Video from Active Tuscany, Italy Vacation for Women
Featuring Canyon Calling owner, Janet Scalzo!

Active Tuscany Trip for Women

Midway down the Italian peninsula, Tuscany is known for rolling hills, fields of beautiful grapes and olive trees, dramatic cypress trees, and Italian villas – all adding up to gorgeous views at practically every turn. The beauty of the landscape is a photographer’s dream and proves perfect for walking and meandering. We’ll enjoy the must-see museums of Florence, and the beauty of Florence itself.  Moving into the countryside, many of Tuscany’s towns have retained the same fundamental character over the past 500 years. This isn’t the place for a jam-packed itinerary. One of the greatest pleasures here is indulging ourselves with delicious meals and show stopping scenery.  There are a lot of activities too – we’ll experience a Tuscan cooking class and dine on our efforts, e-bike in the rolling hills, make cheese with a local farmer, snorkel off the island of Giglio, raft on the Arno, and of course enjoy Pisa – perfetto! Fall is our favorite season here and we’ll enjoy outdoor soft adventures, beautiful art, the local people, delightful cuisine, history and culture. Bella Tuscano!

Tuscany Activities at a Glance

Active Tuscany Itinerary

Day 1

Upon your morning arrival at the Florence airport you will be welcomed by our local guide and Canyon Calling Trip Leader, and transferred to our hotel in Florence. (Some may choose to fly in the day before.)  In the afternoon we’ll enjoy a guided city tour of Florence with a local guide and climb to the Cathedral dome for spectacular views.  Our group will get acquainted while we enjoy our welcome dinner then head back to the hotel.  Overnight Florence. D

Day 2

After a tasty breakfast at our hotel, we’re off to raft the Arno River under the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. We’ll lunch at the Mercato Centrale where vendors offer a multitude of delicious options. This afternoon we’re off  to the Accademia Gallery to see the most famous of Michelangelo’s work: David, a colossal nude of the biblical hero who killed the giant Goliath.  Next, the Uffizi Gallery, housing some of the world’s most important art treasures, and a celebrated assembly of works including paintings from the late Middle Ages through the early 18^th century. Here we will admire such striking works as Caravaggio’s “Medusa”, Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Annunciation” and more.  We’ll enjoy dinner in Florence with some time to stroll the streets of this fair city. Overnight Florence. B, D

Day 3

After a tasty breakfast at our hotel we’ll be transferred to beautiful Siena. We’ll admire the beautiful panorama of the Tuscany hills.  We’ll check into our hotel and enjoy a walking tour of Siena to visit the beautiful monuments and the history of the town rich in culture. Famous all over the world for the Palio Horse Race held in Campo Square twice a year, Siena is known also for its Duomo as one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in Italy. In the late afternoon we head to “kitchen school”. Together with our teacher/chefs, we’ll prepare some of the most typical dishes of the Tuscan countryside, discovering the old recipes of the “grandmothers” using fresh, local products.At the end of the class we will enjoy a family style dinner of the dishes we made during the cooking class, and enjoy some local Chianti wine too. It’s such a beautiful way to really ‘taste’ the real Tuscan experience. Overnight Siena. B, D

Day 4

After breakfast we will check out of our hotel and board our van to continue our adventure in beautiful San Gimignano.  Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for it’s medieval architecture and unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses. This afternoon, we will accompany our guide on a walking tour of and around San Gimignano, including climbing the highest of the city’s towers – the Torre Grossa – to enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.  We’ll step back in time in this small, walled city, enjoying the locals and a few boutiques for your shopping pleasure.  Tonight is on our own to further explore this lovely town, find a delicious dinner and maybe a local jazz group.  Overnight San Gimignano.  B

Day 5

After breakfast, we’ll have a safety lesson then take off on our E-bikes for a wonderful ride through the scenic Tuscan countryside. The E-bikes give us the umph we might want for elevation on the rolling roads and makes the ride very comfortable! We’ll arrive at the Lischeto farmhouse for lunch where we’ll enjoy a locally produced, organic and delicious lunch. After lunch, we’ll have a cheese making demonstration and make cheese with the farm owners. This is not only fun, but a delicious activity as well.  This afternoon, we’ll transfer to Volterra and enjoy a walking tour and visit a local alabaster workshop. We’ll transfer back to our hotel to relax and, yes, enjoy dinner. Overnight San Gimignano.  B, L, D

Day 6

After a tasty breakfast at our hotel we will pack up and head to Porto Santo Stefano where we’ll have time to stroll around this port city a bit and have lunch at a local trattoria. We’ll take a large ferry to Giglio Island. The island is one of seven that form the Tuscan Archipelago, lying within the Archipelago Toscano National Park. We’ll tour the beautiful Giglio Castello, a self contained city inside the castle walls with such history and beauty. The photographer will definitely surface in you! We’ll check into our hotel and enjoy dinner and overnight on this little known and unique island of Tuscany. Overnight Giglio. B, D

Day 7

After breakfast we will depart for the port and enjoy a snorkeling lesson close to the gorgeous shores of Giglio. We’ll head out on our boat with the included option to snorkel and see a variety of colorful fish in the clear blue waters while we float under the Tuscan sun.  Who knew you could snorkel in Tuscany? Back on shore, we’ll have lunch and say arrivederci to Giglio as we ferry back to Porto Santo Stefano.  A short transfer to the town of Orbetello to check into another of our positively lovely hotels, where we’ll have some time to stroll the beachside town and then enjoy dinner. Overnight Orbetello.  B, D

Day 8

After a tasty breakfast at our hotel we will transfer to Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for it’s leaning tower (the bell tower of the city’s cathedral) the city contains more than 20 other historic churches, several medieval palaces, and various bridges across the Arno River.  We’ll have a walking city tour with a local guide including the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa and all the majestic architecture around Miracle Square.  This afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the town of Pisa, some shopping, exploring, perhaps an aperitivo at a local sidewalk cafe and soak up more of that Tuscan sun. We’ll meet up for dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Pisa. B, D

Day 9

After breakfast at the hotel we’ll walk to the train station to have a local immersion day. We’ll board the train to the beautiful town of Pietrasanta. We’ll hike to the top of the town for amazing views, shop in local boutiques, lunch at another fabulous outdoor cafe, and enjoy the street art, including an avenue of colorful umbrellas that hang over your head as you stroll along… another photographer’s delight and well kept ‘secret’ of Tuscany. We’ll take the train back to Pisa and enjoy our Farewell Dinner while we recount our wonderful memories together. True Tuscany! Active Tuscany! Now, Your Tuscany! Overnight Pisa. B, D

Day 10

We’ll breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the Pisa airport for outbound flights, or stay and play in beautiful Tuscany, or points beyond. B

What’s Included

• 10 days/ 9 nights fully guided tour with an English speaking local guide and a Canyon Calling Trip Leader
• All land transportation as outlined in the itinerary
• Deluxe hotel accommodations, double occupancy, and all hotel taxes and fees
• Most meals as outlined in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
• Activities and gear as outlined in the itinerary
• All activity guide gratuities
• All excursions, entrance fees and permits, all taxes

What’s Not Included

• Round-trip air to/from Italy
• Alcoholic beverages (unless noted in the itinerary) and other items of a personal nature
• Optional gratuity to the Primary Local Guide at the end of the week