Discover the rich culinary heritage of Florence and Tuscany as you browse the city's historic Mercato Centrale. Meet the locals and choose the ingredients for a hands-on cooking class in a beautiful Tuscan farmhouse in the countryside. Join your guide in the morning and first stroll through Florence's historic and colorful Mercato Centrale. Take in the sights, sounds, and smells as you blend in with the locals doing their daily shopping. Meet the bakers, butchers, and farmers selling the freshest high-quality produce. Browse the stalls for fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and many other staples of Italian cuisine. Shop for the best ingredients to use for the cooking class, whilst learning how to choose the best seasonal products. Then, board the bus to head into the sprawling fields of the countryside surrounding Florence, arriving at a charming Tuscan farmhouse in a quiet location. With your chef guiding you, discover how to create a delicious and traditional Tuscan meal. Discover how to make authentic Italian pasta by hand with freshly laid eggs. Pair this with a traditional and hearty ragù. Prepare a classic bruschetta with fresh bread, homegrown tomatoes, and the farmhouse's own extra virgin olive oil. Then, take a break with a glass of Chianti wine. After the short break prepare some traditional Tuscan roast pork and roast potatoes using fresh herbs collected from around the farmhouse. Finally, discover the secrets of the wonderful Italian coffee and cream dessert, Tiramisù. Finally sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor, a delicious 3-course meal paired with carefully selected wine from the region to compliment the flavors of the delicious dishes you have created. At the end of your meal, receive a diploma and a copy of the recipes so you can re-create traditional dishes back at home for your friends and family. Your driver will be waiting for you for a short drive back to Florence, as you say "arrivederci" after an unforgettable experience in Tuscany.

Enjoy exclusive access to the Florence Baptistery renovation site with your tour guides and marvel at the breathtaking mosaics of the octagonal dome from a short distance. Then, explore the Florence Cathedral on a guided tour with skip-the-line tickets. Meet your guides at Piazza San Giovanni and admire the iconic marble facades and orange roofs of Florence's Duomo Complex. Begin your tour at the Florence Baptistry, which is currently being renovated. Once inside, gaze up at the octagonal dome adorned with golden mosaics dating back to 1225. Hear about this impressive structure and its place in Florentine history before putting on your helmet and following your guides up to the construction site. View the intricate mosaics from a short distance and witness pivotal biblical scenes unfold across the ceiling, including The Last Judgement. Then, continue to the Florence Cathedral and marvel at the breathtaking detail of its famous exterior. Bypass the busy crowds with skip-the-line tickets and step inside this gothic marvel and jewel of the Florentine skyline. See the vaulted ceiling stretch out above you as you begin your guided tour. Learn more about the cathedral's construction over the centuries as your guides show you the exquisite pieces of art within. Hear about the notable figures who played a role in shaping the cathedral into what it is today, from Filippo Brunelleschi to Giotto. Located in the heart of the old city, the UNESCO-listed Florence Cathedral and Baptistry epitomize Florentine heritage from medieval origins to the High Renaissance. Marvel at the Baptistry ceiling from an exclusive vantage point and wander through the ornate halls of the magnificent Cathedral.

Immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Italy, as told by its mesmerizing art. Embark on a guided tour of the Accademia Gallery in Florence and learn all about the artists behind each piece. Take in Michelangelo's world-famous David with your own eyes. Meet your guide and pay for your admission tickets, then step right into the Accademia Gallery without waiting in line. Begin your insightful stroll through the incredible collection, discovering majestic paintings by Filippino Lippi, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and more. Hear secret stories about the artworks and artists featured in the gallery, as well as ancient tales of the powerful Medici family. Understand why the Renaissance was born in Florence and why this family was so important to Michelangelo. And, of course, come up close to the giant David.

Experience Michelangelo's David with a skip-the-line entry ticket for the Accademia Gallery Museum. Explore this pearl in Florence with access to all parts of the museum and an optional audio guide. This museum contains more sculptures by Michelangelo than anywhere else in the world. After skipping the ticket lines, start exploring masterpieces created by artists who lived and worked in Florence during the Renaissance, including Botticelli, Filippino Lippi, Pietro Perugino, Paolo Uccello, and many others. If you select the audio guide option, plug in your headphones to learn about the highlights of the museum as you explore. Continue to the Four Prisoners and the San Matteo in the hall of Michelangelo, an impressive room dominated by the David. Go to the Museum of Musical Instruments, where you can admire the piano known as the most ancient piano existing in the world along with the priceless Viola Stradivari, created for the Grand Prince Ferdinando Medici. Before the end of your visit, make sure to see the renovated Gipsoteca Bartolini, a showroom of sculptures and busts related to the sculpture Lorenzo Bartolini.

