Take a scenic drive through the countryside to the magnificent city of Florence. Pause in the Piazza del Duomo to admire the exterior of the Cathedral (Duomo) of Santa Maria del Fiore, its elaborate Gothic façade is covered in a mix of pink and green marble.

View the statues in the Piazza della Signoria on your way to the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval stone bridge was the first bridge built across the River Arno, and has been well known for its goldsmiths and jewelers since the 16th century. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and after the meal you'll have free time to explore on your own or to shop, before your tour continues to the historic town of Pisa. Here, you'll make a brief photo stop in Miracle Square for a look at the exterior of that famous Leaning Tower. Built in the 12th century, it began to lean soon afterwards, but has now been stabilized.

If you want to explore these fascinating places on your own, we are pleased to provide a motorcoach transfer to Florence and Pisa, complete with an English speaking escort. You'll visit Pisa first, to avoid the heavy traffic entering Florence in the morning. Arriving in Pisa, your escort will walk you to the famous Miracle Square to enjoy some free time to take pictures of the Leaning Tower. Continue to Florence, where in the early afternoon, you'll be dropped off at a central location in Florence and have approximately 3 1/2 hours to explore the city at your leisure.

The Leaning Tower and Tuscan wines - what a perfect combination! Enjoy a day filled with the sites, aromas and tastes of Tuscany.

After meeting your guide in Pisa and a brief orientation of the Field of Miracles, you'll be free to explore the magnificent sites on your own. See the Leaning Tower and discover Pisa's superb black and white marble enhanced Duomo. If you wish to enter the cathedral, you may do so on your own.

The Tuscan hills are home to some of the finest wines in the world, including Chianti. Enjoy a ride through the Italian wine country to visit a famous wine producer, tour the winery, and learn how Tuscan wines are created. Enjoy a typical Italian lunch in this privileged setting and sample a variety of house wines and olive oil. Ending your meal with a taste of Vin Santo - a sweet dessert wine.

Leaving Livorno, you will travel north for 1.5 hours, passing the coastal area of Versilia until reaching La Spezia where you'll begin your exploration to the Cinque Terre: a National Park protected by UNESCO. Weather permitting you will enjoy a scenic cruise or a ride by train till Monterosso al Mare. Here you will have plenty of free time to enjoy a stroll around its narrow streets, to explore the tiny shops, have lunch on your own and after a tasting of the local wine. By boat or train you will reach the fishing village of Vernazza, where you'll enjoy time at leisure. Then you will re-board a boat or a local train back to La Spezia where your motorcoach is waiting for you for the return drive to Livorno.

Behold some of the world’s most impressive Byzantine mosaics, which adorn the walls and ceilings of Ravenna’s 6th-century basilicas and mausoleums.

Depart from the pier and enjoy a brief drive through the ancient city of Ravenna. After a photo stop at the 6th-century Mausoleum of Theodoric, a rotunda-shaped tomb that the emperor built for himself, you'll arrive at the city center and begin your walking tour.

Ravenna is revered for its well-preserved Byzantine mosaics, and you'll see them in all their glory at sights such as the Sant'Apollinare Nuovo basilica, which Theodoric also built. Most of the original mosaics depicting the life of Christ still exist, and the colors are vibrant, even after 1,500 years.

You'll also tour San Vitale Basilica, whose Byzantine mosaics are considered the finest in the western world. Be sure to note the glittering mosaics in the ceilings of the choir and apse. More spectacular mosaics await you at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, which dates even earlier to 430 A.D. The Roman empress who commissioned the tomb was never buried here, but it certainly would have been a grand final resting place.

Nearby, you'll find the tomb of the poet Dante, who died in Ravenna in 1321 while exiled from Florence. The mound of dirt to the right of his tomb is where Dante's urn was buried to protect it when Ravenna was bombed during World War II.

An hour of free time follows your walking tour, after which you’ll return to the pier.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Florence and Pisa, many of them iconic attractions that define the cities. To ensure the best possible results, a selfie expert guide will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot. your pictures will be ideal for posting on social media and sharing in other ways.

As you walk and ride through Florence and Pisa, you will pause at designated selfie stops that include:
• Ponte Vecchio
• Palazzo Vecchio
• Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral
• Santa Croce Square
• Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint
• Leaning Tower of Pisa

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Florence and Pisa.
• Follow tips from your selfie expert guide to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Behold the 13th-century bridge Ponte Vecchio and the fortress-like Palazzo Vecchio.
• See where Michelangelo is buried in the basilica overlooking San Croce Square.
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Florence from the hilltop terrace Piazzale Michelangelo.
• Visit the Field of Miracles in Pisa, home of the famed Leaning Tower.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Be sure your phone or camera is fully charged.

