Piedmont Discovery
Round trip air fare from Boston or JFK with air available from all major gateways, contact us for more information. 7-nights accommodation at moderate four star hotel. breakfasts daily, 5 dinners at the hotel, your welcome cocktail, 1 wine tasting, 1 cheese tasting , 1 chocolate tasting and excursions as outlined below. An English speaking Tour Manager will accompany you throughout your visit and transportation is by private car and motorcoach as applicable.
Itinerary
- DAY 1: Departure from the USA - Meals and refreshments served on flight
- DAY 2: Milan Malpensa/Alba - Upon arrival at Milan Malpensa airport, meet your English speaking tour manager and transfer by deluxe private motorcoach to Alba. Welcome to Piedmont! Check in at your 4* hotel. Orientation tour and welcome drink before dinner at the hotel.
- DAY 3: Alba/Barolo/Alba - After breakfast, take a guided visit of Alba. Named “the city of 100 towers”, it is the capital of the Langhe Region and its historical centre is rich in Roman and Gothic monuments. At lunch enjoy some time on your own to discover the beautiful squares and pedestrian streets, lined up with beautiful shops and cafés. In the afternoon, you will be transferred by private motorcoach to Barolo, heart of the production of the world-famous Barolo wine. Visit the innovative Wine Museum, housed in the halls and rooms of Falletti Castle. The museum visit is structured like an interactive descent into the deep history and culture of wine. Transfer to the ultra modern wine cellars of the Terre da Vino Cooperative which encompass over 5,000 hectares of vineyards cultivated by over 2,500 growers. Visit the winery, cellars and wine producing facilities and taste some wines with a light dinner on-site. Return to the hotel.
- DAY 4: Alba/Murazzano/La Morra/Serralunga/Alba - Depart by private motorcoach to the Murazzano area, where you will visit an enchanting farm and learn about the age-old tradition of cheese making while tasting some of the savoury cheeses made here. Continue to La Morra, the highest of the villages of the Langhe area. From here you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills, dotted with castles and vineyards. Enjoy lunch on your own at this historical villages, then continue to Serralunga d’Alba and visit the 14th century fortress. Return to Alba. Dinner at the hotel.
- DAY 5: Alba/Torino/Alba - Today’s excursion will take you to discover the lively and elegant city of Torino. The first capital of Italy, gently resting on the hillside and enclosed by the winding course of the River Po, owes much of its charm to its enchanting location at the foot of the western Alps. You will be guided to discover its ancient and modern history, the palaces and tree-lined avenues, the parks and the streets covered with porticoes. Torino offers a unique balance between the rational Roman layout, the measured pomp of baroque and the originality of the modern and contemporary architecture. During your walk you will see the beautiful Royal Palace, the Cathedral where the Holy Shroud is hosted, the façade of Palazzo Carignano, first Parliament of reunited Italy in 1861, and you will discover some antique courtyards. You will then visit the Mole Antonelliana, symbol of Turin and former Jewish synagogue, now hosting the amazing Cinema Museum. You will also take the panoramic lift, which rises inside the cupola and up to a terrace from which you can enjoy a birds-eye view of the city. Before returning to Alba, you will be transferred to the workshop of one of the best chocolate producers, who will explain the history of chocolate which has an ancient tradition in Piedmont. A final tasting of some products are not to be missed! Return to Alba. Dinner at the hotel.
- DAY 6: Alba/Staffarda/Saluzzo/Alba - Today you will visit a place of spiritual devotion: the Abbey of Santa Maria di Staffarda. Founded in the first half of the 12th century by the Cistercian order, the abbey’s compound includes a church with an elegant columned cloister, monastic buildings and nine annexed farmhouses. Continue to nearby Saluzzo which ranks amongst the most beautiful towns of Piedmont. Once the capital of a powerful marquisate, it is now one of the most important centres in Italy for antiques, fine furniture and restoration. While taking a guided visit you will discover beautiful buildings dating back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Before returning to Alba, you will have some free time for shopping or to relax in the city centre. Return to Alba. Dinner tonight will be on your own.
- DAY 7: Alba/Verbania - Check out from your Alba hotel after breakfast and depart by private motorcoach to Lake Maggiore, in Northern Piedmont. Arrival in Verbania: a nice town lined by rows of palm trees, flowering gardens, and the façades of elegant Belle Epoque buildings, and in front the picturesque Borromeo Islands, which seem to rise mysteriously out of the lake waters. Check in at your 4* hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal for discovering the relaxing surroundings along the lake shores. Dinner on your own in one of the many typical inns and restaurants around the lake.
- DAY 8: Verbania/Borromean Islands/Verbania - This morning cruise on the deep blue, glacially formed Lake Maggiore, visiting Isola Bella, built in the 17th century as the palatial residence of Carlo III and his wife, Isabella. The formal Italian gardens, with their statuary and terraces, are like a magnificent stage setting. You stop at the charming Isola Pescatori where you can have lunch in one of the quaint inns of the island, then continue on your cruise to Isola Madre, the third of the Borromean islands. Return to Verbania. Enjoy a farewell dinner at a nearby traditional osteria.
- DAY 9: Verbania/Milano Malpensa airport - Transfer to Milano Malpensa airport for your flight to the USA.
Round trip air fare from Boston or JFK (Add-ons from other gateways available. Please enquire)
Seven nights accommodation at moderate four star hotels
Seven breakfasts and five dinners at the hotel
One welcome cocktail
One wine tasting
One cheese tasting
One chocolate tasting
Excursions as per itinerary
Entrance fees for museums and sites as per itinerary
English speaking Tour Manager throughout
Transportation by private car or motorcoach throughout
All taxes and service charges
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