EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

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.

OVERVIEW

Explore the extraordinary Arab-style Zisa Castle and other Palermo landmarks as a prelude to a classic Sicilian lunch. Arab-Norman architecture emerged in Sicily in the 12th century, when the Zisa Castle was built. It is such a fine example of this unique style that UNESCO deemed the royal summer residence a World Heritage site. While touring, be sure to notice its distinctive Islamic features such as honeycomb vaulting, pointed archways and a design that ingeniously produces natural air conditioning that still works today. More treasures await you in the city center, especially plazas such as the extravagant Piazza Pretoria. Its monumental fountain and the statues adorning it were created in Florence and shipped to Sicily in the 1570s to symbolize Palermo’s urban rebirth. Even the venue for your lunch has great architectural importance as it is within a former monastery cloister in a lovely park.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse Zisa Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site with beautiful Islamic elements.
• Stroll through glorious plazas such as the Piazza Pretoria in Palermo’s city center.
• Delight in a classic Sicilian lunch in a restaurant in a former monastery cloister.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

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.

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

Enjoy close-up looks at some of the most iconic buildings in Florence, including Palazzo Vecchio, where you will explore fantastic rooms and uncover intriguing tales. Built in the 14th century for the influential Medici family, the palazzo features hidden corridors designed for clandestine movements and confidential conversations. Viewing these areas will offer a glimpse into the political intrigue of the time. The Palazzo also holds artwork by Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo and Giorgio Vasari, the painter and architect that designed a secret corridor on Ponte Vecchio bridge, your next stop. A short walk will bring you to the glorious Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, perhaps the most recognizable symbol of Florence because of its dome. Following free time to independently explore nearby Santa Croce Square, you will watch a master craftsman create exquisite leather goods, a Florence tradition since the 13th century when the first leather guild was created.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk through Palazzo Vecchio, once the powerful Medici family’s home.
• Behold other architectural icons in Florence, including the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio.
• Shop or dine on your own during free time in Santa Croce Square.
• Watch an artisan create fine leather goods, a craft honed in Florence for centuries.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Wish you were here in the Florence of guilds, merchants and artists, as the city was slowly becoming the cradle of the Renaissance. Uncover the fascinating origins of Florence through its architecture as you delve into the pivotal historical moments that shaped it into the vibrant city it is today. Standing in the Piazza della Signoria, you will behold a panoramic view of the Palazzo Vecchio, the medieval town hall and seat of political power that now holds a museum. Fittingly, a copy of Michelangelo’s “David” is outside. Florence’s deep appreciation of Renaissance art becomes more evident as you walk through the courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery, where you´ll enjoy a view of Ponte Vecchio, the shop-lined bridge that has contributed to Florence’s growth since the 14th century. For a moment, imagine standing here centuries ago, watching traders, nobles and artists cross this same bridge as the city’s skyline slowly took shape. Building the Piazza della Repubblica was key to city center’s 19th-century redevelopment and will present a look at modern life as it is always busy. You will also stroll through the Piazza del Duomo to see the exterior of the iconic Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore, the spiritual heart of Florence. Free time in Santa Croce Square will allow you to appreciate the city’s exquisite shopping and dining —moments that feel like quiet time travel for the soul between past and present.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Step into the Florence you wish you could have seen centuries ago, moving from medieval power in Palazzo Vecchio to Renaissance art and 19th-century renewal in the city center.
• Follow a route where historical photos help you imagine how each square and street looked in different eras as the city evolved.
• See icons that include Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery and picture merchants, nobles and artists crossing the same spaces in their own time.
• Behold the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore, whose dome has become Florence’s symbol.
• Spend free time shopping and dining in Santa Croce Square if you like.

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 centers 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.