Spotlight on Tuscany — Self-Launched
9 days · Tuscany, Italy
Collette charges £2,000
No-markup version: ~£880 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Collette's 9-day "Spotlight on Tuscany" coach tour, using Montecatini Terme as a cheap, well-connected base for day trips by regional train and bus to Lucca, San Gimignano, Florence and Pisa. You'll book your own walking tours and a small-group Tuscan cooking class through GetYourGuide or directly with local providers, and swap the coach for Trenitalia regional trains (most hops £3-8). Same towns, same experiences, no group of 44 — and a fraction of the price. All costs are approximate per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Tuscany — transfer to Montecatini Terme
Montecatini Terme
Fly into Pisa (PSA) or Florence (FLR) — Pisa is usually cheaper from the UK. From Pisa Centrale take a Trenitalia regional train to Lucca (~£3.50, 30 min) and change to Montecatini Centro or Montecatini Terme (~£3, 25 min); from Florence Santa Maria Novella it's a direct regional train to Montecatini Terme (~£5, 50 min). Check in to a central guesthouse near Viale Verdi, pick up a map from the tourist office, and take an evening wander past the Liberty-style spa buildings. Grab a casual dinner — a plate of pici pasta and a glass of Chianti is £12-15.
🚌Trenitalia regional train from Pisa or Florence airport gateway station, ~£5-8 total
🛏Central guesthouse or budget hotel in Montecatini Terme (~£35/night double, ~£18 pp shared)
- →Self-guided evening orientation walk along Viale Verdi
- →Aperitivo in Piazza del Popolo
Montecatini Terme — spa town at your own pace
Montecatini Terme
The operator's 'orientation briefing and welcome drink' becomes your own slow morning: ride the historic funicular (Funicolare, ~£2) up to Montecatini Alto for views over the Valdinievole, then walk back down through olive groves (about 45 minutes, easy-moderate). In the afternoon visit the Tettuccio Spa — the Art Nouveau Terme Tettuccio lets you into its grand halls and courtyards for a small entrance fee (~£6) and you can buy a spa drink at the counter. Book your Lucca walking tour and wine tasting for tomorrow online this evening.
🚌On foot; funicular ~£2 return
🛏Central guesthouse in Montecatini Terme (~£18 pp shared)
- →Funicular to Montecatini Alto and walk down
- →Terme Tettuccio entrance (~£6)
- →Book tomorrow's Lucca tours online (GetYourGuide/Klook)
Lucca — walls, amphitheatre piazza and a winery tasting
Lucca
Regional train Montecatini Terme → Lucca takes about 25-35 minutes for roughly £3.20. Walk or rent a bike (~£4/hour) on the intact Renaissance city walls, then explore the centre: the oval Piazza dell'Anfiteatro built on a Roman amphitheatre, the Guinigi Tower with its rooftop trees (~£6), and San Frediano. Join a small-group guided walking tour of Lucca booked via GetYourGuide (~£20-25, 2 hours) to replace the operator's included guide, then finish with a Tuscan wine tasting at a city-centre enoteca or a short bus ride to a nearby winery (~£25-30 including food pairings). Last train back to Montecatini is around 21:00-22:00 — check times at the station.
🚌Return regional train ~£7; local bus to winery ~£3
🛏Central guesthouse in Montecatini Terme (~£18 pp shared)
- →Lucca city walls walk or bike hire
- →Guinigi Tower climb (~£6)
- →Small-group Lucca walking tour (~£22)
- →Tuscan wine tasting with food pairings (~£28)
San Gimignano — towers, gelato and a family farm
San Gimignano
Get there the budget way: train from Montecatini to Poggibonsi-San Gimignano (~£5, change at Empoli or Florence), then the local bus 130 to San Gimignano (~£2, 25 min). Wander the medieval lanes and climb the Torre Grossa (~£9) for views over the 14 surviving towers and the surrounding vineyards. For the farm experience, book an agriturismo visit or farm lunch direct (many family farms around San Gimignano offer cheese and salumi tastings for £20-30) — or simply do a tasting at a town-centre enoteca. Don't skip gelato from Gelateria Dondoli in Piazza della Cisterna (~£4). Return by bus and train in the evening.
🚌Train to Poggibonsi ~£5 each way + bus 130 ~£2 each way
🛏Central guesthouse in Montecatini Terme (~£18 pp shared)
- →Torre Grossa climb (~£9)
- →Family farm / agriturismo tasting (~£25)
- →Gelato at Gelateria Dondoli (~£4)
Florence — Renaissance highlights on foot
Florence
Direct regional train Montecatini Terme → Firenze Santa Maria Novella is ~£5 and 50 minutes. Book a small-group historic-centre walking tour via GetYourGuide or the Florence tourist board (~£25, 2-2.5 hours) covering Piazza del Duomo, the Baptistery's gilded bronze doors (Ghiberti's 'Gates of Paradise'), Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and Santa Croce. Book a Duomo complex ticket in advance online if you want to climb Brunelleschi's dome (~£30 combo) — otherwise just admire from outside. Spend the rest of the day in the Uffizi or Accademia (book ahead, ~£20-25) or free-hang in Oltrarno. Late train back, or stay for dinner in Santo Spirito.
