SHORE EXCURSIONS CREDIT

Take a scenic drive through the countryside to the magnificent city of Florence. Pause in the Piazza del Duomo to admire the exterior of the Cathedral (Duomo) of Santa Maria del Fiore, its elaborate Gothic façade is covered in a mix of pink and green marble.

View the statues in the Piazza della Signoria on your way to the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval stone bridge was the first bridge built across the River Arno, and has been well known for its goldsmiths and jewelers since the 16th century. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and after the meal you'll have free time to explore on your own or to shop, before your tour continues to the historic town of Pisa. Here, you'll have free time in Miracle Square for a look at the exterior of that famous Leaning Tower. Built in the 12th century, it began to lean soon afterwards, but has now been stabilized.

If you want to explore these fascinating places on your own, we are pleased to provide a motorcoach transfer to Florence and Pisa, complete with an English speaking escort. You'll visit Pisa first, to avoid the heavy traffic entering Florence in the morning. Arriving in Pisa, your escort will walk you to the famous Miracle Square to enjoy some free time to take pictures of the Leaning Tower. Continue to Florence, where in the early afternoon, you'll be dropped off at a central location in Florence and have approximately 3 hours to explore the city at your leisure.

The Leaning Tower and Tuscan wines - what a perfect combination! Enjoy a day filled with the sites, aromas and tastes of Tuscany.

After meeting your guide in Pisa and a brief orientation of the Field of Miracles, you'll be free to explore the magnificent sites on your own. See the Leaning Tower and discover Pisa's superb black and white marble enhanced Duomo. If you wish to enter the cathedral, you may do so on your own.

The Tuscan hills are home to some of the finest wines in the world, including Chianti. Enjoy a ride through the Italian wine country to visit a famous wine producer, tour the winery, and learn how Tuscan wines are created. Enjoy a typical Italian lunch in this privileged setting and sample a variety of house wines and olive oil. Ending your meal with a taste of Vin Santo - a sweet dessert wine.

Leaving Livorno, you will travel north for 1.5 hours, passing the coastal area of Versilia until reaching La Spezia where you'll begin your exploration to the Cinque Terre: a National Park protected by UNESCO. Weather permitting you will enjoy a scenic cruise or a ride by train till Monterosso al Mare. Here you will have plenty of free time to enjoy a stroll around its narrow streets, to explore the tiny shops, have lunch on your own and after a tasting of the local wine. By boat or train you will reach the fishing village of Vernazza, where you'll enjoy time at leisure. Then you will re-board a boat or a local train back to La Spezia where your motorcoach is waiting for you for the return drive to Livorno.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Florence and Pisa, many of them iconic attractions that define the cities. To ensure the best possible results, a selfie tutor will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot. Your pictures will be ideal for posting on social media and sharing in other ways.

As you walk and ride through Florence and Pisa, you will pause at designated selfie stops that include:
• Ponte Vecchio
• Palazzo Vecchio
• Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral
• Santa Croce Square
• Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint
• Leaning Tower of Pisa

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Florence and Pisa.
• Follow tips from your selfie tutor to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Behold the 13th-century bridge Ponte Vecchio and the fortress-like Palazzo Vecchio.
• See where Michelangelo is buried in the basilica overlooking San Croce Square.
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Florence from the hilltop terrace Piazzale Michelangelo.
• Visit the Field of Miracles in Pisa, home of the famed Leaning Tower.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Be sure your phone or camera is fully charged.

Drive through the countryside en route to the historic town of Pisa, located on the banks of the Arno River. Enjoy a short trolley ride that takes you directly to Miracle Square, next to the famous Leaning Tower. Your walking tour begins near Miracle Square. During World War II, much of Pisa was destroyed by German and Allied bombing, however the cathedral, baptistery and famous Leaning Tower escaped unharmed. There'll be some free time to admire the exterior of the campanile, better known as the Leaning Tower and enjoy some coffee or browse for souvenirs in Pisa before returning to your ship.

Want to explore Florence on your own? We are happy to provide a motorcoach transfer to Florence complete with an English speaking escort. You'll be dropped off at a central location in Florence and have approximately 4 1/2 hours to explore the city, shop and enjoy lunch at your leisure. Motorcoach drop-off and pick-up points will be provided by the Shore Excursion Desk on board your ship.

