espt-brru

Heart of Umbria and Tuscany

DAY 1 MADRID – ROME – PERUGIA Meeting in the Airport of Barajas, to leave on a flight to Rome. Arrival to the airport, and departure for Perugia. Afternoon free to explore the city. Dinner and lodging.

DAY 2 PERUGIA – EXCURSION ASSISI, GUBBIO AND URBINO – PERUGIA Breakfast. Departure for Assisi, homeland of Saint Francis, who was born in 1181/ 1182 and whose true name was Giovanni di Bernardo, for which almost all of its artistic representations are connected to him and Saint Clara. We will be able to see the imposing Historic Grouping of the Convent and the Basilica of Saint Francis. The Basilica is composed of two superimposed churches, one of them, the inferior, is decorated with frescos by Simone Martín and Giotto. We will see from the outside the Church of Saint Clara, the Temple Minerva and the Duomo. Then feparture for Gubbio, where we will eat lunch in a restaurant. Walk through this city, that conserves the old medieval urbanistic structure. At the foot of the city the grand Piazza Quarante Martiri opens up. In the tour we will be able to admire las façades of the Church of Saint Francis, the Church of Saint John the Baptist, the Ducal Palace from the 15th century, the palace of the Consoli and the Duomo, Gothic building. Afternoon departure for Urbino, whose narrow streets and buildings make us return to the medieval period. Rafael, one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance, and one of the architects of Saint Peter’s in Rome, was born here in 1483. Tour of the Ducal Palace. Return to Perugia. Dinner and lodging.

DAY 3 PERUGIA – AREZZO – FLORENCE Breakfast. Departure for Arezzo, homeland, among other historical figures, of Mecenas, Petrarca, Guido de Arezzo, Julio II, Pedro the Aretino, celebrated for the frescos of Piero della Francesca. Free time to see from the outside the Church of Saint Francis and the Pieve of Saint Mary, notable example of the Tuscan Romanesque, with a pisano style façade, the Piazza Grande, from the 12th century, surrounded by medieval houses and Renaissance palaces, the Palazzo delle Logge, with a portico from the 15th century, Roman Amphitheater, Palazzo dell Fraternita dei Laici, Gothic style Renaissance, Palazzo Bruni Ciocchi from the 15th century, Palazzo Pretorio, etc. Then, Departure for Florence, arrival and lunch. In the afternoon, Panoramic tour of Florence, where we will admire the Duomo, the Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce, etc. Dinner and lodging.

DAY 4 FLORENCE – Exc. PISA – FLORENCE Breakfast. Mourning tour of the Academia and Chapel Medicea. Lunch. Departure for an afternoon excursion to Pisa, on the banks of the Arno. Noticeably damaged during the Second World War, it has preserved almost intact Its artistic heritage, a great part of which is centered in the Piazza dei Miracoli, in which is found the Romanesque-Pisana Cathedral, begun in 1063 and finished in the 11th century, tts famous leaning tower (11th century), the Romanesque-Gothic Baptistery and the cementery. Return to Florence. Dinner and lodging.

DAY 5 FLORENCE – Exc. SIENA – FLORENCE Breakfast. Departure for an excursion to Siena, perfect example of a medieval city, with its characteristic ochre color. We will visit its old town. Built over three hills and surrounded by walls of surprising width, it is formed by alleyways that converge in the Piazza del Campo, one of the loveliest medieval squares in Europe, with its shell forms, scenery of the celebrated Palio horse races. It is surrounded by old houses and buildings, like the Palazzo Publico (1297- 1340), one of the most important Gothic buildings in Italy, with its 102 meter tall tower, today converted into Town Hall of the city and in Civic Museum with a fine collection of local art. Lunch. Afternoon tour of San Gimigniano, lovely city where towers and palaces of great beauty rise up. Return to Florence. Dinner and lodging.

DAY 6 FLORENCE – ORVIETO – VITERBO – ROME Breakfast. Departure for Orvieto, Medieval city anchored in a volcanic area, and tour of the city. Its center, very well preserved, has a large number of monuments and buildings that date from the the Etruscan period. Prominent is the Cathedral, an explosion of colors over a Gothic façade with a background of golden mosaics. We will see the façades of the Papal Palace, from the 12th century, the Romanesque- Gothic sytyle Palazzo del Popolo, and the well of Saint Patricio, from the 15th century. Then Departure for Viterbo, where we will have lunch. We will visit Bomarzo, considered the eighth wonder of the world, with its strange and mysterious park. Then departure for Rome. Dinner and lodging.

DAY 7 ROME Breakfast. Tour of Baroque Rome, with the Piazza di Spagna, Trevi Fountain, the Agrippa Pantheon, etc. Lunch in restaurant. Afternoon free at your disposal. Dinner with music in a restaurant of the Trastévere. Lodging.

DAY 8 ROME – MADRID Breakfast. At the scheduled time assisted transfer to the airport to embark on flight for Madrid. Arrival and END OF TRIP