🚌Return regional train ~£10
🛏Central guesthouse in Montecatini Terme (~£18 pp shared)
- →Small-group Florence walking tour (~£25)
- →Duomo complex ticket (~£30) or Uffizi/Accademia (~£22)
- →Oltrarno wander
Flex day — truffle hunt or a hill-town hike
Montecatini Terme / Valdinievole
Recreate the operator's optional truffle day by booking a small-group truffle hunt with a local trifolau and dogs directly or via GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences (~£60-80 including a truffle-based lunch) — San Miniato and the Valdinievole are prime white-truffle country in autumn. Alternatively keep it cheap: a self-guided hike on the Montalbano trail network from Vinci (Leonardo's birthplace, bus from Montecatini ~£3), with a picnic lunch from the market. Either way, keep the evening free — Montecatini's passeggiata along Viale Verdi is the local ritual.
🚌Local bus ~£3-6, or included in truffle tour pickup
🛏Central guesthouse in Montecatini Terme (~£18 pp shared)
- →Small-group truffle hunt with lunch (~£70) OR self-guided Montalbano hike (free)
- →Vinci and Leonardo museum (~£12, optional)
Pisa and Leaning Tower, then a Tuscan cooking class
Pisa / Montecatini Terme
Train Montecatini → Pisa Centrale ~£4.50, 45-60 minutes. Walk 20 minutes (or bus LAM Rossa, ~£1.50) to Piazza dei Miracoli and see the Leaning Tower, Cathedral, Baptistery and Camposanto — the cathedral is free with a timed ticket, and climbing the tower is ~£20 (book ahead, slots sell out). Back in Montecatini for the afternoon, join a small-group Tuscan cooking class (pasta, ribollita, tiramisu) booked via GetYourGuide, Klook or a local agriturismo (~£55-70 including dinner and wine) — this replaces the operator's included class and dinner.
🚌Return train to Pisa ~£9 + local bus ~£3
🛏Central guesthouse in Montecatini Terme (~£18 pp shared)
- →Piazza dei Miracoli and Cathedral (free timed ticket)
- →Leaning Tower climb (~£20)
- →Small-group Tuscan cooking class with dinner (~£60)
Montecatini history, Tettuccio Spa and a farewell dinner
Montecatini Terme
Morning: a self-guided history circuit of Montecatini — the Terme Tettuccio and Excelsior spa buildings, the Palazzo Comunale and the funicular village of Montecatini Alto (audio guide or free walking-tour app instead of a paid guide). If you want the operator's optional Devil's Bridge excursion, take the regional train to Borgo a Mozzano (~£2.50, 15 min) and walk to the Ponte della Maddalena, then continue to the Gothic Line bunkers at nearby Anchiano if WWII history interests you (local bus or 1-hour walk). Farewell dinner at a trattoria in Montecatini Alto or the centre — bistecca or wild boar ragu with house wine, ~£25-30.
🚌Train to Borgo a Mozzano ~£5 return; funicular ~£2
🛏Central guesthouse in Montecatini Terme (~£18 pp shared)
- →Self-guided spa-town history walk
- →Optional Devil's Bridge and Gothic Line excursion (~£5 transport)
- →Farewell trattoria dinner (~£28)
Departure
Montecatini Terme / Pisa
Regional train back to Pisa Centrale or Florence Santa Maria Novella and onward to the airport (~£5-8). If you have a late flight, leave bags at the station and spend a couple of hours in Pisa's Borgo Stretto or Lucca's walls on the way. Airport buses (PisaMover from Pisa Centrale to PSA, ~£2.50; tram/bus from Florence SMN to FLR, ~£1.70) keep the final day cheap.
🚌Regional train + airport transfer ~£8
🛏None — departure day
- →Optional short stop in Pisa or Lucca en route to airport
Self-launched vs. Collette
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Collette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£880 | £2,000 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,120 per person (56%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Collette-style trips? Check them out here.~£880
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Spotlight on Tuscany — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £880 per person for 9 days in Tuscany, Italy. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Collette?+
Yes — Collette charges around £2,000 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £880 — a saving of roughly £1,120 (56%) per person.
How long is the Tuscany, Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Tuscany, Italy.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, slow-travel trip through Tuscany, Italy, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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