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The Hidden Villages of Tuscany |
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Program Number: |
20096RJ |
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| Start
and End Dates: |
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| Duration: |
9 nights |
| Location: |
Italy
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| Price starting at: |
$2,592.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city |
| Program Type:
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| Meals: |
20;
7 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 8 Dinners |
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The borghi (small villages) of Tuscany have their own pace, their own traditional meals, their own culture and, it sometimes seems, their own world apart from modernity and even from the flow of tourists into some parts of the region. Explore the piazzas, churches, fortresses and hilly landscapes of this smaller, timeless Italy. Interact with the people in markets and cafés, see the masterpieces that have long resided here and taste simple, ancient, delicious Tuscan cuisine.
Highlights
• Absorb the culture and day-to-day life of Tuscan villages on this thorough, in-depth journey.
• Observe artisans creating fine textiles using ancient methods including pre-treatment with olive oil and coloring with onions, sage and carrots.
• Learn how Tuscany’s chefs work with the fertile northern Italian land to create distinctive dishes.
Activity Particulars
Walking up to one mile and standing for up to one hour at a time; some uneven terrain and stairs without railings.
Itinerary Summary
Arrival Florence; coach to Anghiari, 8 nights; coach to Florence for departure.
Overnight flight from the U.S.A. | 1 night | Arrival Florence | Coach to Anghiari | 8 nights | Coach to Florence for departure |
Upon reaching the small town of Anghiari, the mayor offers you a welcome cocktail before your first dinner made with local ingredients. Learn about the Battle of Anghiari, which pitted Florence against Milan in 1440, at the Museo della Battaglia. Meet the craftsmen and -women in some of the town’s ceramics and textile workshops. Learn about the Renaissance painter Piero della Francesca in the town of Monterchi and admire his masterpiece, the “Resurrection.” Discover the XI century fairy tale Castle of Galbino in the country of San Francesco. Venture to Arezzo, site of Italy’s largest antiques fair, a maze of furniture, sculptures, iron and copper items and much more. In Arezzo visit the Church of Saint Francis which boasts the fresco cycle "Legends of the True Cross" by Piero della Francesca. At the Castello di Sorci, take part in a seasonal activity such as harvesting and pressing grapes or hunting for mushrooms then take part in a cooking demonstration and dinner.
Italy
“Dolce far niente,” the “sweetness of doing nothing.” This ode to leisure is a distinctly Italian phrase, and yet the expression does not do justice to the hard-work ethos of the nation’s inhabitants. The monuments, art and civilization bequeathed to the people of modern Italy are a testament to the industry of their forebears, and the legacy lives on in today’s Italians, who work hard to better enjoy the sweetness of repose.
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Accommodations
Anghiari: Family-owned inn overlooking the historic town piazza.
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