We left home on Monday 1st May 2006 and drove virtually non-stop to where Tony’s ex-boss Tony Hortopp, lived in France. It took 7 hours.
We stayed that night and the next day and night with him.
On Wednesday, May 3rd we left Tony’s early and drove to Lucca in Italy. We reached the French Border in less than an hour and it was 146 kms from San Remo to Genoa and then another 193 kms to Lucca. In total it took us about five hours.
A short tour of the town
or a video
We stayed the night at the Hotel Villa Romantica in Lucca (€130 euros inc breakfast)
The next day, the 4th we left Lucca for Florence which was 71 kms and an hour’s drive. There we stayed at Dimora Storica Villa Il Poggiale for 3 nights (€145 euros per night inc breakfast)
A fabulous city and we explored many of the more famous sites
The Uffizi Art Gallery, the Duomo Cathedral and Santa Croce Opera House and the Santa Maria Novella Church
Our photos in Florence
Our hotel near Florence
Santa Maria del Flori cathedral
On the bridge
Jo in Florence with Ponte Vecchio in the background
Jo herding a crowd of tourists in Florence
Sitting outside a hotel near Florence
Or watch a video
We travelled in Chianti country
A Tuscany villa
A village in Chianti Country
and visited Sienna
The humbug church in Sienna as named by Diana
Tony is in the dark as usual in Sienna
Or a video
On May 7th we left Villa Poggiale and drove to Cinque Terra which was 290 kms and took 4 hours. On route we visited Pisa & San Grimignano.
We stayed at the Hotel Al Terra di Mare in Levanto in Cinque Terra for two nights (€140 euros per night inc breakfast)
Photos of Levanto
Villa on the front in Levanto
Leaving boat at Levanto Cinque Terre
The beach at Levanto
and travelled in the region
One of the villages in Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre
Tony in Cinque Terre with a quiff
Happy bunny on a boat
Tony reflecting the trip is almost over
On May 9th we left Cinque Terre and drove to Tony Hortopp’s which was 256 kms and took 7 hours then the next day, Tuesday, May 10th we left Tony’s and drove home.
In the file there is information about Lucca, a brochure of restaurant Buca do San Antonio where we ate in Lucca, brochure of Villa il Poggiale (Florence), a brochure and bill of Caffe del Popol where we ate in Florence, Information and maps of Cinque Terre including a brochure of our hotel.
A road map of Tuscany is with the other road maps.
The total cost of the holiday was €2,000 in hotels and meals and €500 in petrol and tolls
Distances travelled each day and times are in the file. The total distance travelled was 3,590 kms.
Note: John, Diana and Harley visited Tuscany in 2017 and where they stayed and visited is in the file