6-Nights Short Escape: Italy - Luxury Tailor Made Travel

Pisa

The Leaning Tower is, of course, Pisa's main attraction. Even before three of its eight stories were constructed (building began in 1173 and continued until 1350), it had begun to lean. In 1990, the instability of the tower made it necessary to close it to visitors. Fortunately, an extensive program to rebalance the tower was successful in slowly righting the structure to its original degree of "lean." Now, thanks to modern engineering, the tower and its 294 stairs are once again open for climbing.

The tower is on the Campo dei Miracoli, a large, grassy square that's a pleasant place to relax. While you're there, visit the Baptistry, which contains a beautiful baptismal font and pulpit by Nicola Pisano; the Romanesque Cathedral di San Zeno, with its silver altar and figures by Brunelleschi; and the Camposanto Cemetery. All in white, the medieval buildings and the wall of the cemetery form a beautiful thematic whole. Stop at the 16th-century church and Palazzo dei Cavalieri, the piazza and the National Museum of San Matteo (excellent collection of 12th- through 15th-century art). And if you have time, visit Pisa's other leaning tower at the Church of San Michele degli Scalzi: Completed in the 13th century, this seldom-visited tower is worth a look, too.

It's also fun just to walk around Pisa. The city is very compact, with many narrow streets and a great ambience. We suggest seeing it on a day trip from Florence, perhaps in combination with Lucca, just 13 mi/20 km northeast. Another possible stop is Pistoia, which has a cathedral and baptistery in the Pisan-Romanesque style and the Ceppo Hospital (L'Ospedale de Ceppo), which has a brightly painted and enameled terra-cotta frieze by Giovanni della Robbia. If you want to see Pisa and another town all in one day, get up very early.

Chianti Countryside

Chianti is Tuscany’s very own wine region popular across the Italian countryside and the most visited by tourists. Chianti covers two provinces, Florence and Siena and 7 other subregions. Its fields of vineyards grow best on rolling hills creating beautiful landscapes of lush greenery. A hint of sunshine and warm welcome from locals makes the Chianti a home all too familiar.

Visitors can best explore Chianti with a car or a bike. Museums, churches, and estates make great sightseeing spots to stroll, relax and admire the panoramic view of the countryside.

Florence

The creative explosion of the Italian Renaissance happened right here, leaving petite Florence more art treasures than most national capitals. View the masterworks of local heroes like Michelangelo and Botticelli, visit countless unforgettable basilicas, then climb up into Brunelleschi's soaring dome to watch the sun set among cypress-clad Tuscan hillsides.