Italy with Back-Roads Touring

DAY 1 – ROME

Welcome to an Italian indulgence in every sense – these next twelve days are going to be a feast for the eyes, the stomach and the soul! You’ll start by meeting the small group you are sharing the journey with, before settling in for your first taste of traditional Italian cuisine.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: The Guardian Hotel (or similar)

DAY 2 – PERUGIA

After breakfast, you will make your way to the honey-coloured hilltop town of Assisi, famed for being the birthplace of St Francis. Glowing with a gentle warm light, this is a place where time slows down and the spirit of the past lingers in the air.

Your expert Tour Leader will walk you past the sights – including the magnificent basilica – before you have free time for lunch. A torta al testo might just hit the spot: a traditional griddled flatbread filled with cold cuts, cheese or roasted veggies.

You can finish off the afternoon in medieval Perugia, where Baci Perugina – decadent hazelnut chocolate ‘kisses’ – were created. Here, our carefully chosen hotel is perfectly located for dining out.

Experience: Welcome walk of Assisi with Tour Leader.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Fortuna (or similar)

DAY 3 – RURAL TUSCANY

Prepare to step back in time today as your path takes us towards Siena: a grand Gothic city bursting with fabulous architecture. Like a perfectly preserved medieval relic, its narrow, winding streets each lead to somewhere unique – a secret courtyard illuminated by a shaft of sunlight, or an elegant palace whispering tales of times gone by. Once you’ve explored its treasures together, you will have free time to discover its foodie delights for lunch.

Next, the Chianti region, where meticulously tended vines change colour like chameleons with every season, and the scent of sun-baked earth carries through the breeze. Set in a traditional countryside villa, your refined-yet-rustic Tuscan hotel will become your home for the next two nights – and this evening, you’ll dig into some local favourites during our dinner as a group.

Experience: Walking tour of Siena with local guide.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Relais Boccioleto (or similar)

DAY 4 – RURAL TUSCANY

Today enjoy a masterclass led by a friendly local chef, Andiamo!

Perhaps a pappa al pomodoro bread-and-basil filled tomato soup or a classic tagliatelle will be on the menu? You’ll finish off by sampling your handiwork for lunch – there’s truly no better way to get a taste for Tuscan culture than this.

Later on, take a moment to slow down and soak up the beauty of your surroundings. If you fancy a walk, there are plenty of ancient paths to follow amid the softly flowing hills. And a dip in the outdoor pool is the perfect way to end a traditional Tuscan day.

Experience: Traditional Tuscan cooking class with lunch.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel Relais Boccioleto (or similar)

DAY 5 – LUCCA

This morning you are making your way to Florence, the home of David (specifically Michelangelo’s masterpiece, but plenty of other Davids too!). Here Renaissance art sings from every corner, and history isn’t confined to dusty books, but lives and breathes in the very stone of the city. You’ll uncover its secrets on a walking tour with a local guide – strolling past the likes of the Duomo, a feat of engineering still awe-inspiring 700 years later, and the wonderful Ponte Vecchio medieval bridge.

You will have free time to enjoy lunch – the perfect excuse for a crispy, thin-based pizza or a crusty prosciutto roll.

Next, from David’s home to Puccini’s! Your luxury minicoach will lead you to the lovely walled city of Lucca, the birthplace of one of Italy’s greatest composers, where melodies still seem to ring. Here, your evening is free for exploring. Why not settle in for a concert at the Church of San Giovanni and Santa Reparata, where a different opera programme is performed every night.

Experience: Walking tour of Florence with local guide.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Alla Corte degli Angeli (or similar)

DAY 6 – LUCCA

Today there’s another treat in store as we pay a visit to the Campo dei Miracoli, where the legendary Leaning Tower of Pisa awaits.

Afterwards, you will gather inside the Baptistery of Saint John for a unique acoustic experience. Notes sung here last so long it’s possible to accompany yourself, and the Baptistery Guards will demonstrate the serene reverberating effect.

You’ll return to Lucca this afternoon, where Tuscan charm meets a slower pace of life, and simple pleasures are fully embraced – meaning good food, good wine and good company! There are plenty of options for dinner within walking distance of your thoughtfully selected hotel, set within the historic city walls. Your Tour Leader is sure to have recommendations up their sleeve.

Experience: Entrance to the Baptistery of Saint John.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Alla Corte degli Angeli (or similar)

DAY 7 – LIGURIAN RIVIERA

Sometimes the back roads reveal a land of contrasts, and the spectacular Italian Riviera is certainly that. From dramatic cliffs to hidden coves, vibrant coastal towns and rugged mountains – there’s something to capture everyone’s imagination today.

After breakfast, you’ll make your way to the delightfully relaxed seaside town of Santa Margherita Ligure. Here you will have free time to find some creamy stracchino cheese-stuffed focaccia di Recco for lunch – best enjoyed on a quiet bench watching the fishing boats bob gently in the dock.

The glitz and glamour of Portofino is up next – where sleek superyachts fill the harbour and designer boutiques line snug streets. There’s time to explore its cheerful hidden courtyards, overflowing with flowers, or practice your Italian in a local trattoria before you make the journey to your hotel in Rapallo for the night. Housed in an elegant villa a few steps from the seafront and a tiny 16th-century castle, it’s the ideal setting to end our day.

Experience: Boat trip to Portofino (weather dependant).

