Travel Tip: -

Before the tour starts:

We recommend you spend a few days in the beautiful city of Firenze/Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and UNESCO world heritage site. Use the Tramways.

Tramway T2 takes you quickly and cheaply into the city centre from the airport.

Tramway T1 takes you out to Villa Costanza Parking, coach park and our Pick-up point.

At the end of the tour:

Want to stay an extra night in Portovenere? We can help you reserve a room.

We meet at 14.00 at the Tramway 2, Villa Costanza Meeting Point where there is a cafe/restaurant. We travel to the Vernaccia wine country for a panoramic walk, arriving late-afternoon in San Gimignano. You will love the beauty of this little town, without any doubts the most picturesque medieval hill town in Tuscany with 14 medieval towers silhouetted on the skyline.

Settle into your hotel and then head out into town at dusk for a stroll after all the tourists have gone. Get to know the others in your group at the welcome dinner.

Meals: Dinner

Walk: 2.5hrs / 8km

We follow gravel roads across open country with olive groves and vineyards leaving San Gimignano behind us on the skyline.

We arrive for a tasty lunch of local fare at a small family run winery. Then a shady wooded trail follows an ancient path to the ruins of an abandoned fortified medieval village hidden in the forest and through a national park. Return to San Gimignano. 

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Walk: 4 hrs / 14 km  (or opt out after lunch and return to the hotel)

A short scenic drive takes us to the atmospheric medieval town of Volterra where we take a walking tour of the historical heart of this ancient town with free time to enjoy the many art galleries and alabaster workshops. After a leisurely lunch in a local restaurant we continue to the charming walled city of Lucca to check into our hotel. You are now free for the evening to explore.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Walk: 4km; 1.5 hrs. town walking.

Free day to enjoy Lucca after an introductory walk around the city walls. A graceful Tuscan city of intriguing and discrete charm, Lucca is a city of music and the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). Encircled by a 4 km ring of renaissance walls which act as an elevated garden boulevard you can stroll or bicycle along, with a bird’s eye view all around. The streets and squares are pedestrian and there are many Romanesque churches, hand-made products and classy boutiques to enjoy.

We meet early evening to enjoy an aperitif, an hour of opera music and dinner in a local restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

Walk: 1 hr / 4 km walk on city walls

We leave the verdant Lucca valley behind and head into the mountains (1hr journey) to tour the exciting marble caves where Michelangelo found a perfect white slab for his ’David’! They are still active and situated at 450 m above the sea! ”new in 2020”.

In the afternoon we travel on to the Cinque Terre (1hr). Weather and time permitting we can walk from Telegrafo down to Riomaggiore, the most northerly of the 5 villages. On arrival, take off your boots and cool your feet in the sea or sit and a enjoy a gelato. At dinner we mustn't forget to try a glass of the local Sciacchetra wine!

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Walk: Elev. - 315 mt / 1.5 hrs

Today the real magic of the Cinque Terre begins, with a breathtaking succession of land and sea. Man and nature have worked together for thousands of years. The exhilarating Cinque Terre is made up of ancient stone stairways linking high, terraced vineyards.

We begin in Monterosso and walk to Vernazza, a picturesque, bustling town where you can explore before lunch. In the afternoon we can reach other towns by train. Manarola has long, narrow streets with fishing boats resting on the pavements. Corniglia is a village with Roman origins and sits on a high promontory overlooking the sea. Back in Monterosso’s charming old town in the afternoon, you are free to relax or walk out for dinner to taste the local dishes in the atmospheric restaurants in town.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Walk: Elev.+/- 250 mt / 3-5 hrs* (*depending on erosion)

We walk a beautiful section of the high trail above the Cinque Terre with pine, oak and chestnut woods, remote villages and churches overlooking the sea. The trail undulates as it snakes along the contours and then descends steeply (incredible views) to reach the Roman-Byzantine town of Portovenere, a picturesque town and a delightful place to stroll around. In the evening we get together to enjoy a farewell dinner party.

Option: If you do not wish to walk today you can take the ferry to Portovenere* (*weather permitting) or simply enjoy the views from the minibus.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Walk: Elev. +100/-600 mt / 5 hrs

9.00 am departure for La Spezia train station for trains to Pisa, Genova, Milano & Rome. We can usually also arrange a drop off at Villa Costanza Tramway T1, for direct trams into Florence. For other early departures and other destinations we can help you make travel arrangements (not included).

Meals: Breakfast