Northern Italian Sampler: 16 Days Escorted Tour Travel through six regions of Northern Italy during the harvest season to experience Italian regional cuisine and fine wines at their best against a background of great art and architecture and astoundingly majestic mountain vistas. Gastronomy and atmosphere can't get much better than this! Inclusions Highlights Features Itinerary Dates Inclusions 2 nights at the Villa Cipriani in Asolo 2 nights at the Park Hotel Laurin in Bolzano 2 nights at the Palazzo Arzaga in Carzaga di Calvagese della Riviera 3 nights at the Locanda del Sant'Uffizio in Penango 2 nights at the Starhotel Du Parc in Parma 3 nights at Hotel Duchessa Isabella in Ferrara 14 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners Highlights Enjoy a Grappa tasting session at Nardini Winery See spectacular views from the great Dolomite Road Learn about truffle hunting Enjoy a wine tasting session at Barolo Castle Pasta making demonstration in Mantua View magnificent Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna The September departure features tribuna seating for the medieval pageantry and the Palio horse race in Asti. Experience fine regional Italian gourmet food and wine in castles, villas and revered restaurants.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure day
Depart on your overnight flight to Italy.

Day 2 - Arrive in Asolo
Arrive in Venice. The tour begins in Asolo at the Villa Cipriani a little over an hour away. This evening, attend your get-acquainted reception and dinner at the VILLA CIPRIANI.

Day 3 - Asolo/Nardini Wine Tasting
Enjoy a morning visit to the beautiful Villa Barbaro, a creation of Andrea Palladio. At the Bassano del Grappa, famous for the production of Grappa liquor, stop at the Nardini winery for a tasting. Later, drive to the small town of Giavera del Montello, notable for its cultivation of mushrooms, which are on the menu at historic Agnoletti Trattoria. VILLA CIPRIANI

Day 4 - Lake Carezza/Cortina d'Ampezzo/Bolzano
Drive along the great Dolomite Road and enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Carrezza. Stop at the alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, the jewel of the Dolomites, on your way to Bolzano. PARK HOTEL LAURIN

Day 5 - Merano/Balzano
In Merano, the home of strudel, enjoy a delicious sample during lunch. Visit the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology to see the famous Stone Age Iceman, known as Otzi. Return to the PARK HOTEL LAURIN

Day 6 - Trento/Carzago di Calvagese della Riviera
Travel to Trento, where the famous Council of Trent took place. Pause on the northern shore of Lake Garda at Torbole for exceptional views, then head into the hilly district south of Lake Garda to the 15th-century PALAZZO ARZAGA.

Day 7 - Carzago di Calvagese della Riviera
Visit Villa Vittoriale, which was built for poet and adventurer Gabriele d'Annunzio. The high point today is lunch at world-renowned chef Gualtiero Marchesi's restaurant in the town of Erbusco. This, too, is the area where franciacorta, the Italian version of champagne, is produced. PALAZZO ARZAGA

Day 8 - Milan/Penango
Drive to fascinating, historic Milan to explore the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio. Proceed to Penango to the Locanda del Sant'Uffizio, your beautiful country-style resort in the center of a working vineyard, renowned for its gourmet food, which you may sample at dinner tonight. LOCANDA DEL SANT'UFFIZIO

Day 9 - Turin or Asti
The June and October departures will take an excursion to one of Italy's most beautiful cities, Turin. Make a special visit to the former seat of Italian Kings, Palazzo Reale. The September tour will attend the Palio d'Asti, an annual horse race that has taken place over the past several hundred years. Join your fellow revelers in the grandstand to observe the pageantry in the main square of town. See colorfully costumed participants in flag-throwing drills and other medieval events. LOCANDA DEL SANT'UFFIZIO

Day 10 - Alba/Truffle hunting
You are off to Alba today to visit with an expert in truffle hunting. At Castello di Barolo, taste one of Italy's most famous red wines. Lunch is at Daniel, one of the best-regarded restaurants in Alba. LOCANDA DEL SANT'UFFIZIO

Day 11 - Genoa/Parma
Travel south to Genoa and along the Italian Riviera. Stop for lunch at a beautiful seaside restaurant before proceeding down to La Spezia. Travel inland to Parma, a delightful town and a culinary center. STARHOTEL DU PARC

Day 12 - Parma
Sightsee in town this morning. The focal point of the main piazza is a magnificent cathedral. Tour the elaborate Teatro Fornese, built entirely of wood. Take a coffee break at the famous Cafe Orientale, perhaps the most famous in Parma due to its associations with its favorite son, Guiseppe Verdi. Dine on regional specialties this evening. STARHOTEL DU PARC

Day 13 - Mantua/Ferrara
Travel today to Mantua, which is surrounded by three lakes on the outer tip of Lombardy, to see the ducal palace and visit the Palazzo Te to view the dining room fresco of Giulio Romano. Learn the age old art of pasta making after lunch. Continue to Ferrara, a city of turrets, towers and historic palaces. HOTEL DUCHESSA ISABELLA

Day 14 - Ferrara/Bologna On your walking tour of Ferrara, visit the castle of the infamous Este family, with its lavishly decorated rooms upstairs and chilling dungeons below. Depart for Bologna, one of the most important cities in Italy, where you visit the Basilica St. Petronio. Tonight, dine at Bologna's culinary temple, the restaurant Diane. HOTEL DUCHESSA ISABELLA

Day 15 - Ravenna/Ferrara Depart for Ravenna, where you will see fantastic Byzantine mosaics in the San Vitale and Sant'Apollinare churches. See the tomb of Gala Placidia, sister to the last Roman Emperor. Come together one last time at this evening's farewell dinner at the HOTEL DUCHESSA ISABELLA.

Day 16 - Conclude Venice
Return to Venice airport will take approximately an hour and half. Please do not book flights before 1PM.

Travel Dates & Rates

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• Booking Code: PAL

• Land only rate is per person based on double occupancy.
• Airfare is not included. Please inquire about our competitive airfares at time of booking. With the purchase of international airfare from Maupintour, arrival and departure transfers are included.
• Pre/post nights are available upon request. Reservation deposit is $500 per person. Travel insurance is highly recommended.

Prices subject to change without notice until time of deposit. All dollar values not denoted as US or CA are in US Dollars.