DETAILED ITINERARY

Days 1 to 3: Arrive at Pisa and drive to Chianti

Your fly-drive touring holiday starts in Pisa where you collect your hire car. Nestled in the rolling hills of Tuscany amid vineyards, your hotel is perfectly located for exploring the Chianti region and nearby Florence.

To see more of the Tuscan villages, we recommend San Gimignano or Volterra. San Gimignano is characterised by the rising towers around its fortified walls. Volterra, on the other hand, is built out of volcanic rock giving its streets a darker, more ominous feel. Volterra retains most of its original fortifications and is surrounded by deep ravines.

Another excursion possibility is Siena. The first point of interest is the Piazza del Duomo, originally intended to act as the interior of a vast cathedral extension in response to Florence’s growth. All that remains of these efforts, however, are the large free-standing archway at the entrance to the square and the beautifully tiled floor.

Inside the Duomo’s baptistery lies another of Siena’s great assets: the baptismal font. This font is decorated with intricate relief panels by the likes of Donatello, Ghiberti, and Jacopo della Quercia.

For a taste of Sienese art, visit the Palazzo Pubblico, also known for being the tallest secular tower of medieval Italy. Have lunch in one of the pavement cafés on the semi-circular Piazza del Campo.

On the 2nd of July and 16th of August every year, this ‘square’ hosts Siena’s ‘Palio’. This medieval horse race requires a rider from each of Siena’s 17 districts to compete against one another as they race around the semi-circle.

Take the time to appreciate the abundance of olive groves and gardens that occupy nearly half of the space within Siena’s walls, before heading back to your hotel.

Days 4 to 6: From Chianti to Umbria

Umbria is a region defined by a landscape crowned by villages, remote wooded hills, agricultural fields and vineyards too. The stone is darker and greyer than that in Tuscany. Umbria offers its visitors a wealth of stunning artworks that rival those of any other region in Italy. You stay in the countryside at Colle San Paolo, a very small commune near the larger town of Perugia and Lake Trasimeno.

The city of Perugia is the obvious place to start your exploration of Umbria. At the heart of this city, on a hilltop, is the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, distinctive because of its original architectural style. Inside, the cathedral contains a huge collection of works of art. The Palazzo dei Priori, however, is a Gothic 13th century palace that holds Perugia’s main art gallery: the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria.

Take a walk along the Via dell’Acquedotto, a converted aqueduct that navigates through the whole town, or, through the unnamed Etruscan gateway, enter the Rocca Paolina, a maze of underground tunnels that used to make up the medieval city, but now affords residents and visitors an intriguing and convenient way of getting from one part of the city to another. A favourite attraction in Perugia is the Perugina chocolate factory, which offers tours.

To the west of Perugia lies Lake Trasimeno, the fourth largest lake in Italy. One of the best places to see the lake may well be the picturesque village of Castiglione del Lago, perched on a western cape. Magione, on the east side of the lake, is the site of the Castle of the Knights of Malta, an impressive building visible for miles around.

If you wish to take a more self-guided approach to touring the lake, there are plenty of trails and walks that line the pretty shoreline. In the town of Assisi lies the Basilica di San Francesco, arguably one of Umbria’s finest religious buildings. The basilica is famous perhaps because of its frescoes, reputedly painted by Giotto, and of course, because it houses the tomb of St Francis.

Days 7 to 9: Into Lazio and Frascati

On your way to Frascati, stop off in Orvieto and Narni. Orvieto is set on a large raised rock, much like a bluff. This rock is half hollow, as more than 1200 tunnels wind their way through it. This ancient civilisation has left even a mill and animal enclosures underground. Narni is famous for being at the very centre of Italy; a stone laid into the ground, marks the precise centre point.

From here, move on to Frascati in Lazio. Taste the delicate Frascati white wines in one of the many wineries scattered over the hills, go walking in the Alban Hills, or seek out the local Amaretti biscuits, as well as the Cesanese dry red wine.

Nearby are two lovely, but very different gardens: the unusual and colourful Giardini della Landriana, and the Giardino di Ninfa, which has a vast collection of plants from all over the world.

The Villa Aldobrandini seems to dominate most of the town and is by far the most impressive of Frascati’s buildings, originally built for the nephew of a pope. On the 23rd of June, Frascati hosts the Sagra della Lumaca, an outdoor feast of snails, and in October the Sagra del Vino celebrates the Frascati wines.

Day 10: Drive to Rome for the flight back to London

Depending on the time of your flight to London, spend the day sightseeing in the vicinity, perhaps by visiting Anzio or Ostia Antica on the way back to the airport.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis. Local car hire and flights from London are included, with regional departures on request.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

Before your departure, you will receive personalised holiday information, including full directions and suggestions on places to visit, to help you get the most from your trip.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance and an appropriate driving licence. The AA and FCO should also be consulted.