Celebrate yourself and savor the beauty of Tuscany with new-found friends and women supporting women.
JOIN ME FOR THE
Women’s Tuscany Tour of Your Dreams!
June 22-30, 2024
Experience the beauty and magic at the heart of the Renaissance in Florence plus the stunning Medieval hill towns and romantic countryside of Tuscany. This pampering trip is filled with wine, spas, culture, art, insider only experiences, and women supporting women.
You’ll enjoy boutique hotels, local specialties, and an immersive small-group, women-led tasting tour through this stunning, iconic region of central Italy with other fun loving women just like you.
Come solo or grab a friend – you’ll make memories for a lifetime and return home inspired by the talented female chefs, winemakers, and artisans we meet on our tour.
LET’S GO!
What's Included:
- 8 nights of 4-star boutique hotels
- 7 full days of excursions, art, tastings, and tours
- Transportation between Florence and all the Tuscan towns and locations
- Wine tastings and exclusive visits to two women-led wineries
- Tuscan cooking class and a woman led Florentine street food tour
- Private visits with local women artists and artisans
- Float down the Arno River under the Ponte Vecchio and panoramic sunset views of Florence
- A visit to the Uffizi Gallery of Renaissance art or private Painting Class in Florence
- Visits and walking tours of the iconic hill towns of Siena, Montalcino, Volterra, and Cortona
- Pampering Thermal bath and spa visits with optional massages
- Yoga and wellness at a women led farm in the countryside
- Olive oil tasting experience at a family-run property
- Cheese making and cheese tasting experience with farm to table lunch
- Most meals including a Michelin starred dinner at a women-chef-led resort with champagne sabering celebration
IMPORTANT NOTE: Your tour officially starts in Florence with a kickoff dinner at our hotel at 5pm on Saturday 6/22 and ends on Sunday 6/30 at noon when you’ll be brought back to Florence to be dropped off at either the Florence Airport or Florence Train Station to continue your travels abroad or home. You’re responsible for your transport to and from Florence which we can help you with.
You'll love the authentic & pampering Tuscan experiences and getting a true taste of Italian culture!
Trip Pricing
NOTE: A limited number of Private Rooms (single occupancy) are available on a first-come, first-served basis for an additional cost of $870 as reflected below.
SHARED ROOM PRICING
$5,695 PER PERSON
Pay $500 now to secure your spot
50% balance ($2,600) due by January 15, 2024
Remaining balance ($2,595) due by March 15, 2024
PRIVATE ROOM PRICING
$6,565 PER PERSON
Pay $500 now to secure your spot
50% balance ($2,600) due by January 15, 2024
Remaining balance ($2,595) due by March 15, 2024
You can review our full trip waiver here.
Daily Breakdown
Your incredible 8 night and 7 day tour in Florence and throughout the Tuscan countryside will treat you to a pampering, once-in-a-lifetime food, wine, and culture experience. You’ll meet and spend time with some of the most inspiring women artists, winemakers, and chefs in Italy while immersing yourself in the romantic Tuscan lifestyle.
Note: Itinerary and details are subject to change due to unforeseen closures or weather.
Trip Kick-Off: Arrive in Florence – Saturday, June 22nd
Note: If you like, you can arrive a day early to catch up on sleep from your flight and we can arrange for you to stay at our Florence hotel.
PS: they have a beautiful spa for massages!
See FAQ below for more details on travel options and adding on time to tour Venice or Rome after your Tuscany Tour.
For our first 3 nights in Florence we’re all staying at Palazzo Castri – a 4 star luxury boutique hotel in the center of the city with a heated pool, spa, and optional massages, facials, and pampering treatments.
Welcome Dinner
Saturday, June 22nd
After checking in and decompressing from our travels we’ll kick things off together with dinner and spritzes at our hotel the night before our touring starts to get to know your travel besties for the week.
DAY 1 – Sunday, June 23
The Beauty of Florence
We’ll start our day with an exclusive visit and demonstration with the “Atelier of Female Arts in Florence” in the ultra-hip and artsy Oltrano neighborhood Santo Spirito. You’ll see firsthand how local female artisans create traditional and modern crafts such as jewelry, pottery, and more. You’ll meet the artists and get a hands-on demo with light lunch plus have plenty of time to shop! Afterwards we’ll discover and stop by an “only in Florence” Wine Window. After a stroll past the beautiful Ponte Vecchio bridge you’ll tap into your own creative side with your choice of either a private tour of the Uffizi to see Renaissance artist classics or try your hand at oil painting in a private class. That night you’ll have free time to explore and stroll through Florence for dinner on your own and to see the stunning Duomo lit up at night for the ultimate photo opp!
