La Bellissima Italian Experience

Today you will arrive in Naples and transfer to the beautiful coastal town of Sorrento. We include transfers from the Naples International Airport, or the Naples Train Station to your first-class hotel in Sorrento, overlooking the gorgeous Bay of Naples near Mount Vesuvius.

Check in to Hotel, then get together at 6:00PM for a reception, during which we will get to know each other. Following our reception, we will have dinner together before calling it a night.

Here we will visit the oldest mozzarella cheese producer on the Sorentine Penninsula. We’ll be given a private tour of the cheese factory as they show us how mozzarella is made, and this is the place to do it, since the mozzarella from this region is known to be the absolute best in Italy! After the demonstration, you will be given the chance to get suited up and make your own mozzarella!

We’ll have lunch together at the mozzarella factory. Today we will be having some home-made pasta with a selection of local cheeses and salames that are typical of this region.

A little time to rest after lunch

Later in the afternoon, we will venture out on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast drive, considered to be among the most beautiful shorelines on earth. We’ll stop for the evening in Positano, known as the pearl of the Amalfi coast. This enchanting village, which is full of pastel houses and colorful shops, has been featured in countless films; including Under the Tuscan Sun and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

back to the hotel for the night

After breakfast this morning, we will take the short hop down to the port, where our own private boat will await us to take us out for the day. We’ll start by crossing the bay to the Island of Capri, where we will be dropped off in the tiny portside village. We’ll have time to explore at our leisure and take the funicular up to Anacapri to do some shopping in Capri’s many world-class shops.

Later in the morning we’ll board the boat once again for a guided trip around the island, along the spectacularly dramatic coastline. This will be the afternoon of a lifetime. We’ll stop at virtually all of the grottos & take swimming breaks for those that want to dive into the pristine turquoise water. Of course, we will stop at the world-famous Blue Grotto, where you will have the chance to jump into a smaller boat and explore this magical cave of luminescent blue water.

While cruising around the island, the captain of our boat will have drinks and Caprese Panini available for us for lunch. Caprese, which is originally from Capri, is truly spectacular here. The bread used for Panini here is unlike anything else, and the combination with fresh tomatoes and buffala mozzarella is out of this world… perfect for a day at sea!

Afternoon & Evening in Sorrento

Today we can take it easy in the morning before check out. As we leave the Amalfi coastline, we will drive toward Naples for lunch.

Naples is the birthplace of Pizza, and any Italian will tell you that if you want the best pizza, this is the place to have it. We will be having our pizza at a truly special place that is widely considered among Italians to be the best pizzeria in the entire country. We’ll start with the freshest buffala mozzarella and prosciutto for our appetizer, before they bring out massive trays of this truly amazing pizza, which is served to us ‘by the meter’.

After lunch, we will proceed toward Naples, passing by Mt Vesuvius to its best-known victim, Pompeii. This city was buried in volcanic ash in 79 AD when Mt. Vesuvius erupted. We’ll have a private expert-guided tour as we explore the city streets and ancient architecture.

After our visit to Pompeii, we will continue to Rome and check into our first-class hotel in downtown Rome, close to everything. You will have the evening free to rest up or take off and explore the city on your own.

This morning take it easy or venture out with us to explore ancient Rome, The Colosseum, The Pantheon, The Spanish Steps & The Trevi Fountain. For those that are more into cooking, we will also offer a Gelato making class instead of the tour of downtown Rome!

Later in the day we will meet and cross the invisible border into the smallest country in the world, Vatican City. We’ll walk past all the crowds as we skip all of the lines for our private tour of the Vatican Museums, where we will wander through the map gallery & tapestries as we make our way to the Sistine Chapel to experience firsthand Michelangelo’s breathtaking masterpiece.

After our Vatican tour, we will venture just outside of Rome to an area called ‘Castelli Romani’ (Roman Castles), where we will pass by Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence as we make our way to the town of Ariccia. This is the birthplace of Porchetta, which is one of central Italy’s most treasured culinary traditions. Porchetta is a deboned suckling pig, slow-roasted with salt, pepper and fennel. As it cooks, the skin forms a crispy crust that insulates the moisture of the meat, and produces a truly amazing flavor.

