Tuscany Weekend Trip

Date from: Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Date to: Sunday, January 13, 2013

Date: Friday, April 19th through Sunday, April 21st
Sign-up and Payment Dealine: Tuesday, April 9th
Payment and sign-up must be done at the same time. Starting on January 14th, all sign-ups and payments are done in the Student Services Office located at the Tiber Campus.

JCU will take you to some of the most beautiful and characteristic cities of this region:  Siena, Florence, Montepulciano, Montalcino and Pienza.

Montepulciano, a Renaissance town in Southern Tuscany, is an important agricultural center that is famous for its wine. An ancient Etruscan city, Montepulciano is situated on a hilltop providing an impressive panoramic view of the Tuscan countryside. Recently the city hosted the shooting of the movie “New Moon” from the Twilight Saga

Surrounded by olive groves and Chianti vineyards, Siena is one of the most beautiful cities of Tuscany. Set on three hills, the city is drawn together by winding alleyways and steep steps, whilst the Piazza del Campo stands at its heart, and the Duomo and St Maria della Scala serve as additional cultural landmarks. Famed for the "Palio", the annual historic horse-races that take place on 2 July and 16 August, it is also home to one of the oldest Universities in Europe, which ensures a vibrant Italian student atmosphere throughout the academic year. In addition to the bustling daily life of the streets and squares of the city, Siena offers many cultural events, concerts, cinema, theatre and a wide range of sporting activities.

Florence is the city of “Red Roofs”. For this reason Henry James stated “Everything about Florence seems to be colored with a mild violet, like diluted wine.” Florence, the home of the Italian Renaissance, speaks for itself. Michelangelo’s David, the Uffizzi Gallery and the Ponte Vecchio are not to be missed along with the countless other landmarks that make Florence a magnificent patrimony of Italian civilization. 

Montalcino is a charming hilltown in southern Tuscany. Here you will see vinyards, as Montalcino is famous for it's wine Brunello di Montalcino, and wide open fields. One of Montalcino's main attraction is its Fortezza (fortress) that was built on the highest point of the hilltop in 1361 and its medieval walls that date back to the 13th century.

Pienza is a picturesque town located between Montepulciano and Montalcino. In 1996 Pienza was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Some of it's main attractions are Palazzo Piccolomini, it's Duomo, Palazzo Vescovile and Palazzo Comunale.
 

Participation fee: € 200

What's included?

-Round-trip private coach bus service
-Insurance
-Tour guides
-Wine tasting
-2 nights at a Hotel
-2 Breakfasts
-2 Dinners
-Helpful and knowledgeable group leaders