Complete Itinerary
Oct. 7 Thursday - Depart in the evening from JFK, New York, via Delta nonstop direct to Pisa, Italy.
Oct. 8 Friday - Arrive Pisa International Airport, meet our private bus, and enjoy an orientation bus tour of Pisa with its famous Leaning Tower and Duomo in Piazza del Duomo, great food, charming marketplace with a stop for lunch and gelato. Then we drive to Casa Bolsinina, our home for three nights, a “typical country house” built in 18th century completely rebuilt in 1997 combining the original architectural structure with all modern comforts, located between historic Siena and the Brunello paradise Montalcino in the heart of Tuscany. Relax and beour guest for a welcome dinner.
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| Casa Bolsinina, our villa in Tuscany | Pienza, the home of Pecorino cheese |
Oct. 9 Saturday - In the morning we will participate in a Tuscan cooking class in nearby Siena and enjoy the lunch we make. Then we will visit Greve in Chianti, unofficial capital of Chianti wine, with a private tour and wine tasting at Fattoria Viticcio Winery owned by our friends, Alexandro and Nicoleta Landini. We will enjoy a walk through the town of Greve for shopping and dinner.
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| La Sorbetteria Gelateria, Bologna | Piazza in Siena |
Oct. 10 Sunday - A full-day excursion in the Tuscan countryside exploring food and wine with stops in the medieval cities of Pienza known for its Pecorino cheese, Montalcino (a wine lover’s mecca for Brunello wines) for wine tasting at Fattoria Dei Barbi, and to Montepulciano known for itscheeses, olive oil and Sangiovese wine, where “wine is king and culture”, for a walk through town and dinner at Caffe Poliziano with its exquisite panorama view of the valley below.
Oct. 11 Monday - After breakfast, we leave for historic Bologna (“the capital of Italy’s cuisine”), for a two-day stay at the Art Hotel Commercianti, overlooking the Basilica di San Petronio in the heart of Piazza Maggiore amid museums, theatres, shopping and the oldest university in the world. We will join our good friends Giacomo and Marina Schavion for a private hands-on workshop at “il Coccolato” with Marina and “la Sorbetteria Castiglione” with Giacomo to learn how they make their famous chocolates and gelato. Dinner at De Fabio with Giacomo and Marina.
Oct. 12 Tuesday - In the morning we will participate in a Tuscan cooking class at the world-famous Tamburini, owned by our good friend Giovanni Tamburini, where we will learn how to cook Bolognese food and eat what we prepare. The rest of the day you will be on your own for sightseeing, shopping and dinner.
Oct. 13 Wednesday - After breakfast, we travel north to Verona, the birthplace of Romeo and Juliet, to the Grand Hotel of Verona. On our way to the Veneto region we will stop along the picturesque countryside for tastings of truffles, olive oil, white asparagus (in season) and Bassano del Grappa (home to the Nardini distillery where the grappa liqueur has been distilled for more than a century). We will arrive in the late afternoon in Verona and settle in for two nights in City Centre where you can leisurely walk around and have a relaxing dinner on your own.
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| Verona |
Oct. 14 Thursday - We will go to the Lake Garda area, beautifully imbedded between high mountains, olive groves and vineyards and follow "la strada del vino" (the wine road) to Bardolino, Valpolicellaand Custoza. We will do a vineyard tour wandering around the vineyards and tasting the wines of the Lake Garda region best known for its white Soave wine and lighter Bardolino and Valpolicella red wines. We might even catch a wine festival in Bardolino. Back in Verona, you will be our guest for a farewell dinner.
Oct. 15 Friday - Morning transfer to Venice airport for return nonstop trip flight to New York.
By making your reservation by March 31, 2010, you will receive
a $350 discount per person off the total cost of the tour.