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Showing posts with label San Gimignano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Gimignano. Show all posts

Saturday, April 5, 2014

San Gimignano Day Trip from Siena with Wine Tasting

Visit the enchanting Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano on a half-day tour from Siena, and enjoy a wine-tasting session, too! After hearing the town's history from your guide, enjoy some free time to soak up the sights, like its exquisite Collegiata cathedral. Head to a winery in the hills to explore its vineyards and cellars, and then enjoy a wine-tasting session, with antipasto, several Tuscan wines, and, of course, the prestigious Vernaccia white.

Numbers are limited to eight on this small-group tour, ensuring you'll enjoy personalized attention from your guide.

Leave your central Siena hotel and travel north through the Tuscan countryside by luxury minivan. Your destination is San Gimignano, an impressive medieval town complete with lovely, old city walls and lofty towers. Perched on a hill overlooking the verdant Val d'Elsa valley, the UNESCO-listed town is loved for its views, history and architecture.

Learn all about the compelling town from your guide as you travel, and then enjoy free time in San Gimignano to explore at your own pace. Admire the fascinating architecture around Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Duomo, and have your camera ready for photos by the Collegiata - San Gimignano's Romanesque cathedral. Perhaps take a stroll along the Via Francigena strip - an ancient pilgrimage road - or visit the shops to browse the locally made handicrafts and beautiful Santa Fina pottery.

Meet your guide at the pre-arranged time and travel to a renowned Tuscan winery in the countryside near San Gimignano. After a tour of its vineyards and wine cellars, sit down to enjoy a wine-tasting session, sampling the region's full-bodied Vernaccia wine. The only white Tuscan wine to have achieved Italy's most prestigious wine classification - DOCG status - Vernaccia has been considered to be one of the country's noble wines since medieval times. Savor its dry, floral tones and compare its rich flavors against samples of other Tuscan wines.

Italians like to eat as they drink, so follow their lead and soak up the delicious wines with some light antipasto. The snacks served during your wines tasting will vary each time, but expect treats like crostini and bruschetta with olives, cheese, ruby-red tomatoes and cured meats.

At the end of your tasting, return to your minivan for your journey to Siena. Your tour finishes back at your hotel.

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Tuscany in One Day Sightseeing Tour from Florence

Famous for a wealth of art, history, striking landscapes and outstanding produce, Tuscany really does have the best of all worlds! With only a day to spare, see the best Tuscany has to offer on this full-day guided coach trip from Florence.

Meet your local guide before heading for the hills on a scenic drive through the Tuscan countryside. Your first stop for the day is gothic Siena, famous for its medieval streets. Choose to join a guided tour through the city(free entry inside the Cathedral is included). Or, alternatively, you're free to marvel the sights of Siena at your own pace, enjoy a drink in an open air cafe and meet the locals.


Enjoy a stroll among Chianti vineyards, olive groves and wine cellars before indulging in a traditional Tuscan lunch amongst the Sienese hills where Chianti wine is produced. Surrounded by grapes vines you'll have the opportunity to meet fellow travelers while feasting on local foods including cold meats, salads, pasta and bread. A wine-tasting class will be held during lunch including free samples of wine and olive oil (which are also available for purchase).

After lunch you will visit San Gimignano where you can roam the maze of cobbled streets and small squares, grab a gelato and walk between San Gimignano's famous 14 towers. Your final stop is Pisa, where you can take an up-close inspection of The Leaning Tower, view the Cathedral, the Baptistery and monumental Cemetery in Pisa before venturing back to Florence where your full-day tour concludes.

Want to skip the long lines at the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Upgrade to the Tour & Leaning Tower of Pisa option and you'll receive pre-booked entrance tickets. Go to the front of the queue at the Leaning Tower of Pisa without having to wait in line and experience a once in a lifetime opportunity to climb the world's most titled tower. Leaning Tower of Pisa has 296 steps over 7 floors. The climb will take approximately 30-minutes. You will arrive in Pisa approx. 6pm and leave 6.50pm. Children aged 8 years and under are not permitted to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa.


For a preview of the Tuscany in One Day Sightseeing Tour, check out this Viator video.


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Friday, September 7, 2012

Small-Group San Gimignano and Volterra Day Trip from Siena

Embrace the medieval charms of Tuscany's towns on a full-day trip to San Gimignano and Volterra from Siena. With an attentive local guide, walk round the Fortress of Monteriggioni, explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of San Gimignano, and visit an alabaster workshop in Volterra. Enjoy a delicious lunch on a small Tuscan farm and spend time at your leisure exploring these rustic hill towns that are steeped in rich Italian history.

Numbers are limited to eight people on this small-group tour, ensuring you'll receive personalized attention from your guide.

Leave Siena in the morning and head northwest by comfortable minivan toward San Gimignano. On your way, stop at the medieval Fortress of Monteriggioni, a captivating Tuscan hill town that is one of the few whose medieval city walls remain completely intact. Walk around the stone walls encircling this charming town and learn about the area??s interesting history from your guide.

From Monteriggioni, continue to the beautiful hill town of San Gimignano -- undoubtedly the highlight of your trip. Walk down the Via Francigena strip that runs through the town as your guide explains the history of this ancient pilgrimage road said to link Rome to Canterbury in England. Learn how in bygone times, Christian pilgrims would travel between cities in Italy, Switzerland, France and England on this road.

After tracing the pilgrim's steps down Via Francigena, you'll have time for independent sightseeing in San Gimignano. This gorgeous, UNESCO World Heritage-listed town is as famous for its medieval architecture as it is for its scenic views. See beautiful monuments in Piazza del Duomo, or search the local shops for quality saffron spice that the town produces, known locally as 'red gold'.

Break for lunch at a traditional, family-run farm just outside of San Gimignano, and indulge in a Tuscan feast! Your friendly Italian hosts will treat you to scrumptious platters of home-grown delicacies prepared with organic saffron, accompanied by chilled Vernaccia white wine.

In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic drive farther south to Volterra. The fascinating Tuscan city is renowned for its alabaster -- the translucent stone used for centuries to create vases, lamps and other works of art. On the way, visit an authentic alabaster workshop and watch an artisan craftsman at work. In Volterra itself, you'll have approximately one hour to spend at leisure to explore the picturesque streets before returning to Siena.

Click here for more information and to book this tour or for more Italy Tours, Travel & Activities.