AN EATALIAN VACATION

Munch your way through the Eternal City on this tasty morning passeggiata. Your guide will lead you on a tour through downtown Rome, stopping en route to introduce you to popular local treats.

Much of Italian culture and lifestyle revolves around food and you’ll find out that Rome’s gastronomic triumphs are no less astounding than its artistic and archaeological treasures. An absolute must for gourmands, this experience will give you the chance to wrap your tongue around a wide range of Roman specialities and unveil the yummy side of this multi-faceted metropolis.

Get a flavour of daily life in Italy and dip into the capital’s long-standing delicious traditions as you roam the streets and squares of the centro storico. Your eating adventure begins with a stroll through the lively square of Campo de’ Fiori. Here, savour the sights, scents and sounds of the fresh food bazaar, one of the city’s oldest markets which has been trading the choicest goods since 1869. Hear noisy hawkers loudly proclaim the quality of their wares to encourage passing trade; admire stalls brimming with a tempting assortment of produce that will make your mouth water; feast your eyes on crisp green vegetables, seasonal fruits, delicious cheeses, the freshest of fish; watch bargainers as they haggle for the best deal. Then follow a trail of Rome’s signature aromas, dropping in at nearby food stores to sample typical artisan delights. Scrumptious highlights might include slices of pizza, prime quality cured meats, fried snacks hot from the pan… simply delicious, or better, buonissimo! You will see where Rome’s most acclaimed coffee is made, taste freshly baked goods from a renowned boulangerie and drop in at a well-known family-owned gelateria, since 1900 the creator of the capital’s most celebrated ice cream.

Along the way, your Cicero will point out noteworthy artistic landmarks, relating the true stories that surround them to animate your experience. While you saunter through Piazza Navona, gelato in hand, you will admire Bernini’s glorious Fountain of the Four Rivers and hear tales of the best known rivals in the history of art that will certainly raise a smile. In Piazza della Rotonda, home to a centuries-old salumeria selling high quality cold cuts and cheese, you might want to step inside the Pantheon to see one of the world’s largest free-standing domes with its famous roof open onto the skies. Your walk may end with a glass of wine or craft beer and a toast: long live La Dolce Vita!

Later, it’s time to relive the astonishing feats and glories of the Roman Empire on a private tour of the capital’s ancient wonders. Accompanied by your expert guide, you will travel down the centuries and find out how this small city-state – by dint of perfectly planned military campaigns, outstanding organisation and technological genius – conquered lands far and wide and spread its influence over vast swathes of the globe, rightfully gaining the title of Caput Mundi – Capital of the World.

Specially designed to provide guests with an overview of ancient Roman history, society and culture, this tour encompasses the most significant and iconic archaeological sites. While you follow a time-worn route, past triumphal arches and majestic temples, your guide will bring the ancient city back to life, conjuring up the epic figures who walked along its streets and the world-shaking events that originated on this very spot. Take a deep breath and what you’ve only read about in books now appears right before your eyes!

Your journey begins as you access the Colosseum, the best-known symbol of the mighty Roman Empire and most visited monument in the whole of Italy. This masterpiece of ancient engineering is evidence of the Romans’ brilliant construction skills and provides an eloquent example of their ingenuity and innovation in the fields of technology, science and architecture, achievements which remained unequalled for centuries. The first stone of the amphitheatre was laid in 72 AD at the request of Emperor Vespasian whose intention was to appease public discontent and control the masses by donating a gift to his citizens and win their support with panem et circenses – bread and circuses. The cruel yet spectacular shows of great popular appeal staged inside the Colosseum were like nothing seen before or since, and included mass executions, warrior fights, wild animal hunts and even naval battles. Here, ill-fated prisoners fought to the death before ecstatic crowds and exotic beasts were butchered in the name of entertainment. While you roam through the ruins of stone walls and bleachers, imagine how a gladiator must have felt as he prepared for combat and awaited his destiny, stirred by the roars and cheers of 60,000 blood-thirsty spectators echoing through the arena.

