With a nice blend of famous sights and off-the-beaten-path destinations, the following travel package is the perfect way to discover many of the culinary traditions from the northern and central regions of Italy. The trip begins in Milan where you will have the chance to admire the Duomo and sample local specialties such as cotoletta alla milanese . When you leave Milan, make a brief stop in Modena to taste the renowned balsamic vinegar. Then, continue onto Perugia where you will enjoy a sweet surprise during a visit to Perugina’s House of Chocolate. Finally, conclude your trip in Rome where you will take a walking food tour of a characteristic neighborhood. No matter what sights you choose to admire during this trip, there will be plenty of opportunities to try Italy’s delicious food and wine throughout your vacation.
Day 1: DEPART USA
Travel to the airport and begin your unforgettable vacation to Italy by boarding the plane.
Day 2: MILAN
Upon arrival in Milan, meet with your private driver after collecting your checked luggage. Travel together with your driver to Milan’s historical city center where you will check into your hotel. The central location of the hotel will allow for independent exploration of Milan’s famous sights as well as many museums, restaurants, bars and shops. When you have completed the check-in process at the hotel, travel to the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie where the famous Last Supper fresco by Leonardo Da Vinci is housed. In order to protect this delicate work of art, the room where it is held is climate controlled and all visits are timed. After admiring this amazing fresco, continue exploring Milan’s city center on your own. In the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant featuring one of Milan’s many specialties, such as cotoletta alla milanese , which is a breaded veal cutlet. Afterwards, return to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 3: MILAN, MONZA, ARESE
After a rich breakfast at your hotel, meet with your private guide in Milan’s city center. During the tour, you will have the chance to admire Milan’s most famous sights including La Scala Theater, the Galleria of Vittorio Emanuele II and the Duomo, a beautiful Gothic Cathedral that is the largest church in Italy. When the tour ends and you say “Ciao” to your guide, be sure to take a break for lunch. We recommend stopping by a restaurant favored by the locals, located near the Duomo, that serves panzerotti, which consist of half-mooned shaped dough that is fried and filled with a variety of ingredients—be sure to try the classic tomato and mozzarella! Then, your afternoon will be open for you to visit other important sights independently. During this time, you may wish to visit the Castello Sforzesco, which has been recently renovated and hosts interesting exhibitions. Another option could be to spend time in Brera, considered to be one of Milan’s most artistic and vibrant neighborhoods.
As an alternative for this day, you may prefer to spend time outside of Milan and visit two key sites of Lombardy’s automobile tradition. Northeast of Milan is the city of Monza, which is rich in history and is particularly of note in the world of motorsports as the home of the Autodromo di Monza, one of Italy’s premier racetracks and the site of the annual Formula One Italian Grand Prix. During a visit to the track, car enthusiasts can learn more about its history and the history of motorsports in Italy. Afterwards, stop in the nearby town of Arese to visit the Alfa Romeo Museum. Founded in Milan, Alfa Romeo has become one of Italy’s highly regarded car manufacturers. The museum hosts exhibits that showcase the history of the brand along with many different types of cars and engines.
Whether you explore Milan or travel outside of the city during the day, you will certainly want to spend your evening getting to know the Milan’s famous night life. Head to the chic Navigli area and partake in an aperitivo, which consists of pre-dinner drinks with a buffet of small plates, a tradition that originated in Milan. Afterwards, enjoy a few scoops of gelato before returning to your hotel for the night.
Day 4: MODENA AND PERUGIA
Once you finish breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart Milan via private car transfer. As you head south in the direction of Perugia, enjoy a stop in Modena to admire the main highlights of this remarkable city. Upon arrival in Modena, participant in a walking tour featuring the city’s major monuments such as Piazza Grande, Torre della Ghirlandina and the Cathedral. Taken together, these remarkable monuments are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the tour, stop for lunch at a restaurant in the city center to sample local specialties including the renowned Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
Later in the afternoon, meet back with your private driver and depart for the Umbria region, which is considered to be a cousin of Tuscany. Admire the beauty of the countryside as you weave around hills and before you know it, you will have arrived in the remarkable city of Perugia. Check into your new hotel and then the remainder of the day will be open for you to explore independently. If you wish to visit a museum, consider the National Gallery in Perugia, which is home to countless lovely paintings by Umbria’s best local artists. Afterwards, stop by your hotel to freshen up before having dinner at a historic restaurant. Enjoy your first taste of the local cuisine and then return to your hotel for the night.