DAY 2 – Monday, June 24
Taste the Magic of Florence
Today we’ll shop and taste like the locals with a private tasting tour of classic Florentine Street Food and a visit to the historic Sant’Ambrogio Market – built in 1873 and the oldest central market in Florence! Later we’ll enjoy free time to explore, spa time at the hotel to rest, or if you like a climb up the Duomo for a close up peek at Dante’s frescoes and a panoramic city view. That night we’ll enjoy a float down the Arno River under the beautiful Ponte Vecchio and then do as the Florentines do and take in the sunset with wine and panoramic views overlooking the city from the heights of Piazzale Michelangelo. You’ll end the day with dinner at a stunning outdoor garden-themed osteria.
DAY 3 – Tuesday, June 25th
Taste the Tuscan Countryside
Today we’ll leave Florence to start our time in the Tuscan countryside. First stop! The beautiful town of Greve in Chianti for an exclusive, ultra modern Olive Oil tasting with a local family farm that’s been producing olive oil since the mid nineteenth century. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a beautiful lunch al fresco overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany and then an afternoon wine tasting and private visit to an award winning woman led winery Castello di Monsanto, before checking into our next hotel just outside historic Siena and enjoying dinner in their stunning wine cellar.
For Nights 3-5 we’re staying in a magical 4 star hotel Relais della Rovere in the Tuscan Countryside just outside Siena to easily visit the most beautiful towns and places in Tuscany. This posh hotel sits on a property that was originally a home to Benedictine Monks who built the estate in 1100. It was later home to popes and cardinals and now features a pool, spa, wine cellar, and park-like grounds to explore.
DAY 4 – Wednesday, June 26
Beautiful Medieval Siena!
In the 1300s this Medieval city was one of the most powerful in Europe and today we’ll take a step back in time to explore this highly walkable city including its infamous “Campo’ or town square where the annual “Palio” horse race has been held since 1482. We’ll start with a private cooking and pasta making class for lunch and later meet one of the female presidents of the Contrade (or districts who participate in the Palio race) . You’ll have free time to explore and shop before dinner at your choice of recommended restaurants or your new favorite local find.
DAY 5 – Thursday, June 27
Tiny Tuscan Hill Towns
After breakfast, we’ll head out for the day to a beautiful countryside Agriturismo (an authentic working farm with resort) for yoga and a fun, hands on, cheese-making class, plus al fresco farm-to-table lunch with a view. Next, we’ll visit Volterra, an under the radar, stunning walled Tuscan town that dates back to the 8th century BC Etruscan times. Famous for its alabaster – we’ll enjoy a private walking tour with a 3rd generation Voltteran woman and visit with a local woman artist to see first hand how it’s carved and bring some home with you. After a wine tasting in a hip enoteca run by a local couple and light dinner, we’ll head back to our hotel.
For nights 6 & 7 we’re staying at Villa Borga San Pietro, a 17th century villa with panoramic views just outside charming Cortona, famous for the book and movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”
DAY 6 – Friday, June 28
Women & Wellness
Prepare for some pampering today as we visit an outdoor spa for a soak in natural hot Thermal Baths, popular since Roman times and formed long ago by volcanoes! Next, we’ll tour the stunning hilltop town of Montalcino in the breathtaking Val d’Orcia famous for its Brunello wines. We’ll enjoy a private pottery demonstration from a local female artisan and then a once-in-a-lifetime art and music-themed wine tasting at award-winning Casato Prime Donne Winery. This all-woman-run winery founded by Donatella Cinelli Colombini is a flagship for equal opportunities for women in the wine world. We’ll end our day with a private dinner al fresco at our new hotel in Cortona.
DAY 7 – Saturday, June 29
A Final Celebration
This morning we’ll enjoy the pool and park-like property at our beautiful hotel as well as a stroll through the historic hill town of Cortona before our blow-out, final, celebratory dinner, and experience. We’ll visit Michelin-starred il Falconiere for a private wine-sabering experience and dinner with one of Italy’s most esteemed and awarded female chefs Silvia Baracchi.