Next, enjoy the myths and stories that took root in Rome on your climb up to Palatine Hill, the oldest part of the Caput Mundi. According to legend, this is where the baby twins Romulus and Remus are said to have been rescued and raised by the she-wolf and it is here that Rome was founded in 753 BC, after a boundary dispute between the two brothers and a fratricide. For centuries this was the city’s most coveted neighbourhood, owing to the stunning views of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus – Rome’s grandiose chariot-racing stadium – to be admired from the top of the hill. The luxurious villas of the patricians were gradually replaced by the emperor’s awe-inspiring palaces. The impressive remains of the Domus Flavia, the Palatine Stadium and the Baths of Septimius Severus still provide an extraordinary glimpse of the opulent lifestyle and excesses enjoyed by the ancient Roman courts.

Your tour will end with a leisurely stroll through the Roman Forum. Originally the social, commercial and political hub of the ancient city, the Forum was a grandiose district of temples and vibrant public spaces where trials, business dealings and elections took place. The marks of the Roman carriage wheels are still visible along its cobbled streets. As you retrace the footsteps of busy market traders and faithful temple-goers, you will learn about the everyday customs of these city dwellers as well as the rituals and beliefs of their pagan creed. Your guide will certainly point out the Curia Iulia, an imposing building that once echoed with the fierce debates of the senators and the rousing speeches of the great orators. You will also see the Temple of Divus Iulius and find out more about the extraordinary achievements and brutal murder of Julius Caesar, the first Roman citizen to be deified after the mythical founder Romulus. Statues of the priestesses who were tasked with ensuring Rome’s sacred flame remained forever lit still line the hall of the House of the Vestal Virgins. Here, you’ll hear moving stories of their lives and sometimes premature, tragic deaths and discuss the role of women in Roman society. Not to be missed are also the Basilica Julia and the Basilica of Maxentius, the most important courthouses of the ancient city.

What was once a busy centre of Roman city life is now still alive and pulsing with visitors eager to step back into history.

After the tour return to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

No trip to Rome would be complete without a guided tour of Trastevere with its maze of narrow cobblestone alleys, pavement cafes and bars, tiny restaurants and traditional workshops, not to mention washing lines that stretch across from one building to the next. Life spills out onto the streets here and while the district hums and bustles during the daytime, it is the night scene that attracts crowds of young people to the area at sundown. Trastevere or trans Tiberim, meaning beyond the Tiber, was once a strictly working class neighbourhood. Today it provides a heady mix of old and new, traditional and trendy, of rundown dilapidation and the very latest architectural design, of the mundane humdrum of everyday and an effervescent, inspirational explosion of colour and creativity. This neighbourhood is also the site of two American universities, Rome’s historic botanical gardens, the folklore museum, art galleries, numerous monuments, fountains, churches, piazzas and even a prison, housed in an ex-convent and named Regina Coeli, Queen of Heaven.

Your expert guide will lead you through the labyrinth of winding streets to Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, the very heart of the district. Carlo Fontana, who redesigned the portico of the ancient church in the 18th century, also created the octagonal fountain which graces the centre of the square and now serves as a popular meeting place. Inside the church you will see mosaics and marble columns that originally supported ancient Roman structures. Thought to be the first official place of Christian worship in all the city, it is full of captivating treasures and still very much part of community life today.

Another major landmark is Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, the church thought to be built on the site of her home. After failed attempts to burn her to death, Cecilia, the patron saint of music was decapitated here in 230 AD. Your guided walk will also take you past la Casa della Fornarina, believed to be the home of Margherita, Raphael’s famous model and mistress. Her reputation ruined, she took refuge in a convent after his death but you can still admire her in his paintings (if you happen to visit the Barberini Gallery). As you stroll through the area it would be hard to resist a peek at the river from Ponte Sisto, the footbridge, now well over 500 years old, that links this area to the rest of the city.

