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Shore Excursions &
Wine Tours
ITALY
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To receive a quotation for the
following Excursions, we need to know:
Shore
Excursion to
Florence & Pisa Livorno is Italy's
second largest port and serves as the gateway to the Tuscany region.
This comprehensive excursion begins with a scenic drive through the
Tuscan countryside from Livorno to the historic town of Pisa. Here,
you'll make a brief photo stop by Campo dei Miracoli, or Miracle
Square. Marvel at the exterior of the Campanile, better known as the
Leaning Tower. This remarkable structure is, of course, Pisa's
greatest attraction. It was built as the cathedral's campanile, or
bell tower and began to tilt because of the marshy ground beneath
its foundation. It has continued to lean at a rate of 1-2
millimeters every year. Re-board your motorcoach and continue on to
the fascinating city of Florence. Surrounded by the Appennine Hills
and situated on both banks of the Arno River, Florence had a
significant impact on the culture of Italy and all of Europe.
Florence acquired its wealth from wool and banking and from the 13th
- 16th century is where poets, painters, sculptors and architects
produced a stream of exquisite works of art. See the Piazza del
Duomo, the religious center of Florence in front of the Cathedral of
Santa Maria del Fiore. Called "il duomo," it is the fourth largest
church in the world, was begun in 1296 and took 173 years to
complete. The side of the Baptistery facing the Duomo has gilded
bronze doors declared by Michelangelo as worthy of being the "gates
of paradise." Sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti labored more than 50 years
on this incredible project. In the Piazza della Signoria view a copy
of the "David" and the Loggia dei Lanzi, along with original
sculptures. Then enjoy a photo opportunity at Ponte Vecchio before
lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, you will visit Santa
Croce, one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in Italy. See
Donatello's Annunciation, Giotto's Death of St. Francis and the tomb
of Michelangelo. Enjoy some free time for shopping before your
return to Livorno. Notes: All sightseeing in Florence is on
foot. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Order of tour may vary.
Guides are not allowed to escort large groups through the church of
Santa Croce if a mass is in progress. In this instance the guides will
describe the church from the outside and guests may then enter
individually.
Shore
Excursion
Florence on Your
Own If you want to explore this fascinating city
on your own, we can provide a motorcoach transfer to Florence, complete
with an English-speaking escort. After a drive through the Tuscan
countryside, you will be dropped off at a central location in Florence
and have approximately five hours to shop and explore the city at your
leisure. Motorcoach drop off and pick up points will be provided by the
Shore Excursion Department on board the ship. There will be only one
departure from Florence. Please reboard the motorcoach no less than 15
minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.
Shore
Excursion
Historic Siena
In the late Middle Ages,
Siena and Florence competed fiercely with one another - in commerce,
finance and culture. Finally Florence, under the Medicis, won. Siena
remains today one of Italy's most interesting and charming cities,
more medieval than Renaissance. It is protected by miles of imposing
walls set with monumental entrance gates, towers and bulwarks. This
tour begins with a two-hour drive through the rolling Tuscan
countryside, past vineyards that produce fine Chianti wines and
hills dotted with the villas of the wealthy. At Siena's walls, you
will meet your local guide to begin an exploration of the hilly city
on foot. You'll enjoy a brief visit to the Basilica of San Domenico,
containing the Chapel of St. Catherine, who is credited with
returning the Papacy to Rome. Strolling downhill, you'll pass St.
Catherine's house and Il Duomo, the cathedral that contains the
Piccolomini library. The library has magnificent frescoes by
Pinturicchio and the floor in the cathedral is made of priceless
inlaid pavements that depict biblical stories. In the Baptistery is
the superb bronze bas relief titled The Capture of St. John the
Baptist, by celebrated sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti. Across the square
is the museum of the cathedral, with sculptures by Giovanni Pisano
and the dazzling Maesta displayed in Duccio's Hall. Lunch will be
served at a restaurant near the Piazza Del Campo where the palio is
held twice a year. This is the most colorful, exiting and dangerous
of all Italian festivals, a bareback horse race with no rules. Don't
miss the Mangia Tower at the Palazzo Pubblico. You will have time to
admire the Gaia Fountain on one side of the Piazza and see the
Mayor's Courtyard in the Palazzo Publico across the square. You will
then walk back up through town to the city gate, where your
motorcoach will drive you back to the ship. Note: There is extensive walking. Comfortable
walking shoes are recommended.
Shore
Excursion
Scenic Drive & Wine Tasting Italy produces some very fine wines and
Tuscany is the place where wine is "Tradition". View some of the
prettiest countryside in Tuscany. Low hills covered with vineyards,
olive groves and oakwoods line the slopes where some of Italy's finest
wine and olive oil is produced. In September a remarkable exhibition of
"Montecarlo" and Rosso delle colline lucchesi" wines and farm products
takes place. Both items come from the farms in the surrounding hills and
the entire valley, known as the "Plain of Lucca". Drive to a vineyard
where you will be shown the whole process of winemaking and the
traditional methods of bottling. Then enjoy amples of red and white
wines along with snacks before returning to Livorno and the ship. Shore
Excursion
Splendor of
Florence A 90-minute drive through the picturesque
Tuscan countryside takes you to the fascinating city of Florence. This
one-day visit gives you a magnificent sampling of the city's treasures.