DAY 8 – Sunday, June 30
Return to Florence
After our final breakfast together and heartfelt goodbyes we’ll say Ciao for Now and head back to Florence with a full heart and memories for a lifetime! We’ll check out of our hotel in Cortona and drive back to Florence together where you’ll be brought to either the Florence Airport or Florence Train Station by noon to continue your travels abroad or head home. Please note that you’ll return to Florence by 12pm on this day and any departures booked earlier in the morning may require private transport at your cost which we can help arrange.
You can choose to stay for additional time in Florence, take the train to Rome for a flight back home, or book optional, additional 2-day trips to Venice, or Rome to extend your time in Italy.
Meet Your Tuscany Travel Guide
Julie Hartigan
Julie Hartigan is an NYC-based Chef, Media Personality, and lifelong Travel Lover! She believes some of the greatest personal growth and most memorable moments in life come when immersed in another culture. Julie’s passion is exploring and sharing regional, authentic dishes, ingredients, wine, and cuisine with others.
She’s tasted her way through Japan, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Italy, France, and as many more to come as possible. Her trips are designed to be a fun-filled, life-changing experience for solo midlife women travelers where you’ll come home feeling joyful, alive, and transformed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You may be wondering…
That’s a big YES! These tours are specifically designed to be welcoming and fun for women travelling on their own to make new friends.
We’ll host several online meet and greet happy hours ahead of the trip where we’ll get to know each other and Julie will help coordinate a roommate for you for a shared room.
Nope! Just a $500 deposit to secure your spot and then payments are spread out over the months leading up to the trip.
Your trip includes:
- 8 nights of 4-star hotels
- 7 full days of excursions and tours
- Transportation between Florence and all the Tuscan towns and locations
- Wine tastings
- Cooking classes
- A float down the Arno
- Thermal bath and spa visits
- Yoga
- Olive oil tasting
- Cheese tastings
- Most meals
I designed this trip to be as “all-inclusive” as possible so you can plan your travel budget way ahead of time. Here are a few things that aren’t included:
➡ You’ll have free time in Florence, Siena, and Volterra so 2 lunches and 3 dinners are on your own so you’re open to shop and explore
➡ Your flight to Italy and getting to Florence to join the group. (And don’t worry – I help you figure those logistics out.) Tip! Many women use travel points from their credit cards to book their flight and if you put the trip itself on your card you can get close to a free flight! Chase Sapphire has incredible travel bonuses.
➡ Inexpensive, mandatory international medical insurance and if you like trip interruption insurance. Julie can help you arrange that too through her preferred provider.
➡ Optional massages or bonus activities like climbing the Duomo (not everyone is up for all the steps)
➡ Meals include house wine and we also have several wine tastings and cocktails on the trip. But if you’d like to purchase additional for yourself you can! Just like the food, wine in Italy is a lot less expensive than in the US.
We’ll be sending you additional information soon where you can specify a roommate if you sign up for this trip with someone. We’ll also be having online happy hour meet and greets before the trip so we can get to know each other and Julie can help guide you to a wonderful roomie match.
Yes! Italy is one of the most food friendly countries, particularly with gluten intolerances. You’ll be able to specify your specific dietary needs after signing up for the trip so Julie can make sure you’ll have delicious options throughout the tour.
Most major airports in the US fly direct to Rome or Milan. From there it’s an easy train ride to Florence. Or you can fly direct to Florence with a transfer in a European city such as Paris or Zurich depending on your preferred airline. Julie will send all the travel details after you sign up for the trip and help coordinate your travels to link you up with fellow travelers. You can also opt to arrive to Italy early to spend a few days in Rome ahead of our tour and to adjust to the time difference. Or you can opt to arrive in Florence a day or two ahead of our tour. Julie can assist with those details.
Yes! If you’d like to stay in Italy a little longer while there, Julie will make a 2 day Rome or Venice package available for you to sign up for and can advise on trains too.
No problem! Julie will help you purchase trip interruption insurance through her preferred privider so you can get your $ back as needed.
Definitely! After you sign up for the trip Julie and her Italy Trip Planers will be there to help you with the travel logistics including how to use points to source reduced rate or free flights. Julie also hosts a series of group calls leading up to our trip together to answer questions and so we can all get to know each other. She can even link you up with fellow women on the trip to travel with.
Yes! If you’d like to stay in Italy a little longer you can add on pre-booked time in Rome or Venice and you can even arrive to Florence early to stay at the same hotel. Julie and her Italy Trip Planners can help you with those arrangements.
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