La Dolce Vita in Italy – Overview

Life is a combination of magic and pasta – Federico Fellini

Prepare to be treated to a marvellous ( indulgent ! ) and relaxing 3-weeks as we slowly explore and enjoy some of Italy’s hidden gems. Small towns in Umbria, Southern Tuscany (Val d’orcia), Chianti, Liguria (Italian Riviera), Emilia Romagna, Veneto (Venice region) and even the tiny independent Republic of San Marino are waiting to show us their many charms. We’ll marvel at how different they are…the contrasts in cuisine, culture, landscapes, even the people of each area. Italy, after all, is really a collection of different regions which still largely retain their own identity. You’ll see and feel this on our tour, especially the changes in foods and landscapes, even language, as we travel around.

At the start of our tour, we bask in an eagle’s view of fields, towns and sea, from high up on Mt Titano which cradles the tiny, friendly and totally captivating little Republic of San Marino. What a fascinating experience this is and our expert local guide will walk us around the town and tell us all about the colourful history and culture. It’s a very pretty place with a most interesting history.
Not only here, but throughout our tour, many an hour will be spent discovering the joys of delightful small piazzas, of wandering along little stone streets and of entering welcoming restaurants, shops or cafes.
Tuscany, with its pencil pines and long lunches in the countryside is very famous now but you’ll discover many other wonderful regions in bella Italia, including the villages of Southern Tuscany and Chianti which blend so beautifully into their stunning landscape.We will savour some iconic Italian long lunches in different locations, from the hills above Reggio Emilia, to a fabulous family eatery in a tiny old Chianti town. The owners have held the restaurant lease in the family for over 400 years… Course, after tasty course will see you waddling contentedly back to our coach!
We’ll enjoy musical performances, including opera at the intimate and stunningly beautiful La Fenice, in Venice. (a short walk from our hotel on the Grand Canal !) The interior of the theatre is simply breathtaking…gold and decoration abound… and the acoustics are incredible…all due to the ravages of fire and the passion of the people to rebuild in the late 90s and not only re-create the original, but improve on it! We always have great seats of course!
We’ll gaze down on two perfect bays from the huge windows and terraces of our special hotel on the Ligurian Coast of the Riviera. Truly magical, our hotel floats high above, straddling the two bays. (Mercifully, it has a lift down to street level and the darling little seaside town below !) It’s so easy to browse small shops or sip a sundowner by the sea. (One of our favourite things about Italy is that you are always served a snack when you order a drink….it may be a simple bowl of olives or crisps…or in Liguria, it may be several lovely prawns!) No-one would dream of delivering your drink without some tasty nibbles to enjoy with it… In Italy, you don’t just guzzle for guzzling’s sake! You savour, you sip and you socialise! Whilst staying on the Italian Riviera, we will take a boat and visit the famous and incredibly alluring little towns of Portofino and Santa Margherita, playgrounds of the rich and famous….and all of us!
We guarantee you’ll find our visit to Pavarotti’s country home very moving and of course fascinating…It’s filled with memorabilia and pieces from famous associates and friends, costumes, music, art and pervading all, the irrepressible big and bright energy of this flamboyant, generous, golden-voiced tenor! The house is largely as he left it.
A highpoint for us is always…Venice! What a fabulous, surreal city…and we are staying right beside the Grand Canal ! Imagine enjoying breakfast looking straight out at stunning Salute Church and watching the comings and goings on this famous waterway….an irreplaceable experience! (One morning a dashing Gondolier dashed across our breakfast terrace, leapt over the balustrade and dropped into his gondola below! Late for work we guessed!! ) On top of our included walking tours, you will have the option of taking a some extra ones which we’ll offer to you. You’ll still have free time to wander around and have fun getting lost….it’s what you do in Venice…and you always find your way back!There you have just a few highlights and a general overview of this marvellous tour, filled with endless pleasures and priceless memories in the making. Our travel is at a slow pace with several nights in most bases and no early morning rush to get on our coach. We take things slowly so you can absorb and enjoy. Our days are filled with breath-taking scenery, both rural and coastal, fabulous regional food and wine, music, art and architecture and most importantly, the warm, wise, generous and colourful Italians! Now is the time to take the next step in joining us and basking in the enviable Italian lifestyle…… It’s utterly irresistible!