Flavors of Italy

Depart the U.S. today on your overnight, non-stop flight to Milan.

*Passengers who did not purchase flights will join the tour in Bologna on Day 2.

We arrive in Milan today where we'll meet our guide and transfer to Bologna in the Food Valley! Food is a focus here as it is throughout the Emilia-Romagna region—home of Parma ham, balsamic vinegar, and Parmesan. Cured meats, aged cheeses, cream, butter, game, and truffles abound in this most indulgent of cuisines. This evening, we'll enjoy a three-course dinner with a specially chosen wine at a traditional Trattoria near our hotel.

Our food adventure continues today with a visit to Parma, the capital of the world-famous Prosciutto and Parmigiano cheese. Visit a local producer of Prosciutto di Parma where you'll discover how this famous delicacy is made and enjoy a special tasting of ham with some Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. We'll continue on a walking tour of Parma with a local guide, seeing the city's main plaza and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. Afterward, we'll enjoy a typical lunch at a local restaurant with a Culatello and a Tortellini dish. This afternoon, we continue our food exploration and experience with another signature product of this land, Balsamic Vinegar. On the return to Bologna, visit a local producer and learn about the production process and taste this specialty.

This morning we’ll take a guided walking tour of this beautiful city where we'll see Bologna's two famous towers: Torre Degli Asinelli and Torre della Garisenda. After, we will depart for Radda di Chianti, in the heart of Tuscany. Along the way, we'll stop at a farmhouse in the heart of the Chianti countryside where we'll try Tuscan wines and taste the local delicacies like Pecorino Cheese, Bruschetta, and other cold cuts. Then continue on to Radda di Chianti, a beautiful medieval town surrounded by defensive walls. Located up on a hill between the valleys of Arbia and Pesa, Radda once served as the capital of Chianti as its prime location served as a point of coordination between its neighbors Gaiole and Castellina, and its picturesque views, small-town feel, and culinary delights make it a unique destination. After we check into our hotel, we'll have some free time to relax before our three-course dinner.

After breakfast today, we'll embark on our Tuscan adventure by traveling to the famous town of San Gimignano where we'll find the weekly market. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, San Gimignano is a small, walled village about halfway between Florence and Siena. It's famous for its fascinating medieval architecture including its towers that rise above all of the town's other buildings, offering impressive views of both the town and the surrounding valley. At the height of its glory, San Gimignano's patrician families had built around 72 tower-houses as symbols of their wealth and power and while only fourteen have survived, San Gimignano still retains its feudal atmosphere and appearance. We'll continue to a pasta factory in the heart of the Chianti valley where we'll learn everything about the pasta made here. This afternoon we'll return to our hotel with some free time to relax or join an optional truffle hunt experience with a delicious tasting of local products.

After breakfast we will travel to Sestri Levante, walk around the historic fishing village and then reach the restaurant where we will learn all about a local traditional recipe. The most classic Ligurian dish is undeniably pasta al pesto Genovese. The fragrant yet simple sauce is a divine combination of basil, pine nuts, olive oil, cheese, and garlic. You will make Pesto and enjoy your lunch right in the place where the recipe was born. Enjoy a dish of the traditional “Trofie al Pesto” for lunch! The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure or you may take part in the optional activity

The UNESCO world heritage recognized hamlets – Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore – are reached by boat, rail or trail. The topography of the area did not allow for the development of roads for vehicles. The five fishing villages dot the coast, tucked into the habitable terrain between the swaths of lush vertical land and cobalt coves. Each village is unique. Ancient churches, castles, and homes are centered on squares that often use the sea as their fourth side. Monterosso is the largest and the only one with a sandy beach. Vernazza is considered to be the most photogenic, as its natural pier surrounded by colorful houses is truly charming. Corniglia is the only one not built on the sea, but one hundred meters above it, on a cliff. As it is the most difficult to reach, it is also the least touched by tourists. Manarola has a small harbor and here is the opportunity to participate in an optional wine tasting with a sommelier. Riomaggiore is a peaceful place, with its colorful cluster of houses hugging the hills behind it. The villages lay in what is now a national park, with the water in front of a protected marine area. We will discover these colorful villages with a combination of train and boat, according to the weather and sea conditions.

En route to Turin, we will stop in Asti. A stroll through the historic district is enough to feel the magic of this place. This former city republic with medieval character is known as the ‘San Gimignano of Piedmont’ due to its many soaring family towers and is the center of the wine-growing region of Monferrato, in which its most gentile representatives Moscato and Barbera d’Asti are grown. The next stop is the small town of Canelli. It is considered the local capital of Asti with its Castello Gancia overlooking the historic district. Many tradition-filled wineries, also called underground cathedrals, are located here, which are to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will visit one of these wineries with Spumante tastings.

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of Turin. You will see the exterior of the Palazzo Reale, Palazzo Madama, San Lorenzo and gain a first impression of the magnificence of this city. Afterwards, you will have time to stroll through the lively, Baroque historic district. We will have a break at a local bar to savour a cup of “bicerin”, the soothing local hot chocolate and coffee speciality. Later this afternoon, we will travel to a nearby village for a guided visit and tasting in the wine bank. The wine bank is a one-of-a-kind impressive oenological showcase, in which one can discover Italy through its major wines. A museum to admire "with a glass in hand" that sweep the visitor along a journey, region by region, through the history of wine-growing regions. This evening join a farewell dinner at a local restaurant and reminisce about your wonderful memories.

After breakfast today, we’ll transfer to the airport for our return flight back to the U.S.

*The tour will end for passengers who did not purchase flights on Day 10 in Turin.