As you approach Florence, you will stop at the Piazza Michelangelo for
an overview of the city's tile roofs, steeples and domes. All the main
attractions in Florence are centrally located and perfect for a walking
tour. You will visit the Galleria Dell'Accademia, with several notable
masterpieces including Michelangelo's statue of David. Next you'll visit
the Piazza del Duomo, the religious center of Florence in front of the
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Called "il Duomo," it is the fourth
largest church in the world, was begun in 1296 and took 173 years to
complete. The side of the Baptistery facing the Duomo has gilded bronze
doors declared by Michelangelo as worthy of being the "gates of
paradise." Sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti labored more than 50 years on this
incredible project. Continue on to the Piazza della Signoria and view a
copy of the "David" and the Loggia dei Lanzi, along with original
sculptures. Then walk to Ponte Vecchio for a photo opportunity before
lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, you will visit Santa Croce,
one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in Italy. See Donatello's
Annunciation, Giotto's Death of St. Francis and the tomb of
Michelangelo. Enjoy some free time for shopping before your return to
Livorno. Note: All sightseeing in Florence is on foot.
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Order of tour may vary. Due
to large crowds, Galleria Dell'Accademia may sometimes be substituted by
another gallery or museum, usually the Pitti palace or Museo dell'Opera.
Guides are not allowed to escort large groups through the church of
Santa Croce if a mass is in progress. In this instance the guides will
describe the church from the outside and guests may then enter
individually.
Shore
Excursion
A Taste of
Florence This tour gives you a guided introduction to
the highlights of Florence and free time to explore this magnificent
city at your leisure. Your walking tour will start at the the Piazza del
Duomo, the religious center of Florence, in front of the Cathedral of
Santa Maria del Fiore. Called "il Duomo," it is the fourth largest
church in the world, was begun in 1296 and took 173 years to complete.
The side of the Baptistery facing the Duomo has gilded bronze doors
declared by Michelangelo as worthy of being the "gates of paradise." It
took sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti more than 50 years to complete this
incredible project. Continue on to the Piazza della Signoria and see the
outside of Dante's home. In the square you'll view a copy of the "David"
and the Loggia dei Lanzi, along with original sculptures. Next visit
Santa Croce, one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in Italy. See
Donatello's Annunciation, Giotto's Death of St. Francis and the tomb of
Michelangelo. After the visit to Santa Croce you will have approximately
3 1/2 hours to explore, shop and have lunch on your own. Motorcoach pick
up point will be provided by the tour escort. There will be only one
departure from Florence. Please reboard the motorcoach no less than 15
minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.
Shore
Excursion Treasures of
Tuscany
Travel from Livorno heading east through the
Tuscan countryside, which has been praised for its beauty and charm by
poets for many centuries. Its golden grapevines and silvery green olive
trees make an entrancing picture. You'll stop in San Gimignano, an
enchanting medieval village with Etruscan origins, taking the name of
bishop Gimignano, who died here in the 4th century. Ringed by three sets
of historic walls, San Gimignano bristles with just a few of its
original 72 medieval towers and thus is know as San Gimignano delle
Belle Torri, or San Gimignano of the Beautiful Towers. After a walking
tour of this fascinating town you'll have lunch at a charming local
farmhouse, enjoying a taste of Tuscany's legendary cuisine. Continue on
to medieval Volterra, one of the finest and lesser known hilltop towns
tucked away in the heart of Tuscany. Unchanged from the scenes depicted
in a Renaissance painting, the town is a perfect haven of Etruscan,
Roman and Medieval art and architecture. Enjoy a walking tour through
the narrow, stone paved streets and see the main highlights which
include the Piazza dei Priori, Piazza San Giovanni and the ruins of the
Roman Theatre, dating back to the 1st- century BC. After your guided
tour you will have some free time on your own before reboarding you
motorcoach and returning to the ship. Note: Much of this tour is on foot over
cobblestone streets. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Shore
Excursion
A Visit to Pisa
Drive through the lovely Tuscan countryside en route to the historic town of Pisa, located on the banks of the Arno River. During the Middle Ages, Pisa was a strategic naval power that rivaled Genoa. Begin your tour in Campo dei Miracoli, or Miracle Square. During World War II, much of Pisa was destroyed by German and Allied bombing, however the cathedral, baptistery and famous leaning tower escaped unharmed. The 900-year-old cathedral is lavishly decorated and contains remarkable sculptures from the 12th through 17th centuries. The baptistery has incredible acoustics. Each note echoes while a subsequent note is sung, thereby enabling one voice to be heard in harmonious chords. The leaning tower is, of course, Pisa's greatest attraction. It was built as the cathedral's campanile, or bell tower, and began to tilt because of the marshy ground beneath its foundation. It has continued to lean at a rate of 1-2 millimeters every year. There may be some free time to enjoy a coffee or browse for souvenirs in Pisa before returning to the ship. |
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