Best of Tuscany

Begin your trip with complimentary airport lounge access before flying to Pisa. Collect your hire car and head to your accommodation, is a beautifully restored 14th-century estate nestled in the Monte Pisano hills near Pisa. Surrounded by lush gardens and historic parkland, it offers elegant suites, frescoed halls, and serene courtyards. Guests enjoy authentic Tuscan charm combined with modern comforts, making it an ideal retreat for relaxation or a refined base to explore Pisa and the enchanting landscapes of Tuscany.

Stay: Villa Scorzi (Superior)

Spend two days at leisure, exploring the highlights of Pisa and its neighbour, Lucca. Make the short drive into Pisa to see its most iconic monument, the Leaning Tower, set within the exquisite Piazza dei Miracoli, which also houses the impressive Duomo Cathedral and Baptistery. Then take the scenic drive to leafy Lucca. Once a republic capital, its 16th-century wealth survives today in gilded churches and terracotta-capped residences, all watched over by dramatic Renaissance walls and even garden-topped towers.

Stay: Villa Scorzi (Superior)

Drive south and enjoy a walk through San Gimignano, home to a prestigious collection of frescoes and important works of art dating back to the 13th and 17th centuries. Then continue to one of Tuscany’s most beautiful cities, Siena. Leave your car and head into the city’s historic centre on foot, where stepped streets trace hilltop contours, leading you between grand piazzas and the spectacular Italian Gothic cathedral. At the heart of Siena lies its central piazza, Il Campo, world-famous for the Palio horse race held here twice every summer.

Stay: Villa Ermellina (Superior)

This morning, head south with recommended stops in Montalcino, nestled in the hills of the Val d’Orcia and renowned for its world-famous Brunello di Montalcino wine. Continue to Pienza, birthplace of Pope Pius II. A legacy of Pius, the small village was transformed into a Renaissance city of palaces, houses and squares. Then proceed to your accommodation – a country house dating back to the 1700s, wrapped in vineyards and olive groves and within easy reach of Cortona. Rooms feature wooden beams and intricate stonework, carpaccio is served against sunset views, and the spa treatments are superb. You’ll also want to unwind on the gorgeous pool terrace.

After breakfast, make the short drive to Montepulciano, standing high atop a hill in southern Tuscany. This medieval town of rare beauty is full of elegant Renaissance palaces, ancient churches, charming squares and hidden corners, boasting panoramas over the Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana valleys. We recommend sampling one of Tuscany’s most renowned red wines, Nobile di Montepulciano, while exploring the region.

Drive north to Florence, drop off your hire car and make your way to your hotel. You’ll be perfectly placed to explore Florence, with highlights including the Duomo and its stunning polychromatic façade, the Ponte Vecchio – a multi-storey bridge recalling the city’s medieval bustle – and the Uffizi Gallery, home to masterpieces of the Renaissance

Stay: Gallery Art Hotel, Florence (Superior)

Today make the drive back to Pisa to return your car and make take your flight back to the UK