Decadent Northern Italy 11 th October- 28 th October 2019 18 day tour Taste, discover, explore Join us on our journey to Italy s evocative regions where we discover stunning scenery while we taste some of the world s best culinary delights and local wines along the way. We explore the idyllic villages in the North of Italy from Florence, Tuscany, Bologna, Modena and Asti. We start in Florence on our own private tour which takes us to the famous sights of the Ponte Vecchio, The Uffizi and the Accademia Gallery. We have a private wine tour into Tuscany where we have the opportunity to try the famous Brunello di Montalcino and have lunch at one of the wineries. We also visit Siena and have lunch at the best trattoria in the city. We then head north to Bologna with its medieval and renaissance architecture. Our private food tour starts off with coffee at the best caffe in town, a visit to the markets, learn how tortellini is made from a traditional pasta artisan and tasting the famous gelati. Our private wine tour in the hills allows us to try Sangiovese, Pignoletto and Chardonnay. In Modena our private tour takes us to some incredible places. We start at a PDO Parmesan dairy, visit small traditional balsamic producers and then onto learn about Parma Ham, Prosciutto San Daniele and finish at an agriturismo for lunch. We then head North West to Asti in the famous Piedmont region. Our day of wine tasting takes us to some incredible producers where we will be tasting Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Moscato whilst enjoying lunch at one of the wineries. We also have a private food tour of Asti taking us through the historic center, visiting food vendors, (being it is truffle season we will be spoilt) tasting cheeses, salumi and wine the list goes on. We make our way back to Florence where we have our farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants in the city.
Florence Day 1 : Friday 11 th October On arrival into historical Florence make your way to our hotel where you will be met and checked into your room to relax before this evenings drinks in the hotel lobby and then on to dinner. (Transfers can be arranged from airport) Meals: Drinks and Dinner (including wine and or beverages) Day 2 : Saturday 12 th October Today we discover the beauty of Florence on our private walking tour. We will visit Giotto's Bell Tower, Vasari Corridor, Baptistery, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria & the Palazzo Vecchio to name a few of the important landmarks we ll see during this sightseeing tour of Florence. After enjoying a walk through the historical center of Florence we arrive at the Accademia Gallery, home to Florence's most treasured work of art - "Michelangelo's David". After enjoying an in-depth discussion of David, we'll also have time to admire "Michelangelo's Slaves". A series of breath-taking sculptures. We also visit the Uffizi to admire the works of the great masters of the Renaissance. Our expert guide will give us a thorough introduction to the Renaissance period utilizing the great works of Art on display inside the Uffizi museum. The remainder of the evening is at your leisure. Meals: Breakfast Day 3 : Sunday 13th October Today is all about wine tasting, as we visit the Tuscany region and get to taste the world famous Brunello di Montalcino. Our drive takes us through the region of Montalcino, its history and wine designations. We have 3 winery visits and the chance to walk through the vineyards. We have lunch at one of the wineries with more of its incredible wines and also get to taste their olive oils. We also stop in Montalcino to admire this wine town and walk the winding streets stocked with myriads of wine shops and artisan products. Meals: Breakfast, Wine Tour, Lunch (including wine and or beverages) Day 4 : Monday 14th October You have a complete free day today. Take the time to go shopping or wander the streets before dinner tonight as we farewell Florence. Tuscany Day 5 : Tuesday 15th October After breakfast today we head off to our villa in the Tuscan Countryside. Our beautiful villa awaits us for the next few nights to relax and soak up this incredible part of Italy. Dinner tonight in a fabulous local restaurant. Overnight: Tuscany Day 6 : Wednesday 16th October Today we visit historic Siena. We have lunch in one Siena s best local restaurants, but the rest of the day is for you to take in Siena at your own pace. Overnight: Tuscany Meals: Breakfast and Lunch (including wine and or beverages)
