TRUFFLES, WINE & CHEESE - 6 days
Day 1: MILAN – LAKE MAGGIORE: After your arrival at Milan airport, pick up your car at the car rental and drive to Pallanza, a nice locality on Lake Maggiore. Accommodation at the Grand Hotel Majestic and dinner in the hotel. Overnight.
Day 2: PALLANZA – ARONA – STRESA – BORROMEAN ISLAND – PALLANZA: After breakfast drive to Arona for an artisan cheese lesson: you’ll learn how to couple Italian cheese with salumi, mustards, bread and wine followed by a cooking class and a good lunch. After that, drive to Stresa for an excursion by private boat to discover the three Borromean Islands. Embarcation in Stresa and departure towards Isola Bella. Visit of the 17th century Baroque Palace and the scenic gardens. Next stop to Isola Madre. Its gardens are full of rare plants and exotic flowers, helping to create the charm of a tropical land. Finally Isola Dei Pescatori (Fishermen’s Island), where you will enjoy dinner at a picturesque restaurant. Return and overnight at the Grand Hotel Majestic.
Day 3: PALLANZA – GHEMME WINE CITY – BENEVELLO: After breakfast drive to Ghemme, the city of wine, honey and special bread where you could visit wine cellars to taste the typical products of the medieval town. Enjoy a guided wine tasting with salumi and cheese and honey with sweet bread. Drive to Benevello for a welcome dinner and overnight at Hotel Villa D’Amelia.
Day 4: PIEDMONT LANGHE, THE LAND OF WINE AND TRUFFLES: After breakfast drive to an important restaurant in the Langhe to take part in a cooking lesson with an expert chef where you will discover the traditional regional dishes. You’ll follow all the steps that transform natural products into culinary masterpieces. After the course, comfortably seated at the table, you will taste the dishes prepared; also in this second part the comments of the experts who will guide you through the tasting of the dishes and the choice of combinations with the noble wines of the Langhe. After lunch, in the company of the “truffle hunter” and his dog you will head through the woods along the Langhe ancient paths, to discover the secrets of truffle hunting, an activity which remains unchanged. Then a tasting in the shop of truffles, which will complete your excursion. A gourmet truffle dinner in a local tavern concludes your day. Overnight at Hotel Villa d’Amelia.
Day 5: BENEVELLO – ALBA – BAROLO – MILAN: After breakfast, departure to Alba for a visit with an audio-guide of the Langhe “capital”. The city is characterized by a historical centre with a medieval structure rich in towers and Romantic-gothic monuments. At the end of the morning, a special tasting of products that come from the truffle will be served in a local shop. After a typical lunch, the trip continues to Barolo Castle, which hosts the innovative WiMu Wine Museum, where wine is celebrated in history and arts, in cookery and cinema, in music and literature, in universal myths and local traditions. Of course, the itinerary cannot end without a wine tasting in the cellar. Drive to Milan for an overnight stay at the Rosa Grand Hotel.
Day 6: MILAN: After breakfast, return your car at the airport and board your flight home. Arrivederci!
HOTELS OR SIMILAR
Pallanza: Grand Hotel Majestic, 4 stars
Benevello: Hotel Villa d’Amelia, 4 stars
Milan: Rosa Grand Hotel, 4 stars
PRICE INCLUDES
6 day car rental (cat. L) with unlimited mileage; 5 nights in standard room in bed & breakfast; 3 lunches; 4 dinners (1 with truffle products); Cheese lesson with cooking class in Arona; Private tour by boat to Borromean Island; Tasting in Ghemme village; Cooking lesson with expert chef in Langhe region; Truffle hunter experience with tasting in Langhe region; Visit of Alba with audio-guide; Visit of Barolo Castle with wine tasting.
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
Drinks at meals; Entrance tickets to museums/monuments unless differently stated; Tips and extras; Tourism city tax, compulsory to be paid on site; Surcharges applicable during peak periods, trade fairs, meetings, congresses, events, bank holidays, weekends etc; Everything that not mentioned at “Price includes”.