Day One

Wed. 21 June

We meet Malcolm from 16,00 at the hotel in central Rome and then head out for a light dinner in a nearby trattoria.

Day Two

Thur. 22 June

We begin the day in the Vatican gardens and then on to the galleries where Malcolm will point out a number of largely overlooked works in the gallery before going to the Sistine Chapel. After lunch on our own, we then gather, if we wish, for a jaunt across town to the Borghese gallery and park. Dinner together near the Pantheon and a walk through Rome by night.

Pantheon

Day Three

Fri. 23 June

An early start leads us to Tivoli, a short drive from Rome, where we visit Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este, our first fine example of an Italian formal Baroque garden. Lunch in a small hosteria in the centre of Tivoli. We return to Rome and you have the evening free to find your way around the Eternal City.

Villa d'Este

Day Four

Sat. 24 June

Another early start allows us to avoid the Italian autostrada and take the Via Francigena northwards, in the footsteps of French and English faithful who made pilgrimages to Rome. On our way to Tuscany we stop near Viterbo to visit Villa Lante, a jewel of Renaissance architecture and landscaping. We arrive at Podere Finerri, our base for the next 6 days, in the early evening with plenty of time to freshen up and settle into your farmhouse apartment before enjoying a long evening meal al fresco.

Villa Lante

Day Five

Sun. 25 June

To begin our first day at Finerri we have a long breakfast/brunch and an introductory talk about the area by Daniela, expert on local history and customs. This is followed by an early afternoon stroll to a nearby Etruscan necropolis and a visit to the local museum in Asciano. Dinner al fresco at Finerri.

Podere Finerri

PREV

NEXT