Wells Cathedral Choir travelled to Tuscany for a fantastic youth concert tour. With the support of tour operator Rayburn Tours and over the course of six days, the group explored the stunning landmarks of the region, such as the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Other excursions included sightseeing in Florence, and choir performances in venues including Chiesa di San Salvatore in Florence, San Paolino Basilica in Lucca, and Chiesa di Sant' Agostino in Sam Gimignano.

Choir leader Melanie Lawlor reflects on what was truly an unforgettable experience.

When asked whether there was a moment that captured exactly why the tour was worthwhile, Melanie said, "There were so many moments of joy on the tour it would be hard to pick just one. The children (and adults) were completely in awe of the countryside and architecture everywhere we went. The beautiful surroundings and Italian sunshine made everyone so happy, and the children had such a great time bonding with each other away from the normal choir rehearsals and school lessons. We were so impressed by the level of kindness and care the children showed each other, and how their sense of fun and excitement spread through the adults looking after them.

For us, a big part of the tour was for it to be a bonding experience, and it really gave us that.

The choir seemed to grow musically, too. Each performance was wonderful, but they did seem to get better throughout the week – to the point that the last concert had people (including within our group) moved to tears at the beauty of the music, the strength of bond the tour had given us, and the feeling of being overwhelmed by joy and happiness."

A concert tour to Tuscany is simply not to be missed, and Wells Cathedral Choir's adventure shows exactly why.

Melanie states, "Tuscany is the most incredible destination for a choir tour. You have beautiful scenery, incredible architecture, amazing history, stunning churches, lovely people, and wonderful food. Just the journey to a venue is an experience, and as well as the great churches there are so many wonderful touristy things to see and do. I don't think you could find a better option!"

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Whether it's trekking through story-book towns, singing harmonies in a sacred venue, or interacting with the cheerful locals, this Italian region is ideal for concert groups looking to travel abroad.