Lucca
A lovely and unspoiled walled city, Lucca once enjoyed a position of power in Italy second only to Florence. Today, it's famous as the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini, as well as for its silks and olive oil, and it has become a favorite spot for artists and writers.
When in Lucca, do what the locals do: Enjoy a leisurely walk while taking in the town's best sights. Spend some time walking along the city's ramparts, 3 mi/5 km long and wide enough to have grassy lawns and an occasional park bench. In town, take a walk down the medieval streets, stopping at the 14th-century Duomo San Martino to see Nicola Pisano's Descent From the Cross and the Volto Santo (Holy Face). It is said to have been carved by Nicodemus, who witnessed the Crucifixion, and is one of medieval Europe's most famous relics.
Walk down the Via Fullungo, which cuts through the middle of town leading to the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, the site of a former oval Roman theater now lined with buildings. The original amphitheater retains its structure 6 ft/2 m below the road, with remains still visible in the buildings and shops surrounding the plaza.
Although you can see Lucca in half a day, you may want to linger to soak in its tranquil atmosphere and enjoy the many fine restaurants.
Turin
Italians say that Turin (Torino), the major city of the western Alps, seems more French than Italian. Its wide boulevards in a grid pattern and its 17th- and 18th-century architecture do bear more resemblance to Paris than Florence. A stroll about the city center provides architectural enthusiasts examples of Renaissance, baroque, turn-of-the-century and modern buildings. The city is also distinguished by miles/kilometers of 18th-century colonnades.
Turin is the capital of Piedmont, a region that even Italians consider to have the best food in Italy. Many years of French occupation have left a mark on Piedmontese cuisine, which includes more cheese dishes and sauces than is common in traditional Italian cooking. The Piedmontese are an independent-minded people who have invented their own style of cuisine that is neither French nor Italian, but incorporates the best of both. Turin also has a well-deserved international reputation for its coffee and claims to have invented chocolate, or at least gianduiotto, the delicious confection made from chocolate and hazelnut. Temptation beckons in every window, so it is best to leave your diet at home.
Parma
When thinking of Parma, the first thing that comes to mind is its famous food: prosciutto di Parma; and Parmigiano reggiano cheese in particular. Home to Barillo pasta, the town is renown for its culinary delights overall. Visit Parma's various cheese factories to get a first-hand look at how Parmigiano is made and sampling, as well. The town is a feast for all senses; opera, art and history buffs will find countless ways to indulge their interests. Festival Verdi celebrates Giuseppe Verdi's musical legacy every October, and at the Piazza Duomo, one can view the medieval baptistry done by Benedetto Antelami, where rosso di Verona (pink marble) shifts tones depending on the time of day and degree of sunlight. Frescoes by Corregio and Antelami decorate the interior of the Duomo. For a broader exploration of European art masters, visit the Galleria Nazionale in the Palazzo della Pilotta, noting artworks by Pamigianino, da Vinci, Van Dyck, Tiepolo and more. Relax from site-seeing at the many picturesque cafes for siesta, or treat yourself to shopping at the many boutiques throughout town.
Milan
Milan is a city that arouses extreme feelings, just like the city lifestyle. A frenetic, restless rhythm is part of both work and leisure, so much so that it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all the cultural and social stimulus.
Maybe for this reason, Milan makes itself indispensable, because it is impossible to feel so alive and full of energy when you are away from the city. Milan is always one step ahead: a laboratory of artistic experiments and a building site for social behavior that is continuously changing. City full of contradictions, ancient and modern, trends and counter-trends, fashion and underground, middle class and working class, but always simply “cool”.
Genoa, Italy
With its dizzying mix of old and new, of sophistication and squalor, Genoa (Genova) is as multilayered as the hills it clings to. It was and is a port city: an important maritime center for the Roman Empire, boyhood home of Christopher Columbus (whose restored house stands near a section of medieval wall), and one of the largest, wealthiest cities of Renaissance Europe. Capture glimpses of Genoa's former glory days in Genoa's portside Old Town, where treasure-filled palaces and fine marble churches stand next to laundry-draped tenements. Life within the old medieval walls doesn't seem to have changed since the days when Genovese ships set sail to launch raids on the Venetians, crusaders embarked for the Holy Land, and Garibaldi shipped out to invade Sicily in the 19th-century struggle to unify Italy. Modern Genoa, which stretches for miles along the coast and climbs hills, is a city of international business, peaceful parks, and breezy belvederes from which visitors can enjoy fine views of this colorful metropolis and the sea which defines its identity.