Villa Farnesina, one of the earliest Renaissance mansions built here and home of the wealthy banker Agostino Chigi, is a sheer delight and a must-see for visitors to Trastevere. The simplicity and harmony of the villa’s design combined with the classical-themed frescoes that decorate the walls and ceilings make this an unforgettable stop. In the loggia you will see and hear tales of Cupid and Psyche depicted on the vault, among greenery that suggests the garden is encroaching on the villa’s interior. Here the banker’s guests were treated to theatrical performances and elaborate shows. Downstairs you will meet Raphael’s irresistible Galatea and upstairs enjoy the illusion of looking out at scenes of Rome from behind Peruzzi’s painted marble columns.

Drenched in history and tradition, generously sprinkled with artistic gems and alive with contemporary delights, we think you’ll agree that Trastevere has earned its reputation as an all-time favourite with visitors to the city.

Admire some of the greatest works of art ever created on a private tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Follow your guide right to the core of the Christian world and uncover the fascinating history preserved within the walls of the Vatican City. You will gain an understanding of the origins and development of a remarkable 500-year-old collection, retrace the lives of the artists who worked at the papal court and reconstruct the context in which the Vatican’s masterpieces were produced. Your guide will enrich your exploration by recounting intriguing tales about the protagonists of what was once one of the West’s most influential seats of power – and is today the smallest independent state in the world.

The beginnings of this unrivalled collection date back to 1506 when art lover Pope Julius II first started arranging his acquisitions of classical sculptures in the Octagonal Courtyard. This extraordinary – though originally modest – assembly of works was enhanced and extended throughout the centuries by successive pontiffs and evolved into the 7-kilometre-long treasure trove you see today. The dazzling array of wonders on display includes artefacts from so many different eras, traditions and artistic styles ranging from Egyptian steles to Renaissance fresco paintings, from Etruscan bronzes to 16th century maps. Where else can you find the finest sculptures of antiquity, priceless tapestries, Michelangelo and Raphael’s supreme achievements, all hanging out in the same space? Your guide will lead you back down the centuries, along a carefully planned trail, through the museum’s corridors and halls – impossible to cover all 1,400 of them! – and introduce you to the masterpieces no visitor should miss.

While you weave your way through the Pinecone Courtyard, the Belvedere Courtyard, the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Hall of Maps and the Tapestries Gallery you will pick up a sense of this encyclopaedic collection spanning thousands of years. No doubt you will be moved at the sight of the Laocoon – a poignant representation of the anguish and agony suffered by a doomed family – and inspired by the aesthetic perfection of the Apollo del Belvedere and Torso del Belvedere. Your guided encounter with these ancient statues will give you a better understanding of Greek and Roman art and the ways in which Renaissance masters were later influenced by their muscular anatomies and emotional intensity.

Among the unmissable highlights of your tour are also Raphael’s Rooms, four exquisitely decorated chambers once belonging to Pope Julius II’s private apartments. Find out why a young painter from Urbino was chosen for such a prestigious commission and enjoy an introduction to the refined iconography of the School of Athens, Raphael’s best-known fresco depicting antiquity’s most illustrious philosophers.

But what draws millions of visitors to the Vatican Museums every year is the spectacular Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo spent eight years of his life in this sacred room painting what would become the most renowned and iconic images in the whole of Western art. As you gaze up at the stunning frescoes of the Creation of Adam and inspect the intricate composition of the Last Judgement your guide will help you spot fascinating details and decipher the secret messages left here by the Renaissance master in the 16th century. An account of Michelangelo’s life, career and priceless legacy will allow you to gain a deeper appreciation of his unparalleled genius.

The final stop on your tour will lead you to St. Peter’s Basilica, located on the site of what is believed to be the burial place of the apostle and topped by one of the largest masonry domes ever built. Michelangelo’s moving Pietà, a universal icon of maternal tenderness and sorrow, and Bernini’s bronze baldachin cast a deep impression on all those who visit this magnificent church.

