Arena ARH R1819 68pp 29-4-18 LR PAGES

UNCOVER THE
ESSENCE OF ITALY
Tuscany
TUSCANY, THE CINQUE TERRE
& THE RIVIERA OF FLOWERS
Enjoy the simple pleasures of Italy on this classic tour. Combine the rustic and scenic delights of Tuscany with a relaxing stay on the
glorious Riviera of Flowers - starting with the city of Pisa and its leaning tower. Find your sanctuary in the spa town of Montecatini Terme –
a centre for wellbeing and relaxation, where we discover the enchanting villages of the Cinque Terre on our included excursion. Enjoy your
time in Florence – an open air masterpiece of art and architecture, and the secret city of Lucca, returning to our spa retreat at the end of
each day. We take a picturesque rail journey along the coast to our favourite seafront hotel in Diano Marina for the perfect end to our
Italian experience.
Day 1: London – Turin
We take the Eurostar service from London to
Paris, where we change trains and join the TGV to
Turin in northern Italy.
Day 2: Pisa
After a leisurely breakfast we take the train to
Pisa, on a route that offers tantalizing views of
the Mediterranean Sea while passing through
lovely resorts scattered along the coast. Our
coach takes us from the station into the historic
centre of Pisa, known as the ‘Piazza dei Miracoli’
which translates to ‘Square of Miracles’, where
you will find the Baptistery of St John, the
cathedral and the famous Leaning Tower. After
some free time to admire the surroundings, we
Vernazza
travel by coach to Montecatini Terme for our
four-night stay.
Day 3: Montecatini Terme
Enjoy a day at leisure in Montecatini Terme –
Italy’s most famous spa town, tucked away in
the heart of Tuscany. It has a wonderful air of
the belle époque period about it, with stunning
architecture and a central park. The historic
funicular railway takes you up to the hill town
of Montecatini Alto for panoramic views of the
area. There’s also a small castle, three churches
and a large square with plenty of cafés.
Day 4: The Cinque Terre
Today we explore one of Italy’s most enchanting
coastal regions, the Cinque Terre. These five
villages perch on sheer cliffs which overlook the
sea and are surrounded by hills and vineyards.
We explore two of the villages. From La Spezia
we are then taken by boat to the ancient fishing
village of Monterosso, considered the pearl
of the Cinque Terre. You can take a dip in the
azure sea and enjoy a delicious Liguarian lunch
(not included) in one of the restaurants, before
we continue to Vernazza to explore the narrow
lanes and steep stairways known as ‘Carruggi’. We
return by rail along the coast to La Spezia, before
returning by coach to our hotel.
Day 5: Florence
The capital of Tuscany, Florence, is our
destination by rail today. Regarded as one of the
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