Excursions
Genoa: Genoa for Families - 8 hours
This morning you will be met by your English-speaking guide for a full day excursion to Genoa. Today you will immerse yourselves into the water world of this city! Your visit will start in the largest and most innovative sea museum of the Mediterranean, the Galata Museum, with a 10,000 sqm area set in a stone-and-glass building. It outlines the evolution of the maritime town’s port using an approach which is not exclusively scientific, in that it gives ample space to interactive and multimedia-related aspects. One of the museum’s gems is the faithful reconstruction of a 17th-century Genoese galley (being 40m long) placed upon its original slipway.
Besides the more traditional halls (about Colombo, Andrea Doria, and so forth), visitors can explore the Arsenal rooms, see the Darsena armoury, go aboard a 19th-century brigantine, finally going through a Cape Horn tempest recreated through virtual reality. Among the other exhibitions you can find the Waterfront Plan (“Affresco”) by Renzo Piano and the panoramic terrace MIRAGenova.
Visit the famous Aquarium, Europe’s largest marine park: 71 tanks, 800 species, and over 10,000 specimens set against the incomparable backdrop of the Gulf of Genoa. The tour (approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes) unfolds through the spectacular scenery of a myriad of sights of the Old Port of Genoa – the Aquarium is indeed located on the old wharf of Ponte Spinola – and through 40 large tanks, in addition to 19 open ones which use the space of a real ship called “Nave Italia”, allowing people to actually touch the fish by hand.
The reproduction of the original natural habitats of the individual species at the Genoa Aquarium is also wonderful: not only marine fauna but also reptiles, amphibians, and generally rainforest and freshwater animals.
Highlights:
- Visit the Galata Museum
- Europe’s largest marine park
- Old Port of Genoa
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Tour Can Operate: Morning
Wheelchair accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Low
Inclusions:
• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees to the Aquarium
Exclusions:
• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities
Genoa: Portofino Walking Tour - 5 hours
Today you will be met by your local English-speaking guide for a walking tour of Portofino. This exclusive portal town is the perfect base for a stroll up in to the local cyprus lined hills, so capture some of the breath-taking coastal views. Visit the Castello di San Giorgio, built in the 1500s as a defence against the Turks. From here you can continue to the Punta del Capo and the Faro, an old lighthouse, where views are spectacular. Back in the central Piazzetta, visit the Divo Martino church where you can admire works by Maragliano.
Highlights:
• Take a walking tour of Portofino
• Castello di San Giorgio
• Visit the Divo Martino church
• Admire the works of Maragliano
Tour Duration: 5 hours
Tour Can Operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Moderate
Inclusions:
• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Portofino (3 hours)
• Entrance fees to the Castle
Exclusions:
• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities
A lovely and unspoiled walled city, Lucca once enjoyed a position of power in Italy second only to Florence. Today, it's famous as the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini, as well as for its silks and olive oil, and it has become a favorite spot for artists and writers.
When in Lucca, do what the locals do: Enjoy a leisurely walk while taking in the town's best sights. Spend some time walking along the city's ramparts, 3 mi/5 km long and wide enough to have grassy lawns and an occasional park bench. In town, take a walk down the medieval streets, stopping at the 14th-century Duomo San Martino to see Nicola Pisano's Descent From the Cross and the Volto Santo (Holy Face). It is said to have been carved by Nicodemus, who witnessed the Crucifixion, and is one of medieval Europe's most famous relics.
Walk down the Via Fullungo, which cuts through the middle of town leading to the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, the site of a former oval Roman theater now lined with buildings. The original amphitheater retains its structure 6 ft/2 m below the road, with remains still visible in the buildings and shops surrounding the plaza.
Although you can see Lucca in half a day, you may want to linger to soak in its tranquil atmosphere and enjoy the many fine restaurants.
Italians say that Turin (Torino), the major city of the western Alps, seems more French than Italian. Its wide boulevards in a grid pattern and its 17th- and 18th-century architecture do bear more resemblance to Paris than Florence. A stroll about the city center provides architectural enthusiasts examples of Renaissance, baroque, turn-of-the-century and modern buildings. The city is also distinguished by miles/kilometers of 18th-century colonnades.
Turin is the capital of Piedmont, a region that even Italians consider to have the best food in Italy. Many years of French occupation have left a mark on Piedmontese cuisine, which includes more cheese dishes and sauces than is common in traditional Italian cooking. The Piedmontese are an independent-minded people who have invented their own style of cuisine that is neither French nor Italian, but incorporates the best of both. Turin also has a well-deserved international reputation for its coffee and claims to have invented chocolate, or at least gianduiotto, the delicious confection made from chocolate and hazelnut. Temptation beckons in every window, so it is best to leave your diet at home.
