Flavours of Bologna & Tuscany

06 May - 11 May 2022 (6 Days / 5 Nights)
AUD $5,716

What can you expect?

The tour highlights Italy’s rich cultural and culinary heritage visiting the central regions of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany. The journey through the two regions will consist of specialty lunches, dinners and winery tours.

Italy’s cuisine is its culture, it is easily identifiable around the world. On tour the group will share meals ‘Italian Style’; It is all about sharing food and moments together. It is a way of life, an expression of something simple, beautiful and pure.

The tour begins in Bologna, the centre of some of the world’s most famous culinary delights. The journey combines the love of food with visits to fascinating medieval and Renaissance towns of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany. The tour ends in Florence after the extended stay in a luxurious villa surrounded by vineyards and olives groves situated in the heart of the Chianti Valley. A Vita Italian Tour is a personally guided tour, which allows you to relax and enjoy your holiday in Italy. Mario, Viny and Gianni your expert tour leaders, will escort you throughout your stay and they will ensure you have a wonderful experience.

If you’re looking for a Chianti wine tour and a food tour of Bologna, get in touch with us today.

What’s included?

All land travel in air-conditioned mini buses.
Accommodation for 4 nights in 4-Star boutique hotels centrally located in Bologna & Reggio Emilia.
Accommodation for 5 nights in Tuscan Villa with Swimming pool in Panzano.
3 Breakfasts / 6 Lunches / 3 Dinners (Meals include special lunches and dinners in traditional local restaurants, osterie and private dining experiences as detailed in the itinerary).
Regional wines and mineral water served with meals.
Private cooking class preparing typical Tuscan meal.
Admission to all wineries and historical sites included in the itinerary.
Tastings of specialty produce as indicated in the itinerary.
Personally guided tours to all towns mentioned in the itinerary.
Services of the tour leaders throughout the tour.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1 Bologna (D): Your tour leaders will meet you at the hotel in the centre of Bologna at 4.00pm, where there will be introductions and a small talk on the tour. We will then guide you on a leisurely afternoon stroll through some of the famous sites such Piazza Maggiore and the Basilica of San Petronico as well as famous towers of Bologna. Along the way there will be time to explore specialty produce shops and boutiques tasting some of the delicacies of the region. The walk will end with an early dinner in a famous traditional Bolognese Trattoria to taste some of the local specialties.
Day 2 Bologna (BL): Today we spend the whole day in Bologna. The morning will consist of a visit to a pasta lab to view how traditional Bolognese tortellini are made followed by lunch in a local trattoria famous for its tortellini. The afternoon/evening is free to leisurely explore this wonderful city.
Day 3 Bologna/Modena/Reggio Emilia (BL): After breakfast we say goodbye to Bologna and make our way north-west to our home for the next two nights Reggio Emilia. On the way, there will be stops for gastronomic highlights just outside of Modena to a local dairy that producers Italy’s prized Parmigiano Reggiano as well as a world famous acetaia that produces aged balsamic vinegar. Travellers will get a guided tour of both these establishments learning the production process and traditions before finishing with a sampling of the produce. Lunch will be in a famous trattoria in the historical centre of Modena. After checking into the hotel located in the heart of Reggio Emilia there is an optional walking tour of the historical centre with an aperitivo. Free evening.
Day 4 Reggio Emilia/Parma (BL): Today we continue to explore the culinary delights of the region of Emilia Romagna with a visit to beautiful Parma and its surrounding countryside. First stop will be south of Parma to Langhirano a town synonymous with the production of the world-famous Parma Ham. There will be a guided tour of a local Prosciutto producer learning about the century old techniques and traditions. The tour will finish with a prosciutto ham tasting. Upon arriving in Parma there will be a guided walking tour of the city before lunch in a famous local eatery. Following lunch there will be some free time to explore the historical centre of Parma and its many boutiques before returning to Reggio Emilia in the late afternoon. Free evening in Reggio.
Day 5 Reggio Emilia/Panzano (D): We say goodbye to Emilia Romagna as we make our way Panzano in the heart of the Chianti wine region in Tuscany. Our stay for the next 4 nights will be in a villa complete with swimming pool and private gardens. Travellers will have a self-contained apartment for the duration of the stay. After checking-in, there will be a guided tour of the winery and villa grounds before the group will enjoy an aperitivo and private dinner prepared by a local chef on the villa terrace.
Day 6 Panzano/Florence (L): Today is a day for exploring the renaissance city of Florence. We start our morning tour of the city in the famous markets of San Lorenzo for a tasting tour of some of the city’s’ and regions specialty produce. We will admire landmarks rarely visited by visitors to the city along our way to lunch at a specialty Osteria to try some quintessential Florentine cuisine. After lunch there will be some free time to independently explore this wonderful city shopping in the famous markets and boutiques before returning to the villa in Panzano in the early evening. Free evening in Panzano at the villa.
Day 7 Panzano/Pienza (L): The group travel south this morning through some of the most beautiful countryside in Tuscany to the hilltop town of Pienza in the famed valley called Val d’Orcia. Pienza is famous for its beautiful town square surrounded by harmonious Renaissance style buildings. The town also boasts beautiful boutiques as well as stunning views of the surrounding Val d’Orcia. There will be a guided walking tour of the historical centre of the city with a stop for a coffee. After exploring the historical centre of Pienza, we visit a nearby winery and agriturismo that producers its own wine, olive oil and local cheese. We will have a special food and wine demonstration before sitting down to taste numerous dishes sourced from the produce made on the property. Free evening in Panzano at the Villa.
Day 8 Panzano/Radda (L): This morning the group travel to the nearby town of Radda in Chianti for a private specialty Tuscan cooking demonstration at a traditional farmhouse. Using local ingredients travellers will learn some of the secrets of Tuscany cuisine before sitting down together for lunch with local wine. We will have a visit to the town of Radda before a free afternoon and evening to enjoy the surrounds of the Villa in Panzano.
Day 9 Panzano/Castellina (D): This morning we visit one of the jewels of the Chianti wine region the small nearby hill-town of Castellina in Chianti. We will spend the day exploring the small alleyways packed with specialty craft shops, cafes and stores selling local produce and artisan goods. There will be time to enjoy a meal at one of the numerous local eateries before returning to the villa in Panzano for a free afternoon. Final farewell dinner in Panzano.
Day 10 Panzano/Florence: The group will enjoy the last views of the chianti wine road on our way to Florence. The tour will end at the Florence SMN train station at 11:00.

