The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

LeShuttle to Calais and overnight stay in northern France on a bed and breakfast basis.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

We continue our journey, travelling through the stunning French Alps over to our overnight hotel in northern Italy.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

We enjoy a stop at the seaside resort of Sestri Levante. On one side lies the enchanting Bay of Silence, where pastel-coloured fishing houses reflect in the calm waters, creating one of Italy’s most picturesque coastal scenes. On the other, the Bay of Fables with its sandy beach, elegant promenade and lively waterfront ambience. After time to enjoy this delightful resort, we continue our journey inland, onwards to our main hotel in Montecatini Terme, arriving in time for dinner.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

The day is yours to explore Montecatini Terme. Take a stroll through its parks and tree-lined avenues, relax in stylish cafés and soak up the town’s refined Belle Époque atmosphere. Perhaps take a ride on the historic funicular railway to the hilltop village of Montecatini Alto, where narrow medieval streets, charming piazzas and panoramic views across the Tuscan countryside await.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

Leros is one of Greece’s best-kept secrets and a tour of the island awaits today, characterised by lush landscapes and protected harbours. We take in historical sites such as the Franco-Byzantine fort and imposing Castle of the Virgin Mary on Mount Kasteli, plus the unique Leros War Museum, housed in a 1930s mountain tunnel built by the Italians as an ammunition depot.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

Today, choose to spend time at leisure, enjoying the hotel facilities or exploring more of Montecatini Terme. Or join our optional excursion as we head into Pisa to see the iconic Leaning Tower and the magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli, home to the striking cathedral, baptistery and famous tower, all showcasing the grandeur of medieval Italian architecture. We then move on to the enchanting walled city of Lucca, one of Tuscany’s best-preserved historic gems. Surrounded by impressive Renaissance walls, the city is a delight to discover on foot, with its maze of cobbled streets, piazzas and beautifully preserved churches. There’s time to wander here and visit landmarks such as the Guinigi Tower, crowned with its rooftop trees and the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, built on the site of an ancient Roman amphitheatre.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

Today we take the train into Florence and then enjoy free time to explore the city, with the chance to join our optional guided walking tour. Just some of the city’s must-sees include the Palazzo Vecchio, with a history dating back to the Medici rule, and the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s lovely ‘Old Bridge’, which is still occupied by gold and silversmiths today. The true icon of the city, the Duomo, is a real sight to behold, featuring a terracotta-tiled dome, a green and pink-hued marble exterior and an impressive bell tower by Giotto.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

We embark on our return journey, with an en route stop at the coastal city of La Spezia. Take a walk along its elegant palm-lined waterfront promenade or relax and go for a drink as you look out to the bustling harbour. Later, we check into our overnight hotel based in Northern Italy.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

We cross into Switzerland for a short stop in Montreux, with time to find lunch at leisure. We then travel to our overnight hotel in France, with a light evening meal included.

The Heart of Tuscany with Florence & Siena

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head to Calais for our journey home on LeShuttle.

Explore the Renaissance heart of Florence at your own pace, from the vast cathedral complex of the Duomo to the statues of Piazza della Signoria and the goldsmiths’ shops on the Ponte Vecchio. Stroll atmospheric streets where master painters, architects and sculptors reshaped European art.

Pause to admire Brunelleschi’s dome, Giotto’s campanile and courtyards once walked by the Medici. Museums and artisan boutiques abound; choose to step inside galleries or simply absorb the city’s stony palazzi, river views and café-lined piazzas.

Wander the ochre lanes of Siena to the gently sloping Piazza del Campo, among Europe’s most beautiful medieval squares. From the shell-shaped piazza, admire the Palazzo Pubblico and soaring Torre del Mangia before discovering artisan shops tucked behind ancient brick facades.

Step inside, or take in the striped marble of the Siena Cathedral from outside, and learn how rival contrade prepare for the Palio horse race. The city’s harmony of Gothic architecture and lived-in spirit rewards every unhurried turn.

Enter UNESCO-listed San Gimignano, where a skyline of medieval family towers rises above vineyards and cypress-studded hills. Amble along Via San Giovanni to small piazzas ringed by stone palazzi, cool wells and frescoed churches that reveal the town’s prosperous merchant past.

Savour the views from the skyline of medieval towers and sample local specialties like saffron and crisp Vernaccia wine in enoteche. Every corner offers textured stone, ringing bells and glimpses of open countryside stitched to ancient walls.

Soak up Ligurian coastal charm in Sestri Levante, poised between the tranquil Bay of Silence and the lively Bay of Fables. Stroll waterfront promenades framed by pastel facades, fishing boats and the scent of salt and pine on the breeze.

Discover lanes linked to writer Hans Christian Andersen, whose time here inspired the bay’s name. Gentle beaches, painted churches and café terraces invite a pause for photos and reflection as waves fold softly against the crescent shores.

Take a leisurely walk along La Spezia’s palm-lined promenade, where sailboats and ferries animate the harbour and sea air drifts in from the Gulf of Poets. Benches, gardens and Belle Époque details set an easy Mediterranean rhythm.

Glance across to hills that shelter pastel villages and understand why this harbour became the gateway to Cinque Terre. Cafés and gelaterie line nearby streets, perfect for a quiet pause while the waterfront glimmers with maritime life.

Discover Pisa’s monumental heart at the Piazza dei Miracoli, where the Leaning Tower of Pisa, cathedral and baptistery form a dazzling ensemble of white marble on emerald lawns. Enjoy time for photos and perspective-bending angles around Italy’s most famous tilt.

Continue to Lucca to stroll the Renaissance walls of Lucca, peer up at the tree-topped Guinigi Tower, and wander the curving Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; timings allow relaxed exploration in both cities.

Enhance your city visit as you join a guided walking tour that threads from Piazza della Signoria past the Uffizi’s arcades and the statues of the Loggia dei Lanzi. Hear stories of Medici power, guild wealth and artists who defined the Renaissance.

Admire the Duomo complex and the Baptistery’s Gates of Paradise, then continue to the Ponte Vecchio where jewel-box shops span the Arno. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; insightful commentary adds depth without rushing your free time.

Meet fellow travellers and meet your Tour Manager over a relaxed welcome drink in the Liberty-style lounges of Hotel Tamerici e Principe. Set just steps from Montecatini Terme’s storied spas, this friendly gathering sets the tone for an elegant Tuscan stay.

Learn about the week’s highlights and local etiquette while soaking up the hotel’s Belle Époque ambience. The setting nods to Montecatini Terme’s thermal heritage, where aristocrats once flocked to “take the waters” amid leafy parks and graceful colonnades.