DAY 1

MONTREAL: DEPARTURE

Meet at Montreal Airport to catch a connecting night flight to Europe; meals on board.

DAY 2

MILAN – TURIN – BRA (215 KM)

Arrival at Milan airport. Welcome by your guide and driver team and departure to Piedmont, a region in northwestern Italy, surrounded on three sides by the highest peaks of the Alps and the Apennine hills. The excellence of its rich and full-bodied red wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco and sparkling wines such as Moscato and Asti spumante have greatly contributed to the region’s tourist reputation. Arrival in Turin, former royal city of the Savoy’s princess. Free lunch followed by a guided tour of the 2006 Olympic Games’ host city. In the afternoon, continuation to the Roero and Bra region, which saw the birth of the “Slow Food” movement which promotes gastronomic traditions and which defends sustainable agriculture. Installation at your hotel for four nights. Welcome dinner. (D)

DAY 3

BRA: EXCURSION IN THE ROERO (50 KM)

Departure for a hike in the forest in the company of a “trifolau” and his sniffer dog to discover the techniques of truffle hunting, a product praised by cooks and gourmets around the world. At the end of the activity, tasting of products made from this precious “Piedmont diamond”. Then departure to a winemaker for a visit to his cellars and tasting of Roero wines selected by the house sommelier followed by a tasting lunch. In the afternoon, visit of the historic suburb of Pollenzo. The “castello di Pollenzo”, now the University of Gastronomic Sciences, is a creation of the founding president of the “Slow Food” movement, Carlo Petrini. On return to the hotel, talk on local wines in its cellars and tasting of Langhe and Roero wines accompanied by local products. (PDB / L)

DAY 4

BRA: LANGHE – ALBA EXCURSION (100 KM)

A walk through the Bra area before departure for a hike through the Langhe, a region that offers a landscape of hills covered with vineyards and dotted with castles and fortresses. This unique wine-growing landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discovery of La Morra and its magnificent panorama. Then, visit of the imposing castle of Grinzane Cavour, the seat of the regional wine store, managed by the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba. Then, drive to the historic wine-growing village of Barolo, which gave its name to one of Italy’s greatest red wines. Wine tasting and “spuntino” lunch at a producer. Continuation to Alba and guided tour, an unmissable gastronomic stopover famous for its Piedmontese white truffles. Return to the hotel and free evening. (PDB / L)

DAY 5

BRA: EXCURSION FROM RACCONIGI TO ASTI (130 KM)

Departure to visit the Royal Castle of Racconigi, a former military fortress that was transformed into a summer residence by the Savoy dynasty and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continuation towards Asti, by the hilly roads and the vineyards of Roero and Monferrato. Arrival in the valley of the Tamaro river. Free lunch then guided tour of the historic center of Asti, a town of Roman origin whose name is inextricably linked to Moscato and spumante. At the end of the afternoon, you will go to a cooking school for a workshop during which a chef will introduce you to culinary specialties from Piedmont. At the end of the activity, you will enjoy a meal with your own creations, accompanied by wine. (PDB / D)

DAY 6

BRA – CANELLI – PARMA – REGGIO EMILIA (275 KM)

Road to Canelli, located in the hills covered with vineyards of the Langhe. Visit of a major producer of Asti spumante and tasting of sparkling wine. You will leave Piedmont to reach Emilia Romagna, a region that stretches from the Apennines to the fertile lands of the Po Delta and the Adriatic Sea. Free lunch on the way. On arrival in Parma, take a guided tour of this elegant city with provincial charm, which has a remarkable Roman episcopal complex. In the late afternoon, arrive at your hotel in Reggio Emilia. Typical dinner in a restaurant in the old town. (PDB / D)

DAY 7

REGGIO EMILIA: EXCURSION IN EMILIA – ROMAGNA (90 KM)

Today, you will meet the flagship products of Emilian gastronomy. Tasting visit to a producer of Parmigiano Reggiano DOP cheese whose long maturation process, as well as the know-how of each craftsman, gives the famous Parmesan its unique organoleptic qualities. Then, you will participate in the development of a country lunch in the rustic atmosphere of a historic family farm. Visit of the ancestral installations of the farm and its vinegar factory followed by a tasting of balsamic vinegar of Modena IGP. You will end with a tasting visit to a producer of Prosciutto di Parma DOP and Castello di Canossa. The secret of “prosciutto” lies in its short list of ingredients: pork knuckle and salt combined with the fresh air of the hills of the Enza valley. Return to your hotel at the end of the day and free evening (PDB / L)

DAY 8

REGGIO EMILIA – MARANELLO – BOLOGNA – SIENA (250 KM)

Drive to Maranello where Enzo Ferrari set up his factory in 1945. Guided tour of the Ferrari Museum, where the cars that have made the history of Ferrari are exhibited on motor racing circuits around the world. Continuation to Bologna for free lunch and guided tour of the capital of Emilia Romagna, which has 37 km of arcades. Route to Tuscany and the historic city of Siena. Installation at your hotel and free dinner. (PDB)

DAY 9

SIENA: EXCURSION TO MONTEPULCIANO AND MONTALCINO (150 KM)

Departure to Montepulciano and orientation tour of this town, the highest in Tuscany, famous for its Renaissance palaces and its “vino nobile”. Visit of the cellars and wine tasting at a winegrower in the region. Then drive to Montalcino, a small hilltop town, located in the Orcia Valley Park, land dedicated to the cultivation of vines of one of Tuscany’s most famous wines, “Brunello di Montalcino”. You will enjoy a lunch of traditional Tuscan dishes accompanied by wine. After a free visit of the fortified city, return to Siena at the end of the day. (PDB / L)

DAY 10

SIENA – LE CHIANTI – FLORENCE (85 KM)

Guided walking tour of the streets of Siena before arriving at the cathedral and then at Piazza del Campo where lies the heart of the city. Departure for an excursion in the hills of Chianti, a wine region renowned throughout the world for the beauty of its landscapes and the birthplace of the famous grape variety. You will discover a countryside dotted with small Romanesque churches, high perched castles, simple farms, superb villas and medieval towns with bewitching charm. Lunch with wine tasting in a Chianti castle. Continuation to Florence, the capital of Tuscany. Installation at your hotel and free evening. (PDB / L)

DAY 11

FLORENCE: VISIT

This morning, you will take the guided walking tour of Florence, the city of Michelangelo and the Medici. The walk will allow you to discover the Piazza dei Signori, Ponte Vecchio, the cathedral, the baptistery, Giotto’s bell tower, etc. Free afternoon. In the evening, the farewell dinner of Florentine specialties will allow you to remember the best moments of your trip. (PDB / D)