Ariccia is known by locals for its rustic outdoor taverns, known locally as ‘fraschette’, with long wooden communal tables and an incredibly festive atmosphere. Tonight we will pick a fraschetta for our dinner and enjoy some Porchetta, fresh Romano cheese, local salames, and the local Romanella, a slightly sweet and effervescent wine.

After dinner, we will head back to our hotel for the night.

After breakfast , we will leave Rome and make our way north through the beautiful Tiber Valley and we move toward Umbria, The Green Heart of Italy. We’ll start our day by visiting a wonderful off-the-beaten-path town called Civita di Bagnoregio. This nearly deserted town was originally built by the Etruscans in the 6th century BC. It is called the dying city because it is literally crumbling away thanks to thousands of years of erosion, to the point that it is now accessible only by a foot bridge. Civita resembles a ghost town, but is extremely well kept as a place where time is frozen.

Next we will take a short drive to a small family-run winery and olive mill in the village of Castiglione in Teverina. The local wines here (a variety of whites and reds) is relatively unknown outside of Italy, but those that have had it consider it on par with the best known Tuscans at a fraction of the price. The olive oil here is without doubt the best you will experience. The volcanic earth in this area produces some of the best olives in Italy, and their antique cold-press mill produces some of the smoothest, purest and lowest acidity olive oil you will ever experience.

One of the owners will give us a private tour of their wine cellar and antique cold-press olive mill, followed by a full tasting of their line of wines and their olive oil. We’ll have lunch here prepared by the ‘Mamma’ of the family. She’ll make us a selection of salames from local farmers, veggies from her own garden,Tuscan beans with pancetta, fresh ricotta from local farmers, and quite a bit more… all fresh and locally produced right here in. You are sure to fall in love with the family here as they share their home with us.

After lunch, we’ll take it easy in the breathtaking setting that overlooks the Umbrian hills, take a little walk through the vineyards and olive orchards, and simply enjoy a relaxing afternoon together. This is always a major highlight of the trip.

Finally we will take a short drive to the Umbrian city of Orvieto, which is the home to one of Italy’s most magnificent cathedrals, as well as the world-renowned white Orvieto Classico wine and beautiful ceramics shops. We’ll check into our hotel here, and give you the evening free to explore this beautiful town on your own.

After our morning breakfast we check out of our Orvieto hotel and head to the Umbrian city of Deruta, which is known for its world-famous ‘majolica’ ceramics. Deruta is home to a centuries old ceramics tradition that is unparalleled anywhere in the world, and is among the most valued Italian ceramics internationally. We will have a factory tour, and those that are up to it can try their hand at the pottery wheel. If you are interested in purchasing any pottery or ceramics this trip, this is the place with extremely deep discounts compared to what you will find elsewhere... a fraction of the costs back home.

As we leave Deruta, we will make our way to Assisi, the hometown of St. Francis. Still surrounded by its ancient walls, is sits on the slopes of Mount Subasio with beautiful rose stone buildings, winding narrow streets, noble palaces and balconies full of flowers. You will have the rest of the day to explore this beautiful city at your leisure, visit the Basilica (the tomb of St. Francis), do some shopping, etc.

After Assisi we will leave Umbria behind as we cross into Tuscany. We’ll drive beautiful Tuscan country roads, passing Cortona along the northern shore of Lake Trasimeno, made famous in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. We’ll make a quick stop for dinner before we continue to our hotel in Siena, where we will spend the next three nights.

Siena is without question one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. Built on three steep hills, it remains practically unchanged since medieval times. Siena's Piazza del Campo is widely considered one of the most beautiful piazzas in the world, and is well-known as the site of the famous Palio di Siena horse race. A first-class hotel at this amazing location will be our home base for the next three nights.

After breakfast this morning, we will set out driving through the hills of the Tuscany’s Chianti wine district on our way to the darling hilltown of Montepulciano. This town is best known for its Vino Nobile wine, a major competitor for the more famous Brunello, and rated as one of the finest wines in Italy. Here we will tour an ancient 14th century wine cellar that was built underneath the Palace of Cardinal Ricci. This cellar is widely considered to be the most beautiful in the world. After the tour, we will participate in a complete tasting of Montepulciano’s fantastic wines.

