Wine Estates, Culture and Fun in Tuscany and the Cinque Terre!

Upon arrival at the Rome International airport, after passing through customs you will be met by your English speaking driver who will have a sign with your name on it, visible to you after you pass through customs.  Our drivers have your flight info on hand, so if there is a delay in you coming out, they will wait.  

Upon meeting your driver at Rome airport, you will be privately transferred to your hotel in central Rome.

This evening there is an optional "Rome by Night" including dinner you can participate in where we will pick you up at the hotel and tour through through the Eternal City by night. Including pizza in a local Roman trattoria with some great red or white wine from Lazio followed by a stop to one of Rome's best gelato shops. 

Overnight at the Hotel Ludovisi in Rome. 

This morning after buffet breakfast at the hotel, Giuseppe Patti your tour escort for the duration of the tour, will meet you at the hotel at 08:15. Please have your bags ready to go.  

Today, you will be given a PRINTED version of the itinerary which will describe all of the day's activities to follow.  Please note, that there may be some alternations to the program given weather conditions and other factors over the course of the tour.  We try NOT to modify things very much, but with human and "force-majeur" effects, flexibility in some instances is a MUST! Giuseppe will go over all of this with you today.  

We want to depart Rome no later than 08:30 AM for Italy's western Mediterranean coast, stopping en-route on the via Aurelia at the beautiful Santa Severa castle, which is a gorgeous medieval castle where you will have a chance to take a walk around and take a bathroom break.

Following our break here, we will keep on heading up the coast to La Parrina estate, where we hope to reach no later than 11:15 AM. This is a full working farm with olive orchard and wine estate, where Massimiliano (Max) our host will greet us and will allow you time to settle in before we being a brief orientation tour of this incredible working farm that produces all of its own livestock, cheese, wine, vegetables, jams, jellies, olive oil, pasta and many grains.

Following our tour, we begin our lunch accompanied by many wine tastings. 

In the afternoon we continue our tour of the farm and you will also have some time to rest and relax before our cooking class starting at 5/5:30 PM followed by our welcome dinner at the estate this evening. 

This day is dedicated entirely to food, wine and learning about the incredible and ancient history of this amazing working farm and winery. 

Overnight at La Parrina. 

http://www.parrina.it/index.php

This morning after breakfast at 09:30 AM we depart for the Argentario peninsula, home to beautiful towns like Porto Ercole, Porto Santo Stefano and incredible views.  Heading up the coast, we venture to the spectacular town of Talamone, featured in various James Bond movies with an incredible ancient fortress. Here, or closer to Saturnia you will have some time to enjoy lunch before we continue onto some of Italy's most incredible natural hot-springs, Saturnia where you will have time to relax and enjoy a hot-soak in these beautiful natural springs.

In the evening return to the resort for dinner (at leisure in their restaurant) and overnight..   

Should the group wish this evening, Giuseppe can also take you to a recommended restaurant to enjoy dinner out.  This will depend on how the day goes. There is some flexibility here and Giuseppe will see how the group is feeling this evening before any decision is reached.  

This morning at 09:00 AM we depart for two of Tuscany's most impressive Etruscan towns - Pitigliano and Sorano which are truly remarkable and in the heart of an incredible wine-producing territory.

Today, we will visit two Etruscan wineries and there will be various samples of local food served with many different wines, so essentially - if you have eaten a substantial breakfast, which we always recommend - the various local delicacies we serve throughout the day will serve also as lunch and we suspect by dinner you will be quite full with wine and a variety of local specialties but not enough to taste the local product of La Parrina Estate for dinner.

Villa Corano : www.villacorano.it

Cantina di Pitigliano : www.cantinadipitigliano.it

Return to the estate in the evening for dinner at the La Parrina restaurant.

Overnight at La Parrina. 

This morning after breakfast at the estate, we depart at 10:00 AM and head up the coast along the via Aurellia, stopping en-route at Castello di Bolgheri.