Discover masterpieces of art at one of Italy's (and the world’s) greatest art museums, and enjoy skip-the-line entrance at the world-famous Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Marvel at Italian Renaissance art by some of the greatest artists of all times. See paintings by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raffaello, Giotto, Cimabue, Masaccio, and others. Go to the gallery’s most renowned room to see the stunning collection by Botticelli. Admire his “Primavera” and “The Birth of Venus,” and reflect upon his representation of the birth of the goddess as she emerges from the sea foam. Escape the hassle and hurry of organized group tours, and explore at your own pace. You are free to stay inside the museum for as long as you like. To see more stunning art, add skip-the-line entrance tickets to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens to your tour by selecting the option. After visiting the Uffizi, visit the palace and gardens in any order within the next 5 days.

After meeting your guide and boarding the coach, drive to the Chianti region. On the way to the first winery, your guide will share interesting facts and curiosities about landmarks along the route. Arrive at the first “cantina” of the day, where you will be welcomed by the winemakers. After listening to a brief introduction about the winery’s history and the types of wine made there, join a guided tour of the facilities and nearby vineyards. Learn all about the winemaking process, the materials used to make the barrels, and what it takes to be classified as a “Chianti Classico”. Then, begin your first tasting session of 4 different wines. You will hear an explanation of each of the wines that you sample, as well as some tips on how to savor the wine and understand its qualities. The wines will be accompanied by local snacks produced in the region, such as cheese, bread, olive oil, and salumi. Board the bus and continue to the second winery. On the way, make a stop at a scenic lookout to observe a stunning panorama of the Chianti Hills. At the second winery, learn about their production methods, what is unique about their vines, and how weather can affect the grapes. Explore the facilities during a short guided tour, and walk through the vineyards. Then, sample another round of up to 3 wines, as the local charismatic wine producer tells you about the peculiarities of each. After some free time, head back to Florence.

The gardens extend over a vast area forming an open-air museum with antique and Renaissance statues, grottoes, and large fountains. Exploring its numerous and varied walks one is able to evoke the spirit of life at court. The Grotta del Buontalenti is an artificial cave filled with false stalactites and stalagmites, with statues of sheep, shepherds, and Romans goddesses. The cave is located close to the entrance of the Boboli Garden and at the end of the Vasari Corridor. 

Experience the wonders of Tuscany on one memorable day. Leave Florence for a 12-hour excursion and see the beautiful landscapes, architecture, and artworks of the region. Treat yourself to some local cuisine, and choose a guided tour in your language to learn even more about the historic area. Begin with Pisa and visit its stunning Piazza dei Miracoli. Admire the Baptistery, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, and, of course, the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. After your free time in Pisa, head to a typical Tuscan winery in the Chianti Area and enjoy a delicious lunch with some local wine. Explore the city of Siena and visit to Piazza del Campo, where the Palio di Siena horse race is run, and Piazza del Duomo, where you will see the exterior of the magnificent cathedral. Enjoy your last stop in San Gimignano, a UNESCO medieval town, world-known for its Vernaccia di San Gimignano. The system of towers of San Gimignano tells the glories of the powerful families. Between saffron fields and typical indigenous vineyards, the city knows how to offer postcard views.

Immerse yourself in Florence's famous Accademia. Take a tour of the gallery to encounter its outstanding collection of gothic and renaissance paintings and other artworks. Visit Michelangelo’s famous David statue. See further famous works by the great artist such as The Prisoners, as well as other masterpieces of renaissance art. Hear informative commentary from your expert English-speaking guide, who will bring each work back to life with inside stories of one of the world’s greatest artists.

Step inside Florence's Pitti Palace and explore the Palatine Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art with your priority ticket. Marvel at historic collections, such as the Treasury of the Grand Dukes and the Medici Collection. The original palazzo was built for the Pitti family in 1457, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. Today, the lavish Renaissance palace hosts an extraordinary collection of art.  Admire some of the incredible works amassed by the Medicis during their rule. See works from Raphael, Caravaggio, Titian, Pietro da Cortona and Rubens. From the windows, catch views of Brunelleschi’s Santo Spirito Basilica and the Boboli Gardens.  Explore some of the most important museums in Florence on your visit to the Pitti Palace. Visit the Palatine Gallery on the first floor and discover a broad collection of 16th and 17th-century paintings, and the Royal Apartments, containing furnishings from a remodeling done in the 19th century. Then, head to the second floor to see the Gallery of Modern Art and admire the fine collection of paintings and sculptures, mostly Italian, dating from the late 18th century to World War I. The elegant rooms, which were inhabited by the Lorraine grand dukes, are decorated with works of the neo-classical and romantic periods.