Tuscany and the Italian Riviera
9 Days Starting in Turin, Italy and ending in Tuscany, Italy
Visiting: Turin, La Spezia, Cinque Terre, Lucca, Florence, Tuscany
Tour operator:
Tour code:
16161
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Age range:
5-99
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an enchanting journey through Tuscany and the Italian Riviera, where history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes converge. Begin in Turin, Italy's first capital, where you'll savor the local bicerin coffee and explore its French-Italian heritage. Traverse the UNESCO-listed Langhe wine country, sampling Piedmont wines, before reaching the vibrant Italian Riviera. Discover the picturesque villages of Cinque Terre, nestled between mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. In Lucca, stroll along ancient walls and delve into Roman history. Experience Florence, the "Cradle of the Renaissance," with its iconic architecture and art. Indulge in Tuscany's culinary delights with a pasta-making class and olive oil tasting in the Chianti countryside. Conclude your adventure in the medieval village of Greve, surrounded by vineyard-carpeted hills, and enjoy a farewell dinner with fellow travelers. This tour offers a perfect blend of cultural immersion, scenic beauty, and gastronomic experiences.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Overnight Flight
Location: Turin
Accommodation Name: NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano
Experience the romance of travel among the elegant palazzos of regal Turin, the rolling hills of Tuscany and along the colorful coast of the Italian Riviera.
Day 2 : Turin, Italy
Location: Turin
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
Welcome to Italy. You’ll make your way to Turin, Italy’s first capital in the 1800s. Settle in for a 2-night stay, admiring the alpine peaks towering in the distance. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring regional specialties.
Day 3 : Turin
Location: Turin
Accommodation Name: NH La Spezia
Walk through Turin with an expert guide, uncovering a blend of French and Italian heritage. Wrap up the tour by trying a bicerin – a mix of espresso and chocolate – in one of the city’s cafés, reminiscent of Parisian coffee spots. After getting acquainted with the city, the rest of the day is yours to further explore Turin on your own.
Day 4 : Turin - La Spezia
Location: La Spezia
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch
Head to Italy’s picturesque Riviera, weaving through the Langhe wine country (UNESCO) along the way. Stop at the hilltop village of La Morra on your way to a local winery, where you will enjoy a tour and tasting of typical Piedmont wines. After a light lunch continue to La Spezia, the large port city gateway to the Italian Riviera.
Day 5 : La Spezia - Cinque Terre - La Spezia
Location: Cinque Terre
Accommodation Name: Villa Casagrande, Figline
Meals Included: Dinner
Spend the day exploring the colorful cliff-side villages of Cinque Terre* with a local guide. Take in the picturesque, rugged coastline dotted with terraced vineyards as you travel by rail. Make your way through this seemingly inaccessible string of fishing villages, nestled between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. Tonight, get a bite of the local cuisine during dinner at your hotel.
Day 6 : La Spezia - Lucca - Figline, Tuscany
Location: Lucca
Accommodation: Hotel
Discover the medieval city of Lucca, encircled by 16th-century Renaissance walls. Wander with a local guide, delving into the city’s Roman heritage and storied past. Enjoy some free time to explore the Piazza Napoleone and the rest of the city on your own. Continue on through the rolling hills of Tuscany for a 3-night stay** in the village of Figline. This evening, try your hand at the local culture with an interactive pasta-making demonstration by your hotel’s on-site chef.
Day 7 : Figline - Florence - Figline
Location: Florence
Accommodation: Hotel
Explore Florence (UNESCO), the “Cradle of the Renaissance” during a locally guided walking tour of the city’s iconic sites. View the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), the only Florentine bridge to survive WWII. Admire the Gates of Paradise and the imposing dome of the cathedral. Wander past Piazza della Signoria and the ornate facade of Santa Croce. Enjoy time to explore more on your own before returning to your hotel in the evening.
Day 8 : Figline
Location: Tuscany
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
Journey through Tuscany’s low-lying hills and dense olive groves to a traditional frantoio (olive mill), where olives are pressed each November.*** After learning about the many varieties of trees and oil-making methods, join a tasting of the different varietals of EVOO produced at the mill. Your exploration of the Chianti countryside wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a local winery for a taste of the famous Chianti Classico wines. Then continue to the village of Greve, surrounded by vineyard-carpeted hills. Cap off an unforgettable journey at a farewell dinner with your fellow travelers.
