Posts filed under ‘Tuscan Tours’
Enhance your Italian villa rental experience with a private tour
We think it can be enjoyable and educational to put yourself in the hands of a native professional guide for a day! Here are 12 half- and full-day tour options to enhance your Italian villa rental experience:
Explore Tuscany with a native
1. Florence by Car: Appreciate the sights of Renaissance Florence from the comfort of your own private car. Your professional guide will meet you in Florence (or pick you up at your villa for an extra charge) and will then introduce you to the city on a personal level, sharing his favorite secret sights and local knowledge. He’ll take you to Piazzale Michelangelo for a panoramic view of the city alongside the bronze copy of David, then drive you through the streets of Florence. You’ll visit the Oltrarno, home to the city’s artisans, the magnificent Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens, and all of the major sites across the river: the Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza della Repubblica, and Piazza Santa Croce. During the tour, you will be free to get out and walk around. The tour is available in the morning and the afternoon. The tour does not include meals, museum entrance fees, or gratuities. The order of the tour stops may change depending on local conditions. Cost: 188 Euros for three hours (1-8 pax).
2. Florence by Foot: Join a Florentine for a three-hour walking tour of his native city. Your guide loves Florence with a passion and will enchant you with anecdotes and fascinating information about his favorite historic places. Your professional guide will meet you in Florence at the main train station and you’ll then visit the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Santa Croce, as well as Renaissance palaces and private residences. If you’d like to visit a museum or two after the tour, your guide will be happy to book tickets for your group. The morning tour begins at 10:00 am, and the afternoon tour begins at 3:00 pm. The tour does not include meals, museum entrance fees, or gratuities. The order of the tour stops may change depending on local conditions. Cost: 225 Euros for three hours (1-8 pax).
San Gimignano
3. Chianti Country Tour and Wine Tasting: Explore the countryside then enjoy tastings, a cellar visit , and lunch at a Chianti wine estate. This full-day tour begins when your guide picks you up in Florence (or at your villa for an extra cost) to travel the picturesque Chiantigiana road, winding through vineyards, olive groves and towns. You’ll stop first to tour Montefioralle Castle, then on to Greve, the pretty market town which is the capital of the Chianti region. The special treat comes when you visit a working winery, where you’ll see the cellar and taste the wine of the welcoming family; a lunch at the winery (menu changes daily) is available for an extra cost (paid locally) of 25 Euros per person. Afterward, you’ll drive through Panzano and on to Castellina, a pretty medieval town. The tour does not include meals, museum entrance fees, or gratuities. The order of the tour stops may change depending on local conditions. Cost: 425 Euros (1-3 pax); 450 Euros (4-6 pax); 500 Euros (7-8 pax).
Tuscan olives
4. Siena and San Gimignano: Spend a full day touring two of Tuscany’s gems. Start from Florence (or at your villa for an extra cost) and enjoy the scenery as you’re driven through the beautiful Chianti region, known for its vineyards, olives, and charming towns. Then you’ll drive up the hill to the walled, medieval town of San Gimignano, with its 14 towers and Collegiata, a Romanesque church filled with fascinating (and sometimes frightening!) frescoes (admission is extra). Your guide will help you decide on the perfect spot to enjoy lunch (extra cost, paid locally); perhaps in Monteriggioni or another nearby town. In the afternoon, you’ll travel on to Siena—a magical, breathtaking, and thoroughly Italian city. Wander through the streets as your guide introduces the 17 different contrade, the distinct neighborhoods of Siena, which square off against each other every summer for the Palio horse race. The tour does not include meals, museum entrance fees, or gratuities. The order of the tour stops may change depending on local conditions. Cost: 425 Euros (1-3 pax); 450 Euros (4-6 pax); 500 Euros (7-8 pax). Driving guides are not permitted to guide in museums, but he/she can guide you as you walk throughout the towns. You will have some free time to shop and explore in each town.
5. See it All: Combine a half-day in Siena or San Gimignano with a half-day in the Chianti. The Chianti portion of this tour will include the Valle del Greve (Chianti Classico), with a stop in Greve as well as some wine cellars. Cost: 425 Euros (1-3 pax); 450 Euros (4-6 pax); 500 Euros (7-8 pax). Driving guides are not permitted to guide in museums, but he/she can guide you as you walk throughout the towns. You will have some free time to shop and explore in each town.
