Lucca, Italy
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*Dates and price are estimated. We are confirming with our providers in Italy price and availability. We hope to stay as close to our 2020 price as possible.
$500 deposit (please drop us a line prior to sending deposit, this trip is almost full)
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Surrounded by mountains, forests and farmland, arriving into Lucca fulfills the collective wish for what Tuscany should be like. This almost perfectly preserved jewel of medieval architecture and buildings, emanates charm and shows layers of history from every corner of its narrow winding streets.
Tentative Itinerary
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Itinerary Highlights:
Cinque Terre: Along a beautifully isolated six-mile stretch of the most seductive corner of the Italian Riviera lie the Cinque Terre — five (cinque) small, traffic-free towns gently and steadily carving a good life out of difficult terrain. Each village fills a ravine with a lazy hive of human activity. Calloused locals and sunburned travelers enjoy the area's unique mix of Italian culture and nature. There isn't a Fiat or museum in sight — just sun, sea, sand (well, pebbles), wine, and pure, unadulterated Italy.
Florence: We will travel to Florence, renowned as one of the most cultural and historical cities in the world and is packed full of amazing architecture and places of significance. Tuscany is known for its fabulous landscapes, amazing artwork and architecture and its incredible charm. Yet there is only one place in Tuscany where all three of these elements combine effortlessly together and give life to a magical, romantic and absolutely one of a kind city: Florence
Tuscan Market Shopping and Cooking Class: Your morning begins with a market tour to some of Lucca's specialty purveyors of local produce, bread bakers, gourmet foods, the oldest dried good merchant in Lucca, maybe even a wine shop. The days menu will take us where we need to go. Along the way you will learn about, and sample some of the regions delicacies while we do our "from the farm fresh" shopping. Then it's back to the 18th century palace, just a short walk from the shopping district. We will don our aprons, and armed with a prosecco or a Nespresso (your choice) begin to tackle the menu. Chef Giuseppe chooses offerings relating to the seasons of Tuscany, so menus will vary by time of year, but always include one starter, a main or pasta course, a dessert, wine from the region. (We are happy to cater to dietary restrictions when notified in advance. ) Classes are hands on. At the end of the instruction and preparation, we will sit down to an authentic meal around a table with newly made friends and savor the days creations.
Carrara Marble Quarries - Apuan Alps: Details coming soon as we confirm details with our guides.
Florence Day Trip: Details coming soon as we confirm details with our guides.
Optional Tours and Experiences:
Wine Tour and Tasting: We will explore our vineyards of Sangiovese, Colorino, Trebbiano and all the native Tuscan vines that we grow every day with passion. We will walk until we arrive in our olive grove where every year we produce our extra virgin olive oil. Then we will cross our cellar to understand all the details of the winemaking, aging, bottling and labeling process of our entire production. After the first part of the visit, the most beautiful part will start: the tasting of our wines and of our extra-virgin olive oil.
Extra-virgin olive oil in bruschetta made only with Tuscan cultivars and around 10 glasses that fully express the style and character of our reality.
The Rosato will start the tasting by opening the way to our white wines followed by reds.
We will finish with the sweet taste of our Vin Santo and the softness of our Grappa. From extra virgin olive oil to our grappa, you will taste typical Tuscan food from local realities carefully selected by our family.
VIP Cheese experience: Enter in to the ancient art of cheese making at a small family dairy outside of Lucca. Cheese tasting paired with the best wineries and breweries selected by our sommelier.
Bike: An easy way to discover the way of water from the old town to fresh springs, where the precious oligomineral water of Lucca flows. Cycling from the city center and admiring the town from the top of the walls, we'll continue along the majestic historic aqueduct of Lorenzo Nottolini until we reach the small valley of Guamo, a sort of kingdom of the waters that locals call "The golden words".
Hike: Climb a summit through the garrigue, the vegetation that characterizes these mountains that separate Lucca from Pisa. In the morning light sensations are enhanced, like the energies and emotions that can be conveyed by the colors of the flowers and the scent of aromatic herbs. A landscape that opens up more and more as you go up, until you can see the coasts of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the valley and the Alps in the distance. Once you reach the top have a break and enjoy this view with a hot coffee and a pastry. An enchanting leafy itinerary that is part of the identity of this territory. When even a glass of water can turn into a fact of history and culture!
What's Included |
What's not Included: |
Accommodations |
Flights to/from Lucca |
Transportation during included tours & Florence airport transfers |
Meals and activities not mentioned |
All activities and entrance fees listed on itinerary |
Travel insurance |
Breakfast every day |
Passport/visa fees |
Daily happy hour |
Tips and gratuities |
Centrally located unique apartments or villas for a private B&B style experience.
Double occupancy
Solo travelers welcome with no single supplement fee (limited availability)
Small Group (12 or less)
Double occupancy
Solo travelers welcome with no single supplement fee (limited availability)
Small Group (12 or less)
While the tour itself is not strenuous, please note that it can involve the following: somewhat long days, a good amount of walking, early morning wake-ups and other similar scenarios.