Tuscany: Florence San Gimignano & Pisa

Your vacation begins in the Tuscan town of Montecatini Terme, our delightful base for the next seven nights. This picturesque spa town is set in glorious Tuscan countryside and is split into two parts. The lower town is known as Montecatini Terme, while on the hill above us is the Old Town of Montecatini Alto.

Our beautiful family-run hotel is in Montecatini Terme and has been offering guests a warm welcome for many generations. After meeting the Tour Manager and group, we gather for dinner at our hotel, renowned for its friendly service and excellent facilities.

• Dinner

There's nothing like the feeling of waking up in surroundings as beautiful as Tuscany, and today you are free to see more of Montecatini Terme independently. Among the facilities at our central hotel are an inviting outdoor swimming pool (usually open from May to October) and a sun terrace for warmer days.

Heading out into the attractive town, you may wish to visit the 18th-century Terme Tettuccio, where you can sample the different healing waters and look around its lavish Liberty architecture, marble-lined pools and fountains, and Art Nouveau tiles. Each year from April to October, the town hosts the Montecatini Opera Festival in various venues, including the spa complex.

The historic quarter above us, Montecatini Alto, is an enchanting place to explore, and can be reached by a funicular railway, which runs late into the evening and offers wonderful views over the valley. Here, you can find many idyllic piazzas, pretty sidewalk cafés and two charming Romanesque churches. Montecatini Alto also offers an excellent choice of eating places, from relaxed osterias to traditional ristorantes.

• Breakfast

Today is a vacation highlight as we travel by rail to the Renaissance city of Florence. We enjoy a guided tour of the city's treasures, including the iconic, red-tiled Duomo, the Santa Maria Novella Church and the Ponte Vecchio, the famous 14th-century bridge.

The afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Apart from breathtaking buildings and pretty piazzas, the city is the world capital of Renaissance art, which you can find in its many galleries, churches and Medici palaces. If you're planning to visit the Uffizi gallery it is important to book ahead. Another wonderful way to experience Florence is to stroll across the river to the Boboli gardens, a peaceful space with fantastic city views. Mercato di San Lorenzo is the city's largest market with fresh products, leather and local crafts, an indoor and outdoor dining area, and a Chianti wine booth. A place to warm up or cool down, depending on the season!

We make our return journey by train then walk the short distance to our hotel where we dine together this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we travel by rail to the walled city of Lucca, where you are free to explore for two hours. There's an included option to hire a bicycle, with a choice of single, tandem, or four-seater bikes, and a gentle ride along the ancient ramparts is a wonderful way to see the city.

Lucca is also a pleasure to explore on foot, but do pick up a map at the Tourist Office where our day starts. The maze-like center has an impressive Duomo, outdoor sculptures and striking piazzas - a 'must-see' is the Piazza Anfiteatro, formerly a Roman amphitheater. The city also has a botanical garden and a tranquil ornamental garden at Palazzo Pfanner. We regroup for a leisurely three-course lunch in a local trattoria.

This afternoon we continue by rail to Pisa, where we tour the famous Field of Miracles. Here, we see the iconic Leaning Tower and Romanesque Duomo - a cathedral which glows with white marble. We return to Montecatini Terme by train at the end of the afternoon, where you are free to dine independently.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Today begins with a coach excursion into the Tuscan countryside, among ochre-colored hills, dotted with cypresses and secluded farmhouses.

Our destination is San Gimignano - an extraordinary medieval hill town known for its many towers. One of these, Torre Grossa, can be climbed. The number of towers in San Gimignano has dwindled from around 65 in the Middle Ages, but the skyline is so unique that it has been dubbed the 'Medieval Manhattan'. We have free time over lunch and into the afternoon to explore this absolute gem of a Tuscan town.

Later this afternoon, we visit the gorgeous Tenuta Torciano, a refined estate near San Gimignano that has been in the same family since it was built in 1720. Here, we tour the vineyards, surrounded by quintessential Tuscan landscapes, and enter the cellars to learn about centuries of winemaking. After, we enjoy a vacation highlight as we indulge in dinner paired with wines made on the estate.

• Breakfast, Dinner

There's another opportunity to get to know Montecatini Terme at your own pace.

If you haven't already discovered it, you could visit Montecatini Alto, the medieval old town. Here, you can admire views across the Tuscan hills and wander among the ancient townhouses, churches and medieval walls before choosing a café in which to enjoy lunch. Typical Tuscan cuisine is humble yet mouth-watering, even simple dishes are prepared with pride and great care. Try crostini di fegato, warm bread topped with chicken liver pate, or pasta drizzled with olive oil and shaved truffles, foraged from the surrounding hillsides. Another appealing option is to make the most of the frequent rail service to visit the coastal resort of Viareggio (50 minutes), the city of Bologna (two hours), or possibly to revisit Florence or Lucca. Of course, you may be content to simply relax and enjoy the facilities of our hotel.

For dinner this evening you are spoilt for choice for places to eat, in both Montecatini Alto or the town center.

• Breakfast

Another vacation highlight awaits today as we drive to medieval Siena, where a labyrinth of narrow streets opens out onto sun-kissed piazzas.

Starting at the Santa Barbara Fortress, our guided tour takes us past the Duomo, one of Italy's most magnificent churches, with statues by Donatello and Michelangelo and an elaborate mosaic floor. Our tour ends at the city's most famous sight, the incredible Piazza del Campo - a grand, shell-shaped piazza that's regarded as one of the continent's most beautiful medieval squares. This is the site of the world-famous Palio horse races, an extraordinary event which the city has celebrated since the 17th century, now held twice a year in July and August. After our tour, there's time to wander Siena's ancient streets independently, and you may like to try some of the cured meats and cheeses that are popular here, including Pecorino, or finocchiona.

We return to our hotel at the end of the afternoon and this evening we gather for our final dinner in wonderful Tuscany.

• Breakfast, Dinner

The many delights of Tuscany have been explored from our base in the elegant spa town of Montecatini Terme. On this vacation, we have uncovered the wondrous art and architecture of Florence and Lucca, the unique hilltop town of San Gimignano, magical Siena and Pisa's famed landmarks.

After breakfast, this morning it is time to check out of the hotel and continue your travels in Italy or make your way home.

• Breakfast