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  Piedmont/Cinque Terre, Italy - 6 nights
Available May and September - Sunday to Saturday
This hiking and wine tour spotlights two diverse regions: the Barolo wine zone of Piedmont and the Italian Riviera seacliffs of the Cinque Terre. Enjoy the best of both worlds: vineyards and seascapes, woodland cuisine and seafood, majestic red wines and white wines as light as a sea breeze.
ITINERARY
DAY ONE  THE BAROLO WINE TRAIL
Our first hike follows the Barolo Wine Trail, which passes through prized vineyards from Monforte to Barolo. Midway we stop to refuel in the town of Barolo, where you’ll have a parade of Piedmont-style courses served family style. Then we continue walking to Castiglione Falletto to work off lunch. Our reward is a winery visit and an Introduction of Barolo wine, considered “the kind of wines and the wine of kings. Our tour and tasting will be at the birthplace of Barolo, the Marchesi di Barolo winery.
DAY TWO  LOOP AROUND LA MORRA
Starting from the highest town in the region, La Morra, we’ll loop down the hill and back on a gorgeous hike that passes quaint villages, prestigious wineries, and pin-striped Barolo vineyards. After lunch in La Morra, we’ll hop in the van and visit a boutique Barolo producer, such as Silvio Grasso or Fratelli Alessandria, and have a family member walk us through their cellars and wines. Dinner offers more of Piedmont’s elegant, French-influence cuisine and desserts like panacotta and semifreddo with torrone. DAY THREE  AN ARTISAN CHEESE PICNIC
Cheese is made in the high hills of Piedmont. Our morning features a hike in this landscape, called the Alte Langhe, passing on paths that cut through a mix of woods, farms, and pastures. Our reward is lunch at a cheese and salumi farm, where the cheesemaker will explain how her mountain cheeses are made and mamma will prepare a buffet lunch. Afterwards, our afternoon winery visit features another Barolo estate in Monforte or Serralunga, villages that produce more structured Barolo wines. Dinner will highlight such Piedmont specialties as Risotto al Barolo, or plin, tiny ravioli stuffed with meat and spinach. DAY FOUR  THE FORTRESS AND WINE OF GAVI
Today we transfer white wine territory, first stopping in the town of Gavi in southeastern Piedmont. We’ll hike up to the fortress of Gavi for a view of the ancient salt roads. Then after lunch at a popular trattoria in town, we’ll visit one of the wineries that has helped make Gavi di Gavi one of Italy’s most popular white wines, such as Villa Sparina. We then continue south to a hotel in Sestri Levante on the Riviera, overlooking the Bay of Silence. Dinner features Liguria’s fresh seafood, pasta with pesto, and refreshing white wine. DAY FIVE  PICTURESQUE PORTOFINO
Today’s spectacular hike goes from the fishing village of Camogli over a promontory to San Fruttuoso, a medieval abbey located in a protected cove. We ferry to Portofino, a picturesque village where giant yachts belonging to the rich and famous dock. Today's wine tasting is an informal affair on our hotel balcony, where you’ll have an introduction of Liguria wines and an appetizer of freshly baked focaccia, another regional speciality. Dinner will feature the Riviera's fresh-from-the-sea cuisine. DAY SIX  THE CINQUE TERRE
Now a national park, the Cinque Terre ("five lands") is one of Italy’s most beautiful spots. We’ll hike between four of the five towns, going up sea cliffs on ancient stone steps carved into the rock and down to quaint, brightly painted fishing villages for a refreshing gelato or espresso. During our farewell dinner, we can watch the sun set over the Riviera shores and salute our new friends with a glass of Vermentino! DAY SEVEN Arriverderci! A shuttle to the Sestri Levante train station and assistance with your travel plans. GROUP SIZE A minimum of 4 participants is required to run this tour and the tour in limited to a maximum of 14 participants. HOW TO ARRIVE Meet: Tortona train station (near Milan)
Depart: Sestri Levante train station *It is necessary to arrive in Italy the day before the tour begins, in order to meet the morning shuttle. *These details are provided as additional information. Please check below to see if transfers are included in this tour. BOOKING INFORMATION
Double Room/US$3395
Single Room Supplement/US$400 Standard accommodations are two people per room. If you are traveling alone, we will assign you a roommate of the same gender, or you may choose to room alone by paying a private room supplement fee. *Pricing may vary depending on market fluctuation After availability is confirmed, a deposit of US$400 per person and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full 75 days before your arrival date. *Breakfasts
*Two (2) lunches: welcome lunch, cheese farm
*All dinners except one
*All tastings and wine at dinner
*Charming 3 and 4 star hotels, many in renovated villas, palazzi, abbeys, or on wine estates and all with private baths Transportation: We provide one van pick-up on day of arrival/departure at designated train station or airport (call for times). All ground transport during stay. Not Included:
Airfare
Some lunches
Transportation to start/end points (except for above shuttle)
Personal expenses
For further inquiries or to register, click here.
Click here to return to top of page. CANCELLATION POLICY Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended. CLIENT REMARKS "I've lived and traveled in a lot of countries, but I honestly can't remember a more beautiful experience - the countryside, the food, the wines, the people. Everything was about as perfect as could be." "It was a great tour and a terrific way to get a feel of the region." "I appreciate all the research that went into finding beautiful walks, great restaurants, and interesting wine tastings and tours. Thanks for a great week." "I feel like I've become a "mini-expert" on the wines of Piedmont. Instead of being baffled by the variety of Italian wines available, now I can say, here's something from Alba, and this little Dolcetto will go well with my dinner." "I really did not know what to expect. I'd never been to Italy, knew very little about Italian wines, and never had been on an organized tour. I kept saying tomorrow just can't top this, and then it did. This truly was an awesome experience." Click here to return to top of page. MAP* This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE. 
*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location. Click here to return to top of page. |
