Unexpected Tuscany: A Journey Through History, Mystery and Wonders

Welcome to Tuscany!
Leaving is an exciting time for many travellers. It marks the beginning of an adventure. Today you will start to be part of a community, which will give you a’ rewarding travel experience. You will have the opportunity to transform a simple trip into an opportunity for personal growth, cultural enrichment, Globest welcomes you to PISA. After your welcome at the airport, we will head to the hotel in the Lucca area, to present the rich and exciting program of the week. Hotel accommodation in Lucca; dinner and overnight stay.

Between Art and Gastronomy
Breakfast at the hotel. The whole day will be dedicated to a guided tour of Lucca, a true unsuspected jewel of Tuscany, a timeless city preserved like a treasure chest of jewels, with its city walls and its “one hundred churches”, dotted with small and large valuable architecture in a maze of sinuous streets. We will visit its historic center and the Renaissance walls that surround it, still intact and transformed into a long tree-lined avenue ideal for a relaxing walk overlooking the rooftops of the city. Tasting of typical products such as «Cecina», a very low cake made with chickpeas, oil, water and salt, crunchy on the outside and very soft on the inside, it is one of the tastiest dishes of the Tuscan tradition. Lunch in a restaurant during the visit. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

The Charm of Nature and the uniqueness of its flavours
After breakfast at the hotel we will leave for the Lucca countryside to discover the monumental villas, true pearls set among the rolling hills of the Lucca plain. Morning dedicated to visiting the Villa Reale di Marlia, one of the most evocative historic residences in Italy, a wonderful destination, synonymous with charm and elegance. We will then reach an agricultural estate where, after tasting various products at «km-0» we will be served a typical lunch which will allow us to appreciate all the richness and excellence of the local cuisine. In the afternoon we will visit the Hesperidarium, a one-of-a-kind garden that brings together over 200 varieties of citrus fruits from all over the world, it is possible to admire rare and exotic varieties from the Far East, but also new, more modern varieties originating from the southern hemisphere. After your visit, a tasting will allow you to enjoy entirely artisanal citrus jams and citrus-based soft drinks such as Chinotto and soda… Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Among enchanting villages and Romanesque style beauties.
After breakfast at the hotel we will leave for Volterra, one of the most fascinating cities in Tuscany! Located on a panoramic hill, this small medieval village, surrounded by an imposing city wall, is rich in history, art and culture. We will visit its historic center, the beating heart of the city. When visiting and wandering through the streets of Volterra, we will see almost everywhere various objects made of alabaster, an ancient city tradition that draws its precious material from the neighboring quarries since Etruscan times. Lunch in a typical restaurant. In the afternoon we will reach Pisa, a city that has preserved the charm of a medieval city intact thanks to the beauty and uniqueness of its monuments. In the company of a local guide, we will discover the beauties of the famous Piazza dei Miracoli – declared a world heritage site by UNESCO: the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, an absolute masterpiece of the Pisan Romanesque style, the Baptistery, the Bell Tower, the “leaning tower” (external). Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Goodbye Tuscany!
On this day back, nostalgia for the places visited and enthusiasm for returning home mix. We will accompany you to the airport to help you deal with the logistics of boarding. Today a chapter closes and a new one opens, we will say goodbye, but be part of our Community, you will bring with you the promise of new future adventures that are even more extraordinary.  As you wait for your flight, you will reflect on the extraordinary experiences you have had during the journey: from the delicious dishes savored to the natural wonders discovered along the way. You will prepare to face your daily routine with new energy. Happy homecoming.