Umbria & Tuscany Tour Package - 9 Days

We depart on our overnight flight to the city of Florence. Enjoy kosher meals and in-flight entertainment during your journey, or read some of our suggested books about Umbria and Tuscany (see above).

Upon arrival in Florence Airport we are welcomed to Italy by our carefully-selected personal Deluxe Kosher Tours tour director. They will bring us to our luxury hotel, the Westin Excelsior, and offer an introduction to Italy and Florence. Florence makes the perfect base from which to discover the glories of Umbria and Tuscany. The splendours of this Renaissance city are numerous, from churches and castles to picturesque streets filled with artisanal shops. Florence is particularly famous for its history as a centre of medieval trade, science, art and theology, which our expert tour guide will explain during our time there.

We set off early for our tour of Florence, beginning at the vibrant heart of the city, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. This 15th century UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of Italy's largest churches, and proudly displays the largest brick dome ever built. After the exquisite decorations and architecture of the building we make our way to the nearby Duomo Museum to learn about the history of Florence and how its medieval buildings were made. Finally, admire the excellent medieval decorations of the Baptistery of San Giovanni before climbing Giotto's Bell Tower for breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

After lunch we drive to Siena for a walking tour, starting at the ornate Siena Cathedral, where you can appreciate the sumptuous mosaic decorations on the floor and stunning frescoes at the Biblioteca Piccolomini. Then circle around the beautiful Piazza del Campo, one of Europe's greatest medieval squares. After admiring the immense Torre del Mangia we return to the bus for an excursion to the spectacular Abbey of St Galgano. We continue to the town of San Gimignano, where we can visit the San Gimignano 1300 Museum, an excellent museum with a reconstructed medieval town. If there is time we will drive through Castello di Monterinaldi, where you can learn and experience how they make chianti wine – a speciality of the area. We overnight in the Grand Hotel Continental in Siena.

Early in the morning we set off from Assisi and transfer to Spoleto, stopping to see bright and beautiful Villa Fidelia just past Foligno on the way. Upon arrival at Spoleto we enjoy a tour of this ancient city. Spoleto has a fascinating history, from its mythological origins to Roman splendour, and the independent Lombard principality. We start with a walk along the Giro dei Condotti, and are rewarded with beautiful views of the town and the Ponte delle Torri (Tower’s Bridge). Visit La Rocca, a castle that has amazing views of Spoleto and incredible fortified defences. Then descend to Spoleto’s centre, where we enjoy lunch before ambling towards the Basilica di San Salvatore and the Cathedral, two architectural and historical gems found at the Piazza del Duomo. Following this we explore the interesting Roman theatre at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale Di Spoleto, and then return to the bus for our transfer to Orvieto, arriving in the evening to check in to the La Badia di Orvieto hotel.

We devote the day to exploring Orvieto, one of the most dramatically situated cities in Europe. Built on vertical tuffs of volcanic rock, the landscape has been occupied and worked on for at least 2,800 years, leaving a startling collection of heritage sites and a fascinating history. We begin at the Duomo di Orvieto, which is considered one of the must-see churches in Italy for its stunning gold-and-mosaic Gothic façade and the breathtaking decorations of the Cappella Di San Brizio. Then move to the Pozzo di S. Patrizio, a cave built for the Popes where we can learn about the Etruscan and Roman periods, Middle Ages and Renaissance in Orvieto. We make our way to the Cappella del Corporale, a Gothic church built to celebrate the so-called Miracle of Bolsena in 1263.

After lunch we explore the Orvieto Caves. Over 1200 caves have been dug in the tuff under the city that collectively form a complete underground city with galleries, wells, stairs, quarries, and cellars. We see the Pozzo della Cava (Well of the Cave), before ascending again to Torre del Moro for excellent views of the city. We finish our tour at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale to learn about Etruscan prehistory, before returning to the bus for our transfer to Florence. Upon arrival we check back in to the Westin Excelsior hotel before preparing for the Shabbat.

After the Shabbat services the you have a free day to explore Florence. We recommend relaxing in Boboli Gardens, or take a leisurely walk through the Giardino Bardini gardens beside the Villa Bardini or the Botanical Gardens.

Today we enjoy a full day exploring some of the countless splendours of Florence. We begin at the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest and most famous art museums of Europe and the world. After exploring the 16th century building, designed by Giorgio Vasari we make our way to the Accademia Gallery to see the original statue of David by Michelangelo. After lunch we admire the vivid colours and harmonious architecture of the Church of Santa Maria Novella and the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte before continuing to the Ponte Vecchio, an iconic bridge that offers great photo opportunities. Circle around the Piazzale Michelangelo to view charming villas on our way to the Stibbert Museum. This unique Egyptian-style temple is nestled in a beautiful English garden, and contains a museum filled with medieval armour and art.

We embark early for our excursion to Pisa on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea. This ancient centre of culture and science is unashamedly proud of its iconic leaning tower, but contains many other wondrous sites which we visit during the day. We start at the Piazza dei Miracoli, one of the finest architectural complexes in Italy (or even the world!). Here we can visit the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, spectacular Cathedral, with beautiful decoration inside and outside, and nearby Baptistery. We take a walk along the hallway of the Camposanto Monumentale, large indoor cemetery, before lunch. In the afternoon we visit the elegant Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina and the Basilica Romanica di San Piero a Grado before returning to Florence. The rest of the day can be spent as you wish, though if you wish to do some more shopping we recommend visiting the Mercato Centrale. In the evening we reunite for our last meal together.

After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our return flights home.