Wonders of Tuscany

Your holiday starts at London St Pancras, meeting our Tour Manager and the rest of the group before boarding the Eurostar service to Paris. Changing trains in the French capital, we continue by rail to Turin.

Setting out at highspeed, after passing Lyon our train slows to a more leisurely pace and we enjoy a scenic journey through the French Alps. Stopping enroute at Chambéry, we arrive in Turin station where we transfer to our accommodation in the modern part of the city for the night. Shortly after checking in we enjoy our first dinner together in the hotel restaurant.

• Dinner

After breakfast there's time to explore Turin. Surrounded by the Italian alps, the city's wide boulevards and grand squares are lined with enticing cafés, shops and bars. Nearby our hotel is the car museum, a public park on the banks of the River Po and, further along the river is the 16th-century Castello del Valentino, a UNESCO Heritage site with a botanical garden.

Around midday, we continue our journey south, travelling to Florence by rail. From here, we change trains to the historic spa resort of Montecatini Terme for six nights. Our hotel is in the modern, lower part of the town, close to the railway station and to the hot springs. On the hill above us is the medieval Old Town of Montecatini Alto. Arriving in the early evening, we walk the short distance to our hotel where, after settling in to our rooms, dinner is served this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today is a free day to get to know Montecatini Terme. Known for its healing water, the town's 18th-century Terme Tettuccio is a drinking spa, where you can taste the water and look around its marble-lined pools, fountains and Art Nouveau tiles on a guided tour. The historic site is open to visitors from 7.30am to 8pm and entrance is around 6 Euros. From April to October, the Montecatini Opera Festival takes place in different places around the city, including the spa complex.

You could also visit Montecatini Alto, using the funicular railway which runs late into the evening and has great views over the valley. The Old Town here has a central piazza, surrounded by ancient buildings, pretty pavement cafés and a charming church. This is a lovely spot to relax with a drink and soak up the atmosphere. Tonight you dine independently, and there are several tempting eating places to choose from, near our central hotel and up in Montecatini Alto's Old Town.

• Breakfast

Today is a highlight of our tour - a day trip to the Renaissance city of Florence. Travelling by train, a local guide meets us on arrival and introduces us to the city. From the Santa Maria Novella square we walk past the striking Duomo, through the medieval centre to the Palazzo Vecchio. We pass the Uffizi gallery courtyard, and our tour ends at the Ponte Vecchio, the famous 14th-century bridge, overlooking the River Arno.

This afternoon is free to enjoy at your own pace. You might be inspired to climb the 414 steps of Giotto's Campanile, for stunning views across the rooftops. Or you could visit one of Florence's impressive galleries, churches and Medici palaces. Please note, if you plan to visit the Uffizi or Accademia galleries it's best to book ahead to avoid the queue.

Another option is to cross the river to the wonderful Boboli gardens, a peaceful green space with fantastic views of Florence. Or visit the city's largest market, Mercato di San Lorenzo, with stalls selling fresh products, local crafts, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a Chianti wine booth. We return to Montecatini Terme by rail with time to relax before dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today we set out by rail to the medieval walled-city of Lucca, where there's a free morning to look around. Lucca is delightful to explore on foot but, to navigate the maze-like centre, you may like to pick up a map at the Tourist Information Centre. Look out for the Duomo, frescoed churches and striking piazzas - and don't miss the breathtaking Piazza Anfiteatro, once a Roman amphitheatre. Walking along the wide walls is a great way to see the city from above. Within the city walls is a botanical garden and a lovely baroque-style garden at Palazzo Pfanner, where parts of the film 'Portrait of a Lady' were shot.

We meet after lunchtime to continue by rail to Pisa, where you can explore at your own pace. There, in an area called the Field of Miracles, you'll find the famous Leaning Tower, a true icon of Italy, and the city's white marble Duomo. There's also time to discover Pisa's Old Town, between the Field of Miracles and the Arno river - a medieval area with piazzas, cafés, and shops. At the end of the afternoon we return by rail and dine at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today is at leisure to continue getting to know Montecatini Terme. Among the Art Nouveau buildings of the historic centre is the early 20th-century Palazzo Comunale, or Municipal Palace, which hosts Montecatini Contemporary Art (MO.C.A) gallery and features the work of artists including Joan Mirò.

If you haven't already discovered it by cableway, you could visit Montecatini Alto, the medieval Old Town. From our central location, it is also possible to make the most of the frequent rail service to visit other Tuscan cities or towns. For example, the coastal resort of Viareggio is 50 minutes' away or the buzzing city of Bologna takes two hours to reach by train.

This evening you're free to dine on your own, and you really are spoilt for choice - from simple osterias and pizzerias to trattorias or formal ristorantes.

• Breakfast

Today is a coach excursion to ancient Siena, a charming Tuscan city with a fantastic history and beautiful buildings. On arrival, we meet our local guide takes us to the church of San Domenico and past the stunning Duomo. We continue to the centre of Siena, where we reach the city's incredible Piazza del Campo - a grand, shell-shaped piazza that's one of Europe's best-preserved medieval squares. Our guide tells us the history of the piazza, where the world-famous Palio horse races are held every July and August - an event that's been celebrated for hundreds of years.

After our tour you're free to continue sightseeing at your own pace. With its many pavement cafés, the piazza is the perfect place to enjoy a glass of Chianti or a gelato. Or you might like to try some of Siena's popular cured meats and cheeses - the local favourites are Pecorino cheese and finocchiona, a delicious salami made with fennel. We return by coach to our hotel where tonight is our last dinner in Montecatini.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we say ciao to Tuscany as we're transferred by coach to Viareggio on the coast. From here we take the train to Ventimiglia, close to the French border, following the scenic coastline most of the way.

On arrival in Ventimiglia we're taken by coach into France, to the attractive resort of Saint-Raphaël on the Côte d'Azur where we spend the night, after a three-course dinner at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With a little free time after breakfast, we leave Saint-Raphaël and join our train to Paris. There's time on our rail journey home to reflect on our Tuscan holiday. In the French capital we join the Eurostar service, which takes us back to London St Pancras where our journey ends and we make our way home.

• Breakfast