Day 1 : BOLOGNA | PARMA
Arrive at Bologna airport. Transfer by private coach to the reserved hotel in Parma.
During the afternoon, take a tour of the Ducal Palace and its park, residence of the Farnese family. The visit continues to the first theater-set design in the world, the Teatro Farnese, a beautiful monument in wood. Later visit the Camera di San Paolo, a masterpiece of Correggio.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 2: PARMA | MODENA
Parma is a favorite destination for lovers of food and unusual flavors. Take an authentic food tour along 'the food trail' where we will accompany you on a journey of 'fine eating'. We’ll discover the secrets of culinary excellence appreciated all over the world, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and genuine Prosciutto di Parma. Savor the experience of tasting typical products but in sublime surroundings! We’ll visit a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese producer where you’ll witness the entire production cycle starting with the arrival of the milk to the cutting of the forms. And end with a delicious tasting session.
Parma ham producers of 'Prosciutto di Parma’ is next: learn how authentic Parma ham is made, see it in its various stages of production and being cured in age-old cellars. Naturally there is a tasting session to finish. Light brunch in a local restaurant.
During the afternoon continue to Modena. This tour includes a walking tour in the center of Modena with its Romanesque cathedral which has been declared a UNESCO site. The medieval town center is particularly beautiful and there are several palazzi that we will visit.
Balsamic vinegar is a tradition of Modena and a gourmet condiment. For food lovers this is not something to be missed. After the town center we will visit one or more producers of traditional balsamic vinegar. This visit includes a tasting and a light lunch featuring balsamic vinegar.
Balsamic vinegar is made from cooked grapes and must be aged for a minimum of 12 years, sometimes up to 24 years or more. It is slowly poured from a large barrel to successively smaller ones made from different varieties of wood. The various woods give the vinegar its particular flavor. Some producers like to age the vinegar only in cherry or chestnut to give a unique flavor that you can find only here in Modena. This is traditional balsamic vinegar and it is not usually available in conventional markets. During our tour you will learn how the vinegar is made and how to distinguish it from mass-produced vinegars.
During the evening we will have a dinner with tastings of cigars and spirits, in the Museo del Prosciutto (pending confirmation) or in a traditional local trattoria.
Overnight.
Day 3: PARMA | FLORENCE
After breakfast depart for Florence, arriving in late morning.
Lunch in a local restaurant.
During the afternoon visit the historical center of Florence. This tour takes you to the most famous monuments in the city:
• We start from the Florentine masterpiece, Michelangelo’s David, and view a few of his other works in the Galleria dell'Accademia
• Onward to the Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with Filippo Brunelleschi's majestic dome and the Baptistry with Ghiberti's 'Gates of Paradise’ cast-bronze doors
• From there we continue to Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of Florence since the 1300's when Florence was considered the wealthiest and largest city in Europe
• We are then taken to the Ponte Vecchio, the bridge which attracts so much curiosity, not only for its unique appearance but also for the fabulous jewelry shops lining the bridge
• We finish at the Basilica of Santa Croce, one of the most important in Florence containing the tombs of many famous Florentine citizens
• We will also go to Piazzale Michelangelo which offers breathtaking views of the entire city
Dinner and overnight.
Day 4: LUCCA The Italian cigar capital.
Lucca is situated on the left bank of the Serchio River, and still enclosed by an impressive 2 1/2 mile circle of fortress walls. We shall visit:
• the Cathedral, the city's most important religious monument, with an important image of Christ, which, according to legend, was carved by a contemporary of Christ. Also in the Cathedral is the tomb of Ilaria Carretto and the work of Jacopo della Quercia
• Via Giunigi, one of the most evocative and delightful streets in the city which, unspoiled, still preserves its medieval aura
• Piazza San Michele, the bustling and picturesque hub of city life
• San Michele in Foro
• Via Fillungo, the main axis of the historical center, enlivened by elegant shops
Lunch in a local restaurant
During the afternoon we will visit the Manifattura di Lucca and production of the famous 'Toscano'.
The production of tobacco formerly was one of the most important aspects of Tuscan agriculture. Nowadays most tobacco leaves are imported, however, a century-old tradition of cigar-making is still very much alive in the area. Here you will have the possibility to visit a large tobacco processing plant. In a very interesting two-hour tour you will go through the stages of the manufacturing from short-term and long-term storage up to the packaging and shipping. A section of the factory is still dedicated to hand-made cigars in the same manner they were made decades ago. After the visit we organize a focused cigar tasting, in which three different kinds of cigars will be accompanied by rum and chocolate. After the tobacco tour we will visit a Tuscan farm near Lucca, where we will have a wine and olive oil tasting.
Dinner in a farm restaurant.
Day 5: S. GIMIGNANO | MONTERIGGIONI | SIENA
After breakfast at the hotel, depart to the Chianti Region, for ‘the city of beautiful towers'. With its distinctive skyline, San Gimignano was a crossroads for travelers in medieval times, given its location on the main route from northern Europe to Rome. Tall towers (14 of the original 76 remain) were built to serve both as private fortresses and symbols of their owners' wealth. One of the best preserved medieval towns in the region, you will be able to stroll the streets and indulge in the art galleries and wine shops. The Museo Civico offers visitors a view of the surrounding countryside from its tower (175 ft), which is the tallest in the city.
We’ll pause for a group lunch in one of the fine local restaurants, La Cisterna, where we will enjoy San Gimignano's special white wine, Vernaccia.
Afterwards, we will depart for Siena which will be your base for the next three days. But before reaching the hotel in Siena, we'll take a brief stop in Monteriggioni. Built in 1203 and later converted to an army garrison town, Monteriggioni is completely encircled by high walls with 14 heavily fortified towers. The conversion to military use was deemed necessary to guard Siena's northern territorial borders against invasion by Florentine armies. The fortress towers above the immediate surrounding plain, which is now filled with sunflowers and vineyards. Now on to Siena with its medieval charm, for an evening to enjoy. Take the brief stroll around the city and enjoy the casual atmosphere at one of the cafes in Piazza del Campo, with an aperitivo. The people watching here doesn't get any better.
Return to the Hotel. Dinner and overnight
Alternately for Day 5 we can substitute the San Gimignano and Monteriggioni visit, for a half-day of cooking classes at a renowned Siena cooking school.
Day 6: FLORENCE | DEPARTURE
Travel to the Florence airport. Depart.
