Tuscan Hills & Chianti Wines - Premium Adventure

Our tour starts in Villa Arnilu, which is 1mi (1. 5km) from the historic centre of San Gimignano.

Upon arrival, you will be treated to a complimentary aperitivo. What better way to settle in than a glass of bubbles and tasty nibbles? There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, in which our guide will provide an overview of the week, including useful tips on the area, and answer any questions (D).

Enjoy our first delicious breakfast of the trip and get ready to explore the area. A 10-minute drive takes us to the quaint village of San Donato where we start a gentle four-hour walk along open paths and through farm grounds towards Montauto and further on to San Gimignano centre. After lunch, there will be free time to wander and soak up the atmosphere of this beautiful town. You may wish to visit Palazzo Comunale, a 13th-century stone palace that's home to the Pinacoteca (Art Gallery) and 177ft (54m) tall medieval Torre Grossa.

In the afternoon, we have a guided visit around the vineyards of the Palagetto estate followed by wine tasting and appetisers, before a transfer back to Villa Arnilu (B/D).

This morning, we drive for approximately one hour down the Chiantigiana, an endlessly scenic route bisecting chianti vineyards and olive groves. Our destination is the small market town of Panzano, where we take to dusty tracks for a fascinating history walk through the heart of the Chianti region. Expect a constantly changing landscape: from wooded areas to vineyard hills, fortified villages such as Montefioralle to traditional agriturismi.

The walk ends in Greve, a vibrant, authentic town with plenty of restaurants. It's a special end to the day as we visit the birthplace of chianti classico: the Ricasoli estate, which sits within the sprawling grounds of the ancient Brolio Castle. We'll learn all about the genesis of this world-renowned wine and, of course, sample the local produce at its true home (B).

After breakfast, we head to Siena, a medieval city dominated by impressive gothic monuments. It's divided into 17 contrade (districts), each of which goes head to head in the twice-annual Palio, a thunderous horse race around the central square for which the whole city turns out. We'll join a local guide on a tailor-made tour of the city, stopping at the landmarks, plus captivating sites most tourists normally pass by.

Exploring a local contrada museum and dipping into botteghe (small, traditional shops) to sample sweet local specialities, we will get a real taste of the history and traditions of this unique destination. Furthermore, you may wish to add an optional visit to the grand medieval duomo (cathedral). Advance booking is required and available at www. operalaboratori. vivaticket. it/en/tour/complesso-monumentale-del-duomo-di-siena/2589. We recommend a timeslot between 2pm and 3. 30pm (B/D).

Today is free to tailor however you'd like. You may wish to visit Volterra, an ancient hilltop town with an artistic flair and medieval landmarks. Or you could visit Lucca, the town of 100 churches, home to a Roman theatre-turned-piazza and a grand, multi-arched duomo. Alternatively, dip into the local cuisine with a private cooking class or enjoy an extra-special olive oil-tasting experience. Our tour leader can guide you through all the options and help you book – all the activities are subject to availability and payable locally (B).

Our destination today is Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Most of the greats from the movement lived here or passed through: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli and more. Learn all about it by joining one of the free local tours, which typically take in the highlights.

Join one of the morning tours and you'll have time to visit the Uffizi, an art gallery housing works by Renaissance masters, including The Birth of Venus by Botticelli and the gruesome Medusa by Caravaggio. If you do wish to visit the Uffizi, we recommend prebooking your ticket online to avoid lengthy queues. An ideal slot time would be around 2pm if you're joining the morning walking tour. Tickets can be purchased at www. uffizi. it/en/tickets (B/D).

A short transfer takes us to the starting point of the last walking adventure of the week. Today, we can explore the vineyards and hills surrounding Certaldo, a walled medieval town where Giovanni Boccaccio, author of the masterpiece The Decameron, was born in 1313. After walking for approximately 3hr 30min, we reach the town centre for lunch followed by free time to visit attractions related to both Italian history and literature.

Later in the afternoon, we head to an ecofriendly wine estate, where your discovery of Tuscan wines will be taken to the next level with a sensory and aroma experience, accompanied by mouth-watering traditional appetisers (B/L/D).

The tour ends in San Gimignano after one final breakfast. Bid Villa Arnilu a fond farewell, it may feel a little like home by now, and begin your return journey home (B).