Sardatur Holidays, launches In The Footsteps of the Medici

The Netflix Original series, Medici, has been captivating audiences with dramatic tales of the notorious Italian dynasty.  The hit show, which features stars including Dustin Hoffman, Richard Madden and Sean Bean, is currently airing its second series, Medici The Magnificent. 

In response to a spike of interest in the famous family, Sardatur Holidays has created an exclusive Medici-themed holiday package, In the Footsteps of the Medici.  The Medici family ruled over 15^th century Renaissance Italy for three centuries, leaving an extraordinary legacy.  From UNESCO Heritage-listed palaces, villas and gardens to celebrated works of art and architecture that are a result of their patronage, the Medici touch can be felt all over Italy.  The five-night trip combines the most famous Medici sites in Tuscany and Rome, stays at two of Italy’s finest luxury hotels built by the family, and visits to the Netflix series filming locations.

The trip starts in Pisa, where guests will discover Tuscany’s famous Medici Villas… from the Medici Villa della Petraia, a typical country residence and the refuge of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, to the Medici Villa di Castello, one of the family’s oldest country residences and a favourite of Cosimo I de’ Medici.

Next stop is Florence, widely considered to be the “Heart of the Medici”. The family ruled the city throughout the Renaissance and their support of the arts and humanities made Florence into the cradle of the Renaissance.  As such, much of the Netflix series was filmed in Florence.

A private tour of the city to discover the Medici legacy includes the Medici chapels within the  Basilica of San Lorenzo, which are the eternal resting place of the Medicis; Palazzo Medici, the residence of Cosimo the Elder; and Santa Maria del Fiore, the religious centre of the city topped with the gold Medici ball commissioned by Lorenzo.  Some of the greatest Medici works of art can be found in Florence’s celebrated museums, including the Uffizi, the Palatine Gallery, the Treasury of the Grand Dukes and the Galleria dell’ Accademia.

The Tuscan tour also includes lunch and wine-tasting in Montepulciano, a Medieval hilltop town in Siena and filming location for Medici The Magnificent.   And a visit to Pienza which was used as the set location for Cosimo de’ Medici’s wedding in the series.

The trip concludes in the great capital of Rome, where guests will visit The Villa Medici at the bottom of the famous Spanish steps, which was built by Ferdinando I de’ Medici. 

Across the five-night trip, guests will stay at two of Tuscany’s finest hotels, both built by the Medici:

• The Artimino Estate, a 700 hectare estate nestled in the Tuscan countryside, is home to the majestic villa ‘La Ferdinanda’ built in 1596 by Ferdinando I de’ Medici and now a UNESCO heritage site.  Leonardo da Vinci also spent some time at the villa.  Following a tour of the estate, its olive groves and vineyards, guests will enjoy a wine-tasting and lunch in the grounds.

• The five star Fonteverde Tuscan Resort & Spa, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, is a historical palace built in the 17th Century by the Medici Family.  The spa and wellness retreat is set on top of natural hot springs giving therapeutic properties and offers a range of treatments, incorporating traditional and contemporary philosophies.

Sardatur Holidays ‘In the Footsteps of the Medici’ five-night package, includes British Airways flights from London to Pisa and Rome to London.  Accommodation comprises three nights at Artimino and two nights at Fonteverde Spa Resort, on a bed and breakfast basis.  Private airport transfers.  The package includes 1 wine tasting and lunch at Artimino, 1 wine tasting and lunch at Pienze and private guided tours of cities and attractions as per the itinerary.