Day 9 : Figline - Tour Ends
Location: Tuscany
Say arriverderci to Italy as your journey comes to a close.
What's Included
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Welcome Dinner
Experience the food culture of northern Italy during a traditional welcome dinner.
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Guided Tour of Turin
Walk through Turin with an expert guide, uncovering a blend of French and Italian heritage.
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Cinque Terre Exploration
Spend the day exploring the colorful cliff-side villages of Cinque Terre with a local guide.
What's Not Included
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Personal Exploration Time
The rest of the day is yours to further explore Turin on your own.
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Free Time in Lucca
Enjoy some free time to explore the Piazza Napoleone and the rest of the city on your own.
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Free Time in Florence
Enjoy time to explore more of Florence on your own before returning to your hotel in the evening.
Experiences
- Indulge in Turin’s local culture with a bicerin, the traditional coffee drink served in cafés since the 18th century.
- Explore two renowned wine regions, Piedmont and Tuscany, to see how local heritage and vineyards intertwine.
- Among the locals, stroll the walls of Lucca and enjoy free time to explore the city.
Culinaries
- Partake in an interactive pasta-making demonstration.
- Taste different varietals of olive oil from an award-winning olive oil mill in the Chianti countryside.
- Experience the food culture of northern Italy during a traditional welcome dinner.
Must See
- Journey to Florence for a tour of the "Cradle of the Renaissance."
- Explore the colorful cliff-side villages of Cinque Terre.
- Discover the medieval village of Greve, the unofficial capital of the Chianti region.
Choice Highlights
Langhe Wine Country The Langhe Wine Country is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Italy’s Piedmont region. It is home to a section of DOP wine, which included Cortese, Nebbiolo, and more. The area is also known for its white truffles, as well as its truffle-infused cheese.
Barolo Winery Barolo wine is one of Italy’s most famous reds. It is from the nebbiolo grape, which gives it a lighter shade. As a DOCG wine, the regulations require the grapes to be grown on a hillside.
Italian Riviera The Italian Riviera stretches from the French border to northern Tuscany along the Ligurian Sea. The rocky coast is dotted with small fishing villages overlooking the sea and has many popular beaches and seaside resort towns. Portofino, Santa Margherita, Sestri Levante and the Cinque Terre are all popular places for Italian and international visitors looking for sun and surf in a beautiful setting.
Cinque Terre The Cinque Terre is made up of five small villages that cling to the rocky cliffs of the southern Italian Riviera. Each village has its own unique charms with views over the terraced vineyards and the small beaches of the Ligurian Sea. The villages are linked together by trains, hiking paths, and seasonal boat service. From the north to the south the villages are: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare.
Lucca Lucca is a small town in the northwest of Tuscany. The town is famous for its intact city walls that surround the charming pedestrianized city center. The former wealth of the town can be seen in the elegant palaces and large number of churches that can be found throughout the city. Lucca’s Roman heritage is also visible at sites like Piazza dell’Anfiteatro - a series of apartments built on the old Roman arena. Today visitors are also drawn to the number of high quality shops and cafes.
Tuscan Estate During medieval and Renaissance times, an elite class of Tuscans developed great wealth that allowed them to expand their land holdings beyond the city walls. These rich Tuscans, like the Medici Family, invested in country estates with grand residences, elegant gardens and working farms. Today these Tuscan estates are run as agriturismos with accommodations, restaurants, wineries and other attractions.
Florence Florence is the regional capital of Tuscany and home to countless Renaissance masterpieces. The city developed great wealth during the late Middle Ages and was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance that produced great artists like Michelangelo, Raphael, Brunelleschi and many others. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with numerous museums, stunning architecture and charming piazzas. The city offers something for everyone from culture, to great food and excellent shopping (like their famous gold or leather).
Chianti Countryside
Mode of Transport
Travel through Italy's picturesque landscapes, including the Langhe wine country and the Italian Riviera, with local guides and rail transport for exploring Cinque Terre's cliff-side villages.Accommodation
Stay at the NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano in Turin, NH La Spezia in La Spezia, and Villa Casagrande in Figline, offering comfortable accommodations throughout your journey in Italy.Check out our Q&As
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What unique cultural experience can I expect in Turin?
