval hilltown. The following day, you get another great day in Tuscany, perfect for visiting a winery, if you care about wines. If not, there are plenty of places to visit, and again, the time is yours, so your driver-guide will plan the day to do what you like. To finish your week in Tuscany, you will have a final private transfer to the city of Florence where you're close to the airport. If you wish, your transfer can get you into Florence in time to visit a museum or two. Or you can just use the time to stroll the city, do some shopping, or pick the perfect restaurant to close out your Italy trip. This is independent travel. You will not be with a group, and you will not have a tour director leading you around. This particular package is designed with lots of private transfer and touring services for just enough structure to make it easy to get around but not too much, so that you have plenty of time to relax. If you wish to consider adding private guides in Siena or Florence, or additional nights in Italy, please let us know, in which case we will ask you for a new budget limit -- over and above the package price -- to include the added services. Just Tuscany
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Tuscany Wines ~ How is this package different from our other Tuscany plans? You spend as much of your touring time on wines as you wish, along with having opportunities to sample characteristic Tuscan foods that go naturally with a wine focus, such as olive oils and cheeses. You should know that this is an independent winery itinerary. That means it is NOT tied into the marketing program of any big winery. Wineries are selected on the basis of how appealing and welcoming they are to visit, and we make every effort to avoid wineries that put pressure on you to buy their wines. You'll start by flying into Florence where you're met at the airport by your private transfer driver for a one-hour trip to Siena, the very heart of Tuscany. Within three hours of landing in Italy, you can be sitting at a cafe in Siena's Campo, one of Italy's most beautiful public spaces. On your second day in Italy, your private driver-guide will come to your hotel to take you south from Siena to the Val d'Orcia, what we call the "calendar country" because of the characteristic Tuscan scenes you've seen on calendars and book covers. There are two Tuscan red wines you can sample this day, the Vino Nobile of Montepulciano and the impressive Brunello of Montalcino. It really is a private tour, so you control the pace and the emphasis. If you wish to spend your entire day around Montalcino and its Brunello wines, it's your call. Next day your time is free to spend in Siena. See the imposing cathedral, one of Italy's greatest, being sure not to miss its fascinating Piccolomini library. Observe Siena's distinctive art history in its museums. Of course, you'll want to visit Italy's Enoteca Nazionale, an amazing collection of the country's best wines you can sample at its cellars located within the city's imposing fortress. On your third day, you'll be transferred to your second Tuscany location. This will be a in a small town or village, for a contrasting experience to the city of Siena. There are several castle hotels we like to use for this itinerary. The following day, you get another private tour, this time focusing on Chianti Classico wines. You'll tour in the area of Radda and Castellina, and again, you control how your time is spcnt. To finish your week in Tuscany, you will have a final private transfer to the city of Florence where you're close to the airport. If you wish, your transfer can get you into Florence in time to visit a museum or two. Or you can just use the time to stroll the city, do some shopping, or pick the perfect restaurant to close out your Italy trip. You finish with a private transfer to the Florence airport. This is independent travel. You will not be with a group, and you will not have a tour director leading you around. This particular package is designed with lots of private transfer and touring services for just enough structure to make it easy to get around but not too much, so that you have plenty of time to relax. If you wish to consider adding private guides in Siena or Florence, or additional nights in Italy, please let us know, in which case we will ask you for a new budget limit -- over and above the package price -- to include the added services. Tuscany Wines
