The beloved region of Tuscany encompasses the best of Italy: stunning historic cities; artistic masterpieces; extraordinary views and landscapes; sea and mountains; sunny climate; not to mention the wonderful local food products, fine wines and artisan shops with age-old traditions.
With its carefully tended hills covered with grape vines, cypress trees, olive groves, stone farmhouses and mild weather year-round, it is a delightful area for an interesting and relaxing stay-put holiday.
We will stay in Viareggio, a small resort town with a long, lovely Mediterranean coastline of wide sandy beaches, parks and pine forests. Parallel to the beach is a wide promenade and lively shopping area. The town has easy access to the great renaissance cities of Florence, Siena, Pisa and Lucca, all of which are included in our tour. We will also visit Cinque Terre - the amazing cluster of villages clinging to the dramatic cliffs along the coast, the medieval town of Bolgheri - a beautiful historic hamlet with a famous avenue of Cypress trees, and Liverno -with its dramatic rocky coastline. On the day we explore Chianti we will of course sample many of the famous wines of the region.
In Viareggio our hotel is located on the Tuscan coast in a region called the “Riviera Versilia”, which features the backdrop of the magnificent Apuan Mountains. We’ll stay at the Hotel President, a four-star hotel that overlooks the seafront promenade. The beach is across the road and shopping is just a short walk away. Hotel facilities include a pleasant lounge, bar and restaurant. The guestrooms are comfortably furnished with two beds, telephone, satellite TV, mini-bar, safe and individual climate control.
*** Those joining any of our tours to Europe must be able to walk fairly long distances and climb stairs easily.