Day 5: PERUGIA
After breakfast at the hotel, depart on a very sweet excursion. This morning you will visit the House of Chocolate, a museum sponsored by Perugina, one of Italy’s largest chocolate companies. As the tour of the museum unfolds, you will learn about the chocolate making process in this part of Italy as well as the history of Perugina. Naturally, there will also be opportunities to taste the delicious chocolate as well. When the tour concludes, return to the city center of Perugia where you will have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, partake in a private walking tour of Perugia’s city center. Along the way, you will discover many historical monuments such as the Rocca Palatina, the Fontana Maggiore and the Duomo, which was constructed over the course of the 14th and 15th centuries. When the tour concludes, enjoy time at leisure to admire further sites or visit one of the city’s museums. We also recommend dedicating some time to Perugia Underground, which consists of a series of tunnels below the city that showcase key historical artifacts such as Etruscan structures. In the evening, conclude your day with a delicious dinner at one of Perugia’s best restaurants followed by an overnight stay at your hotel.
DAY 6: ASSISI
This day will be dedicated to Assisi, a renowned pilgrimage site that was the town of St. Francis. After breakfast at the hotel, depart for charming Assisi with your private driver. Once in Assisi, meet with your private guide and start to discover the city center during a walking tour. The most famous monument in Assisi is, of course, the Basilica of San Francesco, which is unique due to its Upper Church and Lower Church design. There are countless works of art to admire here, including the stunning frescoes made by Giotto that illustrate scenes from St. Francis’s life. Additional local highlights include the Rocca Maggiore, the Basilica of Santa Chiara and the Cathedral of San Ruffino. Also of note is the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which houses the Porziuncola, a very small church that is believed to have been where the Franciscan movement began.
When the tour concludes, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant followed by time at leisure to continue exploring Assisi independently. You may also wish to visit a few of the artisan workshops to make souvenir purchases. At the end of the day, return to Assisi via private car transfer. Take a moment to freshen up at your hotel before enjoying another lovely dinner in Perugia. Afterwards, take a leisurely moonlit stroll back to your hotel and settle in for the night.
DAY 7: UMBRIA COUNTRYSIDE
Now that you have a few days of historic sightseeing under your belt, it’s time to enjoy a day excursion to the Umbrian countryside. Notable for its greenery, rolling hills and vineyards, Umbria is often compared to the more famous region of Tuscany. Admire the beautiful scenery as your driver takes you along the winding roads of the countryside. Eventually, you will reach a winery where you will learn about the local wine production process and have a chance to visit the vineyards. A tasting of local wines is also included. After some time at leisure, return to the city center of Perugia. In the evening, enjoy dinner at one of the best restaurants in Perugia and toast to everything you have experienced so far during your remarkable vacation.
DAY 8: ORVIETO AND ROME
Once you have finished breakfast, complete the check-out process at your hotel and continue your journey south. Along the way, enjoy a stop in the scenic, hilltop town of Orvieto. Meet with your private guide and begin your exploration of Orvieto’s charming city center. During the tour you will have the chance to admire Orvieto’s Cathedral, which is renowned for its remarkable façade. Pozzo della Cava and the Well of St. Patrick’s are a few of Orvieto’s other highlights. After the tour, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant then meet back with your driver and travel to Rome.
After arriving in Rome, the driver will drop you off at your hotel in the city center where you will check in. Then, take the remainder of the afternoon to begin exploring Rome’s many highlights. We recommend walking over to the Vittoriano Monument and admiring the views of Rome from the panoramic rooftop terrace. In the evening, prepare for a very special dinner during which you will enjoy your first taste of Rome’s spectacular cuisine. There are a number of dishes you could try this evening, and one recommendation is cacio e pepe (pasta with Pecorino cheese and freshly ground black pepper). After dinner, take a leisurely stroll through the city center to admire Rome’s skyline under the moonlight before returning to your hotel for a good night’s rest.
DAY 9: ROME
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel, then make your way to the Colosseum where you will participate in a walking tour of the highlights of Ancient Rome. Take full advantage of your skip-the-line entrance reservations which will allow you to forgo the general entrance line and maximize your time inside of the monuments. First, visit the different levels of the Colosseum to learn more about this fascinating structure and its long history. Your guide will provide historical context and share interesting anecdotes about daily life in Ancient Rome. Then, continue on to the Roman Forum, where you will observe the ruins of buildings where key decisions about the governance of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire were made. At the conclusion of the tour, walk up to the summit of the Palatine Hill and take in the scenic views of the Roman Forum and the surrounding area from above. Afterwards, sit down for lunch at a historic restaurant or taste one of Rome’s street food delicacies, for instance pizza al taglio.