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Tuscany Honeymoon ~ We've had so many requests for honeymoons in Tuscany that we responded with this package. You fly in and out of Florence. When you arrive at the Florence airport, your private transfer driver will be waiting to take you to the Medieval city of Siena, in the heart of Tuscany, for a 3-night stay in the center of the city. Next day, you'll take your first private Tuscany tour. By private, we mean just the two of you and your driver-guide. You'll tour south from Siena into the Val d'Orcia, what we call the calendar country of Tuscany, because you see so many pictures from that area on calendars and in picture books. Pienza, Montalcino, and Montepulciano are in this area. The following day you have to yourselves to explore Siena. Relax in a cafe overlooking the Campo, one of Italy's more popular public spaces. Visit the fascinating Cathedral, and explore the ancient, narrow lanes. Then meet your driver for your next transfer, to your second Tuscany lodging, this time in a more rural location, a small town or a village, for a different kind of Tuscany experience. This will be a place where you can walk in the countryside, or lounge by the pool looking out on a great Tuscan view. Next day, you'll have your second private Tuscany tour, in the Chianti area north of Siena. You'll recognize names like Radda and Castellina. This will be a good day to visit a winery, if you so choose. Next day is on your own to relax and soak in the flavors of Tuscany. Then for the finish, you'll be transferred into Florence for your final night in Italy. This last night in hotel will set you up for catching your flight out of the Florence airport. But it also provides a contrasting experience and an exciting finish to your Italy honeymoon. Of course, you can add nights in Florence if you wish. Tuscany Honeymoon
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888 868-1150 or click here... Luxury Tuscany Honeymoon ~ How is this different from our Tuscany Honeymoon package? It's your Tuscany lodging. You'll have 4 nights at a very special luxury lodging in the Chianti countryside. It is also one less day than the Tuscany Honeymoon package, with two lodgings instead of three. You'll start your trip by flying into Florence, where you'll be met by your private transfer driver for the one-hour trip to your hotel. It's a fabulous new country hotel, in the Chianti area just north and east of Siena. We developed this package so that honeymooners can enjoy a great location in the Tuscany countryside and still have all the comforts they need close at hand. You can bask in glorious views, the very best of Tuscany scenery, while walking around or sitting by the pool. There's also an indoor pool. You don't need to go into town, because your hotel offers great dining. During your 4 days at this idyllic location, you'll get two days of private Tuscany tours. That means just the two of you and your driver-guide, so you control the pace and the emphasis. If you want to visit wineries, that's your choice. We recommend that you visit two very different parts of central Tuscany. One tour can include the Val d'Orcia, to the south of Siena, where you'll find Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano. The other day of touring can focus on the Chianti area, north of Siena, including the towns of Radda and Castellina. Then your transfer driver will pick you up for the drive into Florence, where you will spend your final two nights in Tuscany at a 5-star hotel in the very center of the city, convenient to the best shopping and museums Florence has to offer. You'll have a private guide for a 4-hour walking tour in Florence. Your tour can include your choice of museums, including the Pitti Palace, Uffizi Gallery or the Accademia. Or you can skip the museums and ask your guide to take you on a tour to the artisan shops. Luxury Tuscany Honeymoon
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Chianti Cooking Week ~ This itinerary involves a car rental, so that you will be driving yourself in Tuscany. This is unlike our other packages, most of which include private tours and transfers with a professional driver who brings a vehicle, so that you do not need to drive yourself. However, this plan does come with one day of a private driver-guide, who will get you oriented and take you around to places you might not find on your own. You start by flying into the airport at Florence, where you pick up your vehicle. Then you drive to your lodging for 5 nights in the town of Radda, in the Chianti area. On your first full day, you'll get your private Tuscany tour. Your driver-guide will come to meet you at the Radda hotel to take you for a full day through the Chianti area. This is an excellent opportunity to focus on Chianti Classico wineries, if you wish. Your cooking class is held in a rustic Tuscan kitchen in a private home, in a small village located a short drive from Radda. There will be 3 days of cooking classes, held each day from mid-morning until early afternoon, during which time you will learn to prepare complete meals and then have lunch, with wine, on the foods you have prepared. Then you drive back to the airport in Florence to drop your car. This package includes a final night in Florence, so that you can be well-located for getting to the airport for your departure flight. If you prefer, you can swap the night in Florence for an extra night in the Chianti location. However, for that to be practical, your flight departure time from Florence cannot be too early, since you will need plenty of time to drive to the airport and also to drop your rented car. It is always our recommendation to spend the final night at a hotel within the city of Florence, since rush-hour traffic around the city can make it very difficult to get to the airport for a morning departure. Note: packages with cooking classes require a minimum of two participants. This is independent travel. You will not be with a group, and you will not have a tour director leading you around. This plan is designed for people who want the freedom of having a rented car to drive in Tuscany and who are ready for the challenges of driving and navigating in a foreign country. Chianti Cooking Week