Walk out into St. Peters Square, this unique centre of power and glory, where the faithful have gathered for centuries to celebrate great Christian events and catch a glimpse of their Pope, embraced in the curve of its open arms.

After the tour return to your hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

In the evening your chauffeur will pick you up at your hotel and drive you to a restaurant where you will enjoy a delicious tasting menu accompanied with a careful selection of wines.

After breakfast and check out meet your driver outside your hotel, sit back and relax on the ride to Florence. En route, stop to enjoy a private tour of Siena.

Your guide will be waiting at the meeting point and make sure no fascinating detail eludes you as you follow a stirring trail. No doubt you will notice the symbol of Siena, the she-wolf and twins, which links the town with its Roman origins, though it was not until rather later that this centre bloomed into the glorious gem you see today. Legend has it that Remus’ sons escaped to safety here after the murder of their father by the children’s uncle Romulus, the founder of Rome. Siena is indeed immersed in legends, steeped in ancient traditions and replete with true stories of battles and bravery. The town is also richly peppered with wondrously preserved monuments, churches and architectural marvels, attesting to its extraordinarily rich and riveting past. Between the 13th and 16th centuries the town revelled in a golden age becoming one of the most powerful banking centres on the continent. A number of great artists were called upon to embellish its piazze and buildings securing its lasting fame.

Countless treasures await you inside the black-and-white striped Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta: the wonderfully inlaid marble flooring, the rose window by Duccio di Buoninsegna, the marble pulpit by Nicola Pisano, Donatello’s statue of St. John the Baptist and the gorgeous Piccolomini Library. Well-known for its illustrated hymn books and beautifully preserved Renaissance paintings by Perugian painter Pinturicchio, the library was built at the request of Cardinal Francesco Piccolomini, Archbishop of Siena, to honour the memory and manuscript collection of his uncle Pope Pius II. A radiant fresco cycle depicts a glorified version of the life of the pope as well as mythological scenes and ornate decorative motifs, all rendered with the greatest skill and painstaking attention to detail.

Not to be missed is also the shell-shaped Piazza Del Campo, for centuries the pulsing heart of the town’s social and political life and known the world over as the atmospheric setting of the Palio. Your guide will elucidate the origins of this famous horse race that still takes place regularly twice a year in July and August and help you understand why the event continues to play a significant role in fostering a Siennese sense of belonging, re-evoking the rivalry that flourished among its seventeen contrade and its legacy of ward-centric culture.

The looming Torre del Mangia, the elegant red-brick buildings and the medieval aura of the city’s narrow winding streets are among the unforgettable impressions to be savoured in this delightful wellspring of wonders.

After the tour and free time for lunch, rejoin your driver for the transfer to your hotel in Florence, where you will be staying for 4 nights. Following check in spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Bite your way through Florence’s streets and squares on this delectable food tour. You will dig into the belly of the city and discover that Florence’s gastronomic specialities are worthy rivals of its artistic treasures – and are just as ancient, owing to the Italians’ long-standing obsession with food.

Florentine Catherine de’ Medici, who became queen of France, is a famous ambassador for a long list of Italian epicureans. When she moved abroad in 1533 she insisted on taking her favourite cooks and preserving her Italian traditions and habits as she disliked French cuisine. She is said to have ignited the French passion for cooking and introduced many culinary innovations to the country. Some claim that dishes considered today as traditional French creations, including crepes, béchamel and onion soup, were actually brought into France by Catherine. She is also credited with giving the French court its first taste of olive oil, artichokes, truffles and figs and with teaching the French to use a fork at table!

Your private guide will lead you on a stroll through the historic centre, introducing you to popular local temptations. An indispensable ritual in the life of every self-respecting Italian is the prima colazione… Begin your day like a local, delighting your senses on a croissant and an expertly brewed coffee or cappuccino at the bar. You will then follow a tasty trail through the bustling Mercato Centrale, one of the city’s oldest markets. Admire stalls brimming with an enticing assortment of fresh, seasonal produce that will make your mouth water, feast your eyes on crisp green vegetables, delicious cheeses, top quality charcuterie and try out the regional favourites.

