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Flavors of Italy Itinerary

Day 1: Depart from USA

Depart for your overnight flight across the Atlantic en route to Rome.

Day 2: Arrive ROME

Welcome to Rome, the capital of Italy and the Eternal City! You will be transferred to your centrally-located hotel and have time to relax and unwind before meeting with your Food Network Tour Host and fellow Food Network guests this evening. Enjoy a welcome drink and dinner in a restaurant on the Via Veneto – reminiscent of 'La Dolce Vita'. (B/D)

Day 3: ROME

Today begins, as will each day of the tour, with breakfast at your hotel. A sightseeing tour with a local expert shows you the Forum, the Colosseum and Circus Maximus, along with a visit to St. Peter's Basilica. Then enjoy some leisure time in this fascinating city. Later, an evening drive takes you to discover some of Rome's awe-inspiring architecture and will culminate at the baroque Piazza Navona, with its famous Bernini fountains. Your Food Network Travel Host will invite you to a delicious Italian gelato on the square this evening. (B)

Day 4: ROME – ORVIETO – SAN GIMIGNANO – TUSCANY

Before leaving Rome you may wish to visit Michelangelo's iconic Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City – you will have this opportunity before travelling north to the hilltop town of Orvieto, overlooking the peaceful Umbrian countryside. We'll take the cable railroad up to the perched town, famous for its magnificent 13th century Cathedral, which is always featured on its equally famous bottles of white wine! We visit a cellar for a tasting of local Tuscan wine, and then we'll continue into the heart of Tuscany to your villa hotel – home for the next four nights. This evening enjoy a delicious hosted dinner of regional dishes. (B)

Day 5: TUSCANY – SANT' AMBROGIO MARKET (FLORENCE)

Today our Florentine chef will meet us on board our bus in order to accompany us to the market of Sant' Ambrogio in Florence, where we will purchase the vegetables and fruit for our cooking class under his expert supervision.

Having selected our fresh, local produce, we will drive to the small village in the Chianti hills, where our Hands-On Cooking Class begins. At the end of class, we will taste all the dishes for our lunch accompanied by Chianti wines and finish with wonderful Italian coffee or tea. Each Food Network Travel guest will receive a certificate from the restaurant and recipe cards of each of the dishes we make to bring our new culinary knowledge home. After a day of cooking and eating, we will return to the hotel, where you may wish to relax by the pool or take a nap under the olive trees. (B)

DAY 6: TUSCANY – VISIT TO GREVE IN CHIANTI, THE CASTELLO OF VICCHIOMAGGIO AND SIENA

This morning, we drive to the charming town of Greve in Chianti to visit one of Italy's highest quality wine and olive oil producer, Castello Vicchiomaggio. Here you'll taste a variety of excellent Chiantis and extra virgin olive oils before continuing to the perfect medieval town of Siena, where we will see the Piazza del Campo – famous for its bareback horserace and the home of St. Catherine. This evening we will enjoy a wonderful By Invitation Only dinner at the private home that presides over a beautiful walled community – the 'Antico Borgo di Poggiarello' – with acres of olive groves, producing excellent extra virgin olive oils. (B/D)

Day 7: FLORENCE & VILLA SAN MICHELE LUNCH

After breakfast, we will drive to the Renaissance city of Florence to enjoy a walking tour with a local expert, who will take you to the Academia to see the recently restored 'David' of Michelangelo, as well as Piazza Signoria. Then, we'll have free time for further sightseeing or shopping before driving up to Fiesole for spectacular views over the most perfect Renaissance city in the world. Here we will enjoy a lunch of delicious, fine Tuscan cuisine. We return to our Tuscan villa to relax for the remainder of the afternoon. (B/L)

Day 8: TUSCANY – BOLOGNA – VENICE

We'll leave Tuscany and travel into the Emilia-Romagna region of Bologna, the gastronomic capital of Northern Italy with its ancient University, its kissing towers, and its many great restaurants. Enjoy a taste of some of the local products, including Parmigiano cheese and Prosciutto, while learning how they are made from local experts. Then we travel on to the spectacular floating city of Venice. We will enjoy a hosted dinner at our hotel in Venice this evening. (B/D)

Day 9: VENICE Sightseeing and Food Network Hidden Walking Tour

Enter Venice in style as you travel by private motor launch to St. Mark's Square, where you'll join a local guide who will bring the city to life on a walking tour. Cross the Rialto Bridge as Food Network Travel takes you into the less-frequented and hidden areas of the city, rarely visited by the average tourist! Here we will visit the colorful fish market Giada explored during her Italian Holiday on Everyday Italian, which has existed for centuries! See the house of Marco Polo as well as beautiful architectural works of art. Like Giada, witness a demonstration of the ancient art of Murano – glass-blowing – in one of the city's oldest workshops. Then there's time on your own to join the various optional activities on offer or to explore the labyrinth of streets and canals.

This evening, gather with your Food Network Travel Host and fellow companions to celebrate your last night with a special Farewell Dinner and wine at one of the most celebrated restaurants near St. Mark's Square. Its worldwide fame has attracted diners as diverse as Princess Diana, Silvio Berlusconi and General Schwarzkopf – but tonight its culinary delights are just for you! (B/D)

Day 10: Depart from VENICE

This morning, it is time to say 'arrivederci Italia' and 'till we meet again' to your newly-made friends as your Food Network Italy tour comes to an end. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight home after this memorable 'Flavors of Italy' tour. (B/D)