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Cinque Terre + Lucca & Florence + Tuscany Private Tour ~ Why do we show this package under the Tuscany section? It's because fully half the time is spent in Tuscany, which is located near the Cinque Terre. Many people combine Tuscany and the Cinque Terre. There's always the question of what airports to use and what other destinations to combine with the Cinque Terre, which is not located along any popular routes to other places in Italy. To get a short and practical itinerary with the Cinque Terre, we decided to start with a flight into either one of two airports (your choice) in Tuscany, and a first night spent at the popular city of Lucca. You can fly into Pisa (PSA) or Florence (FLR). At the airport, you'll be met by your private transfer driver for the trip to Lucca, which will take approximately one hour. Your Lucca hotel will be within the walls of the very appealing old town. Next day, you'll go by train to Monterosso, on the Cinque Terre. Note that we only use hotels that are actually in the Cinque Terre. There are so few rooms available in this area, compared to the high level of interest, that some other travel companies would place you in hotels outside the Cinque Terre, in communities to the north or south. Also because of there being so few rooms, we urge you to plan a Cinque Terre trip as far ahead as possible, because the little hotels fill up well in advance. You'll have three nights at Monterosso, which gives you plenty of time to explore the 5 villages as well as to take a boat trip along the coast down to Portovenere, the next town to the south outside the Cinque Terre. Then you'll go by train again back into Tuscany, this time going all the way to Florence for 2 nights. The Florence stay not only puts you near an airport for flying out, but it also provides the opportunity to include a private Tuscany tour, to the south of Florence into the Chianti countryside. It's just you and your driver-guide for Tuscany, so you control the pace and the emphasis. The tour can include a Chianti winery if you so choose. This is independent travel. This package is for people who are willing to manage their own time on the Cinque Terre, where riding the trains requires close attention to the departure and arrival schedules. You will not be with a group, and you will not have a tour director leading you around. We will provide our sightseeing tips as well as access to us by telephone for our advice in planning for what to see. BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE! Due to the nature of this package, which uses very small hotels on the Cinque Terre, we need plenty of lead time to put it together. Be sure to check with us for availability prior to purchasing your flights. Cinque Terre + Lucca & Florence + Tuscany Private Tour
Amalfi Coast & Tuscany Honeymoon ~ This is one of those "popular demand" packages that so many people ask for. It is not the most natural combination, because the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany are not close together. They are separated by a lot of Italy, including the cities of Rome and Naples. To connect the two areas, you will first be transferred by car from the Amalfi Coast to Naples, then ride a train from Naples to Rome, then ride another train from Rome to Tuscany. At the Tuscany station, you'll be met by a private driver who will take you the final step of the way to your lodging in Tuscany. That journey will take about 7 hours in total. Your reward is to get the combination of two of Italy's most popular honeymoon destinations, without needing to stay in Rome, in the middle. Of course, if you wish to add a Rome stay between the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany, we can certainly do that. You'll start your trip by flying into Naples. At the Naples airport, your private transfer driver will meet you for the drive to Positano, the most popular destination on the Amalfi Coast, for 3 nights in a hotel with sea view and balcony. Next day, your driver will meet you again for a full-day excursion on the Amalfi Coast, including Ravello. For your second full day, you have choices. You can simply relax at Positano, or take the boat along the coast to the town of Amalfi, for