Make the most of your time in Florence with this one-of-a-kind Attraction Pass that includes the entrance to the most emblematic and historical sites with art treasures at the heart of the Italian Renaissance while you enjoy a curated path designed with the best Florence has to offer. A special shuttle bus will take you to Florence, choose according to the time you have in Florence and adventure with the company of your guide on this amazing trip! Start your journey by taking a Walking Tour around Florence´s highlights to learn more about the city and experience the day-to-day first-hand. Pass through Duomo Square, Cathedral -Baptistery, Dante's quarter, San Michele, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Via Dei Neri, Santa Croce and more.Florence is known worldwide as the city of outstanding art and architecture in the world and with our pass you might browse a glimpse of art visiting Ufizzi, home of the artwork of stunning artists, such as Michelangelo. You can also delight in museums, such as Franco Zeffirelli, Museo de' Medici, Leonardo Da Vinci Museum and Degli Innocent. Choose your favorite attractions, leave no sight unseen and get the most out of your visit to Florence.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Use the Attraction Pass to see Florence’s best attractions at no additional cost.
• Discover Florence with a curate path and enjoy a walking tour of its marvelous plazas and main squares. Pass through Duomo Square, Cathedral -Baptistery, Dante's quarter, San Michele, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Via Dei Neri, Santa Croce and more.
• More than 4 attractions included, such as: Uffizi Gallery, Franco Zeffirelli Museum, The Medici Dynasty Museum, Museo Degli Innocenti, Leonardo Da Vinci Museum.

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

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an insider's look at attractions in Florence that served as locations for a number of blockbuster films, in this immersive walking adventure. Although the Uffizi Gallery may be better known for its works by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, the art museum also made an ideal setting for the crime-thriller "Hannibal." The scene with Hannibal Lecter sitting in front of Botticelli's painting "Primavera" is unforgettable. As you walk from one former film location to another, the guide will elaborate on some of the movies shot in Florence. You will see the Hotel degli Orafi that had a prominent role in the Oscar-winning film "Room with a View" and stop in the Baptistery of Saint John next to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore - better known as the Duomo - where scenes from Dan Brown's "Inferno" were filmed. Then there is the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the palace that appeared throughout the TV series "Medici: Masters of Florence."

HIGHLIGHTS

• See landmarks in Florence that were also film locations in well-known movies.
• Hear about the movies shot in the Uffizi Gallery, the Hotel degli Orafi and the Baptistery.
• Gain an understanding of why Florence is such an ideal location for filming.
• Spend free time dining on your own and exploring further.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Stroll the winding streets of Siena and San Gimignano, two atmospheric gems deep in Tuscany whose medieval city centres are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Although it will take about two hours to reach Siena, it will be well worth the time. Tucked away across several hills, the city exudes history, especially around Piazza del Campo, the main square at its heart. The 14th-century Torre del Mangia towers over the square and dominates the skyline. Constructed even earlier, the Siena Cathedral is considered one of Italy's most important Romanesque-Gothic churches and even viewing its exterior will be spellbinding. San Gimignano is equally photogenic and mesmerizing, especially its 11th-13th century tower houses, which controlling patrician families built as symbols of their wealth and power. You will also meander through the Piazza della Cisterna - whose inverted triangular shape follows the land's natural slope - and behold the Cathedral of San Gimignano and its fabulous interior frescoes.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Settle in for a spectacularly scenic drive deep into Tuscany to explore two medieval cities.
• Gain insight into why UNESCO declared Siena and San Gimignano World Heritage sites.
• Meander through the atmospheric city centers with a guide and independently.
• Behold the most historical churches, plazas and iconic landmarks in both cities.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Savor a sumptuous dinner and inspiring wine tasting at Villa Dianella, an elegant Tuscan estate where the famed Medici family hunted during the 16th century. As an introduction to the area, you will first explore the nearby town of San Miniato, which perches atop a ridge high above the Arno Valley. As you will discover during free time, the town is known for its white truffles, including a record-breaking one that weighed well over four pounds. Your meal at Villa Dianella will be prepared with other locally sourced Tuscan ingredients. Although the menu changes to reflect the seasons, it may include a paccheri pasta with pecorino cheese and a wonderfully seasoned chicken dish with roasted vegetables. The tasting in the wine cellar will be just as memorable as the selections will be organic. You might sample a blend made with Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and perhaps an Orpicchio white varietal.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the hilltop town of San Miniato on your own.
• Linger over a traditional Tuscan dinner at Villa Dianella, which dates to the 16th century.
• Sample a selection of Villa Dianella’s organic wines in the centuries-old cellar.
• Settle in for a panoramic drive through the stunningly beautiful Tuscan countryside.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Delve into the life and works of Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci in his hometown in Tuscany. His hometown is near the workshop where you will discover, from scratch, the fascinating art of pasta making in a demonstration ending with a lunch. While walking through the hilltop town of Vinci, you will see the Church of Santa Croce - where Leonardo was baptized in 1452 - and get a feel for the town's atmospheric setting, which hasn't changed enormously over the centuries. Browsing the Leonardo da Vinci Museum will offer a deep understanding of Leonardo's technical wizardry as it holds an extensive model collection of machines that he invented and his sketches for others. Areas are also devoted to da Vinci's study of optics and transportation. You will have much to reflect on while driving through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to observe the pasta-making demonstration. A chef will explain the process step by step so your pasta lunch will come out perfectly.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk through Vinci, the small hilltop town where Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452.
• Gaze upon the church where Leonardo was baptized and many of his inventions in a museum.
• Learn to make pasta from scratch in a demonstration and enjoy it for lunch.
• Drive through some of the most beautiful countryside in Tuscany.

HELPFUL HINTS

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