After breakfast, meet our English-speaking local guide and enjoy a walking tour of Florence. During the tour our guide will point out famous sites such as the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, Piazze della Signori, Santa Croce and more. Enjoy lunch (at own expense) and leisure then regroup to proceed by mini coach to Panzano in Chianti. Enjoy a welcome cocktail upon arrival at Villa Il Palagio and meet the villa owner for an orientation meeting and check in. Settle in to unpack, relax or stroll around the villa property and enjoy the spectacular views of the vineyards and rolling Tuscany hills. Conclude the day with a group dinner, including local wines, served in the comfort of the villa.

Overnight Panzano – Villa Il Palagio – 8 nights

Villa Il Palagio is located within walking distance of the town of Panzano in Chianti, in the heart of Tuscany and is halfway between Florence and Siena. Immersed in its natural settings made of vineyards and olive groves, the villa offers five lovely and comfortable apartments, large gardens, a swimming pool, barbecue as well as a wonderful view of the Tuscan countryside. This rural retreat has been renovated but maintains the original stone walls, ceilings, and wooden beams. Its rustic Tuscan style combines functionality and comfort with authentic beauty. Each apartment is uniquely furnished, some with balconies, others with terraces or garden areas. Since it’s a farmhouse, some apartments are on the main floor and others on the second floor. Some are larger than others, but all have a nice living room, a well-equipped kitchen, spacious bedrooms and bathrooms with showers and all have the unique characteristics of a traditional Tuscan Farmhouse. The villa has a lovely community room where breakfasts and group dinners will be served.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast served at the villa. Today is a day of exploration in and around the villa. It is also market day in Panzano (08h00 – 13h00) complete with locally-grown organic food, local products, arts, and crafts. You’ll want to spend some of your day with the locals in this quaint hillside village. Perhaps you’ll want to grab a nice lunch in the piazza, sip on a glass of local wine, and indulge in a famous Italian gelato! Then, enjoy leisure time on the beautiful grounds of the villa, go for a walk in the Tuscan countryside, or simply lounge by the pool with a good book. The day is yours to explore! Gather late afternoon for light snacks served in the comfort of the villa.

After breakfast at the villa, depart by private mini coach with our English-speaking local guide for a full day excursion by private coach. Visit the Etruscan walled town of Volterra and experience life as a Tuscan in this vibrant, architecturally rich hill town. Enjoy a light lunch in a local trattoria with leisure time to enjoy the Piazza dei Priori, the shops and alleyways. Continuing to the Etruscan Tomb, one of the most interesting archaeological discoveries in all of Chianti. Dating back from the sixth century BC this visit will be a real journey through time. Conclude the day with a relaxing Tuscan dinner at the villa.

Enjoy the morning at leisure at the villa. Later, take part in a private cooking class with a local chef who will teach the secrets of Tuscan and Chianti cuisine. Afterwards enjoy the delightful dishes for lunch accompanied by Chianti wines, from the Il Palagio Estate. The afternoon and evening are at leisure at the villa or stroll into town and visit the shops in the piazza.

After breakfast meet our English-speaking local guide and board our private coach for a full day guided excursion to Siena. This charming town and UNESCO world heritage site is famous for its medieval cityscape, its museums, its cuisine and “The Palio”, a horse race which is run right through the middle of town twice a year. Here you will enjoy a guided walking tour and then have the remainder of the day at your leisure to meander through the shops and sites of Siena or relax in an outdoor café and watch the world go by. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant.

After breakfast depart with our English-speaking local guide for a day of discovery in Panzano and the surrounding Chianti Hills. Visit churches with beautiful artistic treasures, the medieval castle of Panzano and spectacular villages with hidden treasures in this stunning Tuscan countryside. Conclude the day with a group dinner, including local wines, served in the comfort of the villa.

Today we have a fantastic day planned for you at the villa. We begin with a half-day tour of the Il Palagio organic vineyard and olive grove complete with wine tasting and local food. Learn the process of how they create their award-winning organic estate wines in the Chianti Classico world of wine. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the property and pool, with time to rest, relax and freshen up for dinner.

Board our private coach for another beautiful excursion through the Tuscan countryside. First, visit the hill town of San Gimignano, home to 14 medieval towers. Stroll through the core in the shadows of the surviving towers and if you’re energetic climb the tallest tower, or simply sip a glass of the famous light and fruity Vernaccia di San Gimignano white wine in an outdoor café. Continue to the charming town of Monteriggioni with free time for lunch (at own expense) and leisure. Tonight, we have our final villa dinner. Enjoy the culinary delights prepared and illustrated by a local gourmet chef.

This morning, we say farewell to the villa and board our private mini coach to depart for the renaissance city of Florence. Upon arrival at our hotel, store luggage, and the remainder of the day will be at leisure for personal exploration. Choose to visit the sites or the famous museums, Uffizi or Accademia (advance reservations recommended for both), shop for leather in San Lorenzo Market or simply sit in one of Florence’s many outdoor cafés. (Florentine shopping hours: daily 9:30am to noon or 1:00pm and 3:00pm or 3:30pm to 7:30pm, though many shops are staying open over that mid-afternoon “riposo”). Tonight, enjoy our farewell dinner at a local restaurant and reminisce with fellow BE travellers about the fabulous memories shared in Italy!

Overnight Florence – Hotel de la Ville (or similar) – 1 night

It’s time to bid farewell to Italy, with a private group transfer to the Florence Airport.

*Broad Escapes will have a group flight to Toronto. The group transfer will be based on the recommended group flight departure time. Private transfers (at an additional cost) can be arranged for those departing on a different date/time. Flights from all gateways can be arranged through Broad Escapes.

B – Breakfast / L – Lunch / D – Dinner

**While it is our intention to adhere to the itinerary described above, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the tour. Due to traffic or other circumstances beyond our control, it may be necessary or desirable to make alterations. Broad Escapes reserves the right to change the itinerary when deemed necessary.**