DAY 1 | Rome/Cortona
Welcome to Italy! After meeting your guide in the Rome airport, you'll go to Cortona and stay overnight in a typical Italian residence. Enjoy some relaxation before the welcome dinner, specially prepared by the chef. The residence is a restored farmhouse with a beautiful garden, swimming pool, and jacuzzi. Feel free to wander the grounds and relax on your first night in Italy!
DAY 2 | Pienza/Montepulciano
On your second day in Italy, we'll set out in the morning for Pienza, the "Ideal city of the Renaissance." Your guide will show you Pienza's magnificent sites and then take you for a guided visit of nearby Montepulciano. We'll have lunch in a Montepulciano restaurant and then visit the Fattoria Val di Piatta, a winery producing "Vino Novile" di Montepulciano - world-renowned red wine. After that, whet your appetite with a typical Tuscan cooking demonstration, followed by dinner in a farmhouse. Then it's back to the residence in Cortona for another relaxing night. [B,L,D]
DAY 3 | Fattoria Avignonesi/Cortona
Another day of eating delicious Tuscan food - start the day with breakfast at the residence in Cortona, followed by a visit to the Fattoria Avignonesi, a nearby winery where we'll have lunch. Then, it's back to Cortona for a tour of this medieval city, situated high on a Tuscan hillside. After the tour, we'll wind down with a light dinner in a Cortonese restaurant. [B,L,D]
DAY 4 | Torgiano/Deruta/Assisi
After breakfast, we'll depart for Torgiano, where we'll visit the Lungarotti cellars and its museum of wine and olive oil. After a typical Umbrian lunch and wine tasting, it's off to Deruta, known worldwide for its beautiful hand-crafted ceramics. Then we'll travel to nearby Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi and the home of the famous Basilica of St. Francis of Assis. After dinner, it's back to the residence in Cortona. [B,L,D]
DAY 5 | Monte Oliveto/Montalcino
We'll start the day with a visit to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, a fourteenth-century Abbey complex overlooking the Tuscan countryside. After Monte Oliveto, it's off to the medieval town of Montalcino and its Abbey of Sant'Antimo, where we may have the opportunity to hear some world-famous Gregorian chants. Then we'll stop at the vineyards and cellars of either the Fattoria dei Barbi or the Fattoria dei Banfi, traditional Italian wineries where we'll enjoy lunch and a wine tasting in their Taverna. In the afternoon, we'll head back to Cortona for another relaxing night of traditional Italian food - slow-cooked of course! [B,L,D]
DAY 6 | Siena/San Gimignano
We'll spend today exploring one of the most alluring cities in Italy. Wander through Siena's twisting medieval streets and wind up in the Piazza del Campo, a beautiful sqaure known for its annual horse race, the Palio. From the top of the Piazza tower, you can look over Siena and the breathtaking Tuscan countryside that surrounds it. Then visit Siena's black and white Duomo, and explore Siena's other sights - you'll never want to leave! Then it's off to nearby San Gimignano for a guided visit and lunch. After a day of visiting some of Italy's most picturesque cities, we'll head back to the residence and have dinner in a typical Italian restaurant. [B,L,D]
DAY 7 | Chianti/Florence
After breakfast at the residence, we'll set out for Florence, one of Italy's most beautiful and historic cities situated in the center of Tuscany. On the way, we'll stop for a wine tasting in the Chianti region - what better place to experience this world-famous wine than in a traditional Chianti winery! Then spend the rest of the day wandering through Florence's beautiful streets - look at the magnificent Duomo, see the Pitti Palace, and walk across the Ponte Vecchio. After exploring Florence, we'll have dinner in a restuarant and taste authentic Fiorentina steak before heading to our hotel in Florence. [B,L,D]
DAY 8 | Florence
Spend a full day in Florence, the former home of the Medici's and some of the greatest art in the world. After breakfast, we'll start off with a guided tour, taking you through all of Florence's amazing sights. We'll also meet with representatives of a Slow Food organization who will tell you what Slow Food is all about. Then we'll have dinner at a typical Florentine trattoria before heading back to the hotel. [B,L,D]
DAY 9 | Pisa/Lucca
Today we'll explore Pisa, home of the infamous leaning tower as well as a number of other beautiful buildings. Then we'll head to nearby Lucca, world-renowned for its delicious food. We'll experience some of what makes Lucca famous at lunch before heading back to Florence for dinner. [B,L,D]
DAY 10 | Florence/Parma
After breakfast, we'll leave Florence and go to Parma Colorno for a special visit to the "Universita di Scienze Gastronomiche," the University of Gastronomic Sciences and the home of the Slow Food movement. The University faculty studies food and drink in an attempt to understand and appreciate their cultural value. The university is an ambitious international project which, perhaps unsurprisingly, has been launched in Italy, a land of rich gastronomic traditions, by Slow Food. We'll meet with the president of the University and return to Florence in the evening. [B,L,D]
DAY 11 | Rome/Orvieto
After breakfast in Florence, we'll leave for Rome. On the way we'll stop by Orvieto, one of Italy's most interesting and unique cities, situated on top of a volcanic plateau. We'll continue on to Rome, where we'll have our farewell dinner in a restaurant - slow food, of course! [B,L,D]
DAY 12 | Flight Home
After 11 days of eating delicious Italian slow food and traveling through Italy's breathtaking countryside, it's time to leave!
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