Tuscany & Umbria: La Dolce Vita

Itinerary

Itinerary:
Pisa - Lucca - Umbria - San Gimigano - Pisa
Duration:
10 days / 9 nights (flexible)
Price:
from £ 488.- per person (excluding flights)

Tuscany and Umbria are the perfect combination to experience the sweet Italian life. On this 10-day trip, you’ll ignore the big cities and head straight for the green hills and castle villages. Ride a Vespa through Tuscan countryside, knead pasta with an Italian mum and stop to take a look at the old Italian towns en route. You’ll stay in a variety of unique places, like an agriturismo’s with outdoor swimming pool and wine farm between the hills.

Days 1-4 – Tastes of Tuscany

Today you will arrive at your agriturismo that is nestled in green hills decorated with vineyards, olive trees and old Italian villages. Your room is very comfortable with an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, a beautiful wooden beamed ceiling and charming furniture. There’s nothing plannig for the rest of the day, so you can slip easily into Italian life with a glass of Chianti by the pool. There is also a restaurant on the property, so you can eat here in the evenings if you don’t feel like leaving the house.

Days 4-7 – Pasta alla mamma

You’ll have already picked up your hire car at Pisa airport on arrival, so you’re ready and set for the open road! After your stay you’ll drive from Lucca to Umbria. The driving time is approx. 2.5 hours, but you may wish to make stops along the way. You’ll travel by car to your agriturismo through the rolling farmland of western Umbria. Along the way you’ll learn why Umbria is known as the green heart of Italy, with its rolling fields, forests, lakes, flowery meadows and fertile riverbanks. Your agriturismo is located on a hill, meaning your rustic room will have great views, as well as traditional features and a comfortable bed. The rest of the day is free for you to close your eyes by the pool and listen to the chirping birds.

This morning you can relax, as it’s not until the afternoon that you will really get acquainted with Italian cuisine by making your own pasta under the guidance of a local cook. You’ll start by grinding the grains and then work your way through the whole process until you have a steaming bowl of fresh pasta in front of you. After all that carb-loading you’ll be ready the next day to explore the local area a bit more. Visit Gubbio, considered one of the most beautiful towns in Umbria, or you may prefer to explore the pilgrim town Assisi with is beautiful old white buildings.

Days 7-10 – Scooting through San Gimignano

Today you’ll drive from Umbria to San Gimignano. The driving time is approx. 2.5 hours, but you may wish to make stops along the way. You will drive through rolling hills to your agriturismo that has an outdoor swimming pool and a view over the countryside and the medieval tower village of San Gimignano in the distance. Check into your comfortable, rustic room and at the end of the day you can cool down in the pool, before enjoying a glass of homemade wine. For an authentic Italian dinner experience, you can sit at the long wooden table with other guests, sharing a bottle of homemade Chianti.

After breakfast the next morning you’ll drive to San Gimignano, where you’ll trade in your car for a new set of wheels – your own Vespa. You’ll mainly drive on country roads with little traffic and below San Gimignano is where the real Tuscan countryside begins. Pass vineyards, cypress-lined villas, the golden-brown hills of Val d’Orcia, as you follow quiet roads meandering through the countryside arriving at single-street villages like Montepulciano or Volterra, the highest hill town in Tuscany. The following day you can either rent the vespa for another day, or you may prefer to unwind at the edge of the pool with a good book after a busy day yesterday.

Today you’ll drive from San Gimignano to Pisa. The driving time is approx. 1.5 hours, but you may wish to make stops along the way. You’ll drop off your hire car at the airport and head to the terminal for your flight home.