Your afternoon will be at leisure for you to continue sightseeing on your own. If you would like to visit a museum during this time, the National Etruscan Museum and the Capitoline Museums are both excellent options. You could also dedicate your afternoon to Rome’s iconic outdoor monuments, such as the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Largo di Torre Argentina and Piazza Navona.
In the evening, head to Trastevere, which is one of Rome’s characteristic neighborhoods, for a walking food tour. Over the course of the tour you will visit historic shops and restaurants while tasting a number of local specialties ranging from cured meats and cheeses to street food and homemade pasta. The tour will conclude in the best way possible: with a stop at one of the best gelaterie in Rome! Before you taste this delicious treat, your guide will share a few tips on what sets high-quality, artisan gelato apart. After enjoying a few scoops of your choosing, return to your hotel for an overnight stay.
DAY 10: VATICAN
Saving the best for last, your final full day in Italy will be spent discovering the many treasures of Vatican City. After breakfast, head to the Vatican where you will take advantage of your skip-the-line entrance to the Vatican Museums and forgo the general entrance line once more. As the tour unfolds, you will discover many of the highlights of this vast museum complex such as the Raphael Rooms and the remarkable Sistine Chapel with its masterful frescoes by Michelangelo. The final stop will be St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, to admire its stunning architecture and artwork. The tour will conclude inside of the Basilica and you will have the option to continue exploring on your own. During this time, you may wish to climb to the top of the dome or head to the underground crypt area where several Popes have been buried. After leaving the Basilica, be sure to spend some time in St. Peter’s Square to admire the massive colonnade. Then, take a moment to enjoy lunch at a historic trattoria or osteria.
Your last afternoon in Rome will be at leisure for you to continue sightseeing on your own. Consider visiting Castel Sant’Angelo, which was once a Papal fortress. Today the castle is a museum, and depending on your preferences you may wish to visit the interior or simply admire the exterior architecture. Afterwards, cross the Sant’Angelo Bridge and return to the main historical city center of Rome. At this point, you could continue your outdoor sightseeing or purchase a few souvenirs at Rome’s boutiques. In the evening, enjoy your final dinner in Rome and take a moment to celebrate your unforgettable vacation!
DAY 11: RETURN HOME
In the morning, check out of your hotel and travel to the airport where you will board your return flight.

"Hi, we are having a wonderful time. All has worked wonderfully, loved the cooking school!"

It all worked out. We're on the plane to Houston. I will come by one day when Giulia is back during lunch and fill all of you in on the deta
PACKAGE START AT $3,454.00 (***) INCLUDES:
• Roundtrip flights in economy class with in-flight meals, drinks, and entertainment. (*)
• 2 Nights accommodation in a premium 4 star HOTEL in Milan. (**)
• 4 Nights accommodation in a premium 4 star HOTEL in Perugia. (**)
• 3 Nights accommodation in a premium 4 star HOTEL in Rome. (**)
• 9 Daily Buffet Breakfast at your Hotel.
• 8 Private Tours and tasting as per Itinerary.
• 1 Small Group Food and Culinary Tour
• Ground Transfer from/to Airport.
• Transportation as per itinerary with Private Driver .
• Vat Taxes and Service Charges (in Italy) included.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
• U.S. & Foreign Departure Taxes and Surcharges Fee(s) assessed by the Airlines.
• Hospitality city tax which varies by city and hotel category. Where applicable, it must be paid locally at the hotel.
• All which is not listed under “PACKAGE INCLUDES”
For additional information about Milan, Modena, Perugia, Assisi, Rome Other hotels, and destinations are available. Please don’t hesitate to ask our Trips 2 Italy travel assistants.
(*) Based on departure from Nyc Airport(s). Alternative U.S. based airport departure available upon request. Additional and different fares and fees may apply.
(**) Rate based on two adult persons sharing a double or twin bedded room with private bathroom. Single rooms are available at an additional supplement. Children’s, triple room rates and alternative accommodation arrangements are available upon request. (Additional and different charges may apply).
(***) Rate based on a Small group of minimum of 8 passenger traveling together (At least land portion). Party of less or more then 8 traveler(s) rate may change.
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