A scenic drive by private bus brings us to San Gimignano, a fortified hilltop town notable for its many Medieval era towers. Here we will visit the cathedral’s Cappella di Santa Fina and Baptistery, decorated with frescoes by Ghirlandaio and Sebastiano Mainardi, and the Palazzo del Comune (town hall) to…
This morning, with a local historian as our guide, we will be led on a walking tour focussed on Volterra’s Etruscan, Roman and Medieval past. The tour includes one of Phyllis’s favourite Mannerist altarpieces, located in the Pinacoteca, Rosso Fiorentino’s Deposition from the Cross. After a group lunch the afternoon…
In the morning we will drive to Lucca, a town encircled by perfectly preserved Renaissance era walls. Our local guide will lead us on a walk through the centro storico, historic centre, introducing us to some of Lucca’s unique features: the elliptical town square, the 13thcentury façade of San Michele…
The Alpi Apuane mountain range rises on Lucca’s horizon. Michelangelo and numerous other artists and architects travelled here to select the region’s prized Carrara marble to work with. Today we will go to the source of that same precious stone. In the small town of Seravezza we will visit our…
In the morning we will drive to the small town of Pistoia to see the beautifully restored façade of the Ospedale del Ceppo hospital, with its 16th century polychrome terracotta frieze and roundels, its Romanesque cathedral, and the pulpit in the small church of Sant’Andrea, a masterpiece by the sculptor…
From Lucca we will drive to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, home of the Medici dynasty and the last stage of our tour. Our time here begins with an in depth look at the exterior of the cathedral, crowned with Brunelleschi’s masterpiece the great dome. We will visit one of…
The Uffizi Gallery is home to the world’s greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art. We will spend all morning here, expertly guided through the priceless works including those by Cimabue, Giotto, Duccio, Simone Martini, Lorenzo Monaco, Gentile da Fabriano, Uccello, Fra Angelico, Piero della Francesca, Hugo van der Goes (a…
Today’s tour begins in the harmonious surrounds of San Marco convent, a perfectly preserved 15th century monastery paid for by the Medici and designed by their favourite architect Michelozzo. We will see frescoes and panels by Fra Angelico, who was a Dominican monk in the convent, and works by Ghirlandaio….
The morning is free up until 11am. You might like to use this time to visit the interior of Florence cathedral, and/or Giotto’s campanile (bell tower) and the crypt of Santa Reparata. You will be provided with a combined ticket for all these sites. You might also choose to join…
