10 Nights / 11 Days
Exclusively for Members!
Save up to $300 pp on this Collette Eat, Drink, Travel Tour;
11 days, 16 meals.
For booking or information please contact: 800.564.5955 or visit www.collette.com
Mention offer code: EXPLORE500
See another side of Italy. Explore Tuscany and Umbria’s smaller, more authentic towns. Learn the secrets of Umbrian cuisine. Journey to Florence, the “Cradle of the Italian Renaissance.” Visit a family-owned winery for a tasting and have a home-hosted lunch in a charming country home. Stop in Siena, a medieval town with one of Tuscany's most beautiful squares. Choose to visit Siena's Torre (Tower) del Mangia or explore one of its Contradas. Venture to Assisi for a guided walking tour of the old city. Travel to the Etruscan hill town of Orvieto, known for its white wine and Gothic cathedral. Spend time in the hill town of Volterra to visit the Guarnacci Museum and witness an alabaster carving demonstration at a local workshop. Explore San Gimignano, known as the 'City of Beautiful Towers.' Along the way, savour regional specialties and enjoy Italian wine with every dinner.
Itinerary
Day 1: Overnight Flight
Follow the less-travelled roads of Umbria and Tuscany. Along the way experience charming towns, regional delicacies and renowned Italian wines.
Day 2: Rome, Italy - Tour Begins
Welcome to Rome – Italy’s dynamic capital city. Say hello to your fellow travellers during a welcome dinner.
Day 3: Rome - Orvieto - Umbria
Travel to the Etruscan hill town of Orvieto. A local expert leads you on a walking tour amid the town’s treasures, including a visit to its prominent Gothic cathedral, home to a Signorelli fresco. Explore the many sides of Orvieto on your own. Perhaps pause for a leisurely lunch, sip on some white wine and become a part of the local scene. This is just the beginning. You’ll spend the next four nights immersed in country life in a pristine Umbrian hill town.
Day 4: Umbria - Spoleto - Cooking Class - Umbria
Set off for a guided walking tour of historic Spoleto. See medieval palaces, the ornate Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta, and the magnificent Ponte delle Torri, an aqueduct dating back to the 13th century. Enjoy free time to peruse the town’s shops and cafés. Next, visit a country restaurant housed in a 16th-century farmhouse. This is the Italy few get to experience. Take a stroll through their herb garden (weather permitting) and see how they make their own cheese. Afterwards, join the chef for a hands-on Umbrian cooking lesson. Indulge in an early dinner in the countryside before turning in for the evening.
Day 5: Umbria - Montefalco - Winery - Bevagna - Olive Oil Farm - Umbria
Head to the “Balcony of Umbria.” The charming medieval town of Montefalco received this moniker because of its unobstructed views of the Umbrian countryside. Step back in time as you explore independently. Then, it’s on to a local winery to sample some of this region’s most prized wine, Sagrantino. Next, savour a lunch of authentic Umbrian dishes. Continue to Bevagna where we meet a local expert for a walking tour featuring Roman and medieval archaeological and architectural marvels. Cap off your day by learning about another locally made product – olive oil – at a family-run ‘frantoio’ (olive-presser).
Day 6: Umbria - Assisi - Home-Hosted Lunch - Umbria
Travel to Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis. Set out on a walking tour of the old city with a local guide. Come to know its history as you stroll the medieval streets, pausing along the way to see its famed Basilica of St. Francis. Next, you are in for a treat when an Umbrian family welcomes you to their country home as they prepare you a delicious home-cooked meal. Share stories and make an Umbrian friend (or two).
Day 7: Umbria - Winery - Tuscany
It’s on to Tuscany! You’ll fall in love with the picturesque Renaissance landscape of hills and villages as we make your way through the Val D’Orcia region. Of course we’ll make a stop at a local winery to see the wine cellar, family estate, vineyards and olive groves. The winery’s chef creates an authentic Tuscan lunch, expertly paired with wines produced on-site. Later, make yourself at home in your restored Tuscan palazzo.
Day 8: Tuscany - Florence - Tuscany
Today it’s Florence, “Cradle of the Italian Renaissance.” Join a local guide for a walking tour of the city’s iconic sights. Return to another age as you view the Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore, located in the religious centre of the Piazza Del Duomo and the Palazzo Vecchio. Catch a glimpse into the creative side of Florence when you meet a local artisan in his workshop to see how and where he refines his craft. Take some time to browse the shops and explore Florence on your own.
Day 9: Tuscany - Siena - Monteriggioni - Tuscany
Travel to the city of Siena. During your locally guided walking tour, visit the historic piazza famous for the Palio Horse Race. Then, the choice is yours! Explore the 14th-century Torre (Tower) del Mangia, the 3rd tallest tower in Italy at your own pace or join your guide to get to know local life in a Contrada (neighbourhood). Each of these small, close-knit communities is unique and has traditions all their own. Then it’s off to the walled town of Monteriggioni. Stroll its quaint streets, seemingly frozen in time. Take an afternoon break and try some local snacks before heading back to your quiet Tuscan retreat.
Day 10: Tuscany - Volterra - San Gimignano - Tuscany
Roll along the country roads to Volterra, a former Etruscan city perched high above the countryside. Spend time at the Guarnacci Museum, one of the oldest public museums in Europe, founded in 1761. Then it’s on to an alabaster carving demonstration* at a local workshop. Later, we travel to San Gimignano, known as the "City of Beautiful Towers." Look up to see the town's fourteen medieval towers that date back to the 13th century. Enjoy a stroll along Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Cisterna. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner with your fellow travellers. Partake in an interactive and fun presentation on wine by the restaurant’s sommelier.
Day 11: Tuscany - Tour Ends
Your journey comes to a close in Montaione.
