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Food and Wine: The EuroChocolate Festival of Italy
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- You’ll taste regional vintages on rolling vineyards
- A Tuscan chef reveals the secrets of Italian cooking
- The Renaissance still thrives in Florence
- Chocolate becomes art at the Eurochocolate Festival
- Rural, tucked-away hill towns are a breath of fresh air
- Italians insist on leisure—so bring on the riposo
Short Description
Sip regional Brunello di Montalcino in the Tuscan hills. Walk among the life-sized chocolate sculptures lining Perugia’s EuroChocolate Festival. Learn the craft of Italian cooking in the birthplace of the Renaissance. Gastronomy takes on a new meaning in a country where eating and art have always been revered as one and the same (and trust us, there are many, many masterpieces to be discovered).
Destinations
ItalyActivities & Interests
Cooking Educational/ learning Festivals & Special Events Historic sightseeing WinetastingItinerary
Day 1: Travel day
Board your overnight flight to Florence today.
Day 2: Arrival in Florence
Meals:Dinner
Welcome to Italy! Meet your fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.
Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Florence
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Set off to see Florence, the city at the center of the Renaissance with a local guide.
• Visit the Duomo, Florence’s legendary cathedral
• Pass Giotto’s Campanile, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture
• Step inside the Basilica of Santa Croce, the burial site of many illustrious Italians, including Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo
• See the medieval Ponte Vecchio and the Palazzo della Signoria, center of Florentine life
This evening, join a local chef for a cooking class where you’ll make pasta by hand, create two kinds of bruschetta and craft tiramisu for dessert. Eat your creations for dinner with accompanying wines.
Day 4: Free day in Florence
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a full free day in Florence or add excursions.
Optional Excursion - Medieval Lucca & the Flavors of the Countryside $119*pp
Optional Excursion - Fiesole Villa Dinner $95*pp
Day 5: Siena via San Gimignano
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included entrances: Wine tasting
En route to the enchanting city of Siena, stop in San Gimignano, “the city of beautiful towers.”
• Explore the small medieval town of San Gimignano on your own
• Sample some of the region’s fine wines and olive oils at a winery
• Arrive in Siena for this evening’s included dinner
Day 6: Montalcino & Siena
Meals: Breakfast, Light lunch
Included entrances: Wine tasting
Today, you’ll visit a winery and explore the vibrant cities of Montalcino and Siena
• Spend free time wandering the streets of Montalcino
• Taste three acclaimed Brunello grape wines and enjoy a light lunch
• Return to Siena, where a local guide shows you Siena Cathedral, home to major works of art by Donatello and Pisano, and the adjoining Piccolomini Library
• Stroll Siena’s medieval streets, stopping at the historic Piazza del Campo
Perugia2 nights Hotel info
Day 7: Perugia via Cortona & Lake Trasimeno
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Continue your travelers across the Tuscan landscape and into Umbria as you head toward Perugia.
• Explore the hillside town of Cortona on your own before visiting the Museum of the Etruscan Academy, home to an impressive collection of Etruscan artifacts
• Visit Lake Trasimeno, where Hannibal battled the Romans
• Enjoy a lunch of traditional Umbrian specialties
Day 8: Sightseeing tour of Perugia & EuroChocolate Festival
Meals: Breakfast
Set out on a guided tour of Perugia, the medieval town known for its Etruscan Arch before indulging in the famous (and delicious) festivities.
• See the Palazzo dei Priori, a medieval palace dating back to 1298, and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo
• Wander the tunnels of Rocca Paolina, Perugia’s historic underground city
• Savor chocolate delicacies while perusing the many chocolate “exhibits” on display at the EuroChocolate Festival
Day 9: Rome via Orvieto
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Journey across Umbrian valleys en route to Rome. Stop along the way in the Etruscan town of Orvieto for a wine tasting and lunch. Later, arrive in Rome in time for a farewell drink with your fellow travelers.
Day 10: Departure
Meals: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)
Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay to further explore the city of Rome.
Availability
- Deposit Price: $ 450
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150 Go Ahead Tours Travel Reviews & Ratings
Food and Wine: The EuroChocolate Festival of Italy
Company Reviews
Will Refuse to Refund
When I called on last Thursday (11/16/2023) to place my reservation, the agent (Kathy) I talked to stressed about she "cannot" guarantee that I will be able to go on the trip. Before I provided the payment information, I specifically asked if I will be able to get the refund because the trip is coming up so soon. The agent ensured that I will be able to get a full refund back within 60 days if I decided to cancel the trip. I was also told that I am basically on a wait list and someone will contact me once I can go on the trip. No one contacted me about whether the agency was able to process my information at all, so I've been left in the dark about this trip since the beginning.
I called the help line this morning (11/20/2023) around 9:00 Eastern Standard Time to cancel my reservation. I was informed by the agent that I will not be able to get my full refund back since it's too close to the trip date. Basically I was told that Kathy gave me the wrong information, so I will have to pay the cancellation fee. The only reason I provided my payment information is because Kathy specifically stated that I will be able to cancel the trip and receive a full refund.
I've never been so frustrated with a traveling agency. I made sure to ask this agent regarding the refund policy twice before giving her my payment information, and she still couldn't provide me with the correct information. It's unbelievable that such a big traveling agency cannot uniformly train their employees with the correct set of information.