Pricing

AUD $5,716 pp twin share

The cost of the tour, land content only, is AUD $5,716 per person in twin share accommodation. A deposit of AUD $500 is required to reserve a place on the tour which is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled. The full balance is due 90 days before departure. Single supplements are available at an additional cost of AUD $1,420. The tour is costed on a minimum of 6 people travelling on the tour with a maximum number of 14 people.

Download the full itinerary here. The program appears to be full; however, it is mixed with long restful lunches and leisure time for your enjoyment and comfort. If you need to, you can always take time off from the organised program.

We recommend that you carefully read the terms & conditions applying to Vita Italian Tours.

BOOK TOUR DOWNLOAD ITINERARY

Our guests say it all

The tour provided a great opportunity to discover and experience traditional methods of producing cheese, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto and tortellini. The tastings and restaurant meals were fantastic! A tour highlight! The positive, friendly environment you create on your small group tours makes the experience so enjoyable.

— T Dunn (VIC)
Culinary Delights of Tuscany & Bologna

Additional information

The weather: it is the end of spring. It can get warm during the day however the evenings are cool. For the August departure the weather is similar: generally warm days with mild nights. We recommend light, comfortable clothing, a light jacket with your favourite walking shoes. We do not place age limitations on the tour and welcome anyone with a moderate level of physical fitness. It is important to note that the countryside is undulating and hilly. Many hill-towns have their historical centres closed to traffic and therefore lots of walking is required. Be expected to spend a few hours a day at a time on your feet with breaks for sightseeing, coffee and a taste of the local produce.

Items not included:

Airfares
Travel insurance (it is compulsory for every traveller to have taken out a travel insurance policy in order to partake on a Vita Italian Tour). If you require, we can assist in organising a policy for you.
Admission fees to places other than those specifically itemised in the itinerary
Meals on tour except when specifically mentioned in the itinerary
Drinks outside normal meal times or additional wine or other drinks in restaurants, including tea and coffee.
Personal transport costs, phone calls and other personal needs
Accommodation Tax

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1/25 Little Oxford Street Collingwood VIC 3066 Australia
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