15 DAY TOUR STARTS 03 MAY 2021

The Italian Riviera and Tuscany northern coast are flanked by the high rising Appennini Mountain Range which make the scenery very spectacular. The old Roman road Aurelia runs on the edge of the water along an endless series of colourful little bays.

However, a modern freeway and a railway line cut through the mountains with an endless series of tunnels and viaducts.

Due to space constraint and logistic limitations, our tour features a mixed use of scenic coastal roads, coastal boats (like along the Cinque Terre) as well as railway.

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

• Five gastronomic dinners with 1/4 bottle of wine and 1/2 bottle of mineral water included!
• Four star hotel accommodation (bed & breakfast) in choice premium locations.
• Modern air conditioned mini-coach with English speaking tour manager.
• A wide range of local excursions available daily from all the major centres of the itinerary. These tours, provided at no extra cost, are on optional basis.
• Boat trip from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino.
• Spectacular scenic navigation along the Cinque Terre with a “go as you please pass“ to enable you to stop at any of the coastal villages and reboard again. Boats are running along the Cinque Terre with a high frequency (almost every hour).

AT YOUR OWN COST

• Meals other than those included in the package. Optional group dinners in picturesque restaurants will be arranged at special reduced prices.
• Entry tickets into museums, fortresses and castles.
• Single accommodation supplement.
• Travel insurance.

PROGRAM

Mon 03 May 15.00 – Transfer from the airport of Pisa to Viareggio (23 km). Alternatively you can travel by railway to Viareggio which is on the main line between Rome and Genova. The hotel is conveniently located along the main seaside promenade and a short walk from the railway station. You can check in at any time after midday.
19.30 – Dinner in local restaurant (included).

Tue 04 May – Morning at leisure in Viareggio. Enjoy the local ambience and a stroll along its elegant seaside promenade.

14.00 – Short drive ( half an hour ) to the village of Torre del Lago Puccini in picturesque setting by a small lake. It boasts the Villa of the famous Italian musician Giacomo Puccini which has now been turned into a museum open to the public. Optional visit and time at leisure.
16.30 – Return to Viareggio.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Wed 05 May 09.00 – Departure by train for Lucca, one of the best preserved heritage cities of Tuscany, still circled by impeccable defense walls.
09.30 – Arrival at Lucca station, almost adjacent to the entry gate of the city. Local orientation covering the main architectural highlights of Lucca. This city still retains, within the walls, the ambience of by-gone times when, in the Middle Ages, it was an independent city state. Plenty of options available to fill your time at leisure.
16.30 – Departure from Lucca.
17.00 – Arrival back in Viareggio.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Thu 06 May 08.30 – Departure for a scenic circuit throughout the hills and mountains of the Garfagnana district of northern Tuscany.
10.00 – Visit to the sumptuous Villa Torrigiani and its gardens, one of the most prominent Tuscan villas in this district which hosted – throughout the centuries – a number of distinguished guests, including, in recent times, the French President of the Republic Giscard d’ Estaing.

After visiting Villa Torrigiani we drive to the picturesque village of Bagni di Lucca where we stop for lunch.

After lunch, continuation along the very scenic and unspoilt mountains of the Garfagnana to reach the charming village of Vagli on the banks of the homonymous lake. Local sightseeing. Then we drive downhill towards the coastline on a scenic road which ends just north of Viareggio.
17.00 – Arrival in Viareggio.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Fri 07 May 09.00 – Departure for Pisa on a 15 minutes rail trip which gets right at the door-step of Piazza dei Miracoli which houses the famous leaning tower. After a local orientation and some time at leisure we continue the orientation downtown Pisa (which has far more to offer than the leaning tower) covering the main highlights of the city. Then it’s time at leisure.
16.00 – Departure from Pisa. However you can leave earlier or later if you so wish.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Sat 08 May 08.30 – Departure for Santa Margherita Ligure, one of the best preserved upmarket resorts along the Riviera which prides itself for the traditional unspoilt architecture in the downtown district.
12.00 – Arrival at our luxury panoramic hotel which is also conveniently located near the railway station for some of our excursions.
14.00 – Brief local orientation and time at leisure.
19.30 – Dinner at the hotel restaurant (included).

