With your own car or a rental car from Pisa Airport, drive towards Lucca and reach your charming country hotel just a few kilometers after the Lucca Est exit. Enjoy a relaxing evening stroll along the monumental city walls before sampling delicious Tuscan cuisine in one of the many trattorias along with a premium red wine from Lucchesia.

Start your day by exploring the most important and beautiful sights in Lucca. If you don't want to continue directly to Pisa, I recommend a detour to Lago di Massaciuccoli or the town of Torre del Lago Puccini. Here you can visit the birthplace of the famous composer Giacomo Puccini, who created world-famous operas such as Turandot and La Bohème. The Medici built the Cittadella Nuova fortress on the Arno in 1440 to protect the city from attacks by the Pisans as well as Saracens and pirates. Further evidence of their rule can be found in the Palazzo Reale, the Logge dei Banchi market hall and the Piazza dei Cavalieri with its church of the same name. Another impressive example of a pre-Medici era is the unique building composition in the Piazza dei Miracoli, consisting of the leaning tower, the Romanesque cathedral of San Ranieri and the baptistery.

Treat yourself to a full day to explore the impressive cultural offerings of the metropolis on the Arno - the entire city center is practically an open-air museum. Traces of the Medici's rich and proud past are a reminder on every corner. Don't miss the elegant shop windows of famous fashion and jewelry brands in Via Tornabuoni. On the other side of the Arno, in the San Frediano district, you will find small traditional craft shops. The Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace are a green oasis with elegant sculptures. Climb the monumental ramps with waterfalls to Piazzale Michelangelo. However, the most breathtaking views of the city await you from the Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte or the gardens of Villa Bardini, below the Fortezza del Belvedere.

Along the famous "Strada Chiantigiana" 222 you drive through the "capitals" of Chianti Classico: Gaiole, Radda and Greve. This picturesque street is lined with some of the most beautiful castles and palaces such as Volpaia, Meleto and Brolio. Almost all of them offer the opportunity to taste exquisite Chianti wines in their wineries. Greve, often referred to as the secret capital of Chianti, is a true paradise for wine lovers. Numerous wine shops, a renowned butcher shop, cozy cafés and first-class restaurants surround the idyllic square and invite you to pause for a moment and try the delicious offerings. The journey continues via Panzano and Radda, which together with Gaiole and Castellina were declared Florentine territory by the Medici in 1527 after numerous wars.

Spend your day visiting Siena, the small, elegant university town best known for its historic horse races in July and August. If you visit the cathedral between June and October, you will have the opportunity to admire the impressive marble floor with inlays and mosaics. In the other months, carpets are placed over it. The town hall tower, Torre del Mangia, was the tallest building in the known world in the Middle Ages. The Santa Maria della Scala Museum is also well worth seeing. The former pilgrims' hostel houses valuable works by Gothic artists. In addition to numerous specialty shops, small traditional craft shops also line the medieval streets.

From Siena you continue your journey south, as your next accommodation is at the foot of Monte Amiata, in Bagno Vignoni. There are two routes to choose from: the direct route on the SR2 via Monteroni and Buonconvento or a slightly longer but extremely scenic route on the SP60 via Asciano and San Giovanni d'Asso. Both options offer different perspectives and can be chosen depending on your preferences. The SP60 provincial road is commonly known as the panoramic road of the "Crete Senesi". Referred to by some as the lunar landscape or the Senese Desert, this area exudes a very special atmosphere. Stop and explore Buonconvento, the monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore and the truffle town of San Giovanni d'Asso before finally arriving in Bagno Vignoni.

Immerse yourself in the world of thermal springs at the feet of Monte Amiata. In Bagno Vignoni, which served as a film set for the television series "The Medici" in 2015, you can admire a Roman swimming pool and an ancient thermal pool from the 16th century right in the center of the town. Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, presents itself as one of the most charming Renaissance towns in Tuscany, characterized by clear, rational lines in architecture and squares. San Quirico d'Orcia, with the Ospedale della Scala, was an important stop along the medieval pilgrimage route "Via Francigena". Montepulciano, where the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is grown, is also the birthplace of Angelo Poliziano, the tutor of Lorenzo dei Medici and influential in his preference for humanist Renaissance culture.

Drive to the airport and hand in the rental car, or decide to extend your vacation individually.