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Join us for a ten day holiday as we journey through the heart of Europe and on to one of Italy's most scenic areas, Tuscany!
From rolling hills lined with vineyards and olive trees, to the sandy beaches of the Ligurian coast, historic cities such as Florence and Pisa, to medieval towns filled with Tuscan charm... Italy's most picturesque area awaits!
It's an early hours departure as we leave South Wales, heading to the southeast of England before boarding our lunchtime ferry crossing to France. From Calais, we head south, crossing the border into Germany for our first night's stay with a three-course evening meal and breakfast included.
Day Two - Como
After a night to catch up on some rest, we continue our journey to our next overnight hotel, this time in Italy. With a glimpse of Lake Como before we settle in for the evening, our overnight hotel stay includes a set menu evening meal, as well as breakfast the following morning.
Day Three - Viareggio
Leaving Como in the morning, today we make our way to our main hotel in Tuscany, but not before a lunchtime stop in the pretty town of Piacenza. Here you can wander the narrow streets, take in the cathedral or relax near the river before we continue to Viareggio and the Hotel President.
Situated on Viareggio's promenade, just a stone's throw from the beach, the Hotel President is a classic family-run boutique hotel with all the modern features you'd expect from a 4-star hotel. Our five-night stay includes a hot and cold buffet breakfast each morning, evening meals (with a set menu on our arrival day) with water and wine, plus a special Tuscan-style meal served on one of the evenings during our stay.
Day Four - Free in Viareggio
After a few days of travelling, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy a day at leisure in our seaside resort of Viareggio. You might like to take a stroll along Viareggio's charming promenade lined with shops, restaurants, and gelaterias, or visit the picturesque Liberty-style buildings scattered throughout the city or simply take some time to relax on the beautiful sandy beaches and soak up some warm Mediterranean sun!
Day Five - Lucca with Vineyard Tour & Wine-tasting
Today we'll make our way to Lucca, one of the oldest cities in Tuscany and home of the Italian composer Puccini. A jewel of medieval architecture, here you'll find a maze of narrow cobbled streets, beautiful churches and a unique oval piazza. Highlights of the city include Puccini’s House, the Cathedral and the Palazzo Pfanner, which has a wonderful Italian-style garden and a house with 18th-century frescoes in monumental halls.
Later in the afternoon, we leave Lucca to make a final stop at a nearby vineyard for a tour and winetasting, before returning to Viareggio for dinner.
Day Six - San Gimignano and Pisa
This morning, we'll take a drive through the rolling Chianti hills as we make our way to the hilltop town of San Gimignano. Known for its well-preserved medieval architecture, the town is famous for its numerous tall towers that once served as symbols of wealth and power for its ruling families. Today, these towers offer stunning panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. While here, you'll have time to explore the town's narrow, cobblestone streets, which are lined with historic buildings, churches, and artisan shops selling local products such as saffron and Vernaccia wine.
From here, we'll make our way back towards Viareggio, stopping off on our way to visit Pisa, an iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its leaning tower, one of Italy’s most recognisable buildings. The neighbouring Cathedral is also one of the most beautiful in Tuscany.
Day Seven - Optional Excursion to Florence by train or Free in Viareggio
For those wanting to join our optional excursion, today we'll leave the coach parked up and your drivers will escort you on the local train service from Viareggio's train station (within walking distance of the hotel) to the regional capital of Florence. Known locally as Firenze (in Italian), this beautiful city is renowned for its stunning architecture, rich history, and vibrant culture. Once the centre of the Renaissance, its influence can still be seen today in the countless art galleries, museums, and palaces that dot the city. The iconic Duomo, with its striking red dome, is a must-see landmark, as is the Ponte Vecchio bridge lined with charming shops.
The central location of the city's main train station (Santa Maria Novella) makes it ideal for you to explore the city at your own pace, allowing you as much time as you wish to wander its picturesque streets, bustling piazzas, and soak up its welcoming atmosphere.
If you don't fancy the bustle of the busy city, then why not enjoy our final day in Viareggio at leisure?
Day Eight - Portofino
Time to say 'arrivederci' to Viareggio as we make our way north along the Ligurian coast, stopping off to take a boat trip for a lunchtime visit to the stunning seafront town of Portofino. This most glamorous of locations is lined with colourful buildings and blessed with crystal-clear waters, filled with fishing boats and luxury yachts! Leaving the Ligurian coast behind, we head inland and back towards Lake Como for our overnight stop, with a set menu evening meal included
Day Nine
After breakfast, we head North, taking a lunchtime break along the way before we arrive in Germany once again for our lunchtime overnight stay.
Day Ten
Our final day of travel takes us back through France before crossing the Channel back to the UK and arriving home late that evening.
***IMPORTANT NOTE: Overnight Accommodation (Stay) Tax on Non-Resident Stays – The Italian Government has given the ability for each municipality in Italy to decide if they wish to introduce a stay tax levied on tourists. This has been implemented sporadically throughout Italy with each municipality deciding how they collect this. The tax broadly ranges from €1-€5 per person per night and is generally collected from each passenger on arrival. Due to the uncertain nature of collection and the decision being made by the municipalities we wish to ensure that all passengers are made aware of this on booking to so that any tax can be paid by individual guests on arrival.
We have a number of pick up points available for this break as shown below...
Hotel President is a charming, family-run hotel is located in a privileged position on Piazza Mazzini promenade, a few steps from the shore and golden sands. There’s plenty of bars and restaurants lining the promenad
Click an image to enlarge
The following room types are available at the hotel:
