Tuscany has it all - architecture, art, beaches, culture, food, history, scenery, sea, sun and wine. It really is the nearest you can get to Heaven on earth! This tour incorporates world famous destinations such as Florence, Pisa & Siena with less well-known, but equally interesting places such as San Gimignano, Volterra, Montepulciano and Pienza.
All campsites used are the best available and include 220 volt hook-ups.
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Saturday 4th September 2010: We board the ferry at Dover with access to the Club Class lounge with free Champagne and coffee. We then head for our first overnight stop, a very pleasant campsite on the Franco/Belgian border. The drive from Calais is only about 100 miles. This evening everybody will have the chance to get to know each other at an informal drinks reception. |
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Sunday 5th September 2010: Today we have a drive of about 270 miles to our next German campsite on the outskirts of the beautiful village of Dahn. The campsite has its own friendly bar and restaurant and we will be treated to a typical bbq dinner. |
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Monday 6th September 2010:
Today's drive is about 230 miles, all on motorway to bring us to our next campsite in Switzerland, on the banks of Lake Luzern. The site has its own bar and cafe. |
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Tuesday 7th September 2010: A day to relax after all that travelling. Put your feet up or stroll into Luzern around the lake. |
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Wednesday 8th September 2010: We continue south and will arrive at our first Italian campsite in the suburbs of Milan after a drive of about 150 miles. |
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Thursday 9th September 2010: A drive of about 220 miles today will bring us into Tuscany and our next campsite, which is on the beach at Cecina, just south of Pisa |
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Friday 10th September 2010: A lazy day to get acclimatised to the higher temperatures. Maybe laze on the beach or swim in the pool. |
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Saturday 11th September 2010: This morning we will be collected by a bus with an English-speaking guide and taken to Pisa to see the famous tower and oratory. We will then go on to visit Volterra, which is the centre of the alabaster carving industry in Tuscany. Everybody will love this small town and most people will want to buy some of the beautiful hand-carved objects. Lunch can be taken at one of the various restaurants in the town. At the end of the day we will be returned to our campsite. |
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Sunday 12th September 2010: Our final day at Cecina, so this is your last chance to visit any parts of the region you have missed. It could be worthwhile to use public transport to re-visit Pisa, as the old city is very interesting and has many historic monuments. |
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Monday 13th September 2010: We leave Cecina this morning for a drive of about 110 miles to our next campsite near Chianciano Terme in southern Tuscany. You will have a choice of which route you take, but as the distance is so short you really shouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Siena, famous for its Palio horse race, but also having a truly magnificent cathedral as well as many other places of interest. Our campsite at Chianciano is superb, with 2 swimming pools and top class facilities. This evening we will be treated to a dinner in the campsite’s own restaurant. |
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Tuesday 14th September 2010: A day to relax and become acclimatised to your new surroundings. |
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Wednesday 15th September 2010: We have an exciting day out today. We will be collected by bus, with an English speaking guide and taken to the picturesque villages of Montipulciano and Pienza. Montepulciano is spectacularly positioned on a hill top and produces some super red wine. As a total contrast, the small town of Pienza is a charming place and was the birthplace of Pope Pius 11 and in 1459 he decided to re-design it. It was to become the first example of renaissance town planning and was held up as an example for others to follow throughout the renaissance period. |
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Thursday 16th September 2010: This will be our last day at Chianciano, so you could maybe take the opportunity to visit Lake Trasimeno which is about 15 miles from the campsite – a few miles beyond that is the historic city of Perugia which is well worth a visit. If you are prepared to drive about 50 miles you could even visit the city of Assisi. |
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Friday 17th September 2010: We leave Chianciano this morning for a short drive to Camping Norcenni in the Chianti region of Tuscany. |
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Saturday 18th September 2010: The campsite has its own shuttle bus into Florence (there is a small charge for this) and you should take advantage of this at some stage of your stay in Camping Norcenni. The city boasts many fabulous historic sights, including the statue of David, the Uffizi gallery, the Piazza della Signoria which is where you will find the magnificent cathedral and the timeless Ponte Vecchio with its jewellers’ shops - the only bridge over the Arno which was not destroyed by the Nazis in the second world war. Possibly the most amazing sight in Florence, however, is the door to the Baptistry next to the cathedral. The wooden carvings by Ghiberti were described by Michelangelo as being worthy of decorating the entrance to heaven!Remember that Florence can get very hot in the middle of the day, so drink a lot of water. |
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Sunday 19th September 2010: This morning a bus will take us to San Gimignano. This fabulous historic town was visited by Michelangelo – and he found their Vernaccia wine very appealing. At lunchtime, everybody can choose to eat their meal in one of the wide variety of restaurants available, from humble, but good quality pizzerias right up to top quality restaurants with possibly the finest panoramic views in all of Tuscany. After lunch we will be taken by bus to visit a Chianti wine maker, with free tastings (and the opportunity to purchase!). |
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Monday 20th September 2010: After a lazy day we will be treated to our farewell dinner in the campsite’s excellent restaurant. The wine will flow! |
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Tuesday 21st September 2010: The end of the tour and time to return home with the tour leader, unless you decide to take advantage of your 60 day ferry ticket and stay on in Tuscany. |