From Rome to Tuscany, to Piemonte
on the wine route of Sangiovese and Barolo

Day 1. Roma
Meeting of participants at the Hotel Residenza Farnese. This cozy 4-star hotel is an old monastery and it is located in the historical downtown, near Campo de' Fiori, San Pietro, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.
The trip officially starts with a welcome dinner focused on regional food and wines of Lazio, the region where we are - the region around Rome.

Day 2. Roma-Montepulciano-Castellina in Chianti
Everyone should pack up, have breakfast, check out and be ready to leave by 09:00 for a 3-hour scenic drive to Tuscany through Umbria. We pass through the thermal town of Chianciano Terme, home of numerous mineral water springs, and arrive at the medieval village of Montepulciano.
After a short visit at the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and a visit and tasting at the ancient cellars of Cantina del Redi excavated entirely in tunnels under the village, we depart for our final destination of today: Castellina in Chianti!

Day 3. San Gimignano
Everyone should pack up, have breakfast, check out and be ready to leave by 09:00.
After breakfast we drive to San Gimignano, home of the first white Italian DOC wine, which is now a well-known DOCG (the top Italian wine appellation), made with Vernaccia grapes. The village is one of the most fascinating medieval towns with many stone tall towers marking the landscape.
In the morning you are free to walk in the town, shop and visit the famous medieval towers. Today’s lunch is a scenic picnic style with wine tasting at a local producer.
On the way back we drive by a small family-run agriturismo, Azienda Il Mattone - Agriturismo Il Girasole, which is also an amazing producer of quality olive oil and wine (their Vernaccia and Vin Santo are among the best!). We have, here, another taste-study-shopping opportunity!
Back to Castellina in the evening.

Day 4. COOKING DAY!
Today is the day to become acquainted with the true Italian (Tuscan) cuisine with Vilma.
Vilma works and lives in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, near Firenze where she owns a homemade pasta shop. Her passion for the Tuscan cuisine is in her eyes! You will notice it right away!
First of all, in the morning, we participate in a demo and hands-on pasta making seminar. We put our hands at work while making all kinds of fresh pasta shapes: tortelli, ravioli, fettuccine and more. Then, after shopping at the local market, we drive 10 minutes to reach a farm where we cook, eat, taste wine and have a siesta, of course!
Back to Castellina in the afternoon.

Day 5. Chianti Classico, Langhe
Everyone should pack up, have breakfast, check out and be ready to leave by 09:00.
We stop for a visit and tasting to Badia a Castelbuono in Gaiole in Chianti, an ancient monastery and palace hosting underground wine cellars. Now that we are all experts of what Italian wine is about, we can really JUDGE and make better selections!
We plan to arrive to our hotel in Langhe late in the afternoon. We reach the heart of the 11-village Barolo region, the village of Castiglione Falletto, our home base for the next three days. I found this small village, with its stony fortress, to be one of the most attractive in the area. Its castle has a lot of wild caper bushes on its walls and the Hotel Le Torri and the adjacent Ristorante Le Torri are among the best of the area in service and customer care. And this is the hotel where we check in!

Day 6. Barolo
His majesty 'The Barolo' awaits us at the Enoteca Regionale located in the magnificent castle. We taste, learn and visit the museum and castle with a local guide.
The challenge of this visit, today, is to recognize an old style Barolo producer from a new style Barolo producer!
In the afternoon we are off to visit the winery of Paolo Scavino, one of the most famous producers of Barolo.

Day 7. Barbaresco
After breakfast we drive downhill and then uphill again to the village of Barbaresco. Some people call the Barbaresco wine the smaller brother of Barolo. I totally disagree. Do you want to know why? Find the answer to this today, when we enter this world!
We start with a visit and tasting at the winery Moccagatta located in one of the best exposed vineyards of this region: Rabaja.
Then we stop in the main village 'piazza' to visit the unique ‘church’ hosting the Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco.
We finish the day by visiting another couple of producers: Cantina del Glicine and Produttori del Barbaresco, a cooperative that showcases a very affordable and high quality Barbaresco.
In the evening we go back to our home base in Castiglione.

Day 8. Cinque Terre
a cultural site of outstanding value (World Heritage Committee)
Everyone should pack up, have breakfast, check out and be ready to leave by 09:00.
After a half-day drive through the Appennini mountain chain, we arrive at the sea, in Manarola, one of the five enchanting villages of Cinque terre. The evening is free for the participants. (See notes below on what to do in Cinque Terre!)

Day 9. Cinque Terre
Train, boat, short trail on foot. We will try them all today! From our hotel, we will take the short and beautiful train ride to Riomaggiore, the first of the 5 villages. Our daily passes, included in the package, is a convenient hassle-free way to travel in Cinque Terre. From Riomaggiore we walk one of the most famous trails in the world called “La Via dell’Amore”. No words for this… Unbeatable scenarios!
Then ... a boat ride to the next village! (or the train again, if you don’t feel at ease to use sea transportation).
We have lots of time to visit each village, to discover their culinary products and to stop at the enoteche to try the famous Sciacchetra’ dessert wine, among the best sweet wines in the world!
We cheer our Arrivederci! with a delightful dinner on the sea! And no tears allowed, please! We will be back!!!

Day 10. Florence - End tour
Everyone should pack up, have breakfast, check out and be ready to leave by 09:00.
We drive to Florence, where we should arrive early afternoon. Included in the package there is the drop-off to the following places in Florence:
- airport
- hotel
- train station

1) We can drive the participants to Stay extra days in Firenze in the same hotel. Please, notify us early if you decide for this option, so we can communicate the extension to the hotel and get the better rate that we get for groups.
2) Stay extra days in Firenze in a different hotel of your choice.
3) Depart from Firenze to return to Canada or to go elsewhere. The hotel arranges transfers to the airport or the train station.

TIPS FOR CINQUE TERRE
After the extravagance of the past days, you deserve to spend the last day of the tour in a unique site, proclaimed a world heritage site by UNESCO. The Cinque Terre are five small villages embedded like stones in the rocks, rapidly descending to the sea. The best way to travel here is by train, boat or by foot. Remember that this is a day to rest, enjoy the water view and cradle with the soothing sound of the sea waves.
From the hotel, you can take the short and beautiful train ride to any of the other villages.
A convenient and inexpensive daily pass, that can be bought at any train station, is a hassle-free way to travel in Cinque Terre. Don't miss a walk on the world-famous trail on the sea cliff called “La Via dell’Amore”. No words for this unbeatable scenario!
If you want, you can also take a boat ride to complete your 'village-hopping' day! You will have lots of time to discover their culinary products and to stop at the enoteche to try the above mentioned Sciacchetra’.

Of course, wine is not missing. Man was able to cultivate these steep mountains by building terraces. The challenge is up at harvest time! Monorails with carts are driven by patient farmers who go up and down several times to harvest just a few bunches. The most cultivated grape is Vermentino, whose wine is best paired with the local fish cuisine. One of the best dessert wines I have ever tried is produced on these hills. It is unfortunately not known in Canada and it is called Sciacchetra’, which is definitely something to try. It will make the entire trip worthwhile!