Flavors of Tuscany & Umbria

Arrival at Rome Fiumicino airport and transfer by private minibus to Umbria. Sign up for a 4-star country house in the Montefalco area, the best of the fascinating villages of the Spoleto Valley. Prepare for a very special welcome dinner, with local dishes prepared with km0 products. accommodation

Breakfast in hotel. This morning departure to Assisi: San Francisco was born here in 1182 and spent most of his adult life preaching in this area of Umbria. Assisi is the quintessence of the picturesque Italian city on the hill, and here you can visit the Basilica of San Francisco.
In the afternoon, we will go to Torgiano, famous worldwide for its excellent wines. Here we will visit a winery and have a wine tasting session. Then, we will visit Bevagna: the city was recently voted the most beautiful town in Italy. Return to your country house in the Montefalco area, dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast in hotel. This morning you will visit Spoleto: in its wooded surroundings, it is the most beautiful city in the Umbrian hills. Founded by the Umbria, Spoleto was one of the most important colonies in central Italy. You will have a free morning to explore Spoleto. In the afternoon, you will experience an interesting cooking class, learning some traditional Umbrian recipes. Together with your private chef, you will prepare local dishes that you will taste for dinner. Accommodation.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will take the bus and visit more of Umbria, the green heart of Italy. First we will make a stop in Orvieto located on a plateau at 300 m. Orvieto looks down on a mottled plain of vineyards. Visitors flood the city to admire the Duomo, one of the largest Romanesque-Gothic cathedrals in Italy. In the afternoon, we will continue to Todi, one of the most famous mountain cities in Umbria. Former Etruscan settlement and then Roman, it still retains an incorrupt medieval air, with several tiny churches, three austere public palaces and many numb corners. Return to the farmhouse at the end of the afternoon, dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast in hotel. This morning departure from Umbria to Siena, Tuscany. Siena is one of the most charming cities in Italy. While Florence, its historical rival, saw its greatest flowering during the Renaissance, the artistic glories of Siena are earlier and gothic. The medieval center is full of majestic buildings, such as the Palazzo Comunale or il Campo, the main square, while its profusion of churches and small museums house a large number of works of art. At the end of the guided tour, you will have free time before a wine tasting session in an old & quot; winery & quot; in the countryside of Siena.
In the afternoon, transfer to Monteriggioni, a jewel of a medieval town on top of a hill. It was built in 1203 and ten years later it became a garrison city. It is completely surrounded by high walls with 14 heavily fortified towers, built to protect the northern borders of the territory of Siena against the invasion of the Florentine armies. You will have time to visit Monteriggioni independently, before dinner at a restaurant located inside the castle. Then, transfer to your country house in the Chianti area.

After breakfast, transfer to Florence for a full day excursion. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and take a walking tour of Florence, where you will visit the multicolored marble cathedral, Piazza della Signoria, the Basilica of Santa Croce ...
In the afternoon, return to the cottage, free time at your disposal to relax by the pool or choose from one of several local activities we can do for you. Dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast in hotel. This morning we will go to a market to shop. We can choose between fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, pasta ...
Then, transfer to Volterra: like many Etruscan cities, Volterra is located on a high plateau and offers beautiful views of the surrounding hills. In many places, the ancient Etruscan walls still survive, and well-preserved medieval walls give the city a forbidden air, while the soft Tuscan countryside that stretches for miles around offers a perfect contrast.
We will have lunch in a typical trattoria within the city walls.
In the afternoon, we will stop in San Gimignano for a visit. The 13 towers that dominate the majestic San Gimignano skyline were built by noble families in the 12th and 13th centuries, when the city's position, on the main pilgrim route from northern Europe to Rome, brought great prosperity. While it is a small city, San Gimignano is rich in works of art, good shops and restaurants.
Before returning to your country house, we will stop at a local Tenuta near San Gimignano for a tasting session of the wines produced here. accommodation

Breakfast in hotel. This morning, departure to Cortona: it was founded by the Etruscans and, besides being one of the oldest mountain cities in Tuscany, it is also one of the most picturesque. An important power in the Middle Ages, he was able to defend himself against Siena and Arezzo. Today it is a charming maze of ancient streets and medieval buildings, such as the Palazzo Comunale in Piazza Signorelli.
In the afternoon, we will move to a villa in the heart of Chianti, where we will enjoy a cooking class. We will prepare a seasonal menu with fresh vegetables and herbs and extra virgin olive oil.
Finally, we will have dinner based on the delicious dishes that we have had the possibility to cook!
Return to the cottage and accommodation

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