As we leave Montepulciano, we will take what is widely accepted as one of the most scenic drives in the world, The Orcia Valley Wine Trail. This is the classic Tuscan scenery you dream of, full of cypress trees surrounding villas atop rolling hills stretched with vineyards. Every turn will be a photo opportunity today.

Along the way we will stop in beautiful Pienza, known for its incredible Pecorino cheese, colorful flowers, and incredible views. You will have some time to walk around this charming village, grab a bite to eat, shoot pictures, do some Pecorino cheese tastings from local shepherds and some shopping while here.

As we leave Pienza, we will make our way once again on the Orcia Valley Wine Trail to the town of Montalcino, home of what is arguably the best of all Italian wines: Brunello. Instead of going to the big wineries for impersonal tastings like other tours, we have something truly exclusive in store for you today. We will visit the small, private, Croce di Mezzo winery in Montalcino which shares a fence line with Biondi Santi and Fattoria dei Barbi.

Here we will be treated to a cooking class by the owner of the winery herself. During our cooking class, we will have time to visit the vineyards of the estate, tour the wine cellars, and simply take it all in.

Our dinner tonight will be the meal we prepare in our class, which will naturally feature their fantastic Brunello wine.

After dinner we will head back to Siena for the night.

After breakfast today we will drive to Florence for the day. Florence is without question the world epicenter of art. We’ll start our day in Florence with a guided tour of the Galleria dell’Accademia, where we will see Michelangelo’s statue of David. Next, we will take a walking tour of Florence, including the famous Sant'Ambrogio food market, Piazza della Signoria, Santa Croce, Ponete Vecchio and more. As we end our walking tour, we will experience a demonstration at one of Florence's most famous tanneries. After the tour you will have the rest of the day to explore this wonderful city at your leisure, take in some shopping, etc.

For those that would prefer, we offer a morning cooking class in the heart of Florence instead of the guided tour of Florence.

In the early evening we will head back to Siena, giving you time on your own this evening to explore Siena at your own pace.

This morning you will have time to take it easy, sleep in, or head out exploring a little more of Siena on your own. In the early afternoon, we will visit San Gimignano, famed for its medieval skyscrapers, high walls and narrow streets. In fact, many call San Gimignano the ‘Medieval Manhattan’.

As we leave San Gimignano, we will make our way to Pisa, home of the Leaning Tower. We’ll stop at the famed ‘Piazza of Miracles’ and give you some time to enjoy this world-famous landmark before we move on.

We’ll have dinner en-route together after leaving Pisa, and will sleep in a first-class hotel in the city of Viareggio for the next two nights.

After breakfast, we’ll spend the entire day in charming villages of the Cinque Terre (Five Lands in Italian). For centuries, these breathtaking storybook villages were accessible only by sea. Cinque Terre is one of those places that you want to explore at your own pace, so today we will leave you with a suggested itinerary for the day, letting you take it all as it comes.

We'll start at Portovenere this morning. Here you will get a boat that will take you to the first of the villages, Riomaggiore. Take your time exploring the village then make the walk through the famous Via dell'Amore” that will bring you to the village of Manarola. After visiting Manarola, you can take the boat again to Vernazza, then again to Monterosso.

At the end of the day, our minibus will be waiting for us at Monterosso. On our way back to the hotel, we will stop near the Marble Quarries of Cararra for dinner. This is the site that Michelangelo came to pick his marble for his sculptures, and is known as 'Michelangelo's Mountain'. If time permists, we will explore some of the marble working here. This is also the home of a truly special Tuscan delicacy that we will enjoy with dinner tonight: Lardo di Colonnata, a food eaten by the local masons for centuries.

Back to our Viareggio hotel for the nigt

After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and make our way to the region of Emiglia Romagna, home not only to many of Italy’s most prized culinary traditions (Prosciutto, Parmigianino, Bolognese, Balsamic Vinegar, etc. ), but Italy’s ‘Motor Valley’, home of Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Ducati! We’ll spend two days full of incredible food and Italian sports cars here!

