FLORENCE/SIENA & BURGUNDY 15 DAY ITINERARY: 

Day 1 Our 7 day Tuscan adventure begins in Florence , where we will meet you for a 1:00 p.m. lunch at the 5 star Westin Excelsior Hotel. For two days our private guide will immerse us in magnificent Florence , founded in 5 B.C. and one of the worldís most cherished cities for its priceless art and architecture from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. After lunch our guide will escort us on a panoramic city tour including the Piazza Michaelangelo and Piazza Santa Croce. Enjoy an elegant evening at Ristorante La Giostra, owned by the Hapsburg Lorena princes, and two nights at Westin Excelsior Hotel.

Day 2 Our exceptional guide will have secured pre-reserved tickets for all of our venues in Florence. Our full-day guided walk of the city begins with Piazza San Marco and the restored 15th century Dominican monastery, whose museum and cells houses famous masterpieces such as the Crucifixion, the Annunciation, and a fresco of The Last Supper. Next weíll explore the Piazza Duomo with its resplendent 13th century cathedral and cupola, perhaps the most recognized sight in Tuscany , with origins of its bapistry dating to Roman times. Next is the Academy of Fine Arts and an unhurried visit to Michaelangeloís original statue of David, carved by the 26 year old from 1501-1504. Relax for lunch at chic Frescobaldi Wine Bar, continuing to Uffizi Gallery, one of the most important museums in the world for its works by Botticelli, da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt. Stroll the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence , and since the 15th century lined with interesting shops. Weíll return to our elegant hotel then gather for a truly fun Tuscan evening at Il Latini.

Day 3 A stay in Florence is not complete without exploring the Palatine Gallery at Pitti Palace, a collection of masterís paintings and sculptures owned largely by the Medici family and left to the people of Florence. Afterward there will be time for shopping then transfer to Siena for luncheon as the private guests of our good friend the Countess Sandra Bianchi Bandinelli in her 16th century Villa di Geggiano. Her son, Andrea, flies frequently in our balloons and takes great pleasure in serving us wine that he produces from the family vineyards and showing us the family estate. Weíll check in for four nights at Sienaís 5 star Grand Hotel Continental, a lovingly restored 17th century palace just steps from the Piazza Del Campo, then gather for a fun dinner party in downtown Siena.

Day 4 Our early morning balloon adventure takes us across Sienaís ancient rooftops, waving to the Sienese who lean from their windows to greet us with a cheerful ìBuon Giorno!î From our balloons this medieval town is visually sensational and these city crossings are spectacular! Mid-morning our guide will bring the story of Siena into focus as we walk through the enchanting town of 14th century private palaces and the great cathedral. Today we are the private luncheon guests of our gracious friend, Marissa Cardini, in her elegant, art-filled penthouse overlooking the townís ancient rooftops. Her daughter, Fiama, enjoys flying with us and is a treasured source of insights into the Sienese culture. Late afternoon free for personal pursuits with dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Day 5 Our early morning balloon adventure takes off just outside the 13th century ramparts of the pristine, medieval town of San Gimignano . Weíll have a spectacular aerial view of this walled architectural jewel and the surrounding vineyard covered hills, appearing almost exactly as they did 700 years ago. Enjoy a walking tour with our guide along the narrow streets lined with medieval houses. Today we are the private luncheon guests of our close friends, Princess Irina Guicciardini-Strozzi and her husband, Prince Girolamo at their ancestral home, Villa Cusona. Dating to 994 and chosen for the film, The Winds of War, the estate is known for its magnificent Vernaccia wine. The Strozzi family played an important role during the Italian Renaissance, and one of the most imposing palaces of the time is Palazzo Strozzi in Florence , now the cityís convention center. The Strozzis fly frequently in our balloons and Princess Irina joins our January Winter Festival trips each year in Gstaad , Switzerland . After an exceptional afternoon with this congenial family and a tour of their impressive estate, we will return to our hotel for personal time then gather for a festive dinner.

Day 6 Early morning balloon adventure across Siena, through olive groves and hilltop fortresses to just-awakening locals in their gardens. Todayís private luncheon is hosted by our good friends, the Baron and Baroness Bettino and Constanza Ricasoli at Castello di Brolio, the familyís massive historic fortress since the 11th century. Appearing in the region as warrior knights, the Ricasoliís conquered a vast part of southern Chianti and built 11 castles to protect their land. Three hundred years ago they began raising grapes, and today Brolio is one of Italyís most prestigious wine estates. Our host today is the 21st Baron Ricasoli, and the creation of Chianti Classico and Classico Reserva, which lifted Chianti to a level of greatness, was the work of the Baronís great grandfather at Brolio. Luncheon will be served in the ancient Knightís Hall where armor is still kept, which was also the ìWar Roomî when Florence , using this castle, conquered Siena in 1555. The Ricasolis greatly enjoy flying in our balloons and helping us to create some of the elegance our guests enjoy with us in Siena . Weíll return to our hotel for personal time then meet for an authentic Tuscan dinner.