6. Cinque Terre Adventure (full-day tour): Take a guided walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola, then take the ferry to Vernazza. You won’t have to worry about finding parking or making connections when you’re transported to the Cinque Terre by an expert guide. He’ll pick you up at your villa (for an extra cost), or a central meeting point (for an extra cost) and drive you to Riomaggiore, the southern-most village of the five towns perched on cliffs and spilling into the sea. You’ll walk the newly restored Via dell’ Amore, which connects Riomaggiore to the town of Manarola. Afterward, your guide will usher you onto a ferry for a different perspective of the villages and the sea. (If weather is an issue, you’ll take the train.) You’ll get off at Vernazza, the most picturesque of the five villages—a perfect place for lunch (extra cost, paid locally). The tour does not include meals, museum entrance fees, or gratuities. The order of the tour stops may change depending on local conditions. Cost: 525 Euros (1-3 pax); 563 Euros (4-6 pax); 600 Euros (7-8 pax).
7. Day Tour of Siena and San Gimignano (full-day tour): Start your day in the beautiful university center of Siena. Your guide will greet you in Piazzale della Fortezza; together you’ll explore the historic center and discover the ancient duomo and surrounding sights. The tour will then meander along small side streets as you make your way to Piazza del Campo, where the legendary Palio is held each July. Enjoy lunch at a typical restaurant in the center. After lunch you can continue to sightsee independently in San Gimignano if you wish. Included in the price is transportation from the Cortona train station, a guided tour, lunch in Siena (wine excluded), and entrance to the duomo in Siena. This full-day tour is offered Monday-Saturday (9:00 AM-5:30 PM). Cost per person: 260 Euros (for 2-3 pax); 190 Euros (for 4-5 pax); 150 Euros (for 6-7 pax); 120 Euros (for 8-9 pax); 115 Euros (for 10-11 pax); 110 Euros (for 12 pax). Children 0-6 are free. Children ages 6-10 pay 50% of the adult per person cost. Gratuity is not included in the price.
8. Assisi Tour and Lunch (half-day with lunch): Explore the sacred ancient city of Assisi with your own native guide; this 3-hour tour will introduce you to the sights of the historic center. You’ll want to work up an appetite, because lunch is at a nearby organic farm that produces wine, olive oil, and grains. The repast includes farm produce and typical delicacies such as bruschetta, salami, and cheese. Included in the price is transportation from the Cortona train station, a guided tour of Assisi, and lunch with wine. This tour is offered Monday-Saturday (9:00 AM-4:00 PM). Cost per person: 280 Euros (for 2-3 pax); 160 Euros (for 4-5 pax); 140 Euros (for 6-7 pax); 120 Euros (for 8-9 pax); 115 Euros (for 10-11 pax); 100 Euros (for 12 pax). Children 0-6 are free. Children ages 6-10 pay 50% of the adult per person cost. Gratuity is not included in the price.
9. Arezzo Walking Tour (half-day with lunch): Transport yourself to the 12th century as you meander through the historic center of Arezzo. Your tour will include stops at the gothic cathedral and Piazza Grande, as well as visits to the artisan craft shops and small boutiques along Via del Corso. Lunch at the end of the tour will be at a small, local restaurant specializing in Umbrian cuisine. After lunch you can continue your sightseeing independently if you wish. Included in the price is transportation from the Cortona train station, a guided walking tour, and lunch. This tour is offered Monday-Saturday morning or afternoon. Cost per person: 155 Euros (for 2-3 pax); 105 Euros (for 4-5 pax); 90 Euros (for 6-7 pax); 80 Euros (for 8-9 pax); 70 Euros (for 10-11 pax); 65 Euros (for 12 pax). Children 0-6 are free. Children ages 6-10 pay 50% of the adult per person cost. Gratuity is not included in the price.
FOR RESERVATIONS:
Please contact RentVillas at (800) 726-6702.To confirm a reservation, a 20% non-refundable deposit is required. Upon receipt of the deposit, you will be put in direct contact with the Tour Guide, who will be able to answer your specific questions regarding the details of the tour, including balance payment, extra costs, and the meeting time and place. We recommend that reservations be made at least two months prior to your departure.
*Note: Unless otherwise stated, prices for Tuscan Tours do not include meals, museum entrance fees, or gratuities. Prices include pick-up and drop-off in Florence (Tours 1-8) and Cortona (Tours 10-12). Please note: For selected tours, pick-up and drop-off at villa locations other than Florence and Cortona can be arranged for an extra fee (payable locally) which will be determined by the tour provider and supplied to you; Price is calculated according to distance from the center of Florence (Tours 1-8) and Cortona (Tours 10-12). The order of the tour stops may change depending on local conditions.
