Escorted Tours of Tuscany

Day 1 Arrival in Rome

Landing in Rome. As with all our Tuscany tours, you’ll be warmly welcomed with a smile and a wave by both your private driver and Alma Italia tour host. There is so much to see and do that tours of Tuscany can be complicated but with our Tuscany guided tours, you can relax knowing your Alma Italia host will take care of every little detail for you during your private Tuscany tour, ensuring you experience the very best of the soul of Italy.

The Alma Italia philosophy is that our tours of Tuscany should be about rest, fun and adventure, to inspire and restore you. The day of your arrival then is designed for you to recharge after your long flight. Your private driver will take you straight to your stylish boutique hotel in the heart of Rome where you can relax and get refreshed. When you are ready, we will take you on a stroll through the centre of Rome to soak up the vibrant atmosphere and then to dinner at one of our favourite local restaurants in all of Rome. That’s quite a statement considering we are food fanatics here at Alma Italia but the chef Marco never lets us or his regular Roman clientele down!

Day 2 A Roman holiday

Despite this being a Tuscany tour, we will first immerse you in the life of the Eternal city! After a delicious breakfast of Italian gourmet delicacies and enough fresh coffee to get your heart pumping for a fun day of adventure and discovery, your Alma Italia guide will take you to explore the heart of Rome visiting some of the MUST SEE icons of the city such as the Colosseum and Roman Forum.

 All our Italy tours are personally tailored to meet your Italian dreams and so Your Alma Italia host will help  you  to decide what to do in the afternoon. Perhaps you’d like to simply enjoy getting lost in the Roman ancient cobbled alleys or browse the designer boutiques and vintage stores.  If like us you can never have enough Italian food, you might like to go on a foodie tour of a local market where you can try organic Italian delights such as Pecorino Romano cheese or freshly made pasta, not forgetting of course a glass of local wine from the hills surrounding Rome.

Rome and her surrounding region of course deserves an entire trip to Italy in it’s own right and if you’d like to go deeper in this region simply contact us and tailor a guided tour of Italy just for you.  

The day will finish with another fabulous dinner before saying goodbye to Rome the following morning.

Day 3 The Maremma

On day 3 we will move from Rome to the south of Tuscany, in the Maremma region where we will begin to tour Tuscany proper.   Maremma is a glorious area of south west Tuscany, where some of the most uncrowded and picturesque Tuscan countryside landscapes roll down to meet the Mediterranean sea. On the shoreline of the Maremma, sandy beaches alternate with rocky coastline. The long stretches of vineyards and pine tree forests which border the beaches of the Maremma are a national treasure making it a highlight of all our Tuscany tours. 

For these days of our private Tuscany tours you will stay in a stylish Tuscan ‘Agriturismo’. This is a stylish family run converted historic farmhouse that really allows you to experience the authentic soul of Tuscany. On arrival take some time for relaxing by the pool before your cooking lesson will start! Dinner will be the fruits of your labour. If you are feeling active, take a walk or use the available bikes and enjoy a smooth ride in the stunning Tuscany countryside to work up an appetite before dining under the stars at home.

Day 4 Hilltop towns 

Maremma is still most untouched part of Tuscany and here you will tour Tuscany in its most natural and authentic region. Our Tuscany guided tours will explore the best of Maremma including a visit to an organic vineyard for some wine tasting amidst the vines and wandering through the ancient cobbled streets of Tuscan hilltop villages including Sovana and Pitigliano also called the ‘Little  Italian Jerusalem’. Finally we will end up with a beautiful beach afternoon with dinner at a gourmet beach side restaurant watching the sun go down over the deep blue Mediterranean sea. Golden memories are made of this! The Maremma is always a highight on our small group Tuscany tours.

Day 5 Saturnia Hot springs

Your private driver will pick you up from your Agriturismo and drive you to the Saturnia natural hot springs. Many  tour Tuscany and not to visit hidden natural wonders like this. Enjoy this magical place by immersing yourself in one of the natural bathtubs where Roman soldiers used to stop for restoration coming back from their battles.  After a revitalising morning and lunch at a delicious typical Tuscan trattoria with panoramic views of the countryside and shimmering coast on the horizon, your private driver will take you home where you can take advantage of the special Tuscan spa treatments at your Agroturismo or if you prefer simply relax by the pool. Dinner will be a delicious home cooked meal of fresh organic produce grown on the neighbouring farm served outside in the balmy evening air.

Day 6 The Beaches and coast of Monte Argentario

Today will be a special Italy beach holiday day to show that tours of Tuscany are not just all castles and countryside! How could we tour Tuscany without taking you to see some of the best beaches in the region, perhaps the most beloved national summer passtime. You will be escorted to Monte Argentario,  a former island off the coast of Tuscany, now connected to the mainland via three narrow sandbars. Monte Argentario is a hidden beach paradise for those looking to mingle sea and mountain fun, all in one place.