When thinking of Parma, the first thing that comes to mind is its famous food: prosciutto di Parma; and Parmigiano reggiano cheese in particular. Home to Barillo pasta, the town is renown for its culinary delights overall. Visit Parma's various cheese factories to get a first-hand look at how Parmigiano is made and sampling, as well. The town is a feast for all senses; opera, art and history buffs will find countless ways to indulge their interests. Festival Verdi celebrates Giuseppe Verdi's musical legacy every October, and at the Piazza Duomo, one can view the medieval baptistry done by Benedetto Antelami, where rosso di Verona (pink marble) shifts tones depending on the time of day and degree of sunlight. Frescoes by Corregio and Antelami decorate the interior of the Duomo. For a broader exploration of European art masters, visit the Galleria Nazionale in the Palazzo della Pilotta, noting artworks by Pamigianino, da Vinci, Van Dyck, Tiepolo and more. Relax from site-seeing at the many picturesque cafes for siesta, or treat yourself to shopping at the many boutiques throughout town.
Milan is a city that arouses extreme feelings, just like the city lifestyle. A frenetic, restless rhythm is part of both work and leisure, so much so that it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all the cultural and social stimulus.
Maybe for this reason, Milan makes itself indispensable, because it is impossible to feel so alive and full of energy when you are away from the city. Milan is always one step ahead: a laboratory of artistic experiments and a building site for social behavior that is continuously changing. City full of contradictions, ancient and modern, trends and counter-trends, fashion and underground, middle class and working class, but always simply “cool”.
With its dizzying mix of old and new, of sophistication and squalor, Genoa (Genova) is as multilayered as the hills it clings to. It was and is a port city: an important maritime center for the Roman Empire, boyhood home of Christopher Columbus (whose restored house stands near a section of medieval wall), and one of the largest, wealthiest cities of Renaissance Europe. Capture glimpses of Genoa's former glory days in Genoa's portside Old Town, where treasure-filled palaces and fine marble churches stand next to laundry-draped tenements. Life within the old medieval walls doesn't seem to have changed since the days when Genovese ships set sail to launch raids on the Venetians, crusaders embarked for the Holy Land, and Garibaldi shipped out to invade Sicily in the 19th-century struggle to unify Italy. Modern Genoa, which stretches for miles along the coast and climbs hills, is a city of international business, peaceful parks, and breezy belvederes from which visitors can enjoy fine views of this colorful metropolis and the sea which defines its identity.
Excursions
Genoa: Genoa for Families - 8 hours
This morning you will be met by your English-speaking guide for a full day excursion to Genoa. Today you will immerse yourselves into the water world of this city! Your visit will start in the largest and most innovative sea museum of the Mediterranean, the Galata Museum, with a 10,000 sqm area set in a stone-and-glass building. It outlines the evolution of the maritime town’s port using an approach which is not exclusively scientific, in that it gives ample space to interactive and multimedia-related aspects. One of the museum’s gems is the faithful reconstruction of a 17th-century Genoese galley (being 40m long) placed upon its original slipway.
Besides the more traditional halls (about Colombo, Andrea Doria, and so forth), visitors can explore the Arsenal rooms, see the Darsena armoury, go aboard a 19th-century brigantine, finally going through a Cape Horn tempest recreated through virtual reality. Among the other exhibitions you can find the Waterfront Plan (“Affresco”) by Renzo Piano and the panoramic terrace MIRAGenova.
Visit the famous Aquarium, Europe’s largest marine park: 71 tanks, 800 species, and over 10,000 specimens set against the incomparable backdrop of the Gulf of Genoa. The tour (approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes) unfolds through the spectacular scenery of a myriad of sights of the Old Port of Genoa – the Aquarium is indeed located on the old wharf of Ponte Spinola – and through 40 large tanks, in addition to 19 open ones which use the space of a real ship called “Nave Italia”, allowing people to actually touch the fish by hand.
The reproduction of the original natural habitats of the individual species at the Genoa Aquarium is also wonderful: not only marine fauna but also reptiles, amphibians, and generally rainforest and freshwater animals.
Highlights:
- Visit the Galata Museum
- Europe’s largest marine park
- Old Port of Genoa
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Tour Can Operate: Morning
Wheelchair accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Low
Inclusions:
• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees to the Aquarium
Exclusions:
• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities
Genoa: Portofino Walking Tour - 5 hours
Today you will be met by your local English-speaking guide for a walking tour of Portofino. This exclusive portal town is the perfect base for a stroll up in to the local cyprus lined hills, so capture some of the breath-taking coastal views. Visit the Castello di San Giorgio, built in the 1500s as a defence against the Turks. From here you can continue to the Punta del Capo and the Faro, an old lighthouse, where views are spectacular. Back in the central Piazzetta, visit the Divo Martino church where you can admire works by Maragliano.
Highlights:
• Take a walking tour of Portofino
• Castello di San Giorgio
• Visit the Divo Martino church
• Admire the works of Maragliano
Tour Duration: 5 hours
Tour Can Operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Moderate
Inclusions:
• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Portofino (3 hours)
• Entrance fees to the Castle
Exclusions:
• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities