Itinerary
- Day 1
Venice
You'll arrive in Venice and have time to wander the narrow streets, check out the bridges, and browse the shops and galleries before your 6 pm welcome meeting. After everyone gathers, you'll enjoy an Aperol spritz and head to a local restaurant to try some Venetian dishes. It's a relaxed introduction to get your bearings and meet the group.
Included Activities
- Welcome meeting in Venice
- Welcome aperitivo with Aperol spritz
Optional Activities
- Explore narrow cobblestone streets and piazzas
- Cross bridges and visit local shops, markets, galleries and churches
- Dinner at atmospheric restaurant (if hungry)
- Day 2
Venice
Start your morning at a local café with espresso or cappuccino and pastries like baci di dama and brutti ma buoni. Then walk along the canals to the Rialto Market, which has been operating for over 1000 years, and watch the farmers unload their produce. You'll also check out the fish market before the afternoon opens up for exploring on your own. By evening, you'll do a cicchetti crawl through local wine bars, tasting small Venetian bites and wine.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Typical Venetian breakfast at local cafe - espresso or cappuccino with local pastries like baci di dama, brutti ma buoni and bussola)
Included Activities
- Venetian breakfast at local cafe with local leader
- Walk to Rialto Market and farmers' boat unloading
- Fish market visit
- Cicchetti tour through wine bars with spritz
Optional Activities
- Aperitivo spritz at the fish market
- Self-guided exploration of Venice
Landmarks/POIs Rialto Market - Day 3
Venice to Bologna
You'll take the train to Bologna this morning and explore the city's terracotta buildings and lively streets. Bologna is known for its ragù, tagliatelle pasta, and mortadella. Later, you'll join a hands-on pasta-making class where you'll prepare your own dishes and then sit down to eat what you made with your host and the rest of the group.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Feast on handmade pasta with host and group)
Included Activities
- Train travel to Bologna
- Leader-led exploration of Bologna
- Hands-on pasta-making cooking class
- Dinner with host and group (feast on cooked pasta)
Optional Activities
- Self-guided wander past terracotta buildings and streets
- Day 4
Bologna - Emilia Romagna Region
Today you'll see how Parmigiano Reggiano gets made and taste it at a factory, then visit an acetaia in Modena to learn about aged balsamic vinegar production in wooden barrels (aged at least 12 years). You'll have lunch at a trattoria with local food and Lambrusco wine, then stroll around Modena to see the Palazzo Ducale before heading back to Bologna.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Trattoria lunch with local produce, farm-fresh seasonal dishes and Lambrusco sparkling red wine)
Included Activities
- Parmigiano Reggiano factory visit with tasting
- Acetaia (balsamic vinegar house) visit in Modena with tasting
- Trattoria lunch with local produce and Lambrusco wine
- Palazzo Ducale viewing in Modena
- Return transfer to Bologna
Optional Activities
- Stroll around Modena town
Landmarks/POIs Palazzo Ducale - Day 5
Bologna to Pancole - Tuscan Farmhouse
You'll travel to Pancole in Tuscany and settle into a traditional farmhouse near San Gimignano. The family here has made organic wine and olive oil for over fifty years. After settling in, you'll walk through the vineyards and cellars, taste their signature wines and oils, then have dinner featuring homemade pasta, salads, finocchiona salami, crostini toscani, and vegetables from the farmhouse garden.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Seasonal favorites made with ingredients freshly harvested from farmhouse garden - homemade pasta, salads, finocchiona salami, crostini toscani (chicken liver pate on lightly toasted bread) and seasonal vegetables)
Included Activities
- Walk through vineyards and cellars with local leader
- Tuscan wine and olive oil tasting
- Dinner at farmhouse with seasonal ingredients
- Day 6
San Gimignano
You'll walk a section of the Via Francigena, the historic pilgrimage route to Rome, and explore San Gimignano, a medieval walled town and UNESCO World Heritage site known for its tower houses. Stop at an award-winning gelateria to try unusual flavors like gorgonzola and walnuts. The rest of the day is yours to wander the paths around the farm or relax by the pool overlooking the Tuscan landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walk along Via Francigena with leader
- Exploration of medieval walled town of San Gimignano
- Gelateria visit
Optional Activities
- Self-guided exploration of San Gimignano
- Walking paths around the farm
- Pool and countryside views
Landmarks/POIs San Gimignano Via Francigena 
- Day 7
San Gimignano to Rome
You'll take the train to Rome and go on a leader-led walk through the city center, passing the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Venezia, Roman Forum, and the Colosseum. Grab a slice of pizza Romana (the rectangular, thick-crust style) during the day. Later, you'll head to a local's home for a plant-based homecooked dinner where you'll share stories and enjoy seasonal food. Afterward, you might check out a local wine bar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Home-cooked plant-based dinner at local's home with seasonal dishes)
Included Activities
- Train travel to Rome
- Leader-led orientation walk through historical city centre
- Pizza Romana tasting stop
- Home-cooked plant-based dinner at local's home
Optional Activities
- Visit local bar for wine after dinner
Landmarks/POIs Spanish Steps Trevi Fountain Pantheon Piazza Venezia Roman Forum Colosseum 
- Day 8
Rome
Your food journey wraps up today. There are no scheduled activities after breakfast, so you're free to depart or stay longer if you'd like to spend more time in Italy.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Additional activities in Rome (contact booking agent for optional extensions)
