La Spezia

Climb aboard and conquer the UNESCO World Heritage villages of the Cinque Terre, one train and one village at a time! Start with Riomaggiore, with its colorful houses and tiny port that looks like something out of a fairy tale. Wander around Vernazza, accompanied by the scents of Mediterranean vegetation and the spectacular coastline. Then relax in Monterosso, the biggest village, with its ancient alleyways, and savor a typical lunch bursting with the flavors of the real Liguria. 

• Monterosso
• Vernazza
• Riomaggiore

• You will travel by train  with your local guide  for a  special day immersed in nature and surrounded by ancient values that for centuries have joined people of these lands.  The first village will be Riomaggiore where you won't miss the tiny port surrounded  by the perched coloured houses.proceed to  Vernazza from where you will appreciate the characteristic Mediterranean bush and the rocky coastline. After some free time  you will get to Monterosso, the biggest, with  a lovely old portion . Here you will enjoy a typical lunch before the train ride to La Spezia.

• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.
• This excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.

Lerici welcomes you with its sea, poetry and a touch of mystery: You're in the Gulf of Poets. Explore the village with its enchantment and thrills accompanied by your guide. Begin at the castle, where legend has it that a courteous ghost haunts the grounds, enamored with the view (and who can blame him?). Then it's time to head to San Terenzo, amidst the waves and silence, to Villa Shelley, where Mary (yes, the author of Frankenstein) found inspiration. Dream or reality? In some corners, you can no longer tell the difference. An immersion in poetry, legends and views like something out of a novel.

• Lerici old town
• Lerici Castle :external visit
• Villa Shelley: external visit

• The town of Lerici has fascinated and inspired leading figures of literature, and it is no coincidence that the bay it overlooks is called the Bay of Poets. . Let's spend a day there and experience this atmosphere with a guided tour.
• We'll start at Lerici Castle, which obviously, as tradition dictates, has its very own ghost. It is the ghost of Mrs Madì, who ran the former youth hostel in the 1960s. No point trying to chase her away, she is so deeply in love with this place that she'll never leave.
• The excursion continues to Villa Shelley, in the tiny district of San Terenzo, a cozy neighborhood overlooking the sea where the Shelleys once lived. Who are they? You may well ask. She is Mary Shelley, author of the novel Frankenstein.
• But is it all true, or is it a painting? It's hard to tell.

• This excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.

Ready to hold up a 58-meter marble tower? Welcome to Pisa, or more specifically, to Piazza dei Miracoli, and there she stands (slightly crooked, if we may say so): the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Take an iconic photo with one of the seven wonders of the world, then let your guide lead you amongst the wonders of the square, where Pisan Romanesque style blends with Arabic, Byzantine and Norman influences. Between the cathedral and the Baptistery, you'll be left open-mouthed: Here, “wow” is not enough. Finally, some free time: souvenir? Ice-cream? Or do you feel like observing the art, searching for the perfect shot?

• Piazza del Duomo
• Duomo di Pisa (internal visit)
• Leaning Tower (external visit )
• Baptistry (internal visit)

• Wear suitable clothing for the places of worship you will be visiting.
• On Sundays and religious festivals, the visit to the cathedral will be limited to the outside.
• Entry to the Tower is not included.

Today, you'll discover one of the 7 wonders of the world! Step into the heart of an ancient Maritime Republic, with its history, marble and art: Pisa. Your guide will lead you to the famous Piazza dei Miracoli. Visit the cathedral, with its Romanesque elegance with Byzantine and Arabic influences, and you'll be astounded. Then, there she stands - the symbol of the city: Pisa's Leaning Tower. A crooked masterpiece which is totally fascinating (have you ever wondered how it stays upright?). And yes, you can even climb to the top, but get ready to pant - those 294 steps won't climb themselves.

• Piazza del Duomo
• Pisa's Duomo (internal visit)
• The Leaning Tower (internal visit)

• Leaving the port of La Spezia behind, we set off for Pisa, where we have a little time to tour round this ancient maritime republic.
• Our tour guide will lead us on an historic itinerary based on the famous Piazza del Duomo, better known as Piazza dei Miracoli. This was the name given to it by Gabriele D'Annunzio in recognition of the splendour of a place where the glowing whiteness of the marble buildings - which appear to spring from the grassy carpet of the square - offers visitors a spectacle like no other.
• Our exploration of the white splendour of Piazza dei Miracoli begins with the Duomo, the highest expression of Pisan Romanesque architecture in which the classical tradition is filtered through the experiences of the early Church, incorporating Lombard and Byzantine motifs and influences from the Arab and Norman world, to wondrous effect.
• We can't fail to stop and admire the famous Leaning Tower, an imposing structure that appears almost weightless thanks to storey after storey of graceful arches. We'll have the privilege of walking up the 294 steps to the top of the tower, which is famous throughout the world for its pronounced tilt.

• Our guide will join the excursion directly in Pisa.
• Dress code that is appropriate for the places of worship to be visited is recommended.
• Children under the age of 8 are not admitted in the Tower for safety reasons.
• Bags and rucksacks are not permitted in the Tower for safety reasons.
• The coach transfer to Pisa takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.

Discover La Spezia as you've never seen it before and explore authentic places, tales from sailors and hidden treasures that few people know about with a local guide. At the Naval Technical Museum, you'll step into the beating heart of Italian seafaring, amongst the cannons, compasses and secrets from bygone days. Then head to Via Cavour, with its elegant buildings, nineteenth-century facades and churches that are home to hidden masterpieces: Renaissance terracotta marvels and unexpected sacred art. La Spezia is full of surprises.