Bologna Day 7 : Thursday 17th October After breakfast we head further north today to Bologna with its medieval and renaissance buildings, plus its incredible food. We have dinner tonight at one of Bologna s newest restaurants. Day 8 : Friday 18th October We have a private food tour today taking in the abundance of produce Bologna has to offer. Starting the day with a gourmet coffee at the best Caffe in town. Touring the "Quadrilatero" and Mercato delle Erbe, the foodie heart of Bologna, we go shopping together like locals inside the most important markets of the town. We visit a traditional fresh pasta artisan to learn how tortellini, tortelloni and tagliatelle are made. We stop for lunch in one of the oldest osteria in Italy where we can taste different kinds of Bologna's cold cuts, local cheeses, breads, bolognese ragu and Balsamic Vinegar Tradizionale of Modena and relax with some glasses of wine. The last stop of the tour is one of the most famous gelateria in town. Meals: Breakfast Food Tour with Lunch (including wine and or beverages) Day 9 : Saturday 19th October After breakfast we head out to the hills for our private wine tour of this region. We visit two wineries first in the hills between Bologna and Imola where we get to taste Chardonnay, Pignoletto, Sangiovese and more. We have lunch at one of the wineries with matching wines. We then head to Dozza, a medieval village where art becomes an urban landscape. We also visit the Fortress of Dozza for our third tasting in the ancient cellars which holds Enoteca Regionale dell Emilia Romagna. Meals: Breakfast, Wine Tour with Lunch (including wine and or beverages) Day 10 : Sunday 20th October Today is a free day for you to enjoy Bologna at your own pace. We will have dinner tonight at one of the local s favorite restaurants. Modena Day 11 : Monday 21st October After breakfast we have a short drive to Modena, the birthplace of Balsamic Vinegar and one of the best Chefs in the world, Massimo Bottura. Dinner tonight is in one of Modena s many restaurants. Day 12 : Tuesday 22nd October Today we have an amazing private tour where we get to discover the famous produce and wines of this region. Our tour starts at a PDO Parmesan cheese dairy in Modena. Our guide will explain step by step how this famous product is made, at this point we will see how the milk is coagulated and the cheese curds are lifted and inserted into the moulds. The detailed guided tour will also include the brine stage and the ageing cellars. Of course, we will taste different ageing of the cheese in order to understand how the product changes with time. We visit small traditional vinegar producers in Modena and at the end of our visit, we will sit around the family table and have our tasting. Few drops of the nectar are sufficient to enhance our dishes and during the tasting stage, we will learn how to match each vinegar with food. Next we will visit the Villani ham and Salami factory for a tour of Musa the first charcuterie museum in the world. Here we learn how Parma ham, Prosciutto di San Daniele, mortadella and many other Italian salamis are made. Our last stop will be at an agriturismo where we will explore the beauty of organic farming. After a walking visit of the farm, we will be sitting around the rustic table to enjoy the famous farmer brunch. The lunch consists of many specialities of the area such as hand carved ham, ciccioli (cooked and pressed bacon) fresh and
aged cheese with the unforgettable Salsa Luisa, all served with the farm made sourdough focaccia bread. Lunch will be accompanied with the farm classic method organic wines such as Lambrusco and Trebbiano. Meals: Breakfast, Food Tour with cheese, salumi and Lunch (including wine and or beverages) Day 13 : Wednesday 23rd October Time to relax and soak up the streets and treats of Modena in your free time. Dinner tonight to farewell the North East of Italy before we head to the North West. Asti Day 14 : Thursday 24th October After breakfast today we head across to Asti, in the famous Piedmont wine region. We have dinner tonight in one of the region s best restaurants Day 15 : Friday 25th October Today is all about wine tasting. Our tour day begins with a visit to a great producer, Braida in Rocchetta Tanero and a tasting of some of their Barbera wines. We will then head to the beautiful medieval village of Nieve, where the 'quatro vino', four DOC and DOCG wines are produced: Barbaresco DOCG, Barbera d'alba DOC, Dolcetto d'alba DOC and Moscato d'asti DOCG. Here we will have a chance to visit a small family producer, taste some of their wines including their delicious Barbaresco and view their small but very beautiful ancient cellar dating from the 1600's. The next stop will be at the nearby village of Barbaresco, where Gaja is situated We will have lunch at the winery and taste some more fantastic wines, before we continue our journey to the region of impressive castles and 'the King of Wines', Barolo. During the afternoon, we will