THE HISTORIC CITY CENTRE OF FLORENCE AND PIAZZA DEI MIRACOLI IN PISA

Description A unique excursion to enjoy the art, architecture and overall splendour of two iconic Tuscan cities that have become symbols Italy for people the world over: Florence and Pisa.

What we will see

• Florence: Santa Maria del Fiore, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Santa Croce and Basilica
• Pisa: Piazza dei Miracoli, Cathedral and Baptistry

What we will do

• Our coach leaves the port of La Spezia for Florence, a city that became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany under the rule of the de' Medici family, establishing itself as a driving economic power with groundbreaking artistic, cultural and political developments.
• Our walk begins in the centre, now a pedestrianised area. Our tour guide will show us around the magnificent complex of Santa Maria del Fiore, where we can admire the exterior of the Duomo, the Baptistery and the Bell Tower designed by Giotto.
• Continuing our walk through the famous streets of the city centre, we come to Piazza della Signoria, where we can admire the Gothic masterpiece, Palazzo Vecchio, which houses numerous artistic treasures, and the Loggia dei Lanzi, a true open-air museum, which still preserves some wonderful masterpieces of sculpture.
• We then move on to the Ponte Vecchio, the only Florentine bridge to survive the 22 bombardments of the Second World War, then to Piazza Santa Croce with its splendid Basilica, the final resting place of Michelangelo.
• There will be some time available to take photos, after which our guide will accompany us back to our coach for the journey to Pisa.
• On our arrival in the city, there'll be time to visit this ancient Maritime Republic at our leisure.
• The cornerstone of the city's precious artistic and architectural heritage is Piazza dei Miracoli where the glowing whiteness of the marble buildings - which appear to spring from the grassy carpet of the square - offers visitors a spectacle like no other.
• Our discovery of the white splendour of Piazza dei Miracoli begins with the Duomo, the highest expression of Pisan Romanesque architecture, in which the classical tradition is filtered through the experiences of the early Church, incorporating Lombard and Byzantine motifs and influences from the Arab and Norman world, to wondrous effect.
• We can't fail to stop and admire the famous Leaning Tower, an imposing structure that appears almost weightless thanks to storey after storey of graceful arches. Here a photo is practically obligatory.
• Finally, we continue to the Baptistry, home to many artistic masterpieces of immense value.
• With the beauty of Florence and Pisa lingering in our eyes and in our minds, we board the coach again to head back to the ship.

What you need to know

• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.
• The coach journey to Florence takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes each way.
• Our guide will join the excursion directly in Florence. A local escort will be present during journeys to and from Florence.