Excursions in La Spezia (Cinque Terre)

This is a unique tour where you can combine the famous Cinque Terre to another enchanting village, Portovenere.
Portovenere is a unique country full of colorful houses painted in different colors , you will be hypnotized by its beauty ,all surrounded by the ancient medieval walls!

You can see Doria’s Castle, Byron’s Grotto, Saint Peter’s Church and more the typical products to be tasted are famous pesto (Made with ground pine nuts, basil leaves, a little garlic, a little cheese and Parmesan cheese and of course exstra virgin olive oil)  and the famous white wine produced in the 5 lands Sciacchetra.
you will have approximately 1 hour to visit Portovenere before proceeding to the Cinque Terre.

Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso are the names of the 5 coastal villages. the five small towns and the surrounding hills are named Cinque (five) Terre (lands) and has become a UNESCO world heritage site.


The driver will pick you up at the port and will take you to Portovenere where you will have about an hour to explore this amazing village. You might choose to visit the Cinque Terre departing direclty from here by ferry (it is much recommended to visit by ferry)  or you can choose to be driven to the first Cinque Terre village, Riomaggiore. We will give you all the information to enjoy this incredible national park on your own. The driver will inform you about ferry and train timetables. The driver in the meantime will drive to Monterosso ( the last village ) where you will meet him to take you back to the port on time.

ADVICE
you can visit all 5 villages (but it's a race) ,  all 5 including Portovenere will be exhausting! Please choose no more than 3!
The village of Corniglia is located on a hilltop! is the most tiring do not recommend it

DEARTURE FROM THE PORT OF LIVORNO FOR THIS TOUR - 7.30 am
DEPARTURE FROM THE PORT OF LA SPEZIA    FOR THIS TOUR - 8.00 am

A trip to Chianti represents a unique and unforgettable experience for everyone. In addition to fabulous vineyards and olive groves, this area is famous internationally for its wine and oil. There are abbeys, villas, castles, wineries and restaurants to visit and enjoy.

Departing from your ship in La Spezia, we proceed towards the beautiful countryside of the Chianti region and, following the "Wine Road" between vineyards and olive trees, we'll reach Greve in Chianti, the small village, named after the nearby river, expanded considerably during the 14th & 15th centuries, where we find a monument to Giovanni da Verrazzano, the explorer who discovered the New York Harbor. We see Piazza Matteotti with its porticoes, the Santa Croce church, the San Francesco convent and a series of typical, tiny, local shops and wine-cellars. One of the most famous is the butcher shop Falorni, which has been located in the piazza for 500 years.

You can have free samples of many of their locally produced products. Many famous people from Hollywood (and you thought they were vegetarians!!!) order beef, salami, and ham from Falorni. To find out names, just pop in and ask. In Greve there is also the enoteca "Le Cantine" where you will be able to taste not only more than 100 different wines, but also olive oil, vin santo and grappa, all produced in the Chianti area - a showcase for the region's wines. Time permitting, we will also stop at the Bonollo grappa distillery and at Montefioralle, a small village above Greve, which still preserves its medieval architectural flavor. After Greve, we depart for the magnificent Castle of Verrazzano, situated on top of a hill between Florence and Siena, in the heart of the Chianti Classico wine production area. It was originally an Etruscan settlement, then a Roman one, until becoming the property of the Verrazzano family in the 12th century. Giovanni da Verrazzano, who discovered the bay of New York and the main part of the East Coast of America (the suspended bridge in New York with the longest span in the world is named after him) was born here in 1485.

At the Castle guided tours can be booked to see the gardens, the centuries-old ageing cellars and, as a curiosity, the wild boars which breed naturally in the surrounding woods. Together with the world famous wines, all the various products of the farm can be tasted, including olive oil, cured meats, wild boar sausage and the area's other typical specialties (light lunch). This visit should be reserved in advance.

Time permitting, after the castle the tour continues with a drive through the typical Tuscan countryside and small villages like Panzano and Castellina in Chianti. On the way back, you will have the chance to admire the Medieval Fortress of Monteriggioni, with its walls and remaining towers witnessing the distant past, giving an impression that time has come to a stand-still both inside and outside of its walls.

At the end you will drive back to La Spezia pier on perfect time to board your ship.

Please note:
The proposed itineraries are only examples of possible tours. For different pick up / drop off locations or customized itineraries we invite our clients to contact one of our tour coordinators to help them design their own tour. There may be charges for certain types of wine tasting at the Verrazzano Castle.

