Lucca, Portofino & the Cinque Terre
Lucca, Portofino & the Cinque Terre
Lucca, Portofino & the Cinque Terre
8 Days Starting in Province of Lucca, Italy and ending in Portofino
Visiting: Lucca, Pisa, Porto Venere, Genoa, Cinque Terre, Portofino
Tour operator:
Tour code:
LP
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
0 - 50
Age range:
9-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$1655 (USD) including Flights from the UKNB: Prices correct on 04-May-2024 but subject to change.
Tour Overview
No distance at all separates Lucca and Pisa from Portofino, the Cinque Terre & Genoa, but the treasures they offer make for a diverse experience. In Pisa's Square of the Miracles there's the Leaning Tower, cathedral and baptistry, but much less well known are the colourful villages that cling to the Ligurian coastline.
Take in two of Italy's most desirable regions: Tuscany and the Italian Riviera. They're delightfully different from each other, but both are evocatively scenic. First, we visit Tuscany, always a favourite destination for art, architecture and stunning countryside, staying in Lucca, the birthplace of Puccini. It's one of Tuscany's most graceful towns, with a historic quarter nestling inside preserved Renaissance walls. Then discover Porto Venere, the Cinque Terre's unspoilt villages with their riot of colour, and Portofino's stunning harbour, plus of course Genoa, with its fascinating mix of medieval alleyways and imposing Palazzi.. This tour offers contrasting cultures, centuries of history and ravishing landscapes, all crying out to be experienced.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrival In Lucca
Location: Lucca
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Guinigi
Meals Included: No Meals
Arrive at the airport for your flight to Lucca from where you will be taken to your hotel.
Day 2 : Lucca & Free Afternoon
Location: Lucca
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Guinigi
Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast we take a tour with a local guide who will bring the story of Lucca to life. The city was founded by the Etruscans, and its well-preserved walls date from the Renaissance. As we explore the centre, you’ll notice the rectangular grid pattern which originated with the street plan of Roman times, while the oval Roman amphitheatre is another evocative reminder of millennia past.
This afternoon you can experience more of Lucca’s wonders, exploring its cobbled streets, strolling along its shady promenades and relaxing in its elegant piazzas. As the birthplace of Puccini, Lucca hosts numerous concerts celebrating his work. You can often hear talented vocalists during rehearsals, which adds a wonderful acoustic dimension to your enjoyment of this beautiful city.
Day 3 : Pisa & Free Afternoon
Location: Pisa, Lucca
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Guinigi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast, it’s just a short drive to Pisa for a guided tour that takes you to the heart of this historic city.
You’ll marvel at how such a relatively small space can accommodate such magnificence. The Leaning Tower – one of the world’s most instantly recognisable silhouettes – is your iconic introduction to the rest of the piazza.
We conclude our visit with the Camposanto, a huge cemetery reputed to contain soil from Golgotha – the site of Jesus’s crucifixion. The great and good of Pisan society wanted to be laid to rest in holy ground and the arched Gothic cloister is lined by sarcophagi and huge frescoes, some in the process of being restored to their former glory.
In the afternoon we return to Lucca for you to relax or explore at your leisure.
This evening we dine at a local restaurant serving traditional Tuscan cuisine.
Day 4 : Porto Venere
Location: Porto Venere, Genoa
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Savoia
Meals Included: Breakfast
Our morning drive north takes us past Carrara’s enormous gleaming quarries, source of the finest marble, which has been used in masterpieces by sculptors from Michelangelo to Henry Moore and fashioned since Roman times into the great monuments now dotted across Italy’s landscapes and beyond. Our exploration of the extraordinarily arresting coast of Liguria brings us to the Gulf of the Poets, an evocative name for an inspiring area.
One of its highlights is the picturesque village of Porto Venere, its fortress high on the hillside overlooking an array of colourful multi-storeyed houses lining the harbour. A stroll along the promenade reveals a network of narrow medieval lanes leading to the church and castle. We will enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before continuing to Genoa, where we stay for the rest of the tour.
