HIGHLIGHTS: Florence, Lucca, Cinque Terre, Parma, pasta lesson in Bologna, Parmigiano cheese tour and tasting, balsamic vinegar tour and tasting, wine tasting at beautiful vineyard in Tuscany, truffle hunt, Alba, Lake Orta  

The DolceVita Italian Food Tour includes:

• Accommodations in first-class hotels for 10 nights • A private small coach bus with driver • An experienced full-time guide throughout the tour • 15 meals- All breakfasts, 4 dinners and one lunch at a family farmhouse • Pasta making lesson in Bologna • Wine tasting at a vineyard in Tuscany • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese factory tour • Balsamic vinegar tour and tasting • Truffle hunt and farmhouse lunch in Piemonte region • Local licensed guides in Florence and Bologna • All gratuities Prices are per person, double occupancy. Single Supplement: $695 This is a land-only package. You can make your own flight arrangements and use frequent flyer miles if you have them. Please note, arrival is on Sunday (departure from the U.S. on Saturday for an overnight flight to Italy). Last day of tour is Wednesday, arrival in the U.S. is the same day of departure from Italy. Does not include: transfer from and to airport, airfare, city taxes, or any other personal travel expenses. When you sign up for one of our tours we will send out information including tips on booking a flight, obtaining travel insurance, and packing for your trip. Our aim is to to prepare you in advance so that you can travel with confidence. Please note that since this is a food tour it does not include entrances to the Uffizi Gallery or to the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David in Florence. We can help you make a reservation to see David in your free time on Day 5. And if this is your first visit to Italy we would highly recommend that you consider arriving a day or two early. Early arrival is a great idea for getting over jet lag in time for your tour. Reservations are accepted and confirmed upon receipt of trip deposit of $300 per traveler, payable by check in U.S Dollars, money order, cashiers check, along with a completed and signed registration form. The balance of the tour price is due 60 days before departure. Payments not received within 60 days of travel will be considered notification of cancellation by default. Your deposit is fully refundable up to 120 days before the tour departure date. We recommend travel cancellation and interruption insurance for this purpose. There is no refund for unused portions of a tour once it has commenced. Should a trip be cancelled, payments will be fully refunded. We strongly recommend that you purchase travel and health insurance to provide yourself protection from unanticipated medical and travel emergencies.  

Day 1  Welcome to Italia! Check into our historic hotel in the heart of Bologna, the hub of the Emilia Romagna region. You may rest after the flight or freshen up and start exploring this remarkable city. We’ll meet in the early evening for a brief orientation and then enjoy a welcome dinner together at a favorite restaurant. Sleep in Bologna 3 nights. Day 2  La Grassa Meet our local guide for a walk through the markets and historic center of Bologna– whose nickname, La Grassa (“The Fat One”), refers to its delicious cuisine. We’ll learn about the local specialties, such as mortadella and prosciutto, which contribute to this region’s fame, and then join in a pasta-making lesson. Afterward there will be free time to explore this lovely city, home of the world’s oldest university. Day 3  Parma This morning we’ll get an early start to witness the making of Parmigiano-Reggiano, the king of cheeses, produced exclusively in this region in precisely the same manner for over nine centuries. We’ll then visit Parma, another fabulous food town, in the afternoon. And to top off this day of culinary delights, we’ll stop near Modena, well known for its balsamic vinegar. Learn how this wonderful condiment is produced and then savor a taste of some authentic sweet aged balsamic. Day 4  Tuscany and Winery Visit As we depart Bologna, we’ll wind our way south and through the hills of Tuscany in our private coach to a lovely vineyard surrounded by scenic views. We will be given a tour of the estate, where we’ll hear about the production of this region’s famous Chianti and take part in a private wine tasting . Then it’s a short drive to our Tuscan village hotel, where we spend the next 2 nights. Day 5  Firenze We’ll start the day with a walking tour of the beautiful Tuscan city of Florence– birthplace of the Renaissance – including a fun stop in the large Mercato Centrale, or central market. In the afternoon, feel free to explore the city, climb Brunelleschi’s dome or indulge in some of Italy’s finest gelato. Day 6  Lucca and Liguria Today we head toward the coast, to the region of Liguria. This is the land of focaccia and pesto alla Genovese, Italy’s finest. It’s also home to the Cinque Terre, five tiny villages overlooking the sea. On our way we will stop for lunch at the lovely little city of Lucca, and take a stroll along its intact Renaissance era walls. We’ll reach our destination of Levanto and take in a pesto-making demonstration. Sleep in Levanto 2 nights. Day 7  Cinque Terre We’ll take off for the rugged coastal towns of the Cinque Terre, which are a 5-minute train ride away. Connected by trails, trains, and boats, the terraced vineyards and colorful homes clinging to the cliffs make this day a picture postcard outing. Day  8  Barolo and Alba Today we’ll move on to our next region, tranquil Piemonte, a beautiful and often overlooked corner of Italy. Home to the international Slow Food movement, this area is known primarily for its excellent wines, truffles, hazelnuts, and chocolate. We’ll head straight to the hills to try some of the fine wine produced in this area. Then it’s off to the wonderful town of Alba, and our centrally located hotel. Sleep in Alba 2 nights. Day 9  Farmhouse Lunch Since it’s truffle season we’ll spend the morning with a local trifulau, a truffle hunter who will show us, with the aid of his talented dog, how to find the highly prized white truffles of this region. We will then enjoy a wonderful farm-to-table lunch prepared by his family in their farmhouse. Day 10  Lake Orta We’ll then head north to enchanting Lake Orta, where we’ll stroll the cobblestone streets of this hidden gem of the lake region and take a boat out to Isola San Giulio. Tonight, we’ll celebrate our marvelous trip with a farewell group dinner. Day  11  A La Prossima After breakfast, we’ll say arrivederci and head for Malpensa– Milan’s closest airport– which is 60-90 minutes away by taxi or bus– and our flight home.

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