Day 7 Romantic Tuscany is spread before us during our last early morning balloon adventure in Siena. Weíll tiptoe across the historic rooftops, past church spires, gothic towers and through the old cobblestone streets for one last, very special look at a place youíll never again experience in quite the same way. After a farewell lunch At the Westin Excelsior Hotel we will depart by private car en-route to our Burgundy ballooning adventures. This afternoon weíll arrive for dinner and a 5 star overnight in the romantic seaside town of Rapallo on the Italian Riviera.

Day 8 Depart Rapallo this morning for a beautiful drive through the castle-encrusted Aosta Valley and the Mont Blanc tunnel into France. Todayís destination is the medieval mountain town of Megeve, a resort village developed in the 1920ís as an alternative to St. Moritz . Enjoy dinner in the town with overnight at the posh yet charming Hotel Mont Blanc, a favorite of celebrities.

Day 9 This morning our drive takes us to the French mountain town of Chamonix at the foot of towering Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Europe. Weíll take an awesome trip up the mountain for a view of the beautiful Vallee Blanche, a permanent winter-land scene of snowy peaks and shimmering crystal ice. After lunch weíll descend from the Alps into the vineyard-carpeted Rhone Valley , arriving in Zermatt for dinner and overnight at the 5 star Mont Cervin.

Day 10 Today weíll explore one last region of Alpine beauty with a mountain railway trip from Zermattís flowered valley floor to the spectacular summer snowfields of the Gornergrat. This afternoon weíll arrive in the walled, medieval town of Beaune, the center for wine making in Burgundy , and check in for 5 nights at the beautiful 14th-18th century Hotel le Cep.

Day 11 Enjoy sightseeing in Beaune this morning and meet our fellow trip guests for an elegant lunch at Le Montrechet, one of the areaís most notable restaurants. Weíll return to the hotel then depart for our first late afternoon balloon adventure just-above-the-rooftops of 14th century castles and romantic villages, landing at twilight. Dinner this evening will be prepared by our own chefs in the vaulted, candlelit chambers of 14th century Chateau Savigny-les-Beaune.

Day 12 After breakfast weíll visit the 14th-17th century wine cellars of Patriarch, the largest in Beaune with four million bottles. Our wine expert will touch on the pleasures of enjoying fine wine during a sampling of the fine Burgundies open for tasting. For luncheon weíll be the private guests of our good friend and one of Burgundyís most famous personalities, the Countess de Loisy, who entertains us with stories of her ancestry, winemaking, and the German occupation of her 15th century home during WWII. She will take us on a tour of her wine making estate and its extraordinary cellar, with 3,000 wooden wine barrels! Visit the 12th century monastic winery of Clos de Vougeot with its gigantic 2-story oak grape presses dating from the same period. The winery is the home of Burgundyís prestigious wine society, The Confrerie des Chevalier du Tastevin. Then on to the 4 1/2 acre vineyards of Romanee Conti, the most expensive red wine in the world. Late afternoon balloon adventure through the lush vineyards of Burgundy, ending with a candle-lit buffet in the ancient cellars of Chateau Savigny-les-Beaune. Enjoy the castleís extraordinary collection of 92 jet aircraft on the back lawn, and more than 200 motorcycles on its top floor.

Day 13 Morning visit to the small workshop of Claude Gillet, making 50 wine barrels a day by hand, then proceed to the fairytale cliff-top fortress of 14th century Chateau de la Rochepot and its storybook village. The castle is one of the best existing examples of a Middle Age fortress. Enjoy a lavish lunch at the Hostellerie de Levernois and free time to browse around Beauneís quaint medieval square and pedestrian shopping area. Late afternoon balloon adventure followed by a festive dinner party prepared by our own chef, in a romantic, medieval setting.

Day 14 Explore the marvelous 15th century Hospice de Beaune, Burgundyís most important architectural landmark which functioned as a charity hospital until 1979. Elegant lunch at Chez Morillon, one of Beauneís most celebrated restaurants, with a visit to the Wine Museum of Burgundy, once the medieval residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. Late afternoon balloon adventure through Burgundyís storybook scenery, followed by dinner and graduation ceremonies in the flower-filled orangerie of Chateau de LaBorde, Buddy Bombardís home in France .

Day 15 Weíll depart Beaune at 10:00 a.m. for transfer to Paris, with lunch enroute. Arrive Paris late afternoon.

Back to Hot Air Balloons - Menu Page

Click Here to View Our Selection of Italy Tours