Toskana (Livorno)

Savor the full “Tuscan experience” on this overnight program designed for a small group. Start with a wine tasting at a Castle in the countryside, spend an overnight in the heart of Florence including a visit to one of the most beautiful museums in the city, visit the charming medieval town of San Gimignano and round out your tour with a fun and interactive cooking class at typical homestead nestled within the rolling hills of Tuscany.

This program is limited to 10 guests. There is a good amount of walking over cobbled or uneven ground in both Florence and San Gimignano.

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Set off from the pier in Livorno with your local escort and head towards the interior of Tuscany where you will visit the beautiful and historical estate, Castello di Verrazzano.

Located in the heart of the Chianti region and surrounded by its vineyards, the Castle has been producing wines since 1170. Here, you will have a guided tour of the gardens of the castle and the historical cellars, followed by a tasting of their most important wines paired with a traditional lunch.

After this surely enjoyable stop, you will meander your way through the countryside towards Florence, the “cradle of the Renaissance” as it’s commonly nicknamed.

Wherever you look around, you’ll find yourself surrounded by historical buildings which bear the mark of the history of Florence. After checking in at your hotel and dropping off your luggage, you will begin a walking tour of this fascinating city – its historic center inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Walking though the cobbled streets, you will see the most iconic sites like the magnificent Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, respectively the religious and political centers of the city, where art and architecture really played an important role.

Crossing the famous Ponte Vecchio, the most famous bridge of Florence, you will then reach Palazzo Pitti, where you’ll have the chance to visit the “Galleria Palatina”, which houses one of the most important collections in Italy with works from sixteenth and seventeenth centuries belonging to the Medici family. You’ll then have some free time to browse around the city at dusk, before returning back to the hotel for a delicious dinner.

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After breakfast and check-out, you will meet your guide at the hotel, board your coach and again to head into the countryside. During your journey you will already see your next destination on the horizon as it has a very distinctive skyline. San Gimignano’s tall walls and narrow streets are typical of Tuscan hill towns, but it's the medieval "skyscrapers" that set the town apart from its neighbors. Today, fourteen of the original seventy-six towers have survived.

After a short introduction by your guide, you will have some free time to stroll at leisure in town, browsing through the many handicraft shops and admiring the medieval architecture which has landed the historic center on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

You will then meet your guide again and drive to “Fattoria Poggio Alloro”. This simple, family establishment welcomes guests for a visit of their cellar, shed, vineyards and olive groves. It is here that you will experience and soak in the authentic atmosphere of a traditional Italian farmhouse.

Poggio Alloro features all organic products such as wine, oil, and cereals. The farm also claims one of the most ancient Tuscan breeds of cattle, the selected Chianina breed. After a chance to browse, you will engage in a cooking class where you will learn how to prepare fresh handmade pasta, which you will then enjoy during your lunch while tasting their delicious wines.

Eventually it will be time to say goodbye to your hosts and you will return to the port of Livorno where you will reboard the ship.

Landprogramm – Schritt für Schritt:

Hinweis: Die Reihenfolge der besuchten Sehenswürdigkeiten kann abweichen, um Verkehrsstaus zu vermeiden. All program details including timings indicated below are approximate, given here for general reference purposes and subject to change. Endgültige Reiserouten mit den aktuellsten Details erhalten Sie vom Destination Services Team an Bord des Schiffs. Bitte sehen Sie sich Ihre finale Reiseroute genau an, falls weitere Änderungen vorgenommen wurden.

