Spectacular Luxury Food Tour of Italy

Small and beautiful, Casorate Sempione embodies the luxuries of Lombardy and the essential spirit at the base of the Italian Alps, where the hills meet the plains. You will land at Milan’s Malpensa Airport, where you will pick up your private car to reach the quiet ambiance of Casorate Sempione. As your introduction to the culinary wonder of Italy, you will have reservations at a local restaurant where you can indulge in the famous Italian hospitality and focus on local, seasonal ingredients that capture the best flavor. You may find aromas of focaccia and rosemary filling the dining room.

You will drive to the Parma area and arrive at your accommodations known for producing some of Italy’s highest-rated salumi. You can spend time in the museum on the grounds to learn more about the villa and the family history of making salumi along the Po River floodplain. In the evening, you will meet your guide and private chef for a hands-on cooking class that introduces you to the authentic techniques for crafting local dishes. Follow your instructor on the proper methods for making pasta or treating the meat as you prepare a multi-course meal.

After breakfast, you can travel to a Parmigiano factory to learn about the stages and process for making Parmigiano Reggiano. Your guide may introduce you to the animals, the garden vegetables, and the aromas of boiling milk. In the warehouse, you may sample cheese from a freshly opened wheel to find sweet and herbaceous notes. Once in Parma, you can bask in the quiet cobbled lanes of Piazza Garibaldi and the famous neoclassical Teatro Regio. For dinner, you can uncover the tremendous dishes of the Pallavicina court in a Michelin-starred restaurant rediscovering the dishes of ancient traditions.

You will stop in Piacenza on your way to Bobbio. The charming city offers a picturesque Gothic ambiance, with Palazzo Farnese displaying a selection of art and archaeological galleries. Carriages, ceramics, and art reflect a timeline of the regional history before you reach Bobbio. The town will provide you with a pristine panorama of the surrounding valley and essential countryside and farmland. You can enjoy the sounds of the Trebbia River or visit the foundations of 7th-century St. Columbanus Abbey. The neighboring 14th-century Malaspina Dal-Verme Castle looms large, crowning the hilltop for a pristine view of the old bridge’s archways.

Travel to the Mediterranean’s charismatic breeze and golden sunlight in the morning as you reach Camogli and the foot of Mount Portofino. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to bask in the relaxed pace of the fishing village and the sweeping aromas of thyme that lingers along the hillside. Antique palaces often shine with muted pinks while the interior walls display trompe l’oeil flourishes. The town feels like a discrete destination absent of other famous Italian coastal towns. At dinner, you can embrace the views and local dishes with an elegant meal at a preferred restaurant.

You can travel by train to Cinque Terre in the morning to discover the beauty of Liguria’s seaside towns known for terraced cliffs, towering basil, and the Mediterranean Sea. At Riomaggiore, you can wander through the most southerly town to find tower homes and the trailheads that weave along the mountainscape to connect the towns together. You may enjoy the ferry for an expansive view of the towns pressed against the shoreline or trek along the famous trails at your pace for unforgettable panoramic views. In Camogli, you can sample the tasty focaccia or indulge in the herbaceous pesto.

Your day may start at Santa Margherita Ligure to explore the palm-laden streets where grand hotels and garden villas accentuate the charisma of the shimmering bay. You can visit the paintings in the 16th-century Durazzo Villa or wander along the marina to watch the fishing boats return for the day. In Portofino, you can enjoy the mosaic of vegetation and fishing boats along the harbor, trek along the stairs to the Chiesa di San Giorgio, or simply indulge in a gelato while watching over the sea. At dinner, indulge in the mouthwatering seafood at sunset.

The famous Renaissance City of Florence continues to shine with effortless beauty. Whether sipping an espresso or indulging in a fried dough stuffed with prosciutto and stracchino cheese, your guide will unveil an authentic perspective of the Central Market and Tuscany. Continue on a tour of the city that can feel like an open-air museum set beneath the towering dome of the cathedral from the Ponte Vecchio bridge to the blossoming Boboli Gardens. Once in Cortona, you may enjoy dinner at a restaurant with a panoramic terrace overlooking the Tuscan hills.

Cortona embodies charm and elegance with winding avenues and flowered terraces that lead to an open vista. You can embrace the city like a local as you follow the old Etruscan walls, sample the local gelato, or visit an artisan jewelry boutique famous for exquisite craftsmanship. Your private cooking class will focus on the local ingredients to shape the flavors of typical Tuscan dishes crafted by a Michelin-starred chef, accentuated by fine cheeses to Cinta Sense salumi. After learning the art and tradition of Tuscan cuisine, you can sample the elegant flavors of the restaurant’s renowned specialties.

You can stop in Orvieto on your way to Rome for an introduction to the striking medieval town overlooking the Umbrian hills. The majestic atmosphere stems from the cypress trees and volcanic stone that highlight the colorful homes inside the preserved historic center. The aroma of chocolate and wine may drift out of the restaurants as you witness the colorful display of Gothic artistry decorating the Medieval Duomo embellished by striking mosaics. Once in Rome, your guide will take you on a tour of the ancient foundations of ancient Rome, where the shadows from the Colosseum drift across the piazza.

Embark on a new perspective of Rome with a golf cart tour. Your guide will take you along the Old Appian Way to visit the drama of the ancient catacombs and introduce you to the best restaurants for taking fresh, mouthwatering pasta to go. In the afternoon, you will continue to the Vatican for a tour of the famous museum galleries. The fascinating Egyptian artifacts lead to the stunning works of Raphael with the vibrant spectacle of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel crowning galleries. Enjoy an unforgettable view of Rome as a backdrop to your dinner while delighting in a roof-top garden.

The Eternal City of Rome feels vibrant and bustling along every layer of its past. In the morning, you can relax with breakfast in your hotel and the view of the city from the dining room. If you have time, you can wander through the city at your own pace to stroll past the Spanish Steps, throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, or witness the grand dome of the Diocletian Baths. When you are ready, your private transfer will meet you in the hotel lobby and escort you to the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport for your flight home.