From Chianti to Maremma

Arrival at the Milan Malpensa airport and transfer by private minivan to your Relais & Chateau Resort in Tuscany, you will be staying in the Cortona area, a central location to reach the most important sites in the region. Free time to relax before enjoying a very special welcome dinner at the resort's restaurant. You can taste the best local food, accompanied by vintage wines from the vineyards of the property. Accommodation.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will board your private minivan and your accompanying guide will take you on a half-day guided tour of Florence. You will walk through the city center and see the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, the Campanile de Giotto, the Baptistery with the "Doors of Paradise" and much more. He will then visit the Academy to see Michelangelo's David and his unfinished "Prisoners." Free lunch There are two options in the afternoon: wine lovers can take a tour of the Chianti area, strolling through the beautiful Tuscan vineyards; Alternatively, you can stay in Florence and have some free time to explore the outdoor market that runs around Piazza San Lorenzo and towards Mercato Centrale, which offers leather goods, clothing and jewelry at low prices, as well as food . The wine tour will begin in Impruneta, a charming city and a large agricultural center in the south of Florence, which is among the olive groves that cover the hills between the Greve valley and the Ema stream valley. The parish church of the city, originally Romanesque, is located in the wonderful Piazza Buondelmonti in the center of the city. Then you will proceed to a local winery in the area for a wine tasting and then a visit to the medieval walled city of Monteriggioni. Return to the resort, dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel and then departure to Siena. Here you will meet your local guide and begin a half-day tour of this medieval city. The heart of Siena is its central square known as Il Campo and known worldwide for its famous Palio (a festival and a horse race that takes place in the square itself). The Field is dominated by the red Palazzo Pubblico and its tower, Torre del Mangia. This palace still houses the city's municipal offices, such as the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Its inner courtyard has entrances to the Torre del Mangia and the Civic Museum. The latter, on the other hand, offers some of Siena's best paintings. Finally, the cathedral of Siena is another architectural treasure that should not be missed; It is one of the great examples of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture. Free lunch and transfer to San Gimignano, a medieval walled city that rises on a hill overlooking the Elsa Valley with its towers. Stroll through the town square, Piazza della Cisterna, which is beautifully preserved, and visit the palace palace of the thirteenth century. There are good views from the citadel of Rocca and the whole city is a great place to walk around and soak up the atmosphere. San Gimignano is known for the production of Vernaccia wine, one of the best known white wines in Italy. It is golden yellow and with a rich bouquet, it is suitable as an aperitif and combines well with fish dishes. On the way back to the resort, we will stop at a local trattoria to enjoy a special meat dinner, where you will enjoy the famous "Bistecca alla Fiorentina", one of the quintessential dishes of Florentine cuisine. Return to the resort and accommodation.