Bolgheri:  http://www.castellodibolgheri.eu/it/catalogo.aspx

Following our tasting and tour of the estate, we head to Pisa where you will have some time to visit the tower and explore the plaza of miracles. Following Pisa, we head to beautiful walled city of Lucca, where you will have time for shopping (Lucca is a wonderful town for shopping) and free time for lunch.

At 16:00 we will depart Lucca for Rapallo, just outside of Portofino, in a lovely location with spectacular views over the Mediterranean sea.  .

Enjoy this evening a light dinner consisting of a fresh-pasta-pesto dish, since Liguria is the birthplace of Pesto!

Overnight at the Grand Hotel Bristol, Resort & Spa 

After buffet breakfast this morning we drive from Rapallo into the Cinque Terre national park where you will have time to experience some of the towns such as Vernazza and Monterosso the pearls of the five villages weather depending we can take the boat along the coast, however most-likely because of the season, the boats will not be running.  

From Monterosso al Mare we will be taking you up some steep rides today to experience the highest coastal winery in Italy, the winery of Sassarini located at the very topside of the mountain with a spectacular view that you will be stunned by .

Various wine samples and lunch will be served and enjoyed.

Return to Rapallo at the Bristol Hotel.

Dinner at leisure and overnight.

After breakfast this morning at 8:30  AM,  we head south from the Italian Riviera in the direction of the Chianti wine region where we will tour some of the Chianti region's finest wineries en-route to the Buccelletti estate, including:

Castello di Poppiano: http://www.guicciardini1199.it/cg/

This property is owned by a living count, Sig. Gucciardini and his family is a noble family connected to the Medici family.  Many works of art from the Uffizi and Academia galleries in Florence were sent here during WWII for protection. 

Following our stop here, we head to the Tenuta Torciano winery located in Ulignano and then in San Gimignano, just outside of Siena for a visit to La Marronaia: 

http://marronaia.com/

In the late afternoon we head to the Buccelletti family Estate where you will have time to settle into the private villa.  Following this day experience, you choose what to do enjoying the property by eating at the Villa or alternatively having Giuseppe to drive you to Castiglion Fiorentino few minutes away where you will have access to a variety of wonderful restaurants you can enjoy at your leisure. 

Overnight at Villa Buccelletti.

After breakfast this morning at 09:30 AM we head into southern Tuscany stopping in various towns and wineries throughout the day.

Our first stop at 11:00 AM is  COL ORCIA 

http://www.coldorcia.it/

At the Col' d' Orcia you will enjoy a light lunch and wine tastings. Following our visit here, we will head to Montalcino Town where you will have some free time for shopping and exploring on your own.

 In the later afternoon we will enjoy further wines from the region at the Enoteca di Piazza:

http://www.enotecadipiazza.com/

In the afternoon we return to the Buccelletti estate for some relax and then Giuseppe will take you to Cortona at La Logetta which is a pretty restaurant with local specialties ready to be served as a wonderful farewell dinner this evening.

Return to Buccelletti Estate and overnight here.

This morning after breakfast at 10:00 AM we depart for the region of Umbria and the beautiful hill-top town of Orvieto which was one of Etruria's most impressive towns occupying an incredible position overlooking the valley below.  Here, you will have time to explore the duomo and experience some great shopping before we head to our last winery on this tour, the remarkable Il Labirinto di Adriano located in Orvieto which has a wonderful grotto underground to admire.    

Following lunch we head to Civita di Bagnoreggio... a truly magical stop for great photos and a wonderful opportunity for you to burn off lunch, since the only way to get up to this town is to walk!

Around 16;00 in the afternoon we head back to Rome and expect to be back in Rome no later than 17:30, giving you time to relax and enjoy Rome at leisure before we part ways in the morning!

After breakfast this morning our services will conclude and it will be time to say "Arrivaderci!"!