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Europa Hotel Design Spa 1877 (or similar)

DAY 8 – LANGHE REGION

Watch as vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see as we venture through the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Piedmont region, where the scent of ripening grapes hangs heavy in the air.

After a stop a beautiful Barolo, you will get into the spirit with a local grappa tasting experience at a family run winery in the Asti wine region. Made by distilling the bits of grape that are left over from pressing wine (like the skin, seeds and stems), this is a mini adventure for the palate. You can expect a bit of a kick (thanks to the high alcohol content) and an intense aroma – ranging from fruity and floral to herby or spicy.

The Langhe region is your home for this evening; a land where feasting is ingrained in the culture. From creamy risottos infused with truffles, to hearty stews simmered with Barolo wine, and delicate handmade pasta tossed with seasonal vegetables – each meal is a celebration of local ingredients and time-honoured traditions.

Experience: Local grappa tasting at a winery in Asti.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Santa Vittoria (or similar)

DAY 9 – LAKE MAGGIORE

This morning you will head out into the forests of Alba to join a truffle hunt with a trifolau and their trusty pooch; a tradition as old as the hills themselves. Practically vibrating with excitement, once unleashed your clever canine friend will be off – zigzagging through the undergrowth, sniffing out the precious fungi hidden beneath the soil. Trained since they were pups, no truffle can escape! If you’re joining us in the autumn, you might even uncover an elusive white truffle hiding deeper under the earth.

Once you’ve sampled the fruits of your labour, you’ll thank our hosts before making your way to captivating Lake Orta: a tranquil retreat sitting pretty at the bottom of the imposing Monte Mottarone. With an intimate charm and a quiet elegance, Orta invites you to linger and lose yourself in its calm beauty. Then, from one blissful Italian lake to another! Lake Maggiore will be your final stop on today’s scenic journey – take it all in as the sun sinks slowly behind the ripples and another idyllic day comes to a close.

Experience: Truffle hunting experience in Alba with a local trifolau.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Majestic (or similar)

DAY 10 – LAKE MAGGIORE

Today you’re setting sail for the enchanting Borromean Islands, a collection of teeny-but-mightily-beautiful islands nestled in the western corner of Lake Maggiore. As you glide across the lake, keep an eye out for the picturesque villages dotting the shoreline and the snow-capped Alps in the distance.

You will arrive at Isola Madre earlier than most, stepping into a botanist’s dream brimming with exotic plants from every corner of the planet – the air thick with the scent of blossoms and earth. From one whimsical world to another, next you’ll explore Isola Bella’s opulent palace with a local guide, giving you a chance to discover all the inside stories. You’ll even get to meet the island’s ethereal white peacocks as they strut proudly through the grounds.

Experience: Boat trip to the Borromean Islands, including tour of Isola Bella with a local guide.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Majestic (or similar)

Finally, the Isola dei Pescatori tops off our trio of treasures, where houses were made for the workers that built Bella’s palace. We’ll admire its pretty harbour and enjoy a light lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to the mainland for the evening. History, horticulture and carefully paced island hopping – what could be better!

DAY 11 – SONDRIO

Bid a fond farewell to glittering Lake Maggiore; this morning your path takes us towards the fairytale shores of Lake Como. Watch as winding roads hug the coastline, revealing glimpses of terracotta villages and lavish villas nestled amongst lush gardens – a peek into the world of the rich and famous.

As your Italian adventure is distinct from any other, today your Tour Leader will choose their favourite lakeside spot to stop for lunch. And then? We think another tasting is in order! You’ll call in at a Valtellina winery, sampling a collection of silky reds and dry whites from the region.

Later you will take the scenic route to Sondrio, where your centrally located hotel offers plenty of nearby restaurants for dining out.

Experience: Wine tasting in the Italian Lakes region.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Grand Hotel della Posta (or similar)

DAY 12 – TRENTO

Please note, our visit to Lake Molveno is weather dependent. On less sunny occasions, we’ll visit snow-covered Passo Tonale instead.

If the weather is on your side, today’s first setting is spectacular Lake Molveno, nestled at the foot of the jagged and dramatic Brenta Dolomites. Here you’ll have time to stroll its stunning shores and settle into a pizzeria for lunch.

This afternoon, your path leads you to the gorgeous alpine city of Trento, where your Tour Leader will help you discover its labyrinth of cobbled streets and frescoed buildings. And tonight, your final Italian feast as a group awaits.

Experience: Welcome walk of Trento with Tour Leader.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Trento (or similar)

DAY 13 – VENICE

Your final day chimes with a line that has echoed through the centuries as fair Verona beckons. During a welcome walk, your Tour Leader will fill you in on the story behind Juliet’s Balcony – but it’s not all feuding families and forbidden love. This is a city steeped in history and romance, from its colossal Roman amphitheatre – the weathered stone worn smooth by gladiators’ footsteps – to its vibrant central market, overflowing with fragrant bouquets, tangy pecorino cheese and hand-painted ceramics.

Last but certainly not least, you’ll settle in our minicoach one last time and head towards our show-stopping finale: the magical floating city of Venice. Arrive in the late afternoon, but it is recommended you stay on a few days more to enjoy this truly bewitching place. As gondolas skim beneath bridges and the soft murmur of Italian voices drift across the water, it’s time to say arrivederci to your new friends.

Experience: Welcome walk of Verona with Tour Leader.

Meals: Breakfast