Drive through the countryside en route to the historic town of Pisa, located on the banks of the Arno River. Enjoy a short trolley ride that takes you directly to Miracle Square, next to the famous Leaning Tower. Your walking tour begins near 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. There'll be some free time to admire the exterior of the campanile, better known as the Leaning Tower and enjoy some coffee or browse for souvenirs in Pisa before returning to your ship.

Want to explore Florence on your own? We are happy to provide a motorcoach transfer to Florence complete with an English speaking escort. You'll be dropped off at a central location in Florence and have approximately five hours to explore the city, shop and enjoy lunch at your leisure. Motorcoach drop-off and pick-up points will be provided by the Shore Excursion Desk on board your ship.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an insider's look at attractions in Florence that served as locations for a number of blockbuster films, in this immersive walking adventure. Although the Uffizi Gallery may be better known for its works by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, the art museum also made an ideal setting for the crime-thriller "Hannibal." The scene with Hannibal Lecter sitting in front of Botticelli's painting "Primavera" is unforgettable. As you walk from one former film location to another, the guide will elaborate on some of the movies shot in Florence. You will see the Hotel degli Orafi that had a prominent role in the Oscar-winning film "Room with a View" and stop in the Baptistery of Saint John next to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore - better known as the Duomo - where scenes from Dan Brown's "Inferno" were filmed. Then there is the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the palace that appeared throughout the TV series "Medici: Masters of Florence."

HIGHLIGHTS

• See landmarks in Florence that were also film locations in well-known movies.
• Hear about the movies shot in the Uffizi Gallery, the Hotel degli Orafi and the Baptistery.
• Gain an understanding of why Florence is such an ideal location for filming.
• Spend free time dining on your own and exploring further.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Delve into the life and works of Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci in his hometown in Tuscany. His hometown is near the workshop where you will discover, from scratch, the fascinating art of pasta making in a demonstration class ending with a lunch. While walking through the hilltop town of Vinci, you will see the Church of Santa Croce - where Leonardo was baptized in 1452 - and get a feel for the town's atmospheric setting, which hasn't changed enormously over the centuries. Browsing the Leonardo da Vinci Museum will offer a deep understanding of Leonardo's technical wizardry as it holds an extensive model collection of machines that he invented and his sketches for others. Areas are also devoted to da Vinci's study of optics and transportation. You will have much to reflect on while driving through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to observe the pasta-making class. A chef will explain the process step by step so your pasta lunch will come out perfectly.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk through Vinci, the small hilltop town where Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452.
• Gaze upon the church where Leonardo was baptized and many of his inventions in a museum.
• Learn to make pasta from scratch in a demonstration class and enjoy it for lunch.
• Drive through some of the most beautiful countryside in Tuscany.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy close-up looks at some of the most iconic buildings in Florence, including Palazzo Vecchio, where you will explore secret passages that few visitors ever see. Built in the 14th century for the influential Medici family, the palazzo features hidden corridors designed for clandestine movements and confidential conversations. Here is where your walking expedition begins. Viewing these areas will offer a glimpse into the political intrigue of the time. The passages also hold artwork by Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo and Giorgio Vasari, the painter and architect that designed a secret corridor on Ponte Vecchio bridge, your next stop. A short walk will bring you to the glorious Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, perhaps the most recognizable symbol of Florence because of its dome. Following free time to independently explore nearby Santa Croce Square, you will watch a master craftsman create exquisite leather goods, a Florence tradition since the 13th century when the first leather guild was created.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk through secret passages in Palazzo Vecchio, once the powerful Medici family’s home.
• Behold other architectural icons in Florence, including the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio.
• Shop or dine on your own during free time in Santa Croce Square.
• Watch an artisan create fine leather goods, a craft honed in Florence for centuries.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, offers so many treasures of art and architecture that its entire historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fortunately with the highlights so centrally located, it is ideally suited to a walking tour. You'll stop at the Piazza Michelangelo for an overview of the city's tiled roofs, steeples and domes.

Visit the Accademia Gallery for an up-close introduction to Michelangelo's famous David. The 17-foot-tall statue depicts not the king, but the youthful shepherd who slew Goliath. You'll have a reserved time for entering to avoid the long line. Have a look at the exterior of the Cathedral (Duomo) of Santa Maria del Fiore, its elaborate Gothic façade covered in a mix of pink and green marble.

View the statues in the Piazza della Signoria on your way to the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval stone bridge that was the first bridge built across the River Arno, and has been well known for its goldsmiths and jewelers since the 16th century. Admire the exterior of the beautiful Basilica of Santa Croce, burial site for the city's larger than life citizens, including Michelangelo, Rossini, Machiavelli and Galileo. Enjoy some free time for lunch, to explore further or do some shopping.