Your eating adventure also covers a deli shop, a winery and a gelateria. Indeed, no Florence food tour would be complete without a taste of gelato. Ice cream is an age-old treat, dating back thousands of years. Frozen desserts are recorded as far back as 3,000 BC when Asian cultures began consuming crushed ice and flavourings. Our modern gelato may well have its origins in a recipe brought back to Italy from China by Marco Polo. However it was during the Renaissance in Florence, under the rule of the Medici family, that the great tradition of Italian gelato began. Legend has it that among the chefs that Catherine de Medici would have loved to have employed at the French court was Ruggeri, the inventor of a prize-winning frozen dessert, but it is to 16th century Florentine architect, painter and sculptor Bernardo Buontalenti that we owe gelato as we know it today. His addition of milk and eggs to the mixture was a genial contribution to this world-acclaimed delicacy.

Later, it’s time to discover Florence’s most cherished artworks on a tour of the Uffizi Gallery. Your guide will lead you through the halls and highlight the masterpieces no visitor to the city should ever miss. The treasure trove you see today originated over four hundred years ago as the Grand Duchy’s administrative centre having been built at the request of Cosimo I de’ Medici to house the Florentine magistrates’ judiciary offices – called uffizi in old Italian. Construction work began in 1560 under the direction of architect Giorgio Vasari and was completed by Bernardo Buontalenti in 1574. Only 7 years later, in 1581, Francesco I de’ Medici, Cosimo’s son, set up his private gallery inside the building’s rooftop loggia adorning it with all sorts of precious artefacts, including cameos, stones, jewellery, bronzes, scientific instruments, paintings and statues. As time passed the Medici family’s collection was enriched until it was eventually bequeathed to the city of Florence by the last member of the dynasty, Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, in 1743. The gallery first opened to the public in 1769 and has delighted visitors ever since with its vast store of wonders.

Where else in the world could you find such a dazzling, prestigious collection of Renaissance marvels? Over sixty rooms display stunning works of art from the 12th to the 16th centuries, including classic paintings by well-loved artists Cimabue, Giotto, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian. Your guide will treat you to the insider information you need to appreciate the significance of the pieces on display and the circumstances in which they were produced and commissioned. Who could resist the charms of Botticelli’s Venus emerging from her shell, as pure and perfect as a pearl? The grace of Leonardo’s Gabriel announcing the glad tidings and the thrill of meeting an illustrious Italian couple, immortalised in Piero della Francesca’s finely rendered portraits are among the lasting Florentine memories you will take away with you.

Savour Tuscany’s irresistible sights, scents and flavours on an unforgettable excursion to the countryside from Florence. Surrounded by the peaceful Chianti hills, you will participate in a cooking lesson and prepare a delicious meal with fresh, prime quality ingredients. You will also learn all about one of the world’s most popular wines on a visit to a renowned estate.

You may not know that the word Chianti originates from the Latin term clangor meaning “clamour”, which refers to the noise produced by the blasts of trumpets, rolling drums and clashing swords that resonated throughout the countless battles that shook the area. As a border territory between the two rival cities of Florence and Siena, Chianti often found itself at the centre of tumultuous events and was far from being the peaceful Eden you can admire today!

Beautiful landscapes, charming towns and fine red wines have made Chianti a must-see for visitors to Tuscany. The region boasts an age-old tradition of vine cultivation that dates back to Etruscan times but it was only in 1716 that Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III de’ Medici officially defined the boundaries of the Chianti wine area. Today, a true Chianti must contain at least 80% Sangiovese grapes and can be recognised by its distinctive label, the black rooster – a symbol steeped in a curious legend. Florence and Siena agreed to put an end to their long quarrel over the borders of their territories by each sending out a knight on horseback when the rooster crowed, at daybreak on a given date. The place they met would become the new border between them. The two cities both did their best to outwit their rival. In Siena, the white rooster was treated to a lavish meal in the hope that a full stomach would produce a vigorous morning crow, while in Florence, the black rooster was left hungry so that it would rise earlier, allowing their knight a head start. The latter strategy proved to be the right one for the Florentine knight set off long before his opposite number in Siena and successfully claimed most of Chianti for Florence. Since then the black rooster has been the emblem of the region.

