Day 1 – Arrive Venice
Upon your arrival at Venice airport, transfer to your hotel centrally located in Venice.
Welcome drink at the hotel or a nearby bar and overnight Venice.
Day 2 – Venice
Breakfast in hotel. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the city. You’ll see the Bridge of Sights, Piombi Prison (outside), Doge’s Palace (inside), St. Mark’s Cathedral (inside) and you’ll visit Glass Blowing Demonstration. Free time at leisure in the afternoon. Welcome Dinner (local restaurant).
Overnight Venice.
Day 3 – Venice – Verona – Franciacorta Wine Tour – Milan
After breakfast in hotel, transfer to the mainland, board the coach and drive west to Milan, stopping in Verona for a guided tour. Explore the streets of Verona’s historical center, taking in the churches and palaces that have helped make this town a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. Continue on to the Franciacorta wine region for a wine tasting session. In the heart of Lombardy, in the province of Brescia, the gently rolling hills capture all the unspoiled appeal of an inspiring area, Franciacorta. This land has inherited the invaluable legacy of a wine making tradition that was recorded since long times ago. Transfer to a famous Franciacorta wine cellar. There, the Franciacorta method will be explained together with the tasting of the best wines combined with local cheeses and salami. Continue on to Milan and check in your hotel.
Free dinner and overnight Milan.
Day 4 – Milan
Breakfast in hotel. This morning meet your local guide and enjoy a guided tour of the city. Chic Milan is the regional capital, Italy’s financial center, a shopper’s paradise and the main gateway to Lombardy, renowned worldwide for its fashion shows. During your guided activities you’ll admire the Duomo, Sforzesco Castle, Vittorio Emanuele Gallery. Free afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight Milan.
Day 5 – Milan – Full Day Lake Como – Milan
After your 1-hour coach journey from Milan, start your tour of Como with a look inside one of its historical attractions: the Basilica of Sant’Abbondio. Continue into Como’s historic center, and use your free time to get to know the town at your own pace with some sightseeing or shopping for Lake Como keepsakes. Meet back with your guide for an extended cruise around Lake Como, admiring the hillside villas and hotels, and pose for photos against the backdrop of the alps. Return to dry land in time for your trip to the colorful seaside town of Bellagio, which many pinpoint as a highlight of the lake. Spend some time at your leisure here to explore and perhaps savor lunch. Later, cruise to Cadenabbia, then return to your coach for the journey back to Milan. Free evening and overnight Milan.
Day 6 Turin – Langhe
After breakfast board the coach and depart for Turin. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and have a guided tour where you will see the Basilica of Superga (an impressive church built on the Superga Hill, an ideal view point to admire all the beauty of the city and a renowned pilgrimage destination), the Royal Palace (a majestic building of XVII century, former residence of the kings of Italy that preserves the marks left by the many famous architects and artists who worked in Turin), Turin’s Duomo (this cathedral is the only example of Renaissance architecture in town).
Then, continue on to the Langhe area and settle in. Dinner and overnight.
Day 7 – Langhe Full Day Private Tour with White Truffle Hunt
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning your first visit Cherasco, a quadrilateral planned town with a very interesting historic center. Take a stroll along the orthogonal streets opened with porticos and embellished by civic and religious buildings that go from the Medieval to the Baroque. After a 2 hours visit continue on to Serralunga to visit the slender and majestic Castle of Serralunga d’Alba. The Castle overshadows one of the most beautiful and historically intact villages of the Langhe, surrounded by the hills of Barolo vineyards. Considered to be one of the best-conserved examples of 14th century noble castles in Piedmont, this castle represents a unique piece of history in Italy with an architectural structure of a French donjon.
Lunch in a characteristic local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will learn all about one of this region’s most famous specialties, the truffle. After this short introduction, you will venture into the woods with the trifolau (truffle hunter) and his dog, to put your newfound knowledge to the test and find your own little nugget of white gold! Next you will visit a local farm and taste some of their products, which include cheeses and succulent salamis, paired with good local wine.
Late afternoon transfer to your hotel in the Langhe area for dinner and overnight.
Day 8 – Parma and Modena Gourmet Tour
After breakfast leave the Langhe region and depart for Emilia Romagna. Upon arrival enjoy an excursion to a cheese factory, where you will see all the working steps in the production of Parmigiano Reggiano, the world´s most famous (and delicious!) artisan cheese made only here in the Emilia-Romagna countryside. You will have the rare opportunity to witness the entire process, from the early morning delivery of the milk from local farmers to crafting of the curds by the master cheese-maker, to the final aging process. You will also see huge storage of this cheese. At the end of the visit, you will enjoy the breakfast of the champion with a glass or two of good, dry Lambrusco, and, of course, plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese tastings.
From the Parmigiano factory the tour moves to the “Acetaia” to see the secrets of the famous Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena D.O.P (certified Balsamic Vinegar, minimum 12 years old). This is not a factory – this is a single family producing small amounts of the world’s finest vinegar for generations using the same ancient technique of aging grapes in oak barrels (batterie) that Italian families in this region have been using for centuries. The result is a condiment so delicious it has to be tasted. Full tasting of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena
DOP allows you to compare 6 years old balsamic condiment with 12 and 25 years old Balsamic. Now you will continue to see the manufacturing of Prosciutto. Here you’ll learn the careful craft of creating one of the most delicious pork products. You will also enjoy full tasting of fresh slices prosciutto di Modena D.O.P in a combination with some nice Lambrusco wine. Continue on to Bologna and accommodation in hotel.
Day 9 – Bologna and Maranello
Breakfast. This morning meet your local guide and enjoy a half day guided tour of Bologna. The first major attractions you’ll see are right in Piazza Maggiore, including the Neptune Fountain (Fontana del Nettuno in Italian) that has become one of the city symbols, and the Basilica di San Petronio. The enormous church is unfinished outside, and there are some interesting features inside which your guide will point out. Your next stop is the Piazza della Mercanzia, where food stalls line side streets so you can see the colorful produce that’s in season and local to this region. Then you’ll make your way to the Archiginnasio, which was once the home of the University of Bologna – the world’s oldest university, opened in the 11th century. After basking in the glow of Bologna’s historic university, you’ll walk to the Church of Santa Maria della Vita to see an impressive collection of 15th-century life-sized terracotta figures mourning the dead Christ. The final stop on your tour is at the base of the two leaning towers in the heart of historic Bologna, known as the “Due Torri” in Italian. The Asinelli is the taller tower, which you can climb (not part of the tour), while the Garisenda’s tilt is too severe to allow climbers.
In the afternoon transfer to the world-famous Motorvalley! You will stop in Maranello, home base of the Ferrari Factory since early 1940’s. In the Ferrari Gallery you’ll admire a small exhibition featuring memorabilia, classic engines and many vintage cars. Browse through the five themed rooms in the museum. See the incredible collection of automobile artifacts on display, including an exhibit of World Championship cars. At the end of the visits return to Bologna for a free evening. Overnight Bologna.
Day – 10 Departure
Breakfast and then transfer to Bologna airport for your return flight.
Daily departures tailor-made by your Italian Destination Specialist
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