Breakfast at the Resort / hotel. This morning you will go to Recanati, the small city that gave birth to the famous poet and essayist Giacomo Leopardi, one of the most radical and challenging thinkers of the 19th century. The poet's memory is kept alive throughout the city, in fact, you can admire the Leopardi House, the poet's house, which houses his valuable library, as well as visit his mother's house: the Antici Mattei Palace. Recanati also honored Beniamino Gigli, one of the best Italian tenors.
After lunch, we will leave by minivan and proceed to Macerata, birthplace of Jesuit Matteo Ricci, this historic city is surrounded by walls dating from the 16th century. It is crossed by many roads that lead to Piazza della Libertà, the heart of the old town, which is surrounded by the most important monuments and churches and the entrance to the University Palace. Nearby, there are the Civic Museums of the Buonaccorsi Palace, known for their 18th-century paintings depicting the Histories of the Aeneid. Macerata also hosts the famous Sferisterio Opera Festival, on the open-air stage of the same name, with shows of international importance.
On the way back to Pesaro, we will stop at a local winery in Morro d'Alba, where we will taste the true attraction of the city: Lacrima di Morro d'Alba, an unmistakable aromatic red wine that is soft and complete, produced in Very limited quantities. Morro d'Alba is also known for its pleasant walk along the Scarpa, a covered road around the 15th-century city walls. Return to the Resort / hotel, dinner and accommodation Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to Montepulciano, where you will have free time to visit this interesting Renaissance city; Within the walls, its narrow streets are full of palaces and churches of that period (that is, the Bucelli Palace, the Cathedral, the Church of Santa Agnese, the Sanctuary of the Virgin of San Biagio, etc.). From Via del Corso, its main street, you can reach any point of the city, this long and winding street will allow you to pass through Porta de l Prato and Piazza Grande. We will stop then at a local winery to taste the jewel of this city, the Nobile Wine and other local products. The tour will continue to Pienza, a small town in the wonderful area of Val d'Orcia, famous for giving birth to Enea Silvio Piccolomini, better known as Pope Pius II. After his ascent to the Pope, Pius II wanted to remodel the city, redesigning its entire center and also changing in his honor his former name (Corsignano) of Pienza. In doing so, he wanted to represent an archetype of a wisely planned Renaissance city, where the way of life of citizens and related government must be based on high moral values capable of satisfying the pressing need to achieve an orderly and peaceful life. Pienza owes its beauty and fame also to the excellent pecorino ("sheep's milk cheese" or, more correctly, "sheep's milk cheese"), which you can taste at one of the farms located in the area. Free time for lunch in the Val d'Orcia and then in the afternoon we will move to Montalcino. This beautiful city is famous for its Brunello wine, known internationally. You can experience this beautiful wine in several wineries around the city or taste the very good but distant cousin Rosso di Montalcino. After this wine tasting, free time to see the Civic and Diocesan Museum d'Arte Sacra and stroll through the Fortress, which will give you spectacular free views of the valley from your patio. At the end of the day, transfer to another beautiful part of Tuscany, the Maremma and Argentario coast. You will spend the next three days staying at an amazing Relais & Chateau Resort located in Punta Ala, a lovely city on the Argentario coast. Dinner at the resort and accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning you will experience a true kind of Italian cuisine, which will allow you to experience everyday life in an Italian home; You can create your own menu, selecting the dishes you want to learn and prepare from among the many on the list provided by our instructors. By actively participating in the cooking lesson, the cook will help you prepare the dishes you have chosen (all belonging to traditional Italian cuisine and a good taste of what the true Italians eat in this area) and then enjoy their own cuisine. Authentic Tuscan food !!! In the afternoon, you can opt for Massa Marittima, a true jewel of the Maremma famous for its Romanesque cathedral, incredible museums and the Tuscan atmosphere of the north, or return to the coast and enjoy a half-day boat trip to the islands of the Tuscan archipelago (Elba, Giannutri, Giglio, Capraia, Gorgona, Pianosa and Montecristo). Return to the resort and accommodation.

Breakfast in hotel. Today we will spend some time exploring the Argentario coast: the Maremma has some spectacular beaches and coastal destinations. None is more attractive or attractive than Orbetello, the city by the lagoon. Spend the morning exploring Orbetello and be sure to try their seafood restaurants, then head to the coast to continue your coastal exploration in the port cities of Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole or head directly to the beaches that line the Strada Panoramica. There are all kinds of swimmers from couples to families. Late in the afternoon, we will take advantage of a real "aperitif" admiring the amazing sunset, waiting for a special fish dinner in one of the typical trattorias next to the sea. Return to hotel, overnight.

Breakfast in hotel. The last day in Maremma is a wild card, you can decide to return to Grosseto and stop at Castiglione della Pescaia, another beautiful coastal city and home to the best beach in Italy, Le Rocchette. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a visit to the Etruscan heart of Maremma, explore its most famous necropolis on the outskirts of Sorano and while there, stop in Pitigliano, perhaps the most beautiful city in Maremma. An alternative to Castiglione della Pescaia could be to go further inland towards Siena and stop at Massa Marittima, a true jewel of Maremma, famous for its Romanesque cathedral, incredible museums and the atmosphere of northern Tuscany. Return to the hotel, free time to relax and tonight the main chef of the resort will prepare a delicious farewell dinner, with special attention to the products of the territory.

After breakfast, transfer to Rome airport to take the return flight