Italy Art Cities Food and Wine Tour

Day 01: Venice Arrival | Welcome to Italy! Upon your arrival at Venice Airport, our local English speaking representative will be waiting to welcome you. You will be transferred to your hotel in San Marco Area. The balance of this first day is at leisure. Overnight in Venice.

Day 02: Venice | This morning after breakfast meet in your Personal Guide at the Hotel lobby for an enchanting panoramic tour over the history of St. Mark’s square and its main monuments: You will visit the Cathedral of Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s palace, fourteenth century building from where the ancient Venetian republic exerted the control over the city. Passing through the famous Bridge of Sighs you will reach the Prisons Palace. Proper attire is required while visiting the Basilica. For security reasons bags, back-packs, etc. cannot be taken into the Basilica. Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon meeting with our expert guide-sommelier for a ” Bacari tour “, she will introduce you the hidden Venice by this food & wine experience. The Bacari, the local down-to-earth version of wine bars, serve tapas like “cicheti”, traditionally washed down with a glass of wine, and Venetians stop to snack and socialize before and after meals. They are called “Bacari” in honour to Bacchus, the God of Wine…. We’ll drink wine and eat “cicheti”, cheese, seafood or cold cut appetizers freshly made during the day. Wandering from place to place we shall learn more about the people of the old Venice and the lifestyle of a community of pedestrians! Overnight in Venice.

Day 03: Fish cooking demonstration and Venetian Masks Atelier | Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet with your guide-sommelier at the hotel lobby for a fish cooking demonstration and lunch in a restaurant in Laguna. The tour lasts 3 hours, you will start with the visit at the Rialto area, the Fruit and Vegetable market, and the Fish one, definitely the best in terms of variety and freshness. Then your guide will take you across the Grand Canal by a gondola ferry and reach the Cannaregio district, walk to the restaurant where the chef will show you the fish of the day, according to the season, freshness and availability at the market. In order to fully appreciate his unique style, after the tour you will have the chance to taste a menu based on a selection of the best dishes. In the afternoon you will have the extraordinary opportunity to visit with your guide a Gondola yard and an Atelier of Venetian Masks. The Tramontin gondola yard dates from the XIXth cent., when Venice joined the Reign of Italy. The master in charge, Roberto Tramontin, will explain the history and the features of such a special boat, designed and meant exclusively for the Venice canals. The mask Atelier will tell you the history of the Venetian masks through the centuries, the different reasons why people loved disguising themselves, and show you the most common Venetian masks which are still produced according to the traditional processes. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Venice.

Day 04: Venice – Euganean Hills Wine Tour – Florence | Breakfast at the Hotel. On route to your Hotel in Florence, travel through Padova province Euganean Hills. The day’s excursion starts with a visit to a typical cantina in the Veneto region. Arrive in the medieval town of Arqua Petrarca where, weather permitting, you will tour the vineyards with the owners. Learn about the area’s grape growing techniques from the vintners themselves and, after a short description of the winemaking process, enjoy a wine tasting in the wine bar in the center of Arqua Petrarca. Your wine tasting will be led by the vineyard owner along with your guide, who is a sommelier and cheese expert. Next, take a scenic drive to a local restaurant and enjoy a light lunch featuring traditional dishes and excellent wine. After lunch, visit another cantina with the owner, who will explain the local production technique before leading you through a second wine tasting with more of the famous regional varieties. Late afternoon transfer to your hotel in Florence.

Day 05: Florence Cooking Lesson & Private Tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. In the morning market visit with the chef and cooking lesson, lunch will follow. In the afternoon your local Florentine guide will meet at the hotel and will lead you on a unique walking tour discovering secret spots of Florence, taking in unusual corners and hidden small squares. Florence’s rich past as the cultural centre of the Italian Renaissance can still be seen today in the wealth of art gathered here and in the preservation of its splendid architecture. The tour includes visits of the Duomo and the Baptistry, the Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, and the famous Accademia Gallery (entrance fee included). Overnight in Florence.

Day 06: Florence – Gastronomic tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. In the morning you will have a gastronomic tour with your chef, you will visit the best gastronomic shops, in the historic centre where you will taste Prosciutto, Tuscan cured meats and Parmigiano Reggiano, then you will visit the best cheese shop where you will taste best Italian cheeses ( sheep, goat and cow ). Then onto a superb artisan chocolate shop, the owner and master buys the best cocoa beans and produces his own excellent chocolate . our next stop will be at one of the most historic delicatessens in the city, which still represents a classic meeting place for Florentines as well as the preferred destination for lovers of specialties made with truffles. You will taste the famous sandwich with truffle paste. Your afternoon gastronomic tour will end at an well known, historic Enoteca ( wine shop ) where you will have a wine and olive oil tasting. Overnight in Florence.

Day 07: Florence – San Gimignano – Siena – Rome | After breakfast at the hotel, meet the driver in the lobby for a Private Tour of the Tuscany countryside, on route to your Castel Hotel in Tuscany. First visit San Gimignano, a splendid example of medieval town declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. San Gimignano will leave you astonished by its beauty. Enjoy a light lunch and a wine tasting before continuing to Siena to meet your Guide for a private tour of Italy’s loveliest medieval city. Siena’s heart is Il Campo or Campo’s square, where the famous horse race Il Palio, that takes place two times each summer. The town offer magnificent masterpieces and incredible views. Afternoon transfer to your Hotel in Rome. Overnight in Rome.

Day 08: Market visit, Cooking lesson and Rome Private Tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet your driver at the lobby. Firstly you’ll be taken to a nice visit to the enchanting places where romans love to go grocery shopping, a real experience in the heart of the city. Your cooking class will take place few steps from Spanish Steps in a old house once luxury home of a roman princess. There, on your hands-on cooking lesson you will learn some authentic recipes of the Roman and Italian cuisine. Lunch will follow the lesson. Lesson lasts from 10am to 1pm. After lunch it is time for a Private Tour of Rome main monuments and fountains. Visit Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps and of course the Colosseum. Overnight in Rome.

Day 09: Rome Food Tour | Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet your driver at the lobby for a Rome Culinary Private Tour. Rome might be famous for its artistic and historical wonder, but the eternal city has another spectacular tradition that cannot be overlooked: cuisine. Start the day with a morning coffee of your choice at one of Rome’s most beloved cafas while our local food and wine expert explains the history and secrets of Italian made coffee. This tour is about exploring food in a cultural context. We’ll visit a market and learn about seasonal foods and also the local cucina povera. We’ll stop in at a local forno, where bread has been made by the same family for decades, to try some pizza bianca. A visit to the Jewish Ghetto will allow us to discover how a culture that has been a part of Rome for hundreds of years still has a tremendous influence on the cuisine of the city today, while sampling either carciofi alla giudia or fritti misti depending on the season. Next comes a stop in a cheese shop to taste artisanal cheeses accompanied by both white and red wine. After a morning filled with trying local foods, pasties, olive oil and more, we’ll finish off this delicious and delectable tour with a gelato. Late afternoon return to your hotel. Overnight in Rome.

Day 10: Rome Departures | After breakfast at the hotel enjoy a Private Transfer from your Hotel to Rome Airport.

• 3 Nights Venice
• 3 Nights Florence
• 3 Nights Rome
• Private Transportation by Mercedes E or V Class with English Speaking Driver
• Private Guided Tours with Professional Local Guides | Door to Door Service
• Entrances to Museums, Galleries, Archeological Parks and other Venues
• Breakfast at Hotels, All Food & Wine Tours/Enogastronomic and Most Lunches.
• 24/7 Assistance and Support from our Ground Operational Office in Italy