views you can't get from the road. Or you can take the boat to the Isle of Capri. Our tips will explain how we recommend spending a day at Capri. Then you get picked up in Positano to start the journey to Tuscany, by car and train. We can give you a choice of various kinds of Tuscany locations, ranging from countryside to small town to the city of Siena, but the one we recommend most for honeymoons is a little castle in a tiny village north and east of Siena. On your first full day in Tuscany, you will meet your driver-guide for a full-day tour, which can include a winery if you wish. As with the Amalfi Coast excursion, it will just be the two of you and your driver, a private experience, so you can decide the pace and the emphasis, and you are never with a group. For your second full day in Tuscany, your time is totally free. If you choose a rural Tuscany location, you can walk in the countryside, or sit by a pool looking over a memorable Tuscan view. If you choose to stay at Siena instead, you can have all the art and architecture of that city to explore. For the finish of your Italy honeymoon, you will be transferred to Florence, so that you can be prepared to fly out of that city. This gives you a chance to sample a few city pleasures, including museums or shopping, or simply to enjoy the big choice of restaurants in Florence. Your hotel will be right in the very center of the city. This is independent travel. You will not be with a group, and you will not have a tour director leading you around. However, this particular package is designed for people who wish to have all the private transfers between airports, hotels and train stations as well as the benefit of private services such as drivers or guides for designated times in each of the locations. We will also provide our sightseeing tips, our assistance with museum reservations, and access to us by telephone for help in planning for what to see when you are on your own. Amalfi Coast & Tuscany Honeymoon
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Tuscany Castle Stay with Rome, Florence, & Venice ~ Here's how to get a great countryside Tuscany experience without renting a car. It's all part of a rail trip to the great cities of Italy. If you've been torn between whether to visit the cities or Tuscany, this is your happy compromise. This is a heavy-duty Tuscany visit, including 2 full days of Tuscany touring with a private driver plus time to relax around your Tuscany lodging or take countryside walks. For the cities, you'll get hotels we've carefully chosen for their locations and reliability, plus our tips for what to see and how to organize your time. You'll start by flying into Rome for 3 nights in a hotel that's right in the city center, the kind of location we're known for providing. We can add sightseeing tours if you wish, including one to the Vatican (not included). Then you'll take a train from Rome to a station in Tuscany, where your transfer driver will be waiting to take you to your Tuscany hotel. There are several castle hotels we like to use for this itinerary.Next day, your private driver-guide will come to take you on a full-day tour to the Val d'Orcia, south of Siena, one of our two favorite parts of Tuscany, where your visit can include Montepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino. The following day you'll meet your driver-guide again for a full-day tour in the Chianti area, north of Siena. This is a great day to include a winery visit. You'll recognize town names like Radda and Castellina. You finish in countryside Tuscany with a private transfer to your Florence hotel, again, right in the center of the city. In Florence, we can make the gallery reservations for you. And as for Rome and Venice, you'll get our city tips for what to see on your own. You have 2 nights in Florence. Then it's on by train to Venice for your final 2 nights in Italy. There'll be a private transfer waiting for you at the station in Venice, to take you by boat to your hotel, which is located right near St. Mark's Square. Another private transfer takes you to the Venice airport to fly from Italy. This is independent travel. You will not be with a group, and you will not have a tour director leading you around. This particular plan is designed for people who wish to manage their own sightseeing in the cities in Italy but who want plenty of private service for the Tuscany segment. However, we will still provide our sightseeing tips for the cities and our assistance with museum reservations as well as access to us by telephone for our advice in planning for what to see. If you wish to consider adding sightseeing tours or private guides in the cities, please let us know, in which case we will ask you for a new budget limit -- over and above the itinerary price -- to include the added services. Tuscany Castle Stay + Rome, Florence
& Venice
Tuscany | Switzerland & Italy | Honeymoons |Cinque Terre & Riviera| 
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