RAIL-DRIVE
EXPLORE SOUTHERN TUSCANY RAIL-DRIVE TOUR
8 nights / 9 days From £ 2,530 per person
Scenery of southern Tuscany
SWISS ALPS • FLORENCE • CHIANTI • CORTONA • CANDELI
This tour of southern Tuscany by rail and car includes an overnight stop in Switzerland, then one night in Florence before touring Chianti, southern Tuscany, and returning to a stop on the banks of the Arno outside Florence. You return by train to Milan, then by overnight sleeper train to Paris, with the final leg by Eurostar.
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
DAY ONE London to Lausanne or Zurich by train Start your rail holiday by departing London on an early morning Eurostar to Paris. Following a change of station in Paris, you then continue to Lausanne or Zurich by TGV train which reaches 198 mph. Arrive early evening and spend one night here.
DAY TWO Lausanne or Zurich to Florence by rail Spend the first part of the morning looking around, depending on how late you want to arrive in Florence, before boarding the Eurocity train to Milan. You change trains in Milan and continue to Florence by high-speed train arriving in the evening. On arrival in Florence you will be met at the station and transferred to your hotel for one night.
DAY THREE Drive to Chianti Collect your hire-car and drive out of Florence into the Chianti. The drive is about 55 miles and takes about an hour and a half. We recommend that you take the country route south from Florence, heading through the wine villages of Greve, Gaiole and Radda in Chianti. These towns are charming with wineries you can visit but take time to gaze at the vista of the Tuscan countryside. Spend two nights in the Chianti area enjoying the surroundings of vineyards, gently rolling hills and the turrets of Siena in the distance.
DAY FOUR In Chianti Enjoy a day at leisure to explore with your hire car, perhaps venturing into Siena, or driving to the fortified town of San Gimignano.
DAY FIVE Drive to Cortona Your destination today is a charming hotel in the vineyards and countryside just outside the historic Etruscan town of Cortona. It takes a little over an hour to cover the 42 miles, but you may want to take a detour to visit the town of Arezzo, whose hill-top cathedral features painted vaulted ceilings and a 15th century fresco of Mary Magdalene by Piero della Francesca
DAY SIX At leisure Cortona Your day at leisure at your hotel near Cortona can be spent relaxing in the hotel’ s gardens or visiting the wine estate of the hotel owners. Cookery lessons can also sometimes be arranged here. Another option is to drive south from Cortona to nearby Umbria and visit Lake Trasimeno or the cathedral city of Perugia.
DAY SEVEN Drive to Florence Today you can take your time driving north with your destination being the village of Candeli, set on the banks of the River Arno, just outside the city of Florence for your final night in Italy. Your hotel is an historic building with its grounds alongside the River
Arno. The hotel has a shuttle service to take you into Florence, otherwise have a relaxing last night’ s dinner at the hotel itself.
DAY EIGHT Travel to Milan by train You have most of the day free before needing to return your car in Florence in good time to board the train from Florence to Milan, before changing to the Thello sleeper service to Paris.
DAY NINE Return to London via Paris You arrive into Paris Gare de Lyon just after 10am and after an easy change of stations in Paris, complete your rail journey by travelling on the Eurostar back to the UK, arriving at lunchtime.
46 To speak to our specialist rail holidays team telephone 01392 441250 or see www. expressionsholidays. co. uk