Your Alma Italia guide will take you on a private boat for a day on the water to explore the coastline of Monte Argentario and Isola Giannutri, an incredible small island unspoiled and breathtaking in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. Shaped like a half moon, the island of Giannutri will bedazzle you with its unique underwater world and the ruins of imposing Roman villas. It is a simply stunning place to explore and relax with a lunch on the island and swimming in the crystal clear waters to refresh yourself in the afternoon.

Day 7 Val D’Orcia

Not too early in the morning, and fortified by the delicious homemade pastries at breakfast we will leave the Maremma to continue our Tuscany tour by heading into the heart of Tuscany towards our next base in the Siena countryside where a stylish boutique hotel awaits for you to call home for the next few nights. En route we will stop for a stroll and lunch in the Val D’Orcia, a valley in the heart of Tuscany home to perhaps some of the most iconic Tuscan countryside scenes. Those who tour Tuscany in search of the perfect instagram moment will surely find it today! In the afternoon we will take you to visit the stunning medieval hilltop towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino,  famous for their wine, which you can be certain we will sample! 

Day 8 Siena and San Gimignano

No tours of Tuscany would be complete without visiting the two beautiful medieval towns of Siena and San Gimignano. Although not exactly secret, Alma Italia’s ‘little black book’ of contacts and special places to visit will make this day very special. The architecture is of course astounding and your guide will make the history of these classic towns come alive. The main square of Siena, is a wonderful place to have a coffee, watching the locals go about their business while soaking up the atmosphere of  the surrounding renaissance architecture.

We will stop for lunch and explore San Gimignano, Tuscany’s other famous Renaissance town set on a hill affording spectacular views of the verdant countryside below which we will stroll through after lunch to work off the rich pasta sauce!

Day 9 Chianti Wine and olive oil tasting Tuscan foodie day.

 Tuscany is known for many things but three of its most iconic products are without doubt its wine, pasta and olive oil. Today you will sample all three!

On this idyllic day of our private Tuscany tour you will meet two families at the heart of Tuscan life and both great friends of Alma Italia. The first, at their award winning family run Chianti Classico vineyard and the second, will be at one of the most historic and prestigious olive groves in all of Tuscany. Run by the same family for 200 years from their Renaissance villa high on a hill overlooking Florence, reportedly the birthplace of the mother of the Mona Lisa, it is a unique place.

After tasting wine in the spectacular vineyard set high in the Chianti hills, we will go to visit the olive groves of the Calamai family and receive an Italian cooking lesson from Eleonora, the ‘Mamma’ of the family. Lunch will be in the garden of the villa or the historic frescoed dining room. What could be a more satisfying way to spend a lazy afternoon than feasting on the fruit of your labours enjoyed with a sprinkling of 0 km’s fresh oil and a bottle of wine that we picked up in the morning from your new friends. 

Your Alma Italia host will escort you back to your hotel in time for a late afternoon nap and a dip in the pool!

Day 10 Florence

On this day we will move to the final destination and perhaps pinnacle of our Tour of Tuscany to Florence where we will stay for the last couple of nights of your holiday. Florence, the capital city of Tuscany offers some of the richest jewels of Renaissance art and architecture: Brunelleschi’s 15th century cathedral dome remains the largest brick and mortar dome to this day; the Uffizi Gallery houses one of the finest and biggest art collections in the world. The city – ruled by the Medici family for over 300 years- is a treasure trove of beautiful churches, squares and historical interest. 

Your tour host will lead you amongst the alleys of the city giving you a memorable walking tour, with stops along the way for admiring the Renaissance architecture and art that adorns the city, imbuing it with that magical atmosphere. If you feel like going deeper into Renaissance culture,  we can visit the famous Uffizi gallery or even climb to the top of the Duomo to take in the views over this ancient city. Florence is of course worth an entire trip to Italy in its own right. We can discuss all the fun options of things we could do here and you can decide with your Alma Italia host what will be best for your group. We will make sure however that you get a taste of the authentic heart of Florentine life.

Day 11 Pisa and Lucca

On your last full day you will be given total freedom to choose what to do according to how you feel.  Your tour manager will gladly help you to decide how to spend the last day of this incredible tour. Maybe you would like to see an icon of Tuscany tours like the leaning tower of Pisa, or the magnificent walled city of Lucca, cycling around its wide Roman ramparts, or just take it easy strolling one more time around Florence. Alternatively we could take a quick trip to the coast to relax on the beach. The choice is yours! I guess you’ll just have to come back next year to continue the adventure. We have the best small group tours Tuscany has to offer!

Day 12 Depart from Florence

Departure from Florence airport. Enjoy your final Italian breakfast before heading to the airport by private transfer. We will have achieved our goal if you are feeling relaxed and inspired in equal measure, having created memories of a lifetime with your friends or family on our escorted tours of Tuscany. It’s time for us to say goodbye…or maybe just `Ciao for now`! You can always come and sample more of our Italy tours next year!

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