Today your driver will pick you up directly at your cruise ship in the port of La Spezia for a visit to the splendid maritime city of Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and more. The remote origins of Pisa and its name are lost in myth and legend but it is certain that this city had Eneolithic settlements and the presence of the Etruscans between the 6th and 3rd centuries B.C. Pisa was later Romanized and became a colony of Rome during the time of Octavianus Augustus in the 1st century B.C. Meanwhile the population was growing along with the development of shipbuilding and trade, thanks also to its harbor. The city expanded rapidly and soon Pisa was surrounded by a circle of walls. In 1062 the building of the Pisa cathedral was begun.

The cathedral and baptistery, the tower of Pisa, and the Campo Santo or cemetery, together form one of the most beautiful and famous building groups in the world. The “Piazza dei Miracoli” makes a perfect showplace for these exquisite examples of Romanesque architecture. Today, the Leaning Tower of Pisa has become a symbol for the entire Italian Republic and after intense restoration has finally reopened to visitors. If you would like to experience the climb to the top and the “lean” in the tower as you go up, reservations must be made in advance and can be made on-line at the following website: http://www.opapisa.it/boxoffice/index.jsp
Next, your driver will take you to Lucca, one of the most famous and glorious walled cities of Italy. Lucca was founded by the Etruscans but actually has origins even more remote. In 180 BC the town became a Roman colony and from this period has retained the rectangular grid of its Roman street plan and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the Roman forum. Where once its wide walls were used for defense purposes today Lucca’s citizens use it for walking and biking.

Lucca is a rather small town but there are many interesting places to visit here - the Romanesque cathedral of San Martino, the church of San Michele, and the Basilica of San Frediano with its exquisite mosaics, and the birthplace of the composer Puccini whose house is now a small museum. You will visit all of this on your tour to Lucca and the more energetic of you can rent bikes to do a “Wall Bike Tour” along the city walls. If there is enough time, your driver can bring you to visit one of the magnificent villas in the outskirts of Lucca. Years ago Lucca’s most illustrious families and foreign residents had their summer homes in this area. The beautiful gardens of the Villa Mansi built by the architect F. Juvarra are worth a visit as is the Villa Torrigiani with its luxurious apartments and grounds.

In the afternoon, your driver will take you comfortably back to your cruise ship at La Spezia.

Please note: The proposed itineraries are only examples of possible tours. For different pick up / drop off locations or customized itineraries we invite our clients to contact one of our tour coordinators to help them design their own tour.

Your private driver will take you as far as the colorful and characteristic village of Portovenere along the Ligurian coast, where you have free time to stroll around or visit the ancient castle. From here, you can take take the boat to reach the Cinque Terre, Riomaggio, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso.

At the villages you can enjoy tasting the typical dessert wine, called "Sciacchetrà"; as well as good food fish.

Your driver will meet you again in the afternoon at Monterosso to go back.

This Private Tuscany Shore Excursion from La Spezia will take you to the one most classic sights.

The marvellous Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance and there is no doubt that Florence is the single city with the highest concentration of art in the world. Not only its museums and monument are a "must see" for any traveller coming to Florence, but the city as a whole features an incomparable beauty, that made Florence become famous as the most elegant city in the world.

Florence keeps an exceptional artistic heritage which is a marvellous evidence of its aged culture. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived in Florence as well as Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, brining innovation to architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio forefathers of the Renaissance operated in Florence, Ghiberti and the Della Robbia worked in Florence, Filippo Lippi and Angelico were based in Florence; Botticelli, Paolo Uccello made of Florence their home and the universal genius of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo are surely the 2 names to which Florence is more commonly associated to, together with those of many other generations of artists up to the artists of our century, are gathered in the several Florence museums of the town: the Uffizi, the most selected gallery in the world and main Florence museum, the Palatina gallery with the paintings of the "Golden Ages".

The Bargello, once the political building of Florence with the sculptures of the Renaissance, the museum of San Marco with Angelico's works, the Academy, the chapels of the Medicis once the rulers of Florence, Buonarroti' s house with the sculptures of Michelangelo, the following Florence museums: Bardini, Horne, Stibbert, Romano, Corsini, The Gallery of Modern Art, The museum of the Opera del Duomo, the museum of Silverware and the museum of Precious Stones. Florence boasts many other great monuments and landmarks of its artistic culture: the Baptistry with its mosaics; Florence Cathedral with its sculptures, the medieval churches with bands of frescoes; public as well as private palaces: Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Palazzo Davanzati; monasteries, cloisters, refectories; the "Certosa". The archaeological museum of Florence includes documents of Etruscan civilization.

