Food and Fashion of Italy with Chef Bryan Woolley and Alicia Richmond
October 14 -– Depart from your home city for Rome, Italy
October 15 – Rome. Arrive in Rome where you will be greeted and transferred to the hotel. Enjoy a traditional welcome four-course traditional Italian dinner. (D)
October 16 – – Rome. – Get ready to explore Rome! A half-day sightseeing tour will introduce you to Rome including the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia and the Spanish Steps. You will feel like a gladiator as you walk the ruins of the Colosseum and visit the Roman Forum which was the center of Rome’s government and from where Marc Anthony’s famous “Friends, Romans, countrymen” speech from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar was delivered. This afternoon you can enjoy shopping with expert shopper Alicia Richmond and renowned Chef Bryan Woolley. (B)
October 17 – - Rome.– Breakfast at the hotel. Today’s highlights include Vatican City the center of Catholicism worldwide. The Vatican City museum is home to treasures that date back hundreds of years. The highlight of this tour is the Sistine Chapel which was so majestically painted by Michelangelo. The remainder of the day will be spent shopping and eating Italian style on your own time . Handbags, shoes, & clothes are just a few of the things you will find as you explore the shopping districts of Rome. Plus Chef Bryan will take us to an outdoor food and flower market. Another overnight in Rome. (B)
October 18 – Rome-Orvieto – Pisa- Siena. – Travel to Orvieto, Alicia’s favorite place to buy unique hand-painted ceramics in brightly colored patterns and designs. Don’t miss the small family owned food boutiques for buying olive oil, cheese, and vinegar to bring home for your own cooking. Next is a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Visit the lovely chapel and baptistery and view the tower . From there we will travel to Siena. Best known for the picturesque scenery in the movie, Under the Tuscan Sun.” Overnight in the hotel near Siena. (B)
October 19 – - Siena-Florence. – An optional wine tour in Montepulciano with Chef Bryan for those interested. The rest of the group will remain in Siena with Alicia to tour the Duomo, shop around the city, see the museums and eat lunch in a family-owned café. An optional shopping excursion to the Prada outlet with Alicia is available. If you are dreaming of a Prada handbag or sunglasses this is your chance! Following our day of discovery in Siena, we will travel to Florence for the evening. (B)
October 20 - Florence - After a buffet breakfast , we will explore Florence, the heart of the Renaissance.” On the half day guided tour you’ll visit the Santa Croce, Piazza Michelagelo and Pointe Vecchio Bridge. A highlight is the inside visit to the Academia Gallery to see many of Michealangeo’s works including his famous David. Free time will be available this afternoon to shop with Alicia in local Italian markets where we will find famous Florentine leather goods. You are welcome to shop with Chef Bryan in the outdoor food market. Other sites you may visit during your free time are: Brunelleschi’s Dome or the Uffizi Art Museum. Later this evening, we will enjoy an optional cooking demonstration with Chef Bryan. Afterwards, we will enjoy a Tuscan meal at medieval villa. (Rates and details of this will be available soon.) Overnight in Florence. (B,D)
October 21 – Florence – Bolonga – Venice.– Breakfast at the hotel. We will spend today in Bologna. This is Chef Bryan’s favorite city in Italy. Bologna is known as the “heart of Italian cuisine.” We will tour and sample some of the famous Italian olives or spend time in Modena, famous for its Balsamic vinegar. Shop with Chef Bryan for olive oil, parmigiano cheese and of course, Balsamic vinegar. We will then make our way to Venice, “The City of Canals”. After we arrive, you are welcome to tour the streets of Venice on an optional gondola ride through the Grand Canal of Venice. Hotel in Mestre. (B)
October 22 – – Venice. After breakfast at the hotel, a private chartered water taxi ride awaits along with a half-day city tour. We will visit the Piazza San Marcos square where we will tour the Basilicas of San Marco and view the famous clock tower. We will stroll the Rialto Bridge on our way to a glass blowing demonstration of famous Murano Glass. Free time may be spent for shopping, sight-seeing or sampling some of the local cuisine. This afternoon, we will board a water-taxi to the island of Burano, a fishing village known for its brightly-colored architecture, hand-made lace and seafood. We will enjoy our farewell group dinner at a local family-owned seafood restaurant. Overnight in Mestre. (B,D)
October 23 – Return home. – Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport for departure to home cities. Arrivederci Italia! (B)
$2199 for land tour package based on double-occupancy
For round-trip airfare, contact Columbus Travel 800-373-3328 for a group airfare rate, beginning at $1330
