Italy Real Food Adventure - 8 Days



Who is this trip for
Age range
15 - 99Start / End
- Venice
- Rome
Physical rating
Group size
1 - 12Meals included
12Highlights
- Stay in a traditional Tuscan farmhouse near San Gimignano, surrounded by vineyards and olive trees. Tour the grounds, indulging in tastings of their local wines and rich organic olive oil.
- Take a cooking class and watch a demonstration of how Bologna pasta is made, right in the heart of its culinary namesake, before sitting down to enjoy the fruits (or pasta sheets) of your labour.
- Swap stories with a Roman local as you feast on home-cooked seasonal dishes for dinner right in their home.
- See Italy’s iconic sights, like the canals of Venice, the romantic streets of Rome and the UNESCO World Heritage site in San Gimignano.
- Find foodie bliss with a food tour that lets you taste all the regional highlights like gelato, cicchetti, pasta, vinegar, cheese, seasonal fruit and vegetables, organic meats and a glass of Aperol spritz (or two!).
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Summary
Italians are the masters of creating simple dishes that burst with flavour. Inspired by nonnas’ kitchens all over the country, this food is regional, seasonal and fresh, and on this eight-day trip through everybody’s favourite culinary hub, you’ll discover that pizza and pasta are only the tip of the iceberg. Uncover the diverse array of unforgettable street eats, meals and cicchetti (small bites) from the postcard-perfect Venice to Rome, where medieval meets modern. Delight in local wine, fresh produce, homemade dinners and seasonal favourites in San Gimignano, Tuscany and Bologna – all with a local by your side – and take your tastebuds on an unforgettable adventure.
Itinerary
Day 1
Venice
Buongiorno! Welcome to Italy. Your adventure starts with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight in Venice. If you arrive early, maybe take some time to get lost in the narrow cobblestone streets and spacious piazzas, cross the tiny bridges to find shops or wander through some of the local markets, galleries and churches. After your meeting, head out for a welcome aperitivo, where you’ll enjoy a glass of bubbly Aperol spritz. Venice's distinctive culinary heritage goes back to ancient times and features rich risottos, saline baccala (salted cod) and creamy polenta. If you're hungry, follow your leader to an atmospheric restaurant for your first introduction to Venetian flavours.
Day 2
Venice
This morning, head out for a typical Venetian breakfast at a local cafe with your local leader. Indulge in an espresso or cappuccino with some local Venetian pastries like baci di dama, brutti ma buoni and bussola. After, continue walking down the canals to watch farmers unload their produce from their boats, ready to be sold at Venice's famous Rialto markets. This tradition is more than 1000 years old. Next, you’ll swing past the fish market, where the day’s catch might come directly from the Venetian lagoon – the enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea. Maybe have an aperitivo spritz here, then the afternoon is free for you to explore Venice at your own pace. Tonight, discover the Venetian answer to tapas on a cicchetti (small bites) crawl through the city's fabulous bacari (wine bars). Snacking is an important pastime in Venice, with many people stopping for cicchetti both before and after meals.
Day 3
Bologna
Travel to Bologna by train this morning – this city's culinary claim to fame is significant, thanks to the ragu alla bolognese. Home of tagliatelle, mortadella and a range of other cured meats and salamis, Bologna, along with the surrounding Emilia Romagna region, is a foodie’s paradise. When you arrive, maybe wander past the beautiful old terracotta buildings and lively streets and acquaint yourself with the area. Later, you'll discover the real food of Bologna with a hands-on cooking class in the fine art of pasta-making. Feast on your handiwork over dinner with your host and your group, celebrating your new skill.
Day 4
Bologna
Today you’ll discover the flavours of the renowned Emilia Romagna region. Visit a factory dedicated to producing one of Italy's most coveted culinary exports – Parmigiano Reggiano. Learn how this cheese is made, then try it for yourself. After, continue to the town of Modena and visit an acetaia – a house where the family produce fine-aged Modena balsamic vinegar in the attic. You'll see how the vinegar is aged in barrels made from different woods, learn why it’s never less than 12 years old and then see the difference between the factory-made vinegar and the real stuff with a tasting. Head to a trattoria for lunch and taste some of the best local produce and farm-fresh seasonal dishes, then wash it down with a glass of Lambrusco – the town's famed sparkling red. Later, stroll around the town and admire the Palazzo Ducale before returning to Bologna in the late afternoon.