Day 5 : Genoa
Location: Genoa
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Savoia
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning we enjoy a guided tour of Genoa, followed by free time in the afternoon. Known as 'La Superba' at the height of its maritime power, Genoa was one of Italy's four major maritime republics and it is still home to Italy's largest Port.
We start exploring the heart of Medieval Genoa, famous for its narrow lanes called 'caruggi', interspersed with imposing late-Renaissance palaces built by Genoa's wealthiest families in the 16th and 17th century. Today, it is a vibrant and eclectic city with so much to offer, from the regenerated port area or ornate palazzi and museums.
Day 6 : Cintique Terre
Location: Cinque Terre
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Savoia
Meals Included: Breakfast
We spend the next two days exploring the splendours of the surrounding coastline in the manner to which local people have been accustomed for millennia – by boat. Our private charter takes us to the extraordinary Cinque Terre, which translates as ‘Five Lands’. We visit a selection of these five villages – Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore – cut off from the landward side by rugged terrain and steep coastline, making them almost unreachable by car. The dramatic locations, the vivid colours and the way the villages seem to fuse organically with the rugged topography make this one of Europe’s principal scenic highlights. Seafood dominates menus here, anchovies being a local speciality, while steeply terraced hillsides produce fine olives and the ingredients for pesto. Immerse yourself in your surroundings and a lifestyle that has changed very little over time
Day 7 : Portofino
Location: Portofino, Genoa
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Savoia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
You can watch fine watercraft quietly going about their business on the shimmering waters as we sail the short distance to Portofino. Arriving here by boat gives you a real sense of the way in which this historic fishing village established itself and thrived around its own superb natural harbour, with a setting of cypress trees and olive groves. A walk to the headland offers a life-affirming view and the scents of thyme, pine and wildflowers hanging heavy in the air.
We return to Genoa in the afternoon, where you will have a bit more free time to enjoy this intriguing coastal city, or simply relax and seek out a local restaurant for dinner.
Day 8 : Return Home
Location: Genoa
Meals Included: Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for our flight home.
What's Included
-
Fully Guided
The services of our experienced and insightful tour manager throughout
-
Accommodation
7 nights in four-star superior accommodation
-
Airport Transfers at Destination
-
International Travel
Return flights from a selection of regional airports, plus all hotel transfers
-
Meals
Daily breakfast & 3 dinners
What's Not Included
-
Insurance
-
Tipping and Gratuity
Check out our Q&As
-
Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Yes
-
Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
-
What is the maximum group size?
50
-
Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes, 9 years old and above
-
Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
-
Will passengers from another country be participating in the tour?
Yes
-
Are flights included in this tour?
Return flights from a selection of regional UK airports
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
For almost 40 years
-
I have reduced mobility; can I still travel?
We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to contact us to discuss these concerns
-
Do I require travel insurance?
It is a condition of booking that you carry suitable travel insurance.
-
What is my luggage allowance?
You will receive details of your luggage allowance with your final travel documents, which are sent approximately 10 days prior to your date of departure.
Reviews of this operator
Dates & Availability
Saturday - Saturday
Jun 15, 2024 - Jun 22, 2024Wednesday - Wednesday
Jun 26, 2024 - Jul 03, 2024Wednesday - Wednesday
Aug 28, 2024 - Sep 04, 2024Saturday - Saturday
Aug 31, 2024 - Sep 07, 2024Saturday - Saturday
Oct 12, 2024 - Oct 19, 2024Wednesday - Wednesday
Oct 16, 2024 - Oct 23, 2024Saturday - Saturday
Apr 12, 2025 - Apr 19, 2025Wednesday - Wednesday
May 07, 2025 - May 14, 2025Sunday - Sunday
Jun 01, 2025 - Jun 08, 2025Thursday - Thursday
Jun 19, 2025 - Jun 26, 2025Wednesday - Wednesday
Jun 25, 2025 - Jul 02, 2025Saturday - Saturday
Sep 06, 2025 - Sep 13, 2025Wednesday - Wednesday
Oct 15, 2025 - Oct 22, 2025Book with Confidence
-
Low Deposit
Riviera Travel requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of riviera travel charges.
Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.