In Turin, you can indulge in the local culture by trying a bicerin, a traditional coffee drink that has been served in cafés since the 18th century. This drink is a mix of espresso and chocolate, reminiscent of Parisian coffee spots.
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What can I expect from the pasta-making demonstration in Tuscany?
In Tuscany, you will have the opportunity to try your hand at the local culture with an interactive pasta-making demonstration conducted by your hotel’s on-site chef.
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What will I experience during the visit to the olive oil mill in Tuscany?
At the olive oil mill in Tuscany, you will learn about the many varieties of olive trees and oil-making methods. You will also join a tasting of different varietals of extra virgin olive oil produced at the mill.
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What is included in the wine tasting experience in Piedmont?
In Piedmont, you will stop at the hilltop village of La Morra and visit a local winery. There, you will enjoy a tour and tasting of typical Piedmont wines, which is part of the journey through the Langhe wine country, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Can I pre-purchase optional excursions/activities?
Yes, the majority of optional excursions and activities are available for advance purchase for applicable tours provided that you make your options purchase prior to 15 days of the tour departure. Collette makes it convenient to reserve presold options by visiting our website for a full listing of activities and excursions or when your reservation is made with our reservations staff. In addition, there are benefits to prepurchasing options including a price guarantee once your tour is paid in full. So, while the cost of an optional activity may change from the time you book your tour, once payment is received in full, your preselected options are guaranteed by Collette at their original price. Although you can still purchase options while on tour, reserving them ahead of time ensures you a spot in the event that the activity sells out. Collette will provide a refund if you cancel a presold option prior to tour departure. Any presold options canceled while on tour are nonrefundable.
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Can my children travel on tour?
Children over the age of 5 may travel on a Collette tour accompanied by an adult. Child land rates are valid for ages 5-12, sharing a room with two full-paying adults. Participation in any products that include Safari or Game Drive components, is limited to travelers aged 13 and up. This will include tours to Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and India.
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What is the difference between a twin room and double room?
In certain countries, hotel rooms tend to be smaller than U.S. standard accommodations. A double room is designed to accommodate two people, but may not have two separate beds. A twin-bedded room has two separate beds of any size, and is the type most commonly utilized.
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Do you provide VISA processing for all applicable destinations?
Collette does not process VISAs. Every nation has its own specific requirements. Check the embassy or consulate website for the country you are visiting to find the forms and information you need. The process of getting a VISA can take two weeks to two months.
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Do I need a passport?
Government-issued ID is required for all air travel. A valid passport is required for all trips outside the USA. All passengers should check with the appropriate foreign consulate for entry and validity requirements. We recommend that your passport has six months validity, and at least 3 blank pages. Passports and visas are the responsibility of each client. International Borders. Any child under age 16 (traveling without a parent or legal guardian to Canada) must have written permission from a parent or legal guardian. Please be advised that if you have been convicted of an offense, or have committed a criminal act that is an offense under the laws where it occurred and would be an offense in Canada, you may be inadmissible into Canada. You will need to apply for a Minister's Permit of Approval of Rehabilitation at a Canadian Consulate. All other travelers should contact the appropriate consulate for entry requirements in other international destinations. In South Africa, children are required to have a passport as well as additional documentation to travel with you into and out of the country. Please consult the South African Embassy for the current specific requirements related to your travel dates. If travelling internationally with a child under the age of 18, please check directly with the airline for the legal documentation that is required. It is the sole responsibility of the guest to procure the proper documentation to travel and many requirements vary by airline and destination. Collette will not be responsible for costs incurred for missed flights or canceled tours where a guest fails to secure proper documentation.
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Is there a lot of walking on tour?
We pride ourselves on bringing travelers the very best experiences a destination offers. Our itineraries include many activities and may consist of walking on uneven terrain or significant walking at times. Some of the most unique sightseeing can mean accessing locations that restrict motorcoaches, especially in historic areas. Some hotels/lodges in remote locations may not have elevators. For your comfort, we recommend bringing walking shoes.
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