100% customisable travel idea
Italy - Florence - Siena - Castiglione d'Orcia - San Martino in Campo (Perugia) - Assisi
100% customisable for you
Private transfer and two nights’ accommodation in the heart of Florence’s old town, opposite the Ospedale degli Innocenti on Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, which is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. Your hotel is set within the walls of a historic residence. The bedrooms, lounges and living areas are elegantly furnished in classic Florentine style, reflecting all the charm and comfort of 16th-century Italian hospitality. As you are in the heart of Florence, all that remains is to allow yourself to be swept away by the city's beauty.
The red rooftops and the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore of Florence rise up between the peaceful banks of the Arno and the hills of Tuscany. It was profoundly shaped by the family of Lorenzo de Medici, known as “Il Magnifico”, an evocative and flattering adjective shared with the Florentine city, which experienced its golden age under his rule. Even today, travellers delight in discovering its Renaissance palaces and churches and seek out a myriad of museums and art galleries. Food lovers, meanwhile, will not want to miss the delicious trippa alla fiorentina, the thickbistecca, or white truffle pasta, all of which are local specialities not to be missed.
Already planned: Fast-track tickets for the Uffizi Gallery. This is a world-renowned museum, and rightly so. The collections span from the Middle Ages to the Baroque era, and bring together masterpieces by the great painters of the Renaissance: Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Piero della Francesca, Paolo Uccello, Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bellini, Titian, just to mention a few.
Optional: Private guided walk in the footsteps of Michelangelo.
Collect your rental car and drive to Siena. Stay for two nights at the entrance to the city, in the bucolic setting of the Tuscan hills. Your hotel is located in a former 18th-century patrician residence. In your bedroom next to the garden, the rustic feel blends with modern amenities. The attentive service and well-chosen location make it an ideal haven for exploring beautiful Siena at your leisure. Florence’s historic rival stands out by almost being its antithesis. Unlike its neighbour, a jewel of the Italian Renaissance, Siena has preserved its medieval appearance.
Planned: Private tour of Siena, the pink city. Clinging to three ochre-red clay hills the colour of “Terra di Siena”, the streets of the medieval city wind within surprisingly vast city walls before opening, amid the sea of tawny rooftops, onto the wondrous Piazza del Campo, a magical place that is the beating heart of Siena. It is in this square that the Palio takes place every summer, during which the city's 17 districts compete in a fast-paced horse race. Your private guide will tell you all the secrets of the city before taking you to see several highlights, such as the Basilica di San Domenico, Palazzo Salimbeni (which houses the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the oldest Italian bank, founded in 1472), Palazzo Tolomei, Palazzo Chigi Saracini, Piazza del Campo, and the cathedral.
Optional: Private guided tour of San Gimignano; Wine and regional food tasting at Castello d'Albola.
Drive to Castiglione d'Orcia. Stay for two nights near the small medieval village, in the heart of the Val d'Orcia hills. Your intimate accommodation is run by a couple from Milan. The secluded location, surrounded by picturesque scenery, creates a relaxing atmosphere. The interiors are a harmonious blend of contemporary and traditional design. Your room looks out onto the delightful garden. The courtyard restaurant, next to the pool, serves Tuscan cuisine with a tasteful modern twist, paired with carefully selected local wines.
The timeless little village of Castiglione d'Orcia is set in the heart of the peaceful landscapes of the Val d'Orcia, which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It blends in harmoniously among the hills, ravines and iconic cypress trees, creating a picture postcard Tuscan scene. The Rocca Aldobrandesca, an ancient and imposing fortress,, overlooks the village, silently guarding its medieval fortifications.
Planned: Private tour of the medieval towns of Pienza and Bagno Vignoni. The guided tour begins in one of the best-preserved medieval villages in the whole of Tuscany. Pienza is also an ideal Renaissance town, with its famous Piazza Pio II, the cathedral and the Palazzo Piccolomini, and fully deserves its UNESCO designation. Next, you will head to the tiny hamlet of Bagno Vignoni, one of the region’s best-kept secrets, located 9 miles (15km) to the south-west. Far from the crowds, the guide will lead you to the main square and share the local history. The thermal waters that flow here have been known since Roman times, and the village is arranged around this ancient pool of steaming water.
Drive to San Martino in Campo, in the heart of Umbria. You will be staying for two nights in the summer residence of a prominent family, which was built in the 17th century and has been regularly renovated since. Beautiful features such as frescoed ceilings, exposed beams and four-poster beds give the place a great sense of prestige. The bedrooms reflect the Italian art of harmonising eras with requirements. At the table, the focus is on highlighting local produce. The chef’s creations skilfully combine creativity,, seasonality, quality and tradition. The wine cellar offers a wide selection of regional and Italian wines, while the spa offers you all the benefits of organic wellness with state-of-the-art facilities and skilled practitioners. In short, this is the ultimate countryside accommodation for a stay in Perugia.
On the west bank of the Tiber, Perugia, the capital of Umbria, stands out as a genuine alternative to Tuscany and Florence. It easily holds its own as a major city of the Italian Renaissance. You can stroll at your own pace through its narrow streets enclosed by the city walls, dotted with art museums, palazzi, boutiques, and trendy bars and cafes.
In the diary: Private tour of Assisi (Basilica di San Francesco and other Franciscan sites). The artistic wonders that you can admire in the city’s basilicas illustrate the remarkable and enduring religious work of Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone, Francis of Assisi (1182-1226). Led by a guide, the tour begins at the Basilica di Santa Chiara, which houses the shrine of the poverello’s disciple and founder of the Order of the Poor Clares (1212); it also contains the Crucifix of San Damiano, from which Francis is said to have received the command to rebuild the Church. Next are a few buildings from the old town, including the Roman Temple of Minerva, now the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Finally, you head up to the Basilica di San Francesco. The damage caused by the 1997 earthquake has been repaired, as far as possible. The tomb of the saint is in the crypt of the lower basilica. The frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue are in the upper basilica, and they are not the only ones worth seeing! Here you are in a major centre of European civilisation.
Optional: Historic Perugia.
Drive to Florence airport, return your vehicle and take your international flight home.
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