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09:00 Uhr Meet your guide at the pier in Livorno and drive to Castello di Verrazzano

22:30 Uhr Visit the garden and the castle

23:30 Uhr Wine tasting and lunch

13:30 Uhr Drive to Florence

14:30 Uhr Check-in im Hotel

15:00 Uhr Guided walking tour including the Galleria Palatina

18:00 Uhr Free time

19:30 Uhr Dinner at Osteria della Pagliazza

Overnight at the Grand Hotel Minerva or similar hotel

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Frühstück im Hotel

08:30 Uhr Departure for San Gimignano

09:30 Uhr Free time in town

10:45 Uhr Drive to Fattoria Poggio Alloro

11:00 Uhr Cooking class

13:30 Uhr Lunch and wine tasting

15:30 Uhr Reboard the coach

17:00 Uhr Arrive back to the port of Livorno and re-board the ship

Voraussichtliches Wetter:

At the end of October, beginning of November it can be cold and rainy. The average temperature is between 6 C / 42 F and 15 C / 59 F

Was Sie mitbringen sollten:

Guests should bring comfortable walking shoes and warm clothing. It is recommended to bring an umbrella in case of rain.

Landeswährung:

Euro.

Credit cards are accepted in most of the shops

Stromspannung

In Italy, power plugs and sockets (outlets) of type F (two larger pins) and type L (three small pins) are used. The standard voltage is 230 V at a frequency of 50 Hz. There may be some adaptors available at the hotel however we recommend brining your own universal travel adaptor for electric devices.

Erforderliche Papiere und Visa:

A valid passport is required

Anschrift des Hotels:

Name: Grand Hotel Minerva

Anschrift: Piazza S. Maria Novella, 16 – 50123 Firenze

Telefon: +39 05527230

* Eine Änderung der Hotels findet nur in unvorhergesehenen Fällen statt. If similar hotels are required they will be of equal ratings and standards and you will be notified of the change. If you are not notified of any changes before your departure then you will be staying at the hotel listed in this program.

Das Programm für die Gäste enthält:

•1 night at the Grand Hotel Minerva hotel (subject to change) – Deluxe double room with a view of Santa Maria Novella square including breakfast and city tax

•Wine tasting and lunch at Castello di Verrazzano

•Guided tour in Florence

•Entrance to the “Galleria Palatina”

•3-courses dinner and beverages

•Cooking class at “Fattoria Poggio Alloro”, with wine tasting and lunch

Nicht im Programm für die Gäste enthalten:

• Trinkgelder für Fahrer und Fremdenführer

• Sonstige Ausgaben im Hotel, einschließlich Minibar und Zimmerservice

•Any meals or beverages not listed

Hinweis: Mehrtägige Landausflüge umfassen in der Regel ausgedehnte und längere Unternehmungen, während kürzere Ausflüge ein moderateres Programm bieten. Alle Programme sind jedoch verschieden, und die Teilnehmer sollten sich auf unterschiedlichen Untergrund einstellen, z. B.: Steigungen, Kopfsteinpflaster, Sand, Kies oder naturbelassene Wege. Gelegentlich wird auch Treppensteigen verlangt. Rollstuhlfahrer und Gäste mit eingeschränkter Mobilität wenden sich bitte im Voraus an die Kreuzfahrtgesellschaft und erkundigen sich, ob die gewünschten Ausflüge ganz oder nur teilweise für ihre individuelle Situation geeignet sind. Dem Wetter angemessene Kleidung, Kopfbedeckung, Sonnenbrille und flache, bequeme Wanderschuhe werden generell empfohlen.

Alle Programme an Land sind beschränkt und gelten vorbehaltlich der Verfügbarkeit. Programme, bei denen nicht die Mindestanzahl an erforderlichen Teilnehmern erreicht wird, können gestrichen werden. Die aufgelisteten Preise unterliegen Änderungen aufgrund von unerwartet eintretenden Kostensteigerungen für Transport, Landprogramme und Währungsschwankungen.

Einmal erworben, ist der Preis garantiert und unterliegt keinen weiteren Änderungen. Überlandprogramme während der Kreuzfahrt sind spätestens 60 Tage vor dem Start der Kreuzfahrt zu buchen. Stornierungen, die 60 Tage oder weniger vor dem Abfahrtsdatum erfolgen, unterliegen einer Stornogebühr von 100 %.