FLORENCE - ART AND ARCHITECTURE
The Renaissance Capital of the World
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Florence and her masters . . . Michelangelo, da Vinci, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Titian, Dante, Machiavelli, and the great Florentine architects Brunelleschi and Buontalenti . . . to name but a few! When Roman soldiers founded Florence around 60 B.C., its original name was Florentia, meaning "may she flourish" and indeed she has! This is a city so tied in with the feminine that they celebrate their own New Year on the Virgin Mary's Feast of the Annunciation. We are thrilled to introduce our newly designed tour for the aficionado of Renaissance art and architecture. This capital of Tuscany has no rival when it comes to the array of museums, monuments and churches that attract the legions of visitors and art history majors twelve months a year. Our one week, in-depth "love fest" packs in a lot to showcase the best of Florence and her art, plus some shopping of course! And in between, we take a day to breathe out and soak in the combined Tuscan and Etruscan flavors of the countryside . . . if only we could stay a month! *Delta Flight Schedule from New York JFK to Pisa PSA: DL 136 SEPT 20 JFK/PSA 8:45 PM 11:40 AM+1 Exclusively for Women
Not Included:
Italy Entry Requirements: *** Valid passport required. U.S. citizens do not need a Visa or Inoculations*** Day 1 – Sunday, September 20: Depart the U.S. on Overnight Flights to Pisa
Day 2 – Monday, September 21: Pisa/Florence Airport Transfer Upon arrival in Pisa Airport, you will be met by our tour escort and swiftly transferred the 80 miles to our hotel in Florence, the four-star Grand Hotel Baglioni. Just a couple of minutes walk from the Duomo, monuments, museums, shops, and restaurants, the hotel is perfectly situated in the historic heart of Florence. All 193 guest rooms are equipped with air conditioning, satellite TV, direct dial phone, mini-bar, hair dryer and nightly turn-down service. With one of the most panoramic rooftops in Florence, the hotel boasts the perfect setting for their popular restaurant, the “Terrazza Brunelleschi.” Monday is an ideal day to arrive as the museums are closed (we planned it that way so you don’t miss anything!) Instead, we will have a guided walk around the hotel neighborhood to give you an immediate introduction to the nearby attractions. Take in the panoramic view from Piazzale Michelangelo which is renowned for breathtaking sights of Florence and the Arno valley in the distance. Enjoy lunch at your leisure with club friends at a local trattoria. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the city, or to rest in your room. You have an exciting, full and wonderful week ahead! Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner of traditional Tuscan fare at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant while taking in the golden glow of sunset over the rooftops and spires of this magical city. (D)
Day 3 – Tuesday, September 22: Florence Breakfast We start our full day of guided tours with a visit to the Accademia (Academy of Fine Arts) which will include the famous David by Michelangelo. Next, a Medici Chapel, one of the vast complex of chapels of great historical and architectural interest, located under the San Lorenzo Church. The large crypt, which holds the tombs of the Medici family, was designed by Buontalenti, and worked on by Michelangelo. Now for a short break to stroll through nearby San Lorenzo Central Market, where the outdoor stalls offer great shopping for scarves and bargaining for leather goods such as belts and gloves. You will most likely want to return here on your free time. This area is packed with leather shops, many that have been in business for centuries. The indoor market has great places that we can choose for our lunch together. And while we’re talking leather, another shop to visit during your free time is the Scuola del Cuoio, a leather school near Santa Croce leather market where you can see artisans at work and buy leather of the highest quality.