Your private chauffeur will meet you at your accommodation and drive you to the location of your cooking experience. In a comfortable, intimate setting, under the guidance of a friendly instructor, you will pick up culinary tips, put some infallible cooking techniques to the test and learn how to make nutritious, mouth-watering dishes. Recipes are deliberately kept simple and easy to recreate so as to encourage rising chefs to practise their newly acquired skills once they return home.

After lunch a short drive will bring you to a Chianti wine estate. Here, on a tour of the property led by a qualified member of staff, you will get to know about wine-making and ageing methods, become familiar with the particular features and regulations that define Chianti Classico and discover the unique characteristics of the terroir and climate that make wines produced here so special. Top off your day with a tasting of the estate’s wines and a toast… cheers to Chianti!

In the afternoon your private chauffeur will drive you back to your accommodation in Florence.

Nose your way through the woods on an exciting truffle hunt. Adventure-seeking foodies will embark on a quest for these exquisite gifts of nature and delight in a mouth-watering Tuscan meal.

Truffles are one of the world’s most expensive, sought-after delicacies and the Italian white variety – growing from October through December – is the most valuable of all, with a market price of up to € 6,000 per kilo. The mild climate and terroir rich in mineral salts typical of the countryside surrounding San Miniato contribute to the growth and flavour of delicious truffles – as well as top-class olive oil and wine.

You begin your day with a 70-minute ride from Florence to Forcoli. Here you will visit a small truffle museum owned by a local family of truffle hunters who pride themselves on supplying the kitchens and tables of famed chefs and the most discerning of palates. The family’s passion for truffles has been handed down for four generations, since the early 1920s. Among their achievements is that of having found the biggest, priciest truffle in the world. In 2007 thanks to their cherished dog, Rocco, a giant white truffle weighing 1,497 kilos emerged from the soil. We can’t promise you’ll be quite so lucky but keep your fingers crossed and your nose to the ground.

You will hear an introduction to the family’s history, activities and values and understand the importance of working in harmony with the land. Indeed only uncontaminated nature rewards us with its most wonderful fruits. Tuscany, with its pure, unspoiled green hills, is very generous all year long, making this truffle experience a gratifying activity in all seasons. Several kinds of truffle – including the black truffle, the scorzone truffle, the whitish truffle and the rare white truffle – grow in different areas and different seasons and you will learn about the characteristics of each type.

Then, head for the woods and enjoy an exhilarating truffle hunt accompanied by an experienced truffle seeker. It is actually the dogs who will lead you on the trail, as they follow this unique and precious scent through the trees digging out aromatic treasures. With guidance from your truffle seeker, you will identify different plant species, get to know the ideal habitat for truffle growth, find out why truffles are considered an icon of the slow food movement and discover how dogs are trained to detect these woodland treats.

Later, sit down to a tasty truffle-based meal. Highlights might include truffle bruschetta, cold cuts with truffle, pecorino cheese served with truffle honey, potato flan with goat cheese and truffle, risotto with truffle fondue, tagliolini pasta with truffle butter, fried eggs with truffle… Buon appetito!

After lunch explore Tuscany’s truffle capital. The enchanting hilltop town of San Miniato hosts a famous truffle fair every year in November attracting chefs, journalists and specialists from all over the country. Roam its pretty streets taking in splendid views of the Arno Valley below before returning to your hotel in Florence.

In the evening a Michelin star dinner will be served at one of Florence’s finest restaurants, set in a magnificent 18th century palazzo.

After breakfast and check out, which will take place before 10:00 or 11:00 AM, meet your private driver outside your hotel and head for the airport, train station or your next travel destination.