Food and Nature Tour: Bologna to Florence in 12 Days

You will touch down in Italy at Milan Malpensa Airport and transfer to Milan Centrale Station to catch a fast train to Bologna. Seated comfortably in a second-class cabin, you will admire the views of the Italian countryside as you slip past flower fields to the exuberant, historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. You will be collected by your transfer at the station and be whisked away to a charming accommodation nestled in the lively center of town. From here, you will acclimate to your surroundings and relish strolls around the bustling neighborhoods to gorgeous restaurants and bars.

Bologna is a foodie haven that boasts plenty of iconic restaurants, chic cafés, and boisterous bars where you will introduce your palette to the nuanced flavors of authentic Italian cuisine. You will begin sipping on coffees flawlessly brewed by professional baristas and then head to the heart of Bologna gastronomy, Quadrilatero and Mercato delle Erbe. You will learn the art of making fresh pasta at an artisanal eatery before topping off your culinary adventures with an exquisite gelato. Indulge in Italy’s delectable delights before you return to your accommodation for a quiet evening.

You will depart for Parma this morning to spend a day wandering the historical streets and savoring the exceptional local dishes of the Emilia-Romagna region. Your taste tour today will begin in the rolling lowlands of Parmigiano-Reggiano, where you will enjoy a collection of carefully crafted cheeses. You will learn about their century-old cheese-making practices influenced by the Monks who invented them before you continue to a balsamic vinegar producer to try the sensational blends prepared in ancient wooden barrels. Your palate-pleasing tour of Parma will conclude at a curator of tantalizing salted cured meats.

You will enjoy a light breakfast this morning and then transfer through the Italian countryside towards the coastal valleys of Cinque Terre. Rugged mountains stand over the sprawling sea, pine and olive groves carpet the hilltops, and waves crash against the golden shorelines that hug the Cinque Terre coastline. You will check into your accommodation in Manarola later today and spend the afternoon relishing some quiet time around the pool. You will also admire the beautiful views of ancient towers and the atmosphere enveloping Cinque Terre’s spirited towns.

You will be thrilled to have the day unplanned, allowing you to discover Cinque Terre at your own pace. You may take the morning slow and savor your breakfast as you appreciate the gorgeous views of the hills cascading towards hideaway beaches. After breakfast, feel free to head down to the quiet coves and dig your toes into the soft sand. If you wish to see what the mountains have to offer, then stroll along the trekking trails weaving through the forests to encounter the colorful birds and curious creatures residing in Cinque Terre’s unspoiled coastline.

Tuscany is a dreamy Italian destination that boasts some of the country’s most magnificent landscapes. As you transfer to the Chianti wine country in Tuscany, you will adore the scenes of sunflower fields cascading emerald hills and charming little towns resting in the viridian valleys veiling the greater Tuscany region. You will arrive at a historic country manor, where you will spend the following few nights, after visiting the world-famous Leaning Tower and Cathedral at the Miracoli Field in Pisa.

Tuscany’s culinary influence over Italy is immense and there are few better ways to enjoy the fine cuisine than during your very own culinary class against a backdrop of the beautiful landscape. You will explore the nuanced flavors and emblematic aromas of Italy’s cherished dishes as you try your hands at preparing staple snacks and meals within one of the world’s most breathtaking regions. Your star chef and guide will help you along the way, encouraging you to be creative in your renditions of traditional Italian cuisine, and you will share in your creations and glasses of prestigious wines afterward.

After breakfast, you will meet your passionate driver and guide for an immersive exploration of the Chianti region. Your travels will bring you to fortified medieval villages off the beaten path that brag some of Italy’s best-kept culinary secrets. You will look out over the far-reaching virescent hills as you taste an assortment of exceptional vintages while a sommelier shares their distinct wine-making processes and insight into this pronounced wine country. Afterward, you will stroll through the quiet alleys of Siena to visit the marble Cathedral and Gothic Town Hall.

Experience nature at its finest on your final day in and around the Tuscany region during a guided truffle tour through San Miniato. You will leave the stoned walls of the hilltop town and enter the overgrown forests sweeping the luxuriant landscape, where you will join a truffle hunter and his trusted canine companion on an experience like nothing you have enjoyed before. Your furry friend will sniff out the truffles as you stroll, and you will return to the factory with a basket of foraged truffles that will be used to create an outstanding farm-to-table lunch.

You will tuck into a scrumptious al fresco breakfast this morning and then transfer to the capital of Tuscany, Florence. This charming city presents a gorgeous blend of medieval and Renaissance architecture, boasts impressive world-class art collections, and offers visitors opportunities to submerge themselves in Italy’s history at engaging museums and heritage sites. Shortly after arriving, you will partake in a private tour of the city’s highlights and visit the stirring Academy of Fine Arts, among other beloved landmarks and institutions.

Chianti’s sensational landscape is sprinkled with stoned towns, Tuscan castles, and Renaissance villages that you will discover from a unique vantage point today as you soar across the sky in a hot air balloon. From these heights, you will capture images of the Mediterranean sea sparkling in the distance, sweeping landscapes stretching towards the horizon, and elaborate villas poised atop lush hills. Upon reaching the ground after your tour, you will toast to your final day in Florence with a glass of sumptuous champagne and return to your accommodation to spend the afternoon unwinding around the pool.

In Florence, the sunrise leaps over the rolling hills that backdrop its cathedral-dotted skyline. You will enjoy the sensational views as you people-watch from your stylish terrace and relish your last moments in Italy. Breakfast will be yours to enjoy alongside panoramas of the bustling cityscape, and you will join your private transfer afterward to make your way to Florence Airport. During your short trip, you may gaze out across the cobbled alleys and stately umber Renaissance architecture that dominates Florence’s emblematic neighborhoods.