Italy - Tuscany

Youth Orchestra • Sacred Choir • Secular Choir • Band

Italy’s most beautiful towns and cities
Home to Michelangelo’s ‘David’
Good audiences all year round

Tuscany’s towns and cities are amongst the loveliest in Europe while its rich and fertile landscape draws many visitors. The regional capital, Florence, is probably Italy’s most beautiful and fashionable city. Its unsurpassed combination of magnificent art and architecture, stylish designer boutiques, and bustling streets and cafés, appeals to young people from all over the world. The city is dominated by Brunelleschi’s Dome and the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio and lies on the river Arno (straddled by the quaint Ponte Vecchio). From here, excursions can be made to Tuscany’s most stunning cities and towns including Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and Lucca, while Viareggio on Tuscany’s popular coast makes an interesting and contrasting day.

Concerts

Tuscany offers an exceptional choice of venues, whatever time of year you travel. During the summer months, our groups can generally take part in one of the festivals taking place, such as the gardens of the Villa Bottini in Lucca and the Jazz Festival in Camaiore. Other towns where concerts can be arranged include Pistoia, in its basilica and in the cathedral, and on the town square of Barga. Sacred choirs will particularly appreciate the opportunity of performing Mass at Florence’s magnificent Duomo. In Montecatini itself, concert series are held at the beautiful spas, such as Tettuccio spa.

Suggested itinerary (band)

Day 1 - Depart afternoon for late afternoon ferry and overnight travel

Day Two - Afternoon arrival in Montecatini. Remainder of day free in resort.

Day Three - Morning visit to the walled town of Lucca with a visit to Puccini’s house. Continue to Pisa to see the Campo with its famous leaning tower. Return to Montecatini for evening meal and to change and depart for evening concert in Camaiore.

Day Four - Morning at leisure in Montecatini. Depart after lunch for San Gimignano, famous for its medieval towers. Time to explore, then depart for Cerreto Guidi for evening concert. Return to Montecatini.

Day Five - Full day’s sightseeing of Florence to include the Uffizi Gallery, Piazza del Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti. Evening concert in Vinci and return to Montecatini.

Day Six - Free time in Montecatini before afternoon departure for overnight coach journey.

Day Seven - Morning ferry and afternoon arrival home.

Excursions

Florence: Duomo with Brunelleschi’s famous dome, Pitti Palace, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza delle Signoria.

Pisa: home of the precipitous leaning tower, campanile and cathedral, all located on the one ‘campo’.

San Gimignano: exquisite walled town with 13 lofty towers (there were once 75 of them!) representing past family power struggles.

Accommodation

We recommend Montecatini, a fashionable and relaxed spa town in the beautiful Tuscan countryside about 40 km from Florence, for our groups. It is a relaxed and spacious antidote to the heat and bustle of Florence with a lovely main square, surrounded by cafés and stylish boutiques, with floodlit fountains at night. The old town, reached by funicular railway, is worth a visit for its medieval charm and lovely views. The Hotel Europa in Montecatini is a clean and well-kept 3-star hotel in a good location, an easy 10-minute walk from the town centre. Students’ rooms are 2-5 bedded, all with shower and toilet. There are 150 beds in the hotel. Facilities include a reception area, bar, restaurant and TV lounge. The first floor terrace leads down to a lovely outdoor swimming pool.

INFORMATION
MINIMUM DURATION	7 DAYS 4 NIGHTS
EXTRA NIGHTS	RING FOR DETAILS
COACH TYPE	EXECUTIVE 48-SEATER WITH AIR CONDITIONING
TOUR MANAGER	FULL TIME
MEALS	HALF BOARD
JOURNEY FROM CALAIS	21 HOURS