Itinerary – Northern Italy Food & Wine

Day 1: Rome – Arrival

Meet and greet upon arrival in Rome. Transfer to hotel with private English-speaking assistant. Meet your driver and transfer to Piazza Navona to enjoy a welcome dinner at Alfredo restaurant.

Day 2: Siena & La Lastra Wine Experience

Breakfast at hotel, then depart for Siena. This stunning Tuscany city is famous throughout the world for its magical PIazza del Campo, the heart of the old town and venue for Palio horse race, which sees the city’s 17 contrade (districts) compete against each other very year. Enjoy a guided city tour to see some of Siena’s most beautiful sights, such as the Palazzo Publico, Fonte Gaia, and Duomo. After the tour, drive through the gorgeous Tuscan countryside for the “Vine, Wine, and Life” experience. During our visit to the Azienda Agricola La Lastra organic vineyards, we will meet the winemakers and learn about all the main steps of the agronomic, phenolic, and organic cycle in order to understand the complexity of the vineyard ecosystem and agriculture with low environmental impact. We will then move to the cellar where we will discover the chemical, physical, and microbiological processes necessary for quality production. Our journey continues in the sensorial tasting room, where we will sample a variety of outstanding Tuscan wines.

Day 3: Cooking Class & San Gimignano

Breakfast at hotel. Partake in a cooking class and wine tasting before visiting the iconic town of San Gimignano in the Siena province. With its striking skyline of medieval towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture and beautiful historic center, which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 4: Montalcino & Montepulciano (Brunello & Vino Nobile)

Breakfast at hotel. This morning, we arrive at the charming town of Montalcino, with stunning views of the surrounding Tuscan hills. Stroll through narrow medieval streets lined with stone buildings, then visit the Cathedral of San Salvatore and the Montalcino Fortress. After walking the fortress ramparts, we will stop at the Biondi Santi, world-famous Brunello di Montalcino vineyards for wine tasting. Then we continue to Montepulciano, an enchanting medieval town with Renaissance style. Perched high atop a hill, Montepulciano is full of Renaissance treasures such as the church of San Biagio. We will visit Montepulciano’s Duomo and the splendid Palazzo Communale. Continue to Azienda Agricola Crociani for Vino Nobile wine tasting session. Welcome dinner at Relais Vignale includes meeting a local sommelier to introduce some of the Radda area wines.

Day 5: Cooking Class & Chianti

Breakfast at hotel. If Enjoy a cooking class and wine tasting before driving down the Chiantigiana, one of the most scenic and charming roads in Italy. The route winds through rolling Tuscan hills and past thousands of hectares of vineyards that all produce the exceptional Chianti Classico DOCG (the most appellation of Chianti). Stop for several delicious wine and olive oil tasting sessions along the way, including Villa Vinomaggio, Greve in Chianti (known for Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva, IGT and Vinsanto del Chianti Classico DOC), and Le Fonti in Panzano in Chianti with its excellent IGT and Chianti Classico DOCG.

Day 6: Florence – Bologna

Breakfast at hotel. Depart for Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Here we will enjoy a guided walking tour of this dazzling city’s main sites, including a visit to one of its most famous residents, Michelangelo’s statue of David. Then we continue to Bologna, known as the gastronomical capital of Italy. Boasting the oldest university in the western world, the city is nicknamed “la dotta” or “the learned”, “la rossa” or “the red” (both for the hue of its sandstone buildings and its role as a center of the Italian Resistance during World War II), and “la grassa” or “the fat” for its mouthwatering cuisine. Take a stroll along Bologna’s most notable architectural feature, the nearly 25 miles of graceful porticoes that line the city’s streets.

Day 7: Emilia – Romagna

Breakfast at hotel. Today, we explore the flagship products of Emilia Romagna’s gastronomy. Visit a Parmigiano Reggiano producer to learn the ripening process and join a cheese tasting session. Continue to a family owned farm for lunch in a tranquil country setting. Visit centuries-old vinegar installations and enjoy a balsamic vinegar tasting. Finish out the day with a visit to a prosciutto di Parma and culatello di canossa producer, then return to the hotel.

Day 8: Ferrari & Lambrusco

Breakfast at hotel. Visit Maranello, where Enzo Ferrari set up his factory in 1945, and enjoy a guided tour of the Ferrari museum. We will allow 2 hours for customers interested in doing an optional Ferrari driving experience. The rest of the group can enjoy a walking tour of the town and free espresso time before we pick up the Ferrari enthusiasts. Afterwards, continue to the ancient town of Castelvetro di Modena to visit and taste its specialty: the famous ruby red Lambrusco wine at Cleto Chiarli Tenute Agricole.

Day 9: Taste of Bologna

Breakfast at hotel. Our Taste of Bologna cooking class features traditional tagliatelle al ragu: flat strips of pasta tossed with the quintessential meat sauce from Bologna. The authentic sauce contains some 20 ingredients and is usually served with tagliatelle – never spaghetti! The afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the historic downtown, followed by a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 10: Bologna – Departure

Breakfast at hotel. Say arrivederci to Italy and transfer to the airport for the flight home.