Northern Italy’S Highlights & Cinque Terre (LNORTHERN ITALY’S HIGHLIGHTS & CINQUE TERRE (LV))

Welcome to Milan! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at a local restaurant.

In the morning, enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide. Start with a visit to the Sforzesco Castle GROUNDS. Then, visit DUOMO SQUARE with its magnificent gothic Duomo, the glass-domed GALLERIA, and admire the famous La Scala Opera House. Stop at Busseto to see Giuseppe Verdi’s birthplace, and on your way to Parma, world-famous for its ham and parmesan cheese, stop for [LF] a PARMESAN CHEESE TASTING at a local caseificio. Later, for food lovers, an optional excursion to an original ham factory is available.

Your guided sightseeing will focus on the Romanesque cathedral, the bell tower, and the octagonal baptistry, made of pink Verona marble. Next, enjoy a [LF] BALSAMIC VINEGAR TASTING near Modena, and learn all about this typical Italian product. Continue to nearby Maranello, birthplace of the Ferrari automobile, for [LF] an exciting visit to the FERRARI GALLERY. Balance of the day at leisure.

In Lucca, enjoy a walk through this quaint medieval town with its ramparts, and spend time in its pretty center. To enhance your stay, an optional dinner outing to an agriturismo is available to try out Tuscan specialties.

A scenic day! Drive to La Spezia on the Mediterranean coast and enjoy your excursion (including a BOAT RIDE, weather permitting) to CINQUE TERRE, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name dates back to the 15th century and is derived from five medieval little villages standing on stony spurs along five miles of the rocky coastline: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. From here, enjoy a TRAIN RIDE to the beautiful seaside resort of Santa Margherita Ligure.

Today’s highlight is a BOAT CRUISE on the Mediterranean Sea to nearby Portofino, a small fishing village with brightly colored houses that became home to the “rich and famous.” Later, back in Santa Margherita, time to relax and to browse through the attractive little shops. An optional excursion to Genova is available.

Enter the Langhe area and arrive in Asti. [LF] Visit a local NOUGAT CONFECTIONER (Tours July 10-August 21 visit the TAPESTRY MUSEUM instead) and savor a piece of hand-made torrone before continuing to Turin, capital of Piedmont and birthplace of the Fiat automobile. This evening you may wish to try out one of Turin’s restaurants.

During your sightseeing with a Local Guide, admire the amazing 548-foot-high Mole Antonelliana, symbol of Turin, and walk through the historic center to visit the CATHEDRAL that houses the Holy Shroud.

[LF] Stop in Vercelli to visit an original RICE FACTORY, and enjoy a risotto lunch before returning to Milan. This evening, a special farewell dinner with wine awaits you at Calafuria Unione restaurant to celebrate the success of your Italian vacation.

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.