Sun 09 MAY 08.45 – Departure for a 20 minute railway trip to the station of Nervi which is located within a short walking distance from the downtown district. Nervi is renowned not only for its colourful architecture, but also for the 17th century Villa Serra and its magnificent park as well as for its scenic 2 km pathway along a picturesque rocky coastline. Local brief orientation in Nervi and time at leisure. Return to Santa Margherita Ligure at time of your choice with a prepaid ticket (trains run every 45-60 minutes).
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Mon 10 May 10.15 – Departure by boat for Portofino. Navigation along the coastline only takes 15 minutes. The local orientation includes a scenic walk to the Brown Castle, overlooking the picturesque harbour of Portofino. After visiting the castle the scenic walk can be extended to the tip of the Portofino peninsula. Then it’s time at leisure.
15.15 – Boat trip back to Santa Margherita Ligure.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Tue 11 May 08.20 – Departure by train for a 45 minute trip to Monterosso, the first of the five villages making up the Cinque Terre. After a visit to the village we’ll provide you with a special “Go as you please navigation pass“ (included in the package) which will enable you to travel independently by boat, along the Cinque Terre coastline and stop at any village. You can then re-board again at time of your choice. The high frequency boat service (every 30 – 45 minutes) provides the maximum flexibility.
16.00 – Return to Santa Margherita Ligure.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Wed 12 May 08.30 – After an initial drive on the major freeway along the Riviera we continue on a scenic road across the Appennini Mountai Range stopping at the village of Sassello at 400 m above sea level. Apart from its picturesque setting, Sassello is renowned for its artisan production of freshly made “Amaretti“ and “Canestrelli“ biscuits which come with a variety of flavours. As we stop there for sightseeing and lunch you will be able to enjoy these local specialties.

After lunch we continue on a downward scenic road, connecting to the main freeway leading to Alassio.
16.00 – Arrival in Alassio at our hotel located on the sea front , at the corner with the main square and close to the railway station.
19.30 – Dinner in local restaurant (included).

Thu 13 May – Morning at leisure in Alassio to enjoy the local ambience and amenities.
14.00 – Scenic drive to the summit of Mount Tirasso, flanking the Riviera at 600m above sea level. It is a panoramic spot which also houses the Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie. The view over the Riviera is spectacular. After some time at leisure we return to Alassio.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Fri 14 May 08.45 – Departure by train for Genova which, like Venice, was an independent Sea Republic exerting its power over the Mediterranean, between the 11th and 15th centuries. Its magnificent heritage architecture is testimony of its glorious past. Today Genova is a major port servicing continental Europe.
10.15 – Arrival downtown Genova through a long railway tunnel. Local orientation covering the main architectural highlights of the city and time at leisure.
15.45 – Departure from Genova.
17.10 – Arrival back in Alassio.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Sat 15 May 08.30 – Very scenic drive on the old Aurelia Roman road which follows the contour of the Riviera along the water edge until we reach the charming town of Nola which, during the Middle Ages, used to be an independent Sea Republic and, as a result, still displays some interesting architectural heritage. After local sightseeing and refreshment we drive across the Appennini Mountain Range to reach the village of Calizzano.

The village of Calizzano is set at 650 m above sea level and is a tourist resort surrounded by peaks and forests. After a local lunch we continue through some very lush and unspoilt mountains to the town of Garessio ( at 620 m ) where we stop briefly. From Garessio we climb through a picturesque pass at 950 m and then we gradually drive downhill to the coastline, a few km north of Alassio.
17.00 – Arrival in Alassio.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Sun 16 May 08.30 – Departure by train for San Remo, the most prominent resort in the Western Riviera.
09.00 – Arrival at San Remo central railway station and local orientation. Then is time at leisure. San Remo’s fame as a tourist destination dates back to the 19th century when illustrious personages like Empress Alexandrovna of Russia and German Prince Frederick William used to come here on holiday. Today San Remo is a modern centre of tourist activities with all kind of facilities and amenities, including a casino. It also boasts a traditional historic district and has become the main flower market of the Riviera. Return to Alassio will be at time of your choice with a pre-paid ticket. As trains run almost every hour, that will give you the flexibility to stay in San Remo as long as you like. However, we will provide you with the schedule.
19.30 – Optional dinner.

Mon 17 May 08.30 – Departure for Viareggio (Railway Station) where the tour ends.
14.30 – Arrival in Viareggio. However we will also offer an extension to Pisa Airport for those passengers who prefer this option.
15.30 – Arrival at Pisa Airport.

HOTELS

We believe that you are entitled to know exactly what you get for your money and that’s why we clearly state not only the number of stars but also the location of the hotels we use.

Unless you are in a rush tour, where you get to the hotel late at night and leave early morning, we do believe that a good location makes a world of difference to the quality of your holiday.