Tuscany and Sardinia

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then to the Paris area for an overnight stay.

We head through France and into Italy, reaching our overnight hotel in the Parma area in time for dinner.

We head south into Tuscany and to the historic city of Florence – the ‘Cradle of the Italian Renaissance’. A local guide will show you the highlights of the city; at the Piazza del Duomo, which is the centre of religious life in medieval Florence, you will see the impressive Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the gilded bronze doors of the Baptistery dedicated to St. John.

We continue to our overnight hotel in Montecatini Terme, where we stay for two nights.

Explore the varied Tuscan landscape on our full-day optional excursion.

First, we head to Siena, which is regarded as the most charming medieval city in Italy. Built on three hills and surrounded by well-preserved walls, Siena is brimming with fine examples of Gothic architecture. A local guide will lead you along a maze of streets until you reach the Piazza Del Campo in the heart of the city, known worldwide for the famous Palio horse race.

The journey continues through the afternoon towards San Gimignano, famous for its towers which earned the city the nickname of ‘Manhattan of the Middle Ages’.

After leaving Montecatini, we travel to Pisa, a vibrant city animated by the rich history exuding from its walls. Piazza dei Miracoli is a wide expanse of green lawn on which stands four world-famous masterpieces of medieval art: the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Camposanto, the Baptistery, and the Duomo. Why not learn more about the city’s fascinating history on our optional walking tour?

We continue to Lucca, home of the 45-metre-high Guinigi Tower. The imposing Walls of Lucca, standing 12 metres high and 4 kilometres long, feature a beautiful tree-lined avenue – perfect for strolling along and admiring the stunning city views.

Later in the afternoon, we head to Livorno, where we will board the overnight ferry to Sardinia.

This morning, we disembark in Olbia and enjoy a guided walking tour of the city. Piazza Margherita, in the heart of Olbia, invites you to linger under the shade of trees. From here, we recommend visiting the granite-paved Corso Umberto – the promenade of Olbia with many shops, cafés and boutiques to browse.

We later head to our hotel for five nights.

We head by coach to the harbour town of Palau, where we board the ferry to La Maddalena. The island of Caprera, connected by a bridge to La Maddalena, is the true enchantment of the archipelago national park. Giuseppe Garibaldi’s home and burial place is definitely worth a visit, not just for historical curiosity, but for the pleasant atmosphere that emanates from a place that was certainly much loved. The island is home to a succession of bays and beaches, one more beautiful than the other.

There will be time at leisure for lunch, followed by a drive along one of the most beautiful panoramic roads in Europe to La Maddalena’s ancient harbour. La Maddalena is the only inhabited town on the archipelago. The historic centre is a delightful maze of narrow streets sloping down to the sea. Enjoy some time at leisure before we sail back to Palau and return our hotel.

The Maddelena excursion is essential to book in advance and cannot be booked during the tour. The price for this excursion is from £62 per person.

This morning, we head to Alghero – nicknamed ‘Little Barcelona’ – on our optional excursion. The seaside village of Alghero is the capital of the Riviera del Corallo, which is renowned for the largest amounts of precious red coral. The Capo Caccia promontory and its lighthouse constitute one of the icons of the city.

Our included excursion takes us first to Castelsardo, a small town situated on the summit of a rocky promontory in a strategic position dominating the harbour. The castle and fortifications were built in during the 12th century. Today, it is considered an important commercial centre for characteristic craftsmanship.

Afterwards, we enjoy some time in the ‘stone town’ of Tempio Pausania, which is known for the extraction and transformation of cork and granite – there is even a museum dedicated to cork machines!

Enjoy a leisurely day in resort.

Today, we explore the beauty of the Costa Smeralda in north Sardinia. This wild and undulating region has one of the most indented coastlines of the island. It is a succession of pink granite headlands, covered with maquis scrub and overlooking the emerald-coloured waters from which it takes its name.

We later head to Olbia port and board the ferry for the overnight sailing to Livorno.

We disembark in Livorno and head north through Italy to our overnight hotel in central France

Continue into northern France and to our overnight hotel.

Return home.