Day 5
San Gimignano
This morning, travel to the village of Pancole in the heart of Tuscany. When you arrive, settle into your accommodation at a traditional Tuscan farmhouse near San Gimignano Village. The farmhouse is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees that the family has been producing excellent wine and olive oil from by organic methods for over fifty years. After, join your local leader on a walk through the vineyards and cellars of the estate, before sitting down to a tasting of some signature Tuscan wines and olive oils. Dinner tonight will be seasonal favourites, made with ingredients freshly harvested from the farmhouse garden beds such as homemade pasta, salads, finocchiona salami, crostini toscani (chicken liver pate on lightly toasted bread) and seasonal vegetables.
Day 6
San Gimignano
This morning, walk along a section of the Via Francigena – the major pilgrimage route to Rome during the Middle Ages. Explore the medieval walled town of San Gimignano – a UNESCO World Heritage site often called the Town of Fine Towers due to the preservation of several impressive torre (tower houses) within its walls. Along the way, pass an award-winning gelateria, where interesting flavours like gorgonzola cheese and walnuts await your tastebuds. The rest of the day is free for you to explore San Gimignano at your own pace. Maybe wander along the walking paths around the farm or relax by the pool and take in the beautiful views of the Tuscan countryside.
Day 7
Rome
Today, jump on a train to Rome – Italy’s capital famed for its deliciously fresh food and scattered ancient ruins. When you arrive, take a leader-led orientation walk through the historical city centre, past the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Venezia, Roman Forum and Colosseum – one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Along the way, stop for an on-the-go slice of pizza Romana (a rectangular, thick-crust pizza distinctive to Italy). After taking in all the big (and small) highlights of this incredible city, you’ll head to a local’s home for a homecooked, plant-based dinner. Swap stories with your host and sit down for a feast of seasonal dishes. Tonight, maybe head to a local bar and cheers to a trip well-travelled over a glass of local wine.
Day 8
Rome
With no activities planned after breakfast, your food adventure comes to an end today. If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
What's Included
Accommodation
Hotel (5 nights), Farmstay (2 nights)
Meals
Breakfasts: 7, Lunches: 1, Dinners: 4
Vegetarian options are available on all meals throughout the adventure.
Vegetarian options availableLocal Guide
GuidedThis adventure is led by a local guide throughout. The main language of this adventure is English. Please contact us for other languages available.
Wifi
Wifi is available during the adventure. In some areas and / or accommodation / transport Wifi may be free.
Dates & Prices
Sep 25
from £2,901Oct 25
from £2,430Apr 26
from £2,440May 26
from £2,538Jun 26
from £2,538Aug 26
from £2,440Sep 26
from £2,636Oct 26
from £2,440Apr 27
from £2,391May 27
from £2,391Jun 27
from £2,391Jul 27
from £2,391Aug 27
from £2,391Sep 27
from £2,391Oct 27
from £2,391
- Save 2%Fri 6 Aug 2027 > Fri 13 Aug 20276+ spaces of 12 leftPay Monthly£2,440Best offer£2,391Book for£250 today, pay the rest later
- Save 2%Fri 13 Aug 2027 > Fri 20 Aug 20276+ spaces of 12 leftPay Monthly£2,440Best offer£2,391Book for£250 today, pay the rest later
- Save 2%Fri 20 Aug 2027 > Fri 27 Aug 20276+ spaces of 12 leftPay Monthly£2,440Best offer£2,391Book for£250 today, pay the rest later
Customer reviews & ratings
Great trip! Lots of inclusions, good food and a little bit of free time too! Our leader Lodo was wonderful!
Courtney Nov, 2019 VerifiedThis tour was every bit as delicious as I had hoped it would be! I will never look at a bottle of balsamic vinegar the same way, or take a block of parmiagiana for granted, and I'm so excited to put my new pasta-making skills to the test at home. Giulia was a wonderful leader, and her passion for her job, for travel and for Italy was obvious. The only downside is now I want to go back!
Tammy Oct, 2019 Verified
Essential trip information
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