Day 4
A day for the lovely countryside around the Hotel Villa Rigacci. Take the dramatically beautiful road up Monte Pratomagno, on whose foothills the Villa Rigacci conveniently sits; park outside the monastery and visit its church before a further climb (on foot or by coach as preferred) to the Paradisino, the abbot’s former summer residence, where Milton’s stay is commemorated with a plaque. Return for Lunch at the Villa Rigacci. In the afternoon visit the church at Cascia, with its very early triptych by Masaccio and the romanesque church of Pian di Sco. Then stroll through Loro Ciuffenna on the way to the hamlet of Gropina with the most wonderful Romanesque church of Valdarno Superiore.

Day 5
Drive to Florence, first visiting the beautiful Romanesque church of San Miniato, which offers the best panorama of the city. Then make our way, partly by coach partly on foot, to Lungarno Corsini, where a member of Prince Corsini’s family will take us round the Corsini Gallery, the greatest private collection of paintings in Tuscany, then lunch with the family in the nearby Palazzo Corsini.

Day 6
To Florence for the whole day. Make our way from the Ponte Vecchio to the nearby Palazzo Pitti, where Nigel Foxell will guide round a selection of the great 16th century and 17th century paintings, followed by a wander round the Boboli Gardens. A light lunch and the afternoon spent in individual shopping and sightseeing.

Day 7
Visit the gardens of the privately-owned Villa Medici at Fiesole and the nearby Villa Le Balze, home to Georgetown University. Then there will be the opportunity to see the town of Fiesole before driving on to the privately owned Villa La Gamberaia.

Day 8
By coach to Pisa airport stopping for the wonderful medieval tableau if there had not been the time on arrival, for the end of the tour and the return flight.

Price on application by Travel Agent or Tour Operator.

A Tour of Tuscany and Florence
A Tour of Sicily
At Home at the Villa Michaela

Tour leader's biographies