Stay Away - Class Action lawsuit for ripping off children
Wouldn't Refund Full Payment of Tour They Cancelled
I took every additional tour and the tour guides were excellent!
Amazing trip of a lifetime!
By far the BEST Trip EVER
Details
Optional Activities
Extension to Rome $359 pp
Only in Rome can you sip cappuccino at a café in front of the Pantheon, buy grapes at a centuries-old market, and have an audience with the pope—all in one morning. For a mix of spectacular art, grand history and vibrant street life, no other city comes close.
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal ground transport
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Maximum Number of People in Group: 28
Maximum tour group size: 28 travelers
Accommodations
NH Anglo American
The NH Anglo American hotel in Florence is set in a quiet yet central location in the city, between the Lungarno area and Borgo Ognissanti. The classically-styled hotel preserves all of its unique original features and reflects a fascinating age of the city. The NH Anglo American hotel's décor boasts antique furniture and impressive paintings of the Florentine school of 1800, creating an upscale, elegant atmosphere for our clients.
Hotel Garden
Hotel Garden in Siena is just within walking distance of central Siena, just outside the city walls at Porta Camollia. The central part the hotel is a prestigious villa built in 1700, nestled in a park, offering more than 100 rooms of various sizes and interior decor to fit all your travel needs and requirements. “La Limonaia” is a fine restaurant on site offering the best in Tuscan cuisine with a panoramic view of the countryside. Hotel Garden also has a swimming pool and tennis court.
Sangallo Palace Hotel
Sangallo Palace Hotel is located in the historic center of Perugia 50 meters from the fascinating 15th century fortress "Rocca Paolina". All the monuments and tourist attractions in Perugia are walking distance. Additionally the unique location of the hotel allows the guests to depart quickly to visit the nearby art cities of Umbria: Assisi, Gubbio, Spoleto, Todi, Orvieto.
Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge
Set in the elegant residential district of Parioli, within walking distance from the Borghese Gardens with its extraordinary museum, the Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge hotel is perfect for either a business break or a relaxed Roman holiday. Only 20 minutes of central Rome’s world famous tourist attractions such as the Trevi Fountain and the Vatican, this hotel in Rome is ideally located for transport hubs, being only 15 minutes of Stazione Termini – Rome’s main rail station – and less than 35 minutes from Rome Ciampino (CIA) Airport. The spectacular Borghese Gardens are within walking distance of this Rome hotel, as are a host of international embassies. Stay connected in the complimentary 24-hour business center and work with our staff to plan a meeting or event for up to 222 in the hotel’s 4 contemporary meeting rooms. Relax in your modern, comfortable Guest Room which benefits from complimentary WiFi access. Keep drinks cool with the in-room refrigerator and prepare snacks from the 24-hour Pavilion Pantry® in the microwave. Work out in the modern Fitness Center and soothe tired muscles in the sauna or Turkish Bath. Parking is available within the Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge with a private garage available upon request.
Cancellation policy
If you cancel your reservation, the cancellation fee schedule below will apply. If you are booked in a double/twin room and your roommate cancels his or her tour more than 45 days prior to departure, you will be responsible for paying the single supplement fee. Upon notifying GAT of your cancellation, you will be given a confirmation number that verifies your cancellation. If you purchased travel protection and are cancelling for a reason covered under the policy guidelines, cancellation fees will be reimbursed to you directly from the insurance company. In the event that you have to cancel your tour on the day of departure, you must notify GAT prior to the departure of your first flight. Any penalties for supplemental services/guarantees (including, but not limited to, flights, hotels or late additions) resulting from cancellations made at your request will be your responsibility, and all service fees are non-refundable. Substitution of travelers is not permitted. If you choose not to travel, but fail to cancel your tour prior to the departure date or if you return home before the scheduled completion of your tour, you will not be eligible for any refund or reimbursement from GAT for any unused portion of your trip or costs incurred by leaving your trip early.
For travelers with the travel protection policy (goaheadtours.com/travelprotection), Go Ahead Tours will reimburse the participant in the form of a credit voucher in the event the participant wants to interrupt their tour due to reasons not covered by their travel protection policy. The voucher is valid for one year from the day of the interruption of the tour and represents the value of the missed time on tour including any unused air, land or sea arrangements already paid for by the participant up to a maximum of $1,000 as determined by Go Ahead Tours. The voucher is personal and non-transferable and may be applied towards a future Go Ahead tour and is not exchangeable for cash. The participant is responsible for any additional costs incurred by interrupting the tour including but not limited to the return flight and other transportation costs due to the interruption. Reservation fees, rebooking fees, change fees, late and returned check fees, revision fees, supplemental fees for international deliveries and special arrangement fees are considered Used Fees once incurred and will not be refundable.
Cancellation of European land tours
- If Days Prior to Departure is 71 days or more, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is $300
- If Days Prior to Departure is 70–46 days, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is $450
- If Days Prior to Departure is 45–8 days, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is $1,000 or 100%
- If Days Prior to Departure is 7–0 days, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is 100%*
*Percentages listed above are of the total tour cost, including reservation fee. Listed cancellation fee is applicable per traveler.
Trip ID#:
FooWinGoa
What's excluded
- Passport and visa charges
- Personal Expenses
Meals Included
9 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches and 3 Dinners
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