This afternoon we continue to the Duomo, for many centuries the symbol of Florence and Renaissance architecture. Today it is the fourth largest cathedral in the world, after St. Peter's in Rome, St. Paul's in London and the Duomo in Milan. We will stop to admire the bronze baptistery doors, designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti, that were so perfect according to Michelangelo, they could have been the gates of paradise. Then on to visit the Basilica di Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan church in the world. The art collection here is considered the most important of any church in Italy. With frescos by Giotto and sculptures by Donatello, it is also the place to see the tombs of such Renaissance celebrities as Michelangelo, Ghiberti and Galileo. Later, we return to the hotel with evening at leisure. Our tour escort will have lots of suggestions for your free time . . . charming little trattorias to dine in, wonderful gelato shops, and those great wine bars with free food, or aperitivi, that is oh so Florentine. (B, L)
Day 4 – Wednesday, September 23: Florence Breakfast On our way to the Uffizi, we pass by the poet Dante’s House and then the Bargello Museum, set in one of the oldest buildings of Florence with gorgeous architecture. The Bargello is notable as a palace where you can find the most important and beautiful collection of Renaissance sculpture in Italy. However, there’s no time this morning to stop and visit, but we highly recommend that you return on your free day. In a few minutes we arrive in the majestic Piazza della Signoria. You will know you are there by the giant replica of the David, surrounded by a contingent of tourists taking photos with camera phones. Also here is the Uffizi Gallery where we will see Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, among so many famous, dazzling and priceless works of art . . . it can be overwhelming! After our lunch, we leave the rest of the day for you to go at your own pace and take in as much as you wish. (B, L)
Day 5 – Thursday, September 24: Florence/Siena/San Gimignano/ Florence Breakfast Today, our art and architecture interests take us on an excursion to two of Tuscany’s true gems: Siena and San Gimignano. These exquisite towns are set in the most beautiful Tuscan countryside of rolling hills, lush vines and gray-green olive trees. Siena offers much to see, from the fine palaces that line the narrow cobbled streets and the superb Duomo, to the celebrated Piazza del Campo where the famed Palio horserace is run annually. You will enjoy a guided visit of the Palazzo Pubblico to see the Museo Civico and the Cathedral Santa Maria alla Scala. Not far from Siena we will have lunch, and a visit to a winery with a wine tasting. Afterwards we continue to San Gimignano, a town of Etruscan origin. Built by noble families, the fourteen remaining towers that line the ramparts look like medieval skyscrapers. We return to Florence in late afternoon with evening at leisure for dinner. (B,L)
Day 6 – Friday, September 25: Florence Breakfast
Your full day tour starts today with a visit to Santa Maria Novella, the first great Basilica in Florence, and the city's principal Dominican Church. Just around the corner from here is the Officina Profumo di Santa Maria Novella on Via della Scala. It was once a Gothic chapel that was converted in 1612 to sell the Dominican friars health and beauty potions. Inside is a gorgeous huge interior of connecting rooms where you can pick up potpourri, lotions, etc. We will pass by Piazza dell Repubblica and the famous Ponte Vecchio, one of the city’s best known images. A medieval bridge, it is the oldest of the six bridges spanning the Arno River with centuries-old shops built along it. Although these are mostly jewelry stores with tourist pricing, you will find Madova Gloves, a small family run shop that's been around since 1919 where you can pick up gloves for half the price they sell for in department stores back home. Another favorite of ours is the tiny leather shop, Roberta's, owned by a sister-brother team with an equally desirable array of gloves at great prices. After lunch we will arrive at the Pitti Palace. Built in the 15th century by the Florentine Pitti family, it was occupied by the Medici family around 1550 after they came to power. The building of the original palace was probably supervised by Brunelleschi. Over the centuries, the palace was expanded by the Medici and turned into a priceless private museum of paintings, sculptures and other rate collectibles. In the back, the Pitti Palace opens up to the beautiful Boboli Gardens with fountains, sculptures and sweeping views of the city of Florence. Inside we will visit the Palatine Gallery and the Royal Apartments. The Palatine Gallery is a unique collection of 16th and 17th masterpieces by Fra' Bartolomeo, Andrea del Sarto, Pontormo, Rosso Fiorentino, Caravaggio, Rubens, Van Dyck, and others. The gallery has not been rearranged since the 19th century and looks more like a private collection than a museum. The walls are adorned with golden stuccos and completely covered with paintings, from top to bottom. Later we continue to the Church Santa Maria del Carmine to see the Cappella Brancacci with frescoes of Masaccio and Masolino. Tonight you are free for dinner. (B, L)
Day 7 – Saturday, September 26: Florence Breakfast Enjoy today at your leisure to continue your exploration of the city. Or, take a short train ride to the nearby towns of Lucca or Pisa (our hotel is just a hundred yards from the train station). Our charming and all-knowing tour manager will be available to show you some of the other hidden treasures of Florence. If you love shoes, not to be missed is the Ferragamo Museum and its collection of over 10,000 models designed by Salvatore Ferragamo from the 1920’s until 1960. The museum is located on the fabulous shopping street, Via de' Tornabuoni, and along this stretch you will find Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Versace, and Armani. For silk lingerie and wonderful linens, stop in at Loretta Caponi, located in a spectacularly restored palazzo. Day 8 – Sunday, September 27: Florence/Pisa Breakfast Today, we bid farewell to Florence and transfer to the Pisa Airport for our return flights home. For more information, visit the Italy Tourism website |
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*Itineraries subject to minor changes- fuel surcharges included in trip prices where airfare is included. Not included: airport taxes, government fees and September 11th Security Fee. Prices per person based on double occupancy. To book this trip please fill out our new member application if applicable and then the booking form. The Women's Travel Club (USA), Inc.
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