La Dolce Vita - Gastronomy and Wine of Italy
Active pace with longer touring days. Expect intermittent walking at a moderate pace for 2–3 hours over a variety of terrain, including cobblestones, hills and uneven pavements. Must be able to negotiate stairs of varying heights, sometimes without handrails. Can tolerate periods of standing during guided tours and be able to climb in/out of various modes of transportation. Some days may include 5–7 km of walking over the course of the day.
We fly to Rome.
Transfer from Rome to Perugia, our base for 3 nights. After some free time to settle in, we will gather for a Welcome Dinner of traditional Umbrian recipes.
This morning we visit UNESCO-designated Assisi, with a guided tour and free time for lunch. We spend the afternoon at the renowned Wine Museum in Torgiano, followed by an Umbrian wine tasting.
Today we head south near Foligno for a truffle-hunting experience with locals, followed by a farm-fresh lunch with estate wines. Later, enjoy a guided tour of historic Perugia and a light dinner at a traditional local restaurant.
As we enter southern Tuscany, our first stop is on the outskirts of Montepulciano, where we’ll visit a winery and enjoy lunch in a local farmhouse. Next is Pienza, the city of Pecorino cheese, for a stop at a local cheese factory, before traveling to Viareggio, our base in Tuscany for the next 6 nights.
After a free morning, we take a cooking class at Antico Casale Toscano, making Tuscan-style soup, pasta (of course!), and tiramisù—and then enjoying our delicious dishes together.
Enjoy a free morning before departing for Lucca, a city rich in culture and culinary traditions. Take a walking tour of its charming centre, sample local delicacies, and end the day with dinner at a historic restaurant.
This morning, visit a renowned wine estate on the Tuscan coast before heading to Castagneto Carducci for a stop at a local liqueur shop and a traditional lunch. Explore the hilltop village’s historic centre and castle before continuing to the medieval town of Bolgheri along the famed wine route. Enjoy its charming streets, stunning views, and a visit to a local olive oil mill for a tasting before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Our first destination is San Gimignano, a medieval hilltop town famous for its many towers, frescoes, white wine, and saffron. A farmhouse lunch is included, accompanied by local Vernaccia wine. In the afternoon, we visit Volterra to see Roman and Etruscan archaeological sites.
We explore Bologna’s narrow streets, walking through arched porticos, arcaded walkways and past medieval walls. Lunch is homemade tortellini at a local restaurant. This afternoon, visit the renowned Ferrari Museum in Maranello near Modena before continuing to Parma for 2 nights, the heart of Italy’s Food Valley. Check in to your hotel, then enjoy dinner at a traditional local restaurant in the city centre
On our excursion to the Food Valley, we’ll visit 2 Italian food icon museums: the Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Museum in Soragna, and the Parma Ham Museum in Langhirano. Our light lunch will include a selection of regional charcuterie and cheeses. This afternoon we visit Parma, a city bursting with art, culture, and food. Our city tour will take in the octagonal towered Baptistry, built from the pink marble of Verona, and the cobbled Piazza del Duomo, on which stands Parma’s cathedral. There will be free time to explore Parma on our own. Dinner this evening will be in a local “Enoteca/osteria” featuring only local dishes and produce, and red wine.
Discover Cremona, the world- renowned home of traditional violin making, with a visit to a local luthier’s workshop to learn about this UNESCO-recognized craft. Explore the city’s historic centre before enjoying lunch in a local trattoria. Continue to Turin, Italy’s first capital and a celebrated culinary destination, for a two-night stay.
We start with a walking tour of Turin’s historic centre, with the afternoon free to explore before we gather again for an aperitif in a famous café.
Our first stop is Alba, capital of the Langhe region, where we explore its historical centre, which has many towers and Romantic-gothic monuments. We proceed to Canelli for lunch at a local winery, visit one of Canelli’s regional cathedral wineries for a tasting, then finish the day in Milan at a hotel near the airport.
We say arrivederci to Italy as Air Canada takes us home.
You may cancel your tour up to 60 days prior to departure (120 days prior for tours requiring a visa, cruises or rail journeys) for any reason, and receive a full refund of your deposit / payment (less the $75 administration fee).
Cancellation & trip interruption insurance included!
Included in the cost of your tour is our Cancellation Insurance Policy, which provides coverage in case of emergency injury or illness (including Covid), right up to your date of departure (terms and conditions apply).
Our Manulife Out-of-Country Health Insurance Plan covers expenses related to Trip Interruption in case of emergency injury or illness. For tours within Canada, Senior Discovery Tours will cover such expenses (terms and conditions apply to all policies).
