Tuscany and Cinque Terre

•   No more than 20 guests – small group size means sight-doing, not just sightseeing, for hands-on cultural immersion

Day 1: Renaissance Revival in Florence
Look for us at the Peretola Airport for your included transfer to the hip and hot Gallery Hotel Art, where the art of hospitality is redefined. Tuscany’s “al fresco” museum, Florence itself is a work of art, blending red-tiled rooftops with a maze of medieval alleyways that lead to buildings resplendent with Renaissance brilliance, inside and out. Freshen up for a fresh look at Florence through the eyes of our local guide; walk along the Arno, mingle with memories of the Medici in the San Lorenzo area and see the massive duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore. Cocktails and canapés follow back at the hotel – you’ll dine at a riverside restaurant across the Ponte Vecchio. The restaurant is lively, the views wonderful, the conversation fascinating... Benvenuti in Italia!
Overnight:
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: The Heart of Art
Culturious insights paint an intimate portrait of master artists today. Meet a Florentine art history scholar who shares stories about the artists who used city landmarks as their palette as she provides a “tell all” on Michelangelo during an exclusive insider lecture. Then it’s off to the Uffizi, built centuries ago by the Medici as an office building and to house their private collection. Today, it’s home to works you’ve perhaps seen replicated in books and prints, depicting the genius of such luminaries as Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and more; wait until you feast your eyes on the originals, including Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo, nestled in a frame he also designed. The star-studded parade of head-turning art continues during your visit to the Galleria dell’Accademia, where the statue of "David" reigns as a study in artistic perfection. By midday you’ll understand how art and history are inextricably intertwined in Florence. Look around the city on your own – look carefully at the sculptures that stand throughout city squares, you just might catch them moving as they entertain passers-by – before joining us for a very handy lesson in some basic Italiano. Buona giornata!
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: Living the Florentine Life
Walk along the cobbled streets of the Oltrarno to the artisans’ workshops in the old San Niccolò district; here they ply trades that date back centuries. By special appointment, Culturious takes you inside two working restoration studios to meet the people behind the art. Art Restoration Specialist Bettina Schindler-Pratesi, a teacher and a talented artist, gives new life to antiques dressed in ivory, bone and mother-of-pearl. Next door, see a multitude of locals at work restoring and immortalizing art from all genres; their meticulous expertise deftly erases the ravages of time, preventing the art from fading into oblivion. A short drive to the Basilica of Santa Croce, eternal resting place for Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini and other illustrious Italians, offers a chance to reflect on the treasured legacies of their lives. Back in Florence, local scents, sights and sounds come to life at the colorful Mercato Centrale, enticing with traditional Florentine street food... lampredotto sandwiches… fresh fruit... porchetta… gelato… a true feast for the senses. Sample regional delights as you wish and spend the afternoon exploring on your own. The grandson of a former Florentine mayor, concert pianist Gregorio Nardi, and his wife Annegret, invite you to join them at the end of the day at the Palazzo Bargellini. Your private evening affair includes a personal tour, a recital on a Steinway Grand piano, lively discussions on history and local politics, and an aperitivo. In Florence, dinner is also an art; discover lots of different restaurants, cafés and trattorias that tempt with all kinds of delectable Italian culinary indulgences.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4: The Way to Cinque Terre
Your first Culturious road trip twists and turns its way toward the Mediterranean Sea; en route, see the huge mountains of white marble at Carrara — snow-like clouds of stone-dust blanket quarried landscapes; ride aboard a 4 x 4 to view them up close on a guided tour. Changing landscapes mesmerize as you drive along the coast to Liguria and Portovenere on the Gulf of Poets; it’s not hard to see why this Roman-Byzantine town was named for the goddess Venus. A motor boat navigates Mediterranean waters along Cinque Terre from Portovenere, where colorful houses cascade along a hillside against the azure sea, to the village of Monterosso. Your boutique hotel is perched on the hillside overlooking the harbor.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 5: Discovering “The Five Lands”
Wake up in paradise, perhaps starting your day with an early morning dip off the private beach of Porto Roca. Fragrant with lemon trees and calla lilies, Monterosso is one of five remote fishing villages along the coast. Cinque Terre, “the five lands,” are now linked to the outside world by rail, but for centuries were accessible only by sea… or on foot. If you wish, hike with us through terraced vineyards overlooking the sea from Monterosso to Vernazza, the “pearl of Cinque Terre.” If you would prefer not to walk, take the train back to your hideaway by the sea, a thrilling experience unto itself. Along the way, fall in love with village life… the remainder of the day is free.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 6: Dining, cooking and dining in Tuscany...
Drive through the Tuscan Hills to nearby Lucca. Tuscany is all about the food; a hands-on lesson with local chefs at a cooking school reveal secrets in the art of making fresh pasta — Fattoria Colle Verde is one of the region’s foremost wineries and olive oil producers. Do a little virgin olive oil tasting… a little Tuscan wine tasting… and more than a little pasta tasting at lunch. Take a short walk after lunch through olive groves and across rolling hills, or head straight back to the hotel in walled Lucca.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 7: Lucious Lucca
Medieval Lucca’s red-brick walls shut out the modern world. And because it’s topographically flat, Lucca is a bicyclist’s dream. Today you’ll ride down narrow lanes… across ancient piazzas… even along the top of its massive walls with a local guide who knows the best routes by heart – cycling paths that are as picturesque as they are historic! If you’re not interested in bicycling, there’s so much to see and do in town. This evening will be pure magic when we take you to a local winery just outside of town for an evening of wine, Prosecco, and canapés... followed by a memorable dinner of regional specialties… under the fading light of the proverbial Tuscan sun. It’s a perfect ending to a fantastic week.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Arrivederci, Tuscany
Tour ends: Florence. Fly home anytime. A transfer will be provided from Hotel Ilaria to Peretola Airport in Florence. As you return to Florence through those magical hills for your journey home, the rich flavors of Tuscany travel, Culturious-style, linger in your memory. And there they’ll stay… warm and inviting… till your next visit. 
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/26/2012 - 6/3/2012	$4,090
6/2/2012 - 6/10/2012	$4,090
6/9/2012 - 6/17/2012	$4,290
6/16/2012 - 6/24/2012	$4,290
6/23/2012 - 7/1/2012	$4,290
6/30/2012 - 7/8/2012	$4,290
8/25/2012 - 9/2/2012	$4,290
9/1/2012 - 9/9/2012	$4,290
9/8/2012 - 9/16/2012	$4,290
9/10/2012 - 9/18/2012	$4,290
9/15/2012 - 9/23/2012	$4,290
9/17/2012 - 9/25/2012	$4,290
9/22/2012 - 9/30/2012	$4,290
9/24/2012 - 10/2/2012	$4,290
9/29/2012 - 10/7/2012	$4,290
10/1/2012 - 10/9/2012	$4,090
10/6/2012 - 10/14/2012	$4,090
10/8/2012 - 10/16/2012	$4,090
10/13/2012 - 10/21/2012	$4,090
10/15/2012 - 10/23/2012	$4,090
10/20/2012 - 10/28/2012	$4,090
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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