Slow Food Tour from Piedmont to the Italian Riviera

Day 1 – Welcome to Piedmont'S UNESCO hills

Today is your arrival day. Benvenuto! Prepare yourself for a tasting dinner that will immerse you in the flavours of Piedmont.

Overnight stay in Piedmont

Day 2 – Discover the Barolo wine area

After breakfast meeting with the driver and your local tour guide and depart to discover the growing area of Barolo, one of the most highly-prized wines in the world, starting from Barolo itself, the town which gives the “King of Wines and Wine of Kings” its name.
Enjoy guided visit to the WiMu – Wine Museum situated in the stunning Castel of Barolo: a trip in the history of wine production, with spectacular effects and fascinating interactive installations.

A short transfer to visit a well-known wine cellar with tasting. Picnic lunch in the vineyards that grow Barolo wine grapes, sampling the specialties of Langhe-style cuisine while seated comfortably. Transfer to Alba, the capital of Langhe hills, for a stroll in the elegant town center amongst its boutiques, historical cafes and typical products with leisure time for shopping.

Dinner in a characteristic restaurant. Overnight stay in Piedmont

Day 3 – Piedmont flavors: cheese, hazelnuts and a special cooking class

After breakfast, meet the driver and your local tour guide and depart to discover the area of Alta Langa, where the landscape becomes wilder, thanks to thick woods and hazelnut groves.

Visit a small hazelnut producing farm: from the grove to the laboratory, including a final tasting. The panoramic tour continues for a guided visit to a niche cheese producer with a tasting lunch. Time to relax and enjoy the pure air and the bucolic surroundings.

Back to your accommodation and time to relax.

In the late afternoon, you will take an exciting cooking lesson based on ‘the cuisine of the Langhe’, a “hands-on” experience to learn how to prepare a complete traditional menu based on local recipes: the dishes prepared during the lesson will then be tasted afterward at dinner, in the special atmosphere created by barrels lit with candle.

Overnight stay in Piedmont.

Day 4– Transfer to Liguria and pesto lesson

After your breakfast buffet and check-out, transfer to the Italian Riviera with a private driver (journey of about 2 hours).

Check-in at your boutique accommodation in the charming atmosphere of Genoa’s historical center.

Your private local tour guide will welcome you and together you’ll visit a magnificent Renaissance palace where our Pesto expert will teach you to make the famous green sauce using a mortar and pestle, as the tradition requires. At the end of the lesson, you will try out pasta with the delicious Pesto that you have prepared together with other local specialties, accompanied by Ligurian wine.

Enjoy the afternoon by relaxing or discovering more of the city on your own.

Overnight stay in Genoa.

Day 5– Be charmed by Genoa's historical center and its culinary traditions

After breakfast, you’ll meet your private tour guide for a walking tour of the historical center of Genoa, discovering its monuments, narrow alleys and ancient food shops!

Wandering through the “Carrugi” or alleyways is a unique experience and we believe that by just walking through these maze of historical streets, you’ll find the “real” essence of Genoa. You’ll discover the largest medieval historical town center in Europe, walking along its authentic medieval alleyways, stopping in the squares and in the renaissance streets of the city.

During your tour, you’ll discover the centuries-old food shops in the historical center and will taste some of the most typical local products!

For lunch, you will visit one of Genoa’s oldest “trattoria” and taste local specialties such as the Farinata, cooked in the wood-fired oven.

Overnight stay in Genoa.

Day 6 – Cinque Terre villages and vineyards

After breakfast, meet your private guide and reach the Cinque Terre area. Today you will take an authentic tour of the picturesque villages. Exploring the hamlets with an insider will make a difference as you will feel much more in touch with the authentic soul of these lovely villages, and we will be sure to navigate you far away from crowds and tourist traps. You will discover secret corners and the best places to take amazing pictures.

To understand the real essence of Cinque Terre, your experience continues by visiting the amazing vineyards overlooking the sea. A local wine producer will welcome you to his vertical vineyards: you will hear about his experience and discover what an enormous amount of labor there is behind the “heroic” wines of Cinque Terre. After admiring the breath-taking panorama you will visit the ancient cellar and taste the most typical Cinque Terre wines amongst which the rare Sciacchetrà, paired with traditional appetizers.

Overnight stay in Genoa

Day 7 – Be charmed by Portofino. Discover Ligurian extra virgin olive oil

After breakfast meet your private guide at the hotel. Together you will reach Portofino and you will take a stroll in the picturesque village, amongst its colorful houses, yachts and design boutiques.

Your day continues with an exclusive experience: you will go to the slopes of Portofino Mountain, overlooking the beautiful Tigullio Gulf where you will be welcomed in the olive farm of a very well known Ligurian family, where Umberto has resumed the traditional activity of his family with great passion.

You will have an exclusive, private tour amongst the olive groves of this authentic farm and taste the unique olive oil they produce. You will find out more about Ligurian olive oil and the huge amount of work performed by this family to recuperate the abandoned lands. You will enjoy a light lunch with local specialties on the patio of the beautiful villa overlooking the gulf with a magnificent view. Afternoon at disposal. Overnight stay in Genoa.

Day 8- Arrivederci day!

Check-out and departure.

Important information

• This is a private trip idea and can be fully customized.
• Daily departures available all year round by request.
• Suggested duration: 8 days / 7 nights.

This trip is not suitable for people with mobility problems.

What’s included

• 3 nights in a boutique hotel in Piedmont with breakfast
• 4 nights in a boutique hotel in Genoa with breakfast
• Private transfer from Piedmont to Genoa
• visit to a cheese producer with tastings
• visit to a hazelnut producer with tastings
• pic-nic lunch among the vineyards in Piedmont
• cooking lesson in Piedmont with the ensuing dinner
• wine tasting in a prestigious Piedmont wine cellar
• pesto making lesson in Genoa followed by lunch
• private visit to the vineyards and wine tasting in Cinque Terre
• 1 private tour of the olive groves followed by olive oil tasting;
• 1 lunch at the olive oil farm
• 1 roundtrip transfer  S. Margherita – olive grove farm
• 2 special dinners in Piedmont
• 1 lunch in a trattoria in Genoa
• experienced and knowledgeable private local tour guides as per the above itinerary
• train and public boat tickets in Liguria
• all our assistance and care before and during your trip

What’s not included

• meals and beverages other than those mentioned above
• transfers other than those mentioned above
• city tax
• travel insurance
• airfare to/from Italy

Price

This is a tailor-made trip. There are a number of factors that could influence the price; these include the standard of accommodation, the season, the mean of transportation you prefer and the number of private tours and activities.

Feel free to ask for a customized quote, send an email to booking@beautifuliguria.com