For centuries, the verdant landscapes and medieval villages of Tuscany remained frozen in time. Scarcely changed in appearance, today the entire region is a living cultural treasure. In the hills of northern Tuscany and Florence, discover the unparalleled artistic genius that blossomed into masterpieces of marble, canvas and architecture whose brilliance transcends time and place.

Highlights

Guided visits to the classic Tuscan cities of Florence, Pisa and Lucca.

Lunch at a winery in the Tuscan hills

An art history professor illuminates Renaissance masterpieces at the Duomo Museum in Florence.

Program Particulars

Program cost excludes three lunches so you may explore local fare. Program in association with Trinity College.

Activity Particulars

Some walks cover 2-3 miles. The traffic free streets in Florence may be crowded with pedestrians.

Date Specific Information

This program date will stay in Montecatini Terme for 12 nights rather than 11, please see the day-to-day itinerary for more information.
Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.

Day 1

Days 2-13

Tucked in the olive groves between Florence and the Mediterranean coast, Montecatini Terme is one of Europe's most famous spas and an ideal base for exploration of northern Tuscany. Before visiting Florence, trace the development of Renaissance painting, sculpture and architecture from the historical context of their birth through to their highest form. View masterpieces by Giotto and Botticelli at the Uffizi Gallery and works by Donatello and Michelangelo at the Duomo Museum. What Florence is to the Renaissance, Pisa is to the Romanesque. In the “Square of Miracles,” spend a morning amid Pisa’s finest architectural wonders including the cathedral, baptistery and iconic leaning tower. Enjoy lunch at a winery in the Tuscan hills.

Lodging: Three-star hotel in the center of an elegant spa town.

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.