Morning flight from Stansted or East Midlands to Pisa. We visit the medieval town including the cathedral and the baptistery, as well as having a view of the famous leaning tower. In the late afternoon we continue to Poggibonsi, where we check into our hotel for a seven-night stay. Dinner is in the hotel.

 

After breakfast we travel to Florence where we meet our guide for a tour of the cathedral and the outside of the baptistery with the ‘Gates of Paradise’, then passing the ‘home’ of Dante and the church where he first saw Beatrice, and finally to the Franciscan Church of Santa Croce, where apart from the tombs of the famous there are two chapels with frescos by Giotto and some lovely stained glass. Break for lunch. In the afternoon we visit the Museo San Marco (with pre-booked tickets), once a Dominican monastery, where both Savanorola and Fra Angelico were both at one time Prior. It is still possible to see Savanorola’s cell, but of course, the most striking thing about San Marco is Fra Angelico’s personal interior decoration with the pièce de résistance being the ‘Annunciation’ greeting you at the top of the stairs. We return to Poggibonsi for dinner.

This morning we travel to the English Church of St Mark’s in Florence, for a celebration of the Eucharist. After time for lunch we will have a visit to the Boboli Gardens, where we will have pre-booked tickets for a timed entry. We return to Poggibonsi for dinner.

The morning will be free. After lunch we set out for the walled town of San Gimignano. There will be a short guided tour of the medieval town, visiting the cathedral church of Santa Maria during the course of the tour. There will be some time for browsing and shopping before returning to Poggibonsi for dinner

After breakfast leave for Siena (25-minute journey). On arrival there will be a guided tour by a local guide to include the church of St Dominic (where St Catherine’s head is kept!), the patronal home of St Catherine as well as the cathedral and Piazza del Campo. Lunch will be in a local restaurant today. Some time at leisure in the afternoon before we return to Poggibonsi. Dinner at choice.

Today we visit Lucca, which is situated to the north of Pisa. This walled city was founded by the Romans in 180 B.C. St Peter’s disciple, Paulinus introduced Christianity to Lucca, and it is through St Peter’s Gate that we enter the town. We will visit the cathedral, dedicated to St Martin, and the Church of San Michele in Foro, where the composer Puccini was once a choirboy. We will have time to browse here and lunch will be in a local restaurant, before we depart from Lucca to visit the Tuscan vineyard at Carmignano, to the west of Florence, where there will be a tasting of the local vintage. Return to Poggibonsi. Dinner at choice.

 

The morning will be at leisure in Florence. In the afternoon we drive up to the town of Fiesole situated in the hills above Florence, once an Etruscan centre and more important than Florence. It became the summer retreat for Florentines, and provides a lovely contrast to the busy city below. The medieval cathedral is of interest as is the Roman theatre and museum. It may also be possible to stop on the way down at the church of San Domenico. Dinner this evening will be in a local restaurant before we return to Poggibonsi.

Today we fly back to Stansted or East Midlands from either Pisa or Bologna.