PRIVATE TOUR - PRICE BASED ON A NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN YOUR PRIVATE GROUP. Please do not book for 2 people on the rate of 8 participants.

N 1   TRUFFLE EXPERIENCE:
(Available all days of the year  in English language)
The truffle hunting organizer says:
"Me and my family will guide you in the beautiful woods of Tuscany for truffle hunting with my dog. Truffle hunting is an ancient tradition in Tuscany and requires only one rule: respect for nature; for this reason it will be necessary a small briefing before going into the woods, a “sacred” place for the truffle hunters. During the truffle hunting I tell you about the truffle, the magic of its traditions, its history, the legends which recall its myth, its uses in the kitchen and you will learn how to recognize and distinguish a good truffle from other “fake” truffles of inferior quality and artificial products. I tell you about the biggest truffle in the world, found in San Miniato in 1954, and anecdotes that looks a lot like a superhero story… but here there are no heroes (apart from the truffle dogs, obviously).

After the search is scheduled tasting based on fresh and real truffle.
Example of tour scheduled:
- 10.00 a.m. meeting at the truffle hunter house;
- 10.30 a.m. walking in the woods for truffles hunting;
- 12.30 a.m. fresh and real truffle tasting.
Prices of hunting and fresh truffle tasting:
2/4 participants: 80,00 € p.p.
5/8 participants: 70,00 € p.p.

Prices does not include transportation and eventual truffles found during the hunting.
The services I offer, from truffle hunting to tasting, are aimed at making you know and appreciate the
REAL TRUFFLE and I guarantee that what you will see is exclusively the original truffle and not
artificial product.

Each itinerary will be organized around you and then customized according to your needs. All experiences include a very detailed explanation about the REAL TRUFFLE (in Italian or in English with the support of an interpreter): its nature, history and also few legends that have been
always fascinating for those which wants to get to know this mysterious Mother Nature's treasure.

N 2    TRUFFLE & WINERY EXPERIENCE:
(available all days of the year also in English language)
Me and my family will guide you in the beautiful woods of Tuscany for truffle hunting with my dog. Truffle hunting is an ancient tradition in Tuscany and requires only one rule: respect for nature; for this reason it will be necessary a small briefing before going into the woods, a sacred place for the truffle hunters. During the truffle hunting I tell you about the truffle, the magic of its traditions, its history, the legends which recall its myth, its uses in the kitchen and you will learn how to recognize and distinguish a good truffle from other “fake” truffles of inferior quality and artificial products. I tell you about the biggest truffle in the world, found in San Miniato in 1954, and anecdotes that looks a lot like a superhero story… but here there are no
heroes (apart from the truffle dogs, obviously). After the search is scheduled tasting based on fresh truffle in a tipical winery combined with the best local
wines.

Example of tour scheduled:
- 10.00 a.m. meeting at the truffle hunter house;
- 10.30 a.m. walking in the woods for truffles hunting;
- 12.00 a.m. guided tour of a local winery.
- 12.45 a.m. tasting based on fresh truffle combined with local wines.
Prices truffle hunting + truffle/wine tasting in tipical winery:
2/4 participants: 110,00 € p.p.
5/8 participants: 100,00 € p.p.

Prices does not include transportation and eventual truffles found during the hunting.

N 3  TRUFFLE AND LUNCH EXPERIENCE:
(Available all days of the year also in English language)
Me and my family will guide you in the beautiful woods of Tuscany for truffle hunting with my dog. Truffle hunting is an ancient tradition in Tuscany and requires only one rule: respect for nature; for this reason it will be necessary a small briefing before going into the woods, a sacred place for the truffle hunters. During the truffle hunting I tell you about the truffle, the magic of its traditions, its history, the legends which recall its myth, its uses in the kitchen and you will learn how to recognize and distinguish a good truffle frommother “fake” truffles of inferior quality and artificial products. I tell you about the biggest truffle in the world, found in San Miniato in 1954, and anecdotes that looks a lot like a superhero story… but here there are no heroes (apart from the truffle dogs, obviously).
After the search is scheduled lunch based on fresh and real truffle.
Example of tour scheduled:
- 10.00 a.m. meeting at the truffle hunter house;
- 10.30 a.m. walking in the woods for truffles hunting;
- 12.30 a.m. lunch based on fresh truffle.
Prices of hunting and fresh truffle tasting:
2/4 participants: 155,00 € p.p.
5/8 participants: 145,00 € p.p.

Prices does not include transportation and eventual truffles found during the hunting.
 

Payment by credit card or cash, directly on the spot.