Tuscany and the Italian Riviera

Experience the romance of travel among the elegant palazzos of regal Turin, the rolling hills of Tuscany and along the colorful coast of the Italian Riviera.
Hotel Name: NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano

Welcome to Italy. You’ll make your way to Turin, Italy’s first capital in the 1800s. Settle in for a 2-night stay, admiring the alpine peaks towering in the distance. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring regional specialties.
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Turin
Turin, or Torino, is an interesting city in the Piedmont (Piemonte) region of Italy. Famous for the Shroud of Turin, the city has a lot more to offer. From its Baroque architecture to its museums, Turin is a great city for wandering and exploring.

Walk through Turin with an expert guide, uncovering a blend of French and Italian heritage. Wrap up the tour by trying a bicerin – a mix of espresso and chocolate – in one of the city’s cafés, reminiscent of Parisian coffee spots. After getting acquainted with the city, the rest of the day is yours to further explore Turin on your own.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: NH La Spezia

Visit Area: Langhe Wine Country
The Langhe Wine Country is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Italy’s Piedmont region. It is home to a section of DOP wine, which included Cortese, Nebbiolo, and more. The area is also known for its white truffles, as well as its truffle-infused cheese.

Head to Italy’s picturesque Riviera, weaving through the Langhe wine country (UNESCO) along the way. Stop at the hilltop village of La Morra on your way to a local winery, where you will enjoy a tour and tasting of typical Piedmont wines. After a light lunch continue to La Spezia, the large port city gateway to the Italian Riviera.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included

Admittance: Barolo Winery
Barolo wine is one of Italy’s most famous reds. It is from the nebbiolo grape, which gives it a lighter shade. As a DOCG wine, the regulations require the grapes to be grown on a hillside.

Spend the day exploring the colorful cliff-side villages of Cinque Terre* with a local guide. Take in the picturesque, rugged coastline dotted with terraced vineyards as you travel by rail. Make your way through this seemingly inaccessible string of fishing villages, nestled between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. Tonight, get a bite of the local cuisine during dinner at your hotel.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Villa Casagrande, Figline

Visit Area: Italian Riviera
The Italian Riviera stretches from the French border to northern Tuscany along the Ligurian Sea. The rocky coast is dotted with small fishing villages overlooking the sea and has many popular beaches and seaside resort towns. Portofino, Santa Margherita, Sestri Levante and the Cinque Terre are all popular places for Italian and international visitors looking for sun and surf in a beautiful setting.

Discover the medieval city of Lucca, encircled by 16th-century Renaissance walls. Wander with a local guide, delving into the city’s Roman heritage and storied past. Enjoy some free time to explore the Piazza Napoleone and the rest of the city on your own. Continue on through the rolling hills of Tuscany for a 3-night stay** in the village of Figline. This evening, try your hand at the local culture with an interactive pasta-making demonstration by your hotel’s on-site chef.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is made up of five small villages that cling to the rocky cliffs of the southern Italian Riviera. Each village has its own unique charms with views over the terraced vineyards and the small beaches of the Ligurian Sea. The villages are linked together by trains, hiking paths, and seasonal boat service. From the north to the south the villages are: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare.

Explore Florence (UNESCO), the “Cradle of the Renaissance” during a locally guided walking tour of the city’s iconic sites. View the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), the only Florentine bridge to survive WWII. Admire the Gates of Paradise and the imposing dome of the cathedral. Wander past Piazza della Signoria and the ornate facade of Santa Croce. Enjoy time to explore more on your own before returning to your hotel in the evening.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Lucca
Lucca is a small town in the northwest of Tuscany. The town is famous for its intact city walls that surround the charming pedestrianized city center. The former wealth of the town can be seen in the elegant palaces and large number of churches that can be found throughout the city. Lucca’s Roman heritage is also visible at sites like Piazza dell’Anfiteatro - a series of apartments built on the old Roman arena. Today visitors are also drawn to the number of high quality shops and cafes.

Journey through Tuscany’s low-lying hills and dense olive groves to a traditional frantoio (olive mill), where olives are pressed each November.*** After learning about the many varieties of trees and oil-making methods, join a tasting of the different varietals of EVOO produced at the mill. Your exploration of the Chianti countryside wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a local winery for a taste of the famous Chianti Classico wines. Then continue to the village of Greve, surrounded by vineyard-carpeted hills. Cap off an unforgettable journey at a farewell dinner with your fellow travelers.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Tuscan Estate
During medieval and Renaissance times, an elite class of Tuscans developed great wealth that allowed them to expand their land holdings beyond the city walls. These rich Tuscans, like the Medici Family, invested in country estates with grand residences, elegant gardens and working farms. Today these Tuscan estates are run as agriturismos with accommodations, restaurants, wineries and other attractions.

Say arriverderci to Italy as your journey comes to a close.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Florence
Florence is the regional capital of Tuscany and home to countless Renaissance masterpieces. The city developed great wealth during the late Middle Ages and was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance that produced great artists like Michelangelo, Raphael, Brunelleschi and many others. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with numerous museums, stunning architecture and charming piazzas. The city offers something for everyone from culture, to great food and excellent shopping (like their famous gold or leather).