Tailormade tour Tuscany by car self-drive tour Italy

You cross by Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais and then drive south-east passing Reims and the Champagne region into the rolling hills of Burgundy. Puligny-Montrachet is set amidst the Montrachet vineyards, some of the most famous in the world. The white wines produced in Montrachet are some of the rarest wines of the Chardonnay grape and considered by connoisseurs to be the best. However, while in Burgundy, be sure to sample the variety of wines produced on the Côte de Beaune and Côte d’Or.

Given that it’s a drive of about 2 hrs 30 mins today, you have the possibility of exploring the Burgundy vineyards, or stopping somewhere en-route, perhaps to visit the Abbey at Cluny or the town of Macon or arriving early at Annecy to rest and explore. The pretty town of Annecy sits where the River Thiou meets the lake. Renowned for its old town, Annecy is a place of winding cobbled streets, narrow canals, and colourful houses. The Chateau d’Annecy is the cultural centre-point of the town, and therefore well worth a visit. Former home to the counts of Geneva, the chateau now houses a museum of regional artefacts, particularly Alpine furniture and art.

From Annecy to Piemonte, the most direct route is through the Mont Blanc tunnel and then motorway south skirting Turin to reach the town of Alba and your overnight stop nearby. Piemonte beckons lovers of wine and food, art and architecture and dramatic, natural landscapes. Aside from sampling the native wines of the Langhe district in nearby Asti, home of the sparkling white Asti Spumante, and the wine-producing villages such as Barolo, home to a full-bodied red, and La Morra, venture out into the picturesque streets of Monforte d’Alba. Explore the elaborately decorative Parrochia Madonna della Neve, with its high blue ceilings and intriguing exterior. Visit the 13th century Palazzo Scarampi, and the beautifully quaint Auditorium Horszowski, which hosts various jazz concerts, theatre productions, and films in the summer months. This auditorium, Greco-Roman in style, also plays the part of the town square.

Today the route takes you south towards the coast at Genoa and along the Ligurian Riviera, skirting well-known resorts such as Portofino and Rapallo, before entering Tuscany and running parallel to the coast, passing the marble quarries at Carrara and the Tuscan coast resorts of Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio. You then turn inland passing Lucca, the spa town of Montecatini and reach Florence before turning south and either taking the fast road to Siena or wind your way through the Chianti villages amid the undulating hills and vineyards between Florence and Siena. You reach your hotel not far from Siena, where you stay for seven nights.

From your base at the heart of the Chianti classic vineyards, you are ideally situated to explore much of Tuscany at leisure in your own car. You could head north along the Chianti wine road through the wine villages of Gaiole, Radda and Greve, stopping here and there to visit the wineries, take pictures, stroll or visit villas and their gardens. Drive to nearby Siena to witness the unfinished aspirations of Siena, long-standing rival of Florence. One of Siena’s most attractive sights is the free-standing archway of the Piazza del Duomo. This arch was intended to be the entrance to the newly expanded Duomo di Siena, but this expansion was never completed. The colourful marble tiles of the piazza are all that was finished of the Duomo’s interior, and now make up the square itself. One of Siena’s real treasures is the baptismal font in the baptistery of the Duomo. Its decorative relief panels were designed by the likes of Donatello, Ghiberti, and Jacopo della Quercia. Walk to the Palazzo Pubblico, the tallest secular tower of medieval Italy and the seat of the city council, to view its collection of Sienese art, and to remark upon its differences to Florentine art. Complete a day of exploration in Siena by climbing the Torre del Mangia for a birds-eye view of the city. Other places of interest nearby include Volterra, a village of particular interest due to its unique brooding atmosphere, accentuated by its towering houses, narrow streets, and deep ravine. San Gimignano, though still only a small village, bears the scars of unfulfilled ambition. Its numerous tall towers rise high above its buildings and delineate the positions of its many village squares. The grand expansion these towers signify was never completed, though the beauty of the village is still undeniable. For quieter days out, consider visiting the hamlet of Monteriggioni, peaceful as it is, and protected by its original exterior walls.

Your self-drive touring holiday takes you into the Lakes region of the Alpine north of Italy. Your destination today is the small and lesser-known, Lake Orta. The essence of Orta San Giulio and the Lago d’Orta has captured the minds of many creative souls, from Friedrich Nietzsche to Robert Browning and Balzac. A very pleasing walkway takes you from the town square around the Orta peninsula and into the Sacro Monte historical park.

From Lake Orta you have a couple of options today. The first is to follow the shore of Lake Maggiore into Switzerland, passing Ascona and Locarno, to the alpine gateway of Bellinzona and then through the Gotthard (tunnel or pass) to Schwyz near Lake Lucerne. Another route is to take the Simplon to Brig and then over the Furka pass to Andermatt (be sure to check that the roads are open). You spend one night in the village of Schwyz, the central square of which has been voted one of the most beautiful in the whole of Switzerland. This is believed to be in part due to the unique Town Hall, with its façade painting depicting the Battle of Morgarten.

The scenic drive from Schwyz to Epernay takes you through the historic heart of Switzerland, and then across the border at Basel. At Mulhouse drive north with the Rhine valley to your east and the Vosges mountains to your west, and then either cross the Vosges to Nancy or take the motorway past Strasbourg, Metz and Verdun to reach Epernay in the Champagne region of France. As this holiday began with famous French wines, so it ends with sparkling French champagne. Nestling between the Aisne and Marne valleys, Epernay and its nearby rival, Reims, are well situated to see the champagne vineyards thrive. If time permits, visit a winery such as Champagne Tribaut. This family run business supplies such prestigious companies as Krug and Taittinger and opens its cellars and vineyards for tours and tastings. Across the Marne valley, however, you will find vineyards that produce wines from Pinot Noir grapes, or south, along the Côte des Blancs the wineries specialise in mineral-rich Chardonnay.

After your night in the Champagne region, drive north to Calais and return to Folkestone on the Eurotunnel.