Compare Ultimate Italy by G Adventures vs Tuscany Cooking Vacations: Treasures of the Tuscan Sun by Access Trips

Day 1 Rome

Arrive at any time.

There are no planned activities until tonight's welcome meeting.

We recommend booking pre-tour accommodation to fully explore this magnificent city. Please speak to a G Adventures representative about booking accommodations in Rome before Day 1 of this itinerary. Please note that if Vatican City is on your must-see list, we highly recommend purchasing your tickets online several weeks prior to your trip. Advance tickets can be reserved online at https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home. Same-day entrance to St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) cannot be guaranteed without advance tickets. We also recommend pre-booking your ticket to the Colosseum to guarantee entrance and avoid long queues: https://www.coopculture.it/en/products/ticket-colosseum-roman-forum-palatine_24h/

Day 2 Rome

Enjoy a G Adventures supported migrant led walk of Rome before enjoying a free day to explore a myriad of options. Opt to tour Vatican City, cross the river to charming Trastevere, eat some gelato in Piazza Navona, or swing by the Colosseum and Forum.

While you're here, why not opt to rent a Vespa for the day? Live "la dolce vita" and opt to pre-book the Rome Vintage Vespa Tour on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.

Day 3 Rome/Montepulciano

Travel to Montepulciano in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. Explore the medieval and renaissance hill town with an orientation walk.

Montepulciano is famous for producing delectable local pork, cheese, "Pici" pasta, and honey. It is also major wine producing area. Take in the stunning vistas, wander cobbled lanes, or opt to sample the local delicacies in small, family-run establishments.

Day 4 Montepulciano

Spend the day in the Italian countryside. The famous wine-producing region is the perfect place for an optional vineyard tour and wine tasting, or a bike ride in the rolling hills.

Opt to travel further afield to the thermal springs of Bagni San Filippo.

Day 5 Montepulciano/Florence

Continue on to Florence. Enjoy an evening walk to Piazzale Michelangelo for a fantastic panoramic view of the city.

Continue to the inimitable Firenze. Walk through the city catching a glimpse of the Duomo, Piazza Indipendenza, Piazza della Signoria, and the Ponte Vecchio. Continue to Piazzale Michelangelo for the most famous and photographed vista of the city. Opt to visit the local leather markets and souvenir stalls set up all over the city.

Day 6 Florence

With a free day, the choices are endless. Opt to visit the Duomo, David, the Galleria dell’Accademia, Uffizi Gallery, medieval Ponte Vecchio, or the Medici Chapels, just to name a handful.

The day is yours to explore. Check out the Mercato Centrale or any number of cafés and trattorias. If you came to shop, start at one end of the city and just keep going. There's beautiful architecture, famous museums, Renaissance art pieces, and charming cobblestone streets everywhere. If you wish to go further afield, take a wine tasting bike tour up to Fiesole and the vineyards of Chianti. For a truly local experience, indulge your inner gastronome on a culinary tour of the city. Opt to pre-book the "Florence Food Tour" on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.

If you wish to visit popular museums like the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries, we strongly advise reserving tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line for a long time (especially during the high season from May-September, where this can take several hours). Advance tickets can be reserved online at https://www.uffizi.it/en/tickets and https://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it/tickets/

Day 7 Florence

Enjoy a day trip to vibrant Siena. After an orientation walk around this medieval city, opt to visit Torre del Mangia, Battistero, il Campo, or the Duomo or to take a "passeggiata" and meet the Sienese locals. Return to Florence at the end of the day.

Day 8 Florence/Cinque Terre

Visit Pisa en route to the coast. Settle into the colourful, charming town in the Cinque Terre.

Head by train to Pisa and stop for a visit at the Field of Miracles to see the famous leaning tower (entrance fee not included). Later, head on to the coastal paradise of Cinque Terre.

Day 9 Cinque Terre

Walk the coastal path between Riomaggiore and Monterosso or opt to take the train. Visit charming, colourful towns along the way.

The national park pass and daily unlimited train ticket is included. Opt to follow your CEO along centuries-old footpaths and mule tracks leading through olive groves, vineyards, and orchards on a full day hike, or hop on and off the train, experiencing each town on your own. Choose to rest in each of the 5 villages, sampling delicacies in each place, such as local pesto, espresso, or delicious gelato.

Please note that some popular hiking paths along the Cinque Terre have been temporarily closed due to water erosion and damage caused by landslides in 2016. Your CEO will guide you on the best, most accessible path for today's hike.

Day 10 Cinque Terre/Lake Como

Travel to Lake Como, a perfectly picturesque region laden with villas and lush gardens. Arrive in the late afternoon and start exploring the town.

Set out from Cinque Terre on a train journey with a few changes en route, passing through Milan and on to elegant Como Town, located on the shores of Lake Como. On the border with Switzerland, enjoy the spectacular backdrop of the snowy-peaked Alps.

Day 11 Lake Como

Spend the day on Lake Como with a day pass for the Lake Como boat. Visit multiple towns along the shores. Opt to take the funicular to Brunate for a fantastic view over the area.

Set out by boat to explore the lake and its many elegant villas and towns, such as Bellagio with its shops, restaurants, and fine residences. In the afternoon, there is plenty of free time for soaking up the elegant atmosphere in one of the lakeside cafés or restaurants. Take some time for shopping — some of the finest Italian designers are to be found in Como's chic boutiques.

Day 12 Lake Como/Venice

Travel to Venice, the "city of canals," and enjoy an orientation walk over bridges and canals and view Piazza San Marco.

