Florence May 21 – 23

May 21, 2025 Rick Steves tour – Day 3

Timeless Tuscany

“”I’ve met a lot of people in Europe, I even encountered myself.” – James Baldwin

Proposed Plan:

Today we’ll drive into Umbria and stop at the region’s grand hill town of Orvieto, where we’ll set you free to visit Orvieto’s dramatic cathedral, wander the back lanes, and find lunch at a charming trattoria. Then, we’ll wind our way through the verdant Tuscan hills to our village hotel. This afternoon you’ll have time to take a scenic walk amid the peaceful vines and olive groves, relax by the pool, or taste some of our host’s family-made wines. Before we sit down to a hearty country-style dinner together, we’ll see how it’s made, as our chef gives us a special Tuscan cooking demonstration.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 3 hours. Sleep near Florence.

Actual Events:

Left Rome early and met up with our bus driver, Eric. Got the baggage loaded and began our little journey towards Orvieto. It is a little city on top of a rock cliff with a medieval cathedral dedicated to the assumption of the Virgin Mary. When we reached the Orvieto railway station we took the funicular to the top of the hill. Where we met our guide Elena who led us through the church and pointed out all of the architectural features of the facade of the cathedral. The art work both inside and outside the building tells the stories of the Bible in a graphic form that was understandable to all. The four columns on the outside of the church represented Creation of the Earth, the genealogy of Jesus, the life of Jesus and the last judgement from the book of Revelation. After touring the church we were on our own to explore the little village. Nick and I chose to walk to the top of the clock tower, wander down some narrow streets and treat ourselves to gelato.

We arrived at an agriturismo outside of Florence where we nloaded the bus and got settled into our rooms. Then we enjoyed an aperitivo outside before watching a cooking demonstration. We learned how to make the perfect pasta and pesto sauce. After which we enjoyed a huge dinner featuring Tuscan dishes.

Day 4: Renaissance Florence Thu, May 22, 2025

PROPOSED PLAN:

This morning, we’ll drive to Florence, park our bus, and hop on a convenient tram into the city center. We’ll meet our local guide and take a Renaissance walking tour of the city’s historic center — learning how Brunelleschi’s cathedral dome and Ghiberti’s Baptistery doors helped define this world-changing era. Next we’ll tour the Uffizi Gallery, home to masterpieces by Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and more. Then we’ll set you free to enjoy lunch and explore more of Florence. You might try climbing Brunelleschi’s Dome (reserve in advance) or visiting the Accademia Gallery (reserve in advance), home to Michelangelo’s rough-hewn Prisoners and his greatest sculpture, David. Later this afternoon, we’ll return to our countryside hotel, with time to relax and freshen up before dinner together.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Bus: 2 hours. Sleep near Florence.

ACTUAL EVENTS:

It was an early start, the bus took us to the train station then we rode the train downtown. We arrived at the Piazza del’ Unita. We met up with our local guides and split into two groups. Our guide was Francesco. He took us on a walking tour pointing out wine doors (real and fake), the duomo, and other historic buildings. Each stop came with an entertaining story. He also took us Ponte Vecchio, where all the tempting jewelry stores are located (Nick dodged another bullet and I came home empty handed). He then escorted off to the Uffizi Gallery. He gave us a good overview of one of the most important museums. We saw works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Botticelli and others.