•Technical Naval Museum•La Spezia city centre

•The tour starts with a walk around La Spezia together with our local guide to discover traditional flavours, hidden treasures and chapters from the Italian naval history and history of art. •We continue with a visit to the Technical Naval Museum, the most important of its kind in Italy and one of the oldest in the world, illustrating centuries of maritime technological evolution. •The excursion continues with a stroll around the pedestrian area and along via Cavour, one of the main streets in La Spezia. We are immediately impressed by the beauty and elegance of the 19th-century buildings. We also admire the black and white façades of Santa Maria dell’Assunzione, a church completed in 1954 which houses a very beautiful polychrome terracotta “Coronation of the Virgin” by Andrea della Robbia as well as “The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew” by Luca Cambiaso.

• In order to safeguard the health of our guests and in compliance with safety regulations, the itinerary and length of the excursions may be subject to slight modifications.

Discover Florence with your eyes wide open (and your stomach at the ready)! Start with the “big hitters”: The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto's Bell Tower and the Baptistery are all there, ready to be admired (and photographed, of course). Wander through Piazza della Signoria, an open-air museum, and enjoy the statues, history and selfies, then head to the romantic Ponte Vecchio bridge. Admire the exterior of the solemn Santa Croce, where Galileo, Michelangelo, and Foscolo are buried. And now sit down and get stuck in: crunchy bruschetta, succulent Florentine steak and a glass of red wine. Florence is to be experienced, wandered... and devoured!

• Piazza del Duomo
• Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Giotto's Bell Tower: external visit
• Piazza della Signoria
• Palazzo Vecchio: external visit
• Church of Santa Croce: external visit

• With your local guide, start with an external visit to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Giotto's Bell Tower. Then the Baptistry of San Giovanni, a splendid example of the Florentine Romanesque style.
• Piazza della Signoria is dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery. The Ponte Vecchio is a stone's throw from here and you can't leave without taking a photograph.
• Now we're at the Church of Santa Croce where Galileo, Michelangelo and the poet Ugo Foscolo are buried.
• Art whets your appetite. So it's off to a trattoria for lunch with a classic tomato bruschetta and a "fiorentina"! The famous chianina beef steak, accompanied by the local red wine.

• The transfer from the port of La Spezia to Florence takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Menus may vary according to season to ensure the constant high quality of the dishes served.
• Before booking the excursion or once on board, contact the excursion office to check the availability of vegetarian or gluten-free dishes and to report any food intolerances.

A day spent between the sea and the iconic villages: set off by boat towards Portovenere and the Cinque Terre to see the coast from the best vantage point – the water. Stop off at Portovenere, Vernazza and Monterosso to soak up the atmosphere of Liguria’s most famous villages, overlooking the gulf that was so beloved by poets. An itinerary that combines sailing, scenic views and walks, at a pace that is always just right.

• Private boat trip
• Views of the coast from the sea: The Gulf of Poets
• Free time in Portovenere, Vernazza and Monterosso

The tour starts at the harbor, where you board a private boat – the perfect way to get close to Portovenere and the Cinque Terre. From the sea, everything looks different: cliffs, colorful houses, towers and terraced vineyards blend into each other, forming a single natural stage that seems to have been created specifically to be viewed from here.

The first part of the trip is a succession of “look at that” moments as you approach Portovenere, the picturesque historic gateway to the Gulf of Poets. After all, it was them — the poets — who loved this part of Liguria so deeply, and when you look at the view, you'll understand why.

Then, you'll continue to the Cinque Terre, getting off the boat to Vernazza and Monterosso: narrow streets, squares, tiny ports and houses clinging to the rock. These villages need no introduction: you already know them, but they’re much better in real life.

Once back on board, we'll set sail again, with a feeling of being inside a moving painting.
Head back to the port with Liguria stretching out beside you, and one thing certain in your mind: from the sea, this coastline is in a league of its own.

• This is one of the most popular excursions so book early.

Hungry for art? Get ready for a real feast. Set off from Florence, with a masterpiece at every corner: From the Cathedral with Brunelleschi's dome (140 years of patience, but what a result!) to the Baptistery, Giotto's Bell Tower, and Piazza della Signoria, with its copy of David staring proudly back at you. Then there's the unmissable Ponte Vecchio . Watch out, Pisa's calling. It responds with the Piazza dei Miracoli, the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery. When it comes down to it, it's down to you to decide: Florence or Pisa? Be careful, you might fall in love with both.

• Florence: Santa Maria del Fiore (external visit), Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Santa Croce and Basilica (external visit)
• Pisa: Piazza dei Miracoli, the leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistry (external visits)

• Are you ready for a feast of art? Don't miss any of the sights and sounds over the course of one long and unforgettable day.
• We'll start from Santa Maria del Fiore, which Florentines regard as their Cathedral. It took 140 years to complete. but a mere glimpse tells you that it's a masterpiece, particularly the dome by Brunelleschi.
• If you think that's as good as it gets, take a look at the Baptistry, Giotto's Tower, Piazza della Signoria with copy Michelangelo's statue of .David, Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia dei Lanzi. You're in an open air museum.
• Cross the Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge to have survived the 22 bombardments of World War II. The Basilica in Piazza Santa Croce is the resting place of Michelangelo.
• Pisa is calling. In the Piazza dei Miracoli, you can visit the second Cathedral and Baptistry of the day and mind you don't twist your neck looking at the famous Leaning Tower. Thanks to a well-placed center of gravity it won't fall down, but you may just lose your balance: Florence or Pisa, which do you prefer?

• This is one of the most popular excursions so book early.
• The bus journey from the port to Florence takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• The meet-up with the guide takes place in Florence. A local guide will accompany you on the journeys to and from Florence and during the visit to Pisa.
• This excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.