Travel east to captivating Venice, the unique "city of canals," full of magnificent monuments. There will be plenty of time to wander the narrow cobblestone streets and wide piazzas, crossing hundreds of tiny bridges and, of course, getting lost in Venice's labyrinth.

Day 13 Venice

Spend the day getting lost in Venice. Opt for a vaporetto (water taxi) ride to the islands of Murano and Burano, take a gondola under the Ponte Rialto (Bridge of Lovers), explore the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, or get lost in the twisting maze of the city.

Day 14 Venice

Depart at any time.

We recommend staying an extra day or two to fully experience all this beautiful city has to offer.

DAY 1: Your Tuscany Culinary Tour Begins

Meals: None

Welcome to Tuscany, Italy’s rustic, tranquil and historic heartland and home to world class wine and cuisine, lush rolling landscapes, and medieval hill towns. Your culinary tour of Tuscany begins as we pick you up from your Florence accommodations or the Florence airport. Our destination today is Cortona, the stunning setting for the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun.”

On our way to Cortona, we’ll visit Siena, arguably Italy’s most beautiful medieval city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set on three hills in the Chianti region, Siena is a must-see on any visit to Tuscany. Siena’s heart is its central piazza called Il Campo, which is best  known worldwide for the famous Palio di Siena, a horse race run around the piazza twice each summer. We’ll tour the ancient town on foot, stopping at its most renowned bakery to taste the local “Ricciarelli,” a traditional Sienese cookie made from almonds, sugar, and egg whites.

We’ll then all transfer to our lovely boutique hotel, walking distance to Cortona’s central piazza. Dinner tonight is at your leisure.

DAY 2: Cortona Walking Tour & Italian Cooking Class

Meals: Breakfast, tastings and Dinner

This morning we begin with a 3-hour walking tour of beautiful Cortona to uncover together its two thousand year history. Your local guide will introduce you to the town’s two main churches: the San Francesco Church, dating from the 13th century, and the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, rebuilt in the 15th century on the remains of an even older church. You’ll also visit the charming main town square, Piazza della Repubblica, home to Town Hall and several Renaissance palaces, before visiting the Etruscan Museum to discover Cortona’s central role in the Etruscan Confederation and into the Roman period. During the walking tour, we’ll also take a break for coffee and pastries with our guide to relax and immerse ourselves in the relaxed rhythm of local life. After the tour you’ll take time for lunch at your leisure.

This afternoon we will walk to the historic center of Cortona for one of the most interesting and traditional cooking classes in Tuscany. We’ll meet Antonella, an eclectic and talented chef who is also a  journalist and expert on local culture. Her charming kitchen has a massive fireplace and a view of the ancient alleys and roofs of Cortona. Working with the best seasonal ingredients, Chef Antonella will guide you in the hands-on preparation of an unforgettable meal, from antipasto to dessert, including the local pici pasta with ragù. We’ll then sit down at the large kitchen table for our hearty dinner paired with the perfect wine. Saluti!

DAY 3: Pienza, Montepulciano & Wine Tasting

Meals: Breakfast and tastings

Our Tuscany culinary tour continues as we spend the day exploring the world-famous wine region of the Val d’Orcia. We’ll start with a tour of a local food producer, visiting for example a greengrocer, a butcher, or a beekeeper to learn the customs and traditions of rural life and sample a few delicious local products.

Our destinations this afternoon are the beautiful hill towns of Pienza and Montepulciano, famous for their excellent cheese and wine production. In Pienza you’ll enjoy a private guided tour to take in the main highlights of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the imposing Palazzo Piccolomini which offers breathtaking panoramas over the valley and was an iconic feature in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet. We’ll also stop into an artisanal shop where the same family has been aging the finest local cheese for generations. You will have the opportunity to taste pecorino di Pienza cheese at different ages, as well as Italy’s famous balsamic vinegar.

From there we’ll continue to Montepulciano, where you’ll have some free time to enjoy a leisurely lunch and explore on your own. Then you’re in for a delightful surprise. Unbeknownst to most people, beneath the main square of Montepulciano lies an ancient Etruscan cavern that was converted to a wine cellar in the 16th century and has housed the finest regional wines ever since. After touring the cellars, we’ll taste several of Talosa Winery’s award-winning wines accompanied by local pecorino cheese and bruschetta.

DAY 4:  Truffle Hunt & Michelin-Rated Dinner

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

One of the highlights of our Tuscany culinary tour is a truffle hunt, which takes place in a “tartufaia” (woodlands where truffles are found) on a family farm and vineyard. Together with our truffle expert and his trained dogs, we stroll through the woods as the dogs sniff out the precious truffles. You’ll even have the chance to handle the truffle dogs directly if you are interested. During the walk, our guide will give you an introduction to the world of Italian truffles, particularly the species of truffles in Tuscany. We’ll learn where and how the truffles are found, how to preserve them properly at home, how they are used in cooking, and what recipes complement them the most. After the hunt, we will head to the farmhouse with our new-found treasure, just in time for lunch al fresco that is paired with the lovely wines that are produced on-site. Our farm-to-table meal includes truffles and other local and seasonal ingredients, such as handmade pasta from flour milled on the premises, local meats and cheeses, and herbs from the garden.

For one of the highlights of Tuscan food this week, our dinner is at the Michelin-starred Il Falconiere, run by award-winning executive chef Silvia Regi Baracchi. This is a meal you may never forget!

DAY 5: Our Tuscany Culinary Tour Ends

Meals: Breakfast

Our culinary tour of Tuscany is over today, but if you want more, we can deliver! Ask us about our 3-day/2-night Florence extension, which you can enjoy either before or after your Tuscany cooking vacation.