Florence & Pisa

Exult in visits to Florence and Pisa, where you’ll find the awe-inspiring achievements of medieval and Renaissance Italy on brilliant display. Pass through the classic Tuscan countryside during your coach ride to Florence, where a walking tour of the pedestrianized historical center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will reveal the wonders engendered by the city’s centuries-long patronage by the Medicis. Admire the bravura complex of the Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiore, whose famed dome by Brunelleschi rises above Florence. See priceless masterpieces complementing the building, including sculptures by Donatello gracing Giotto’s tour de force, the 14th-century campanile, or bell tower.

After time for lunch on your own, continue to Pisa for a self-guided tour around the Campo dei Miracoli, or Field of Miracles, a UNESCO World Heritage site home to medieval architectural masterpieces. Discover the beloved Leaning Tower, listing due to the unstable soil found beneath the Campo dei Miracoli, and the outstanding duomo, or cathedral, whose multi-level colonnades and subtle interplay of marble and stone make it the archetype of the Pisan Romanesque style. Enter the elaborate circular baptistery, acclaimed for its outstanding acoustics, another mesmerizing highlight on your enlightening survey of Tuscany’s glittering gems.

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Dress appropriately for a religious venue; shoulders and knees must be covered.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.