travel to some of the regions famous wine villages such as; Barolo, La Morra and Serralunga d'alba, with their beautifully manicured vineyards and fantastic panoramic views. Here we will visit a great producer to taste a selection of wines including award winning Barolos. Meals: Breakfast, Wine Tasting with Lunch (including wine and or beverages) Day 16 : Saturday 26 th October We have a private food walking tour of Asti today. We head out on a leisurely stroll through the historic centre of Asti, visiting some of the city s top attractions in between food shops and markets. We visit at least three food vendors during our tour a traditional food shop, a produce market and a street vendor. We get to sample cheese, bread, hazelnut pralines, salami and even some of local wine. We ll also see along the way the Jewish Ghetto, the covered market, some of the city s medieval towers, Baroque churches, the square in which the town s famous horse race (the Palio) is held each year, and the Asti Cathedral, the largest Gothic structure in the Piedmont region. You have some free time this afternoon before we meet for dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Food Tour with tastings, Dinner (including wine and or beverages) Florence Day 17 : Sunday 27th October After breakfast today we make our way back to Florence. You have free time this afternoon before we have our farewell dinner tonight in our beautiful hotel and say Ciao to our amazing Italian tour. Day 18 : Monday 28 th October We say our farewells to our Busby s Tours family today and wish everybody a safe journey home. Meals: Breakfast
Inclusions and Pricing Pricing is AUD and based on twin share $8950.00. Single supplement is available upon request You will visit: Florence; private walking tour of Florence visiting piazzas and landmarks to admire, visit the Accademia Gallery and Uffizi, private wine tasting in 3 wineries in the Tuscany region as well as visiting village of Montalcino; Tuscany; stay in Tuscany in a private villa where our hosts will share their passion of this beautiful part of Italy with us; visit Siena; Bologna; private food tour through Quadrilatero and Mercato delle Erbe; learn how tortellini, tortelloni and tagliatelle are made; private wine tour of this region visiting 2 wineries; visit the medieval village of Dozza; visit Fortress of Dozza and their ancient cellars; Modena; private tour of the region and witness the process of cheese making, vinegar, hams and more while tasting these wonders; Asti; visit medieval village of Nieve and taste some of the delicious wines from cellars dating from 1600 s; visit Barbaresco and view castles and vineyards; private food walking tour of Asti and visit some of the best sites as well as the square where the Palio is held each year; 18 Breakfasts / 6 Lunches / 10 Dinners including Welcome drink, Welcome & Farewell dinners, Lunch & Dinner includes wine and/or beverage with each meal. 7 private tours including food tours, wine tours Our personal food & wine tour guide with us to also assist in selecting your lunch or dinner locations when not with the group Private driver in air conditioned mini-van or bus Tour begins in Florence and finishes in Florence (allows you to seek a better price for return airfare) 4 1/2 & 5 star accommodation (2 per room share basis or single supplement if required). Unique hotels, B&B s & villas in central locations with more night s accommodation allowing a more relaxed feel to your vacation No early morning rises you are on holidays and we want you to make the most of every destination (you will be given a day by day itinerary showing times we leave of a morning when on a day tour or if a flight or other transfer has to be met) Restaurants for lunch & dinner are pre booked months in advance by our Food & Wine guide therefore please inform us if you have any special food dietary requirements Taxes, surcharges (where part of Busby s Tours itinerary) Tips to guides / drivers (where part of Busby s Tours itinerary) Tips to waiters (where Busby s Tours include a meal) Busby s Tours Co-ordinator services throughout tour for any of your requests Min 6 - Max 10 on this tour (early booking is recommended) Surprise experiences Not Included International flights; items of a personal nature; any items used from hotel mini bars or phone calls from room (you may be required by hotel to leave a credit card for security on your room); passport; laundry; personal transport; excess baggage; travel insurance; meals not specified (all meals are shown on pre departure list that is included on tour); alcoholic beverages other than what is shown on itinerary with each meal; Optional excursions or activities that may be offered but not included in the tour price.