Spend an enlightening day at a farm in Tuscany that produces a multitude of organic foods, many of which will be used as ingredients in your lunch. As an introduction to the artisanal practices at the Diacceroni farm, you will see how honey is produced and sample several varieties of the natural sweetener, which may include an amber chestnut honey and a floral-flavored acacia honey. Similarly, you will discover how the farmers use traditional methods to grow and harvest the crops. In preparation for the afternoon cooking class, you will gather a selection of fresh vegetables and herbs from the farm’s fields and gardens. You will then use those ingredients to concoct your delicious four-course lunch under the chef’s watchful eye. The dishes will be thoughtfully paired with organic wines. Afterwards, you’ll spend some time with a wine expert and agronomist who will talk with you about environmental ethics and biodiversity.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain insight into the organic methods used at a traditional Tuscan farm.
• See how organic honey, vegetables and wine are produced.
• Join a hands-on cooking class and prepare your four-course lunch.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Spend a full day meandering through a natural reserve, enjoying lunch at an organic farm and exploring an estate that creates essential oils from eucalyptus trees and medicinal plants. Your appreciation of all things natural will begin with a stroll along the marshland boardwalk at Massaciuccoli Nature Park, where you will likely see a huge variety of water birds. Lunch follows at Tenuta Mariani, a Tuscan farm with vast olive groves and vineyards. Besides running entirely on renewable energy and recycling most everything possible, the estate takes a biodynamic, chemical-free approach to farming that adds vitality to the soil and plants. It is a difference you will taste in every bite. The company Versil Green also respects the Tuscan environment when creating organic products for the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. While touring, you will observe the production process and perhaps participate in an essential oils workshop. Afterwards, you will sample a craft beer made with organic hops.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Look for water birds while strolling the boardwalk at Massaciuccoli Nature Park.
• Gain insight into biodynamic agriculture that benefits the environment at a Tuscan farm.
• Toast the day with an organic beer after touring a company that makes essential oils.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Florence & Pisa! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site selfie experts will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to Piazza della Signoria. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at: • Santa Maria de Fiore Cathedral
• Piazza della Repubblica
• Ponte Vecchio
• Piazzale Michelangelo
• The Tower of Pisa

Experience the real Florence by mingling with the residents at a popular market, sampling Florentine delicacies and browsing the less commercialized Oltrarno district. The fun will begin at San Lorenzo Market, which occupies a beautifully restored cast-iron building constructed in the 1870s. Although you may recognize some of the delicacies, be sure to ask the guide if you can’t identify something or don’t know its name. Chances are, you will see lampredotto, a Florentine specialty of cow stomach slow-cooked with vegetables and served on a crunchy bun. It is considered comfort food. After sampling a selection of more well-known products such as cheese, salami and olives, you will walk toward the Piazza del Duomo in the heart of the city. The famed Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore overlooks the square, and its dome has become a symbol of the city. Then, after stopping for a cup of creamy gelato, you will enjoy free time to explore the Oltrarno district.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Mingle with the locals while browsing Florence’s popular San Lorenzo Market.
• Sample local delicacies such as salamis and cheeses and some more exotic ones.
• Explore Florence’s authentic, less commercialized Oltrarno district.

Gain an understanding and appreciation of the far-reaching influence of Andrea Bocelli’s family, beginning with a concert by artists that study with Andrea’s son Matteo. The performance will be held in Villa Bertelli, a stately 19th-century residence in the seaside Tuscan town of Forte dei Marmi. Matteo inherited his father musical genes, having performed as a singer and pianist on his own and with his father. Matteo is also a skilled vocal coach, which you will recognize as soon as his students begin to sing.

At the nearby Alpemare Beach Club, which the Bocellis completely renovated, you will be treated to a tasting of wines from the Bocelli vineyards. The wines will be paired with a Tuscan appetizer, a perfect way to whet your appetite for the seafood lunch that will follow. The views will be as inspired as the cuisine, as the beach club overlooks a pristine stretch of sand and offers panoramic views of the majestic Apuan Alps.

Spend free time exploring Vernazza and Riomaggiore, two spectacularly beautiful coastal villages in Cinque Terre, an area so scenic that UNESCO named it a World Heritage site.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for an immensely picturesque drive to Vernazza, one of five coastal villages within Cinque Terre. All of them lie within the ruggedly beautiful Cinque Terre National Park, an area that UNESCO has deemed a World Heritage site for being a landscape of great scenic and cultural value.

Arguably the most photogenic of the villages, Vernazza is a wonderful setting to enjoy free time, meandering about wherever you please. The main square is a great place to start exploring, as the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia stands here overlooking the natural harbor. Built in the Gothic-Ligurian style, the church features an octagonal bell tower that can't be missed, making it even easier to find your way around the pastel-colored town.

After a few hours strolling the narrow lanes of Vernazza, you will drive on to Riomaggiore, another absolutely gorgeous coastal village that clings to a steep hillside. The largest of the five villages, Riomaggiore has also been built into a steep rocky hillside, affording magnificent views of the sea.

Because of its size, Riomaggiore offers a few more points of interest than Vernazza. A 13th century castle looms over the historical center, the Oratory of St. Mary Assumption holds an intriguing 15th-century triptych and the St. John the Baptist church is ornamented with black-and-white marble.

The two and one-half hour air-conditioned coach ride to historic Florence passes through classic Tuscan countryside, garlanded with cypress trees and olive groves. Upon arriving in this gem of a city on the Arno River, you will begin a guided walking tour at the Piazzale Michelangelo, named after the artist whose name is synonymous with Florence. From here, the attractions come one after another, and include the Piazza della Signoria, which is dominated by the Old Palace, Uffizi Gallery, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly known as the Duomo.