We’ll begin in the countryside of Parma, where we will be treated to a private guided tour of a Prosciutto di Parma (Parma Ham) factory. We’ll experience the working of the ham through the salting and fatting, then visit the cold stores and in ageing warehouses. We’ll learn how to check the prosciutto's quality, and finally have a prosciutto tasting.

After our visit to the factory, we’ll have lunch together in a local trattoria, focusing on local specialties, such as Risotto with Balsamic Vinegar and shaved parmesan, Fettuccine Bolognese, etc.

When we have finished our lunch, we will proceed to Modena, check into our first-class hotel and take a couple hours to rest up.

In the early evening we will drive to the nearby town of Maranello, home of Ferrari. We’ll drive by the factory gates, pass the race track (of course, if they are testing any cars, we’ll certainly stop to take some pictures!), then visit The Ferrari Gallery, the official museum. You will learn all about these amazing cars, see Formula 1 Ferraris, Ferrari road cars from the beginning to the most modern, and even some one-of-a-kind Ferraris.

After our visit, we’ll have dinner in a local restaurant and enjoy more local cuisine from this rich culinary region before heading to our hotel for the night.

The culinary experience just keeps getting better today. This morning we will leave early for a special treat! We’ll be visiting a true Parmiggiano Reggiano dairy. Parmiggiano (Parmesan cheese) is made in various areas of Italy, but the ‘Reggiano’ is by leaps and bounds the most coveted of all.

We’ll be treated to a two hour tour of the dairy, during which we will experience the entire production process, including the processing of milk in the cauldrons, putting of cheese in the molds, and salting and maturation of the cheese wheels. We will visit the warehouses where seemingly endless wheels of cheese are being aged, and finally we will have a tasting.

Following our dairy visit, we will make our way to the ‘Magripa Acetaia’, one of the oldest family-run Balsamic Vinegar producers in the world, dating back to 1865. This is one of the few true ‘Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale’ producers, and our tour will be hosted by the owner himself. This is an experience you will not soon forget. True Aged Balsamic Vinegar is like black gold. It comes only from this area, and is nothing like the imitations you find in your local supermarket. In fact, tiny bottles of this product can cost hundreds of dollars, and you will soon completely understand why.

We will visit his aging rooms where he will explain the procession of larger to smaller barrels, and how the local white wine transforms over a period of decades into the sweet, velvety elixir coveted by so many gourmet chefs.

Later we will participate in a tasting of various balsamic vinegars, including some as much as 50 years old. Finally, we will share lunch here, which will naturally be based on the local delicacies, such as balsamic vinegar, Parmiggiano Reggiano & Parma Prosciutto.

After we have finished our lunch, we will take a short drive to the Lamborghini factory, where we will not only visit the museum, but be given a full tour of the factory itself.

After our tour, we will leave for Venice, stopping for a light dinner on the way. Once we arrive in Venice, we will check into our first-class hotel along the canals.

Today you have the bulk of the day to yourself to explore Venice at your leisure. Enjoy a sroll through St. Mark's Square & Basilica, do some shopping around the Rialto bridge... simply take it all in. In the afternoon, those that wish can join us for a guiided tour of the Doge's Palace, which will be followed by a Gondola ride. Take the rest of the evening to explore this magical city at your own pace.

This morning we will get together and board a private boat that will take us through the Grand Canal, under the Rialto bridge, past St. Mark’s Square, and on to the island of Murano. Once at Murano, we will visit a glass factory and witness a glass blowing demonstration.

Next, we will proceed to the beautiful island of Burano, the island of lace with its colorful houses and signature laundry hanging across narrow streets. Strolling through Burano feels like you are walking in a coloful painting.

We’ll have some time to explore the beautiful shops full of lace products before we return to Venice in the afternoon.

Tonight we will enjoy our farewell dinner together at a lovely restaurant in Venice.

Unfortunately our time together comes to a close this morning. After breakfast, Transfers to the Venice San Marco airport or the train station are included today for those that will not be spending more time in Venice.