The gentle landscape of the Val d’Orcia, where we travel on Day 7, was developed as a Renaissance ideal in the 14th and 15th centuries.
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Pisa, Italy
Day 2: Arrive Pisa/Lucca We arrive in Pisa and
transfer to the city of Lucca, about an hour away.
After checking in at our hotel located inside the ancient
city walls, late this afternoon we meet our Odysseys
Unlimited Tour Director and fellow travelers at a
briefing about the journey ahead. Then we enjoy a
welcome dinner at a local restaurant. D
Day 3: Lucca Today we discover this charming Tuscan
town on a walking tour through its cobblestone streets
and historic city center. We visit the bustling Piazza
dell’Anfiteatro, the lively public square on the site
of a 1st-century Roman amphitheater; stroll along
the well-preserved Renaissance-era walls that once
defended the city — the ramparts now boast tree-lined pathways that serve as a beloved park; and tour
the Casa di Puccini, a museum to the great composer
in the house where he was born. The remainder of
the day is at leisure to enjoy Lucca as we wish. B
Day 4: Lucca/Siena/Cortona Leaving Florence
today, we stop in the Tuscan hill town of Siena, whose
ochre-colored buildings and ancient ramparts evoke
the city’s medieval past and whose historic city center
is a UNESCO site. Fan-shaped Piazza del Campo
is one of Europe’s greatest public squares (and where
the annual Palio horse race takes place); its Duomo,
with works by Bernini, Donatello, and Michelangelo,
one of Italy’s finest. We set out on a guided walking
tour here then have time for lunch on our own in
this city known for its authentic Tuscan dishes. We
continue on to Cortona, arriving mid-afternoon. B,D
Day 5: Cortona Sitting atop a hill rising 2,000 feet
from the surrounding plain, Cortona dates to pre-Roman times and today remains a classic example of
Etruscan city planning and architecture. We explore
this medieval gem today, including the 5th-century BCE
city walls from where we can see the vast Valdichiana
plain stretching 62 miles across central Italy. We tour
the historic city center, and walk the steep, narrow
streets that characterize Etruscan design. This is the
town that Frances Mayes depicted in Under the Tuscan
Sun – so we visit Casa Bramasole, the 200-year-old
farmhouse the author lovingly restored. B,D
Day 6: Cortona/Pienza Today we travel through
one of Tuscany’s most beautiful – and recognized –
regions, the Val d’Orcia, an expanse of gently rolling
cultivated hills dotted with cypress trees and picturesque villages. A UNESCO site, Val d’Orcia is home
to Pienza, conceived in 1459 as an ideal Renaissance
town whose design influence eventually spread throughout Europe. Our tour here begins in Pienza’s historic
ITALIAN LANDSCAPES: TUSCANY & UMBRIA
Your Small Group Tour Highlights
Walking tour of charming Lucca • Siena's grand Piazza del
Campo • Classic Etruscan hill town of Cortona • Visit to
Frances Mayes’ Casa Bramasole • Beautiful Tuscan landscape
of Val d’Orcia • Renaissance Pienza • Private winery
tour and tasting • Art-rich Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi
• Visits to hill towns of Assisi, Todi, Orvieto • Italian cooking
demonstration and lunch • Renaissiance Florence, including
visit to Uffizi Gallery • Formal Boboli Gardens • Stays in
charming, intimate hotels
Day Itinerary Hotel Rating
1 Depart U.S. for Pisa
2-3 Lucca Hotel Ilana Lucca First Class
4-6 Cortona Hotel San Luca First Class
7-9 Todi Hotel Fonte First Class Cesia
10-12 Florence Villa Olmi Firenze Deluxe
13 Depart Florence for U.S.
Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel
industry standard reference.
Avg.High(°F) Apr May Jun Sep Oct Nov
Florence 64 73 81 79 68 57
Cortona 63 74 82 77 68 56
Cortona
Florence
Todi
Map Legend
Destination
Motorcoach
Entry/Departure
Mediterranean Sea
Adriatic Sea
Lucca
Pisa
13 days from $3,491 total price
from New York
($2,995 air & land inclusive plus $496
airline taxes and fees)
Join us under the Tuscan – and Umbrian – sun, as our small group embarks on a leisurely
idyll through two of Italy's most treasured regions,
laden with history and prized with natural beauty.
Our small group travels through timeless land-
scapes to ancient Etruscan hill towns, medieval
villages, and cities rich with art and culture on a
journey that rewards all the senses.
