Tuscany

Itinerary

Portofino Day Trip

Spend the day exploring the beautiful Ligurian coast. Here some of Italy's most famous resorts nestle on a shoreline backed by wooded hills. See the gardens and piazzas of Santa Margherita Ligure, which overlooks a stunning bay at the northern end of the Portofino headland, then take a boat trip along the coast to discover Portofino itself. Despite its exclusive, chic reputation, Portofino remains one of the Mediterranean's most delightful locations.

Pisa and Lucca Tour

See the Italian gems of Pisa and Lucca on this guided tour. Pisa's treasures include the famous Leaning Tower, the circular Baptistery of St John (which took more than 200 years to complete) and the mighty Duomo, while the elegant walled city of Lucca's medieval clock tower, the Torre delle Ore, and the oval expanse of the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro (which stands on the site of the ancient city's Roman amphitheatre) are just some of of the highlights you'll discover there.

Florence city tour

Revel in the wonders of Florence, Italy's beautiful Renaissance capital. On this city tour you'll see the magnificent Florentine skyline, explore Santa Croce and cross the medieval Ponte Vecchio. For art lovers, the Accademia houses Michelangelo's peerless statue of David, and the Uffizi, Botticelli's exquisite 'Birth of Venus' (gallery entry is payable locally).

Volterra, Certaldo and San Gimignano tour

Head into the Tuscan countryside to explore the exquisite hill towns of Volterra, Certaldo and UNESCO-listed medieval gem San Gimignano. Set high above the Cecina and Dell'Era valleys, Estruscan Volterra is beautifully preserved, with its ancient walls surrounding a medieval core, at the heart of which is a stunning Romanesque cathedral and the ornate Piazza del Priori, lined with beautiful palazzi. You'll also take in the Roman amphitheatre, uncovered in 1951.

No less fascinating is the charming 'twin-town' of Certaldo, the 'newer' lower town nestled beneath the upper, fortified Certaldo alto, with its ancient gates and defensive walls. Saving the best until last, the day concludes with a visit to San Gimignano, where fairy-tale towers rise from the hill-top villages. Back to top

Accommodation

Hotel Belvedere

The Belvedere boasts an excellent location opposite the famous Tettuccio Spa.

he hotel is surrounded by a well-tended garden, and has a bar and lounge, a reception, a lift and a spacious restaurant, which serves traditional Tuscan dishes, as well as more typical Mediterranean and international food, and offers a buffet breakfast each morning. There is also a sun terrace and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.

The guest rooms are air-conditioned, and each is individually themed and decorated, and has parquet flooring. All the rooms have satellite TV, hairdryers and telephones. Balcony rooms are available for a supplement.

Adua Hotel

This excellent, friendly, family-run four-star hotel is centrally located in Montecatini, just a short distance on foot from the resort's amenities, shops, bars and restaurants. It is also just a short walk from Terme Excelsior and Terme Leopoldine thermal baths.

The Adua is decorated throughout in rich colours and fabrics, and has a cosy breakfast room, a TV room, an outdoor swimming pool and a garden. As well as an American Bar and a piano lounge, the hotel has a restaurant (Amadeus) that serves Tuscan and international dishes. A fully equipped spa offers a range of treatments (payable locally).

The guest room are stylishly furnished and air-conditioned, and each has a telephone, a mini-bar, TB and a safe. Balcony rooms are available for a supplement.

Hotel Manzoni

Close to Montecatini's main thermal baths and the centre of the resort, this tastefully decorated, completely renovated four-star hotel is dedicated to comfort and relaxation.

The hotel's facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, two lounges, a well-equipped wellness centre with fresh and saltwater pools, whirlpool, steam room and sauna (some facilities payable locally) and a gym. The hotel restaurant serves Tuscan specialities and international dishes as well as a varied buffet breakfast. A discount is available on green fees at Montecatini Golf Club, and the hotel offers free bike rental as well as free Wi-Fi and a lift.

Each guest room is comfortable and air-conditioned rooms, and has satellite TV, a telephone, a hairdryer, a mini-bar and a safe. Balcony rooms are available for a supplement.

Hotel Columbia

This four-star spa hotel has recently been refurbished in a way that respects the Art Nouveau style of its original interiors. It's an ideal choice for those looking to indulge themselves during their stay.

The hotel has a state-of-the-art wellness centre that boasts fresh and saltwater pools, a unique salt cave, steam rooms, a sauna and massage rooms (facilities and treatments payable locally). It has a bar, a comfortable lounge, an outdoor terrace and an excellent restaurant offering stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Tuscan hills.

Each guest room is individually and stylishly decorated, and has air conditioning, satellite TV, a hairdryer, a safe, a mini-bar and free Wi-Fi. Balcony rooms are available for a supplement.

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Further Information

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately 45 minutes from Pisa, approximately two hours and 30 minutes from Verona, approximately three hours from Rome and approximately three hours 45 minutes from Malpensa.

Combining hotel transfers

We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.

Meals in Italy

Guests on half-board arrangements will be served a three-course evening meal, and can expect a first course of traditional pasta or soup, a main meat or fish course accompanied by one or two types of vegetable, and a simple dessert of fruit, cake or Italian ice cream. Breakfasts will usually consist of bread rolls, jam, cereal, ham, cheese, fruit juice, tea and coffee. Menus will vary from hotel to hotel, but choice will be more limited than in a normal restaurant.

Entrance fees

Since some attractions visited offer free admission to visitors at certain times of year, we do not include entrance fees. These will be payable locally where applicable. This applies to excursions that are included in the price of your holiday and to excursions booked as optional extras.

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Disabled access

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Italian hotel room tax

Some regions of Italy have introduced a room tax of between 1 € and 3 € per person per night, payable directly by the guest to the hotel on check-out. You will be advised by your tour manager in resort if a particular hotel is implementing this charge.

Airport development fees

An Airport Development Fee has been introduced at a few UK Airports. You will be required to pay this charge at the following airports prior to checking in for your flight: Blackpool, Durham Tees Valley, Newquay and Norwich. The amount varies from airport to airport, but it is generally between £5 and £10 per person. Please visit the airport's website for further information.

Itinerary changes

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

Foreign Office Travel Advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

Airport development fees

An Airport Development Fee has been introduced at a few UK Airports. You will be required to pay this charge at the following airports prior to checking in for your flight: Blackpool, Durham Tees Valley, Newquay and Norwich. The amount varies from airport to airport, but it is generally between £5 and £10 per person. Please visit the airport's website for further information.

Terms and conditions

This offer applies to new bookings on air-inclusive holidays and river cruise only made between 1st and 28th February 2019 (inclusive) only. Prices shown when booking do not include the discount. The discount will be applied to your booking once the promo code (FEB5) has been entered and will be confirmed before purchase. The discount applies to your final holiday price at the time of booking (excluding holiday insurance if selected). This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Back to top