In 1296, the great Renaissance architect Brunelleschi designed its crowning glory - the iconic dome, or duomo. The first of its kind, it seems to float gracefully over the cathedral. Adjacent stands Giotto's superb 14th century Campanile, or bell tower, and the Romanesque Baptistry with Ghiberti's stunningly beautiful bronze doors, aptly entitled the Gates of Paradise. Then, you will have an exterior view of Santa Croce church, Italy's largest and most famous Franciscan Gothic Church. Many esteemed Italians are entombed here, including Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini and Machiavelli. Donatello's famous sculpture "Annunciation" is found here, as well. Afterwards, enjoy ample free time for lunch on your own and to further explore Tuscan's principal city.

Indulge in time entirely on your own in resplendent Florence, allowing for ample exploration at your pace. Enjoy a picturesque drive of approximately 2 ½ hours through Tuscany’s legendary landscapes. Founded by Romans, Florence came under the rule of the Medici family in the 15th century, who later became the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. This was the period when the city was an economic power and at the height of its glory in art, culture and politics. Florence still retains an extraordinary wealth of artistic and architectural treasures, including the glorious Uffizi gallery, magnificent Sante Croce church, and Ponte Vecchio, the city’s oldest bridge. Once in Florence, you will have approximately three to four hours to explore at your leisure. A Florentine tour escort will accompany you on the bus and will be happy to assist in your planning.

Behold some of the world’s most impressive Byzantine mosaics, which adorn the walls and ceilings of Ravenna’s 6th-century basilicas and mausoleums.

Depart from the pier and enjoy a brief drive through the ancient city of Ravenna. After a photo stop at the 6th-century Mausoleum of Theodoric, a rotunda-shaped tomb that the emperor built for himself, you’ll arrive at the city center and begin your walking tour.

Ravenna is revered for its well-preserved Byzantine mosaics, and you’ll see them in all their glory at sights such as the Sant’Apollinare Nuovo basilica, which Theodoric also built. Most of the original mosaics depicting the life of Christ still exist, and the colors are vibrant, even after 1,500 years.

You’ll also tour San Vitale Basilica, whose Byzantine mosaics are considered the finest in the western world. Be sure to note the glittering mosaics in the ceilings of the choir and apse. More spectacular mosaics await you at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, which dates even earlier to 430 A.D. The Roman empress who commissioned the tomb was never buried here, but it certainly would have been a grand final resting place.

Nearby, you’ll find the tomb of the poet Dante, who died in Ravenna in 1321 while exiled from Florence. The mound of dirt to the right of his tomb is where Dante’s urn was buried to protect it when Ravenna was bombed during World War II.

An hour of free time follows your walking tour, after which you’ll return to the pier.

OVERVIEW

Walk through pedestrian-friendly Peccioli for a historical perspective of this lovely Tuscan town and visit a nearby winery for an inspired tasting. Perched on a hilltop overlooking a rich agricultural landscape, Peccioli is wonderfully low-key and unpretentious. Although the ruins of a 12th-century fortress hint at its turbulent past, elegant palazzi and churches such as Saint Verano are the town’s most outstanding features. Now a museum, the Palazzo Pretorio holds an unexpected collection of Russian icons donated by an Italian journalist that reported from Saint Petersburg. The Colline Pisane wine route passes nearby, and you will follow it to Le Palaie, an estate winery that also produces olive oil and honey. After an enlightening walk through the vineyards, you will settle in to sample several wines in the cellar. Although Le Palaie predominately produces reds, its white varietals such as the Viognier are also extraordinary. Local specialties will be served to complement them.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a leisurely walk through the hilltop Tuscan town of Peccioli.
• Follow the Colline Pisane wine route to Le Palaie winery for a tasting.
• Sample Le Palaie’s most characteristic wines along with classic Tuscan accompaniments.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy free time to explore the medieval town of San Gimignano and then visit a winery for a tasting that will likely include Chianti. One of the most popular and certainly photogenic Tuscan towns, San Gimignano is known for its soaring tower houses. Although only 14 of the original 72 towers remain, they are so spectacular that UNESCO declared the town’s historic center a World Heritage site. No matter where you meander, hillside San Gimignano will exude a feudal atmosphere, much like it did at the height of its power and status. Nearby, you will pause at a winery, perhaps Fattoria di Montecchio, to sample a selection of Tuscan wines. As Chianti is one of the region’s most favored wines, it will likely be included in the tasting. Produced mainly with Sangiovese grapes, the winery’s Chianti Classico pairs beautifully with the finocchiona salami and pecorino cheese that will also be served.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore medieval San Gimignano independently and see what interests you most.
• Begin your exploration at the 13th-century San Giovanni gate, the historic center’s entry.
• Tour a nearby winery for a tasting that may include a ruby-red Chianti.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Spend hours relaxing, dining and enjoying a wine tasting at a Tuscan estate that the Bonaparte family once owned in San Miniato. A wonderfully panoramic drive through the idyllic countryside will bring you to Cosimo Maria Masini, a winery that follows biodynamic agricultural principles that increase the soil’s fertility, resulting in high-quality, naturally healthy crops. While touring the vineyards and wine cellar, you will gain an understanding of biodynamics and how it applies to viticulture. Biodynamically grown grapes tend to be much more expressive than grapes grown through other means. You will taste the difference while lingering over a lunch that may include eggplant parmigiana, bruschetta, cheeses and cantuccini almond biscuits. Up to five complementary wines from the estate will also be served. A red varietal made entirely from Sangiovese grapes and a white blend with herbal notes are possible choices. Afterwards, you may explore the estate on your own.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Gain an understanding biodynamic agriculture at a centuries-old estate and winery.
• Enjoy a leisurely meal paired with complementary wines from the estate.
• Settle in for a panoramic drive through the stunningly beautiful Tuscan countryside.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.