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Food & Wine:...
 

Food & Wine: Northern Italy & the Italian Riviera

12 days |  14 days with Venice extension
12 days |  14 days with Venice extension
Group size1222 travelers
Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars

112
Physical activity
people walking outside a building with columns in bologna italy
people at a table clinking wine glasses at a table
looking up at stone ruins in verona italy
a chef making pasta by hand on a floured kitchen surface
OverviewItineraryDates & pricesReviewsTraveler photosHotels, flights & FAQ
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Two words to sum up northern Italy? Great. Food.

Eating isn’t just a part of the daily grind here—it’s a full-on art form. Stand beside the masters in their kitchens, farms, and wineries and learn the ins and outs of the region’s knockout delights. From wine on the Riviera to Parmigiano-Reggiano in Parma to fresh-cooked tagliatelle in Bologna, prepare to indulge in the best the region has to offer on this small group Food & Wine Tour.

Your tour package includes

  • 10 nights in handpicked hotels
  • 10 breakfasts
  • 3 lunches
  • 4 dinners with beer or wine
  • 2 wine tastings
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Included highlights

  • Turin’s Palazzo Madama
  • Alba truffle hunt
  • Castle of Grinzane Cavour
  • Barolo wine tasting
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano tasting
Read more
Start planning today

An expert specializing in tours of this region is here to help.

Talk to a Tour Consultant

Day-by-day itinerary

Print itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day

Board your overnight flight to Milan today.

Turin3 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Milan & transfer to Turin
Included meal: Welcome dinner

Welcome to Italy! Arrive in Milan, then transfer to your hotel in Turin and get settled in. Later, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at a welcome dinner.

Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Turin
Included meals: Breakfast, Tasting

This morning, set out on a guided tour to discover Turin, home to Italy’s Royal Family, the House of Savoy.

  • Make a photo stop at Santa Maria del Monte, which overlooks the Po River.
  • Pass through Piazza Castello, Palazzo Madama, and Palazzo Carignano.
  • Step inside the Royal Church of San Lorenzo.
  • Stop to sample some of the city’s famous bicerin coffee (seasonal).
Day 4: Alba truffle hunt
Included meals: Breakfast, Tasting

Travel to the town of Alba, which is located in heart of the Piedmont region.

  • Try your hand at truffle hunting alongside an expert truffle hunter and dog.
  • Learn about the characteristics, look, smell, and taste of truffles while on the hunt.
  • Discover the importance of this regionally grown tuber, which is a delicacy used in Italian cuisine.
  • Enjoy free time for lunch in Alba.

Please note: Truffle hunting is seasonal with black and white truffles growing different times of year. Black truffles are typically in season from May–August and white truffles typically from September–December.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Turin or add an excursion.

Turin Chocolate Making Workshop & Tasting

From $139 per person

Italian Riviera2 nights
Day 5: Italian Riviera via Castle of Grinzane Cavour & Barolo Wine Tasting
Included meals: Breakfast, Light lunch, Wine tasting

Travel through the hilly Piedmont region famous for its cheeses, truffles, and wines. While here, you'll enter the UNESCO-recognized Castle of Grinzane Cavour.

Then, visit a village in the Langhe region to taste some of the best known names in Northern Italian Wine and sample classic Barolo vintages.

  • Enjoy a light lunch of local specialties at a winery.
  • Sample local Barolo vintages in the vineyard’s wine cellar.

After, continue on to the Italian Riviera.

Please note: Castle of Grinzane Cavour will be replaced with Castle Barolo if Day 5 falls on a Tuesday.

Day 6: Free day on the Italian Riviera
Included meal: Breakfast

Enjoy a free day on the Italian Riviera or add an excursion.

Cinque Terre Villages & Wine Tasting

From $149 per person

Bologna3 nights
Day 7: Bologna via Parma Region
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tasting

As you head to Bologna, Italy’s culinary capital, stop to try some culinary delights.

  • Stop at a local Parmigiano-Reggiano producer where you’ll watch and learn about the process of cheesemaking.
  • Enjoy a cheese tasting in the cheese storage room.
  • Visit a balsamic vinegar villa for lunch and a tasting of the region’s famous vinegar known as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena.

Then, continue on to Bologna.

Day 8: Sightseeing tour of Bologna
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, venture out on a walking tour of Bologna with a local guide.

  • Visit the University of Bologna, the world’s oldest operating university.
  • Enter the Archiginnasio of Bologna, once the university’s main building, and learn about its architecture.
  • Step inside Teatro Anatomico, which was built in the 1600’s and formerly used for anatomy lectures.
  • Peruse the local fish and vegetable market district and explore Piazza Maggiore.

Sit down for an included homemade pasta and lasagna dinner with your group.

Day 9: Free day in Bologna & cooking class
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy a free day in Bologna or add an excursion.

Then, try your hand at making pasta during tonight’s cooking class and included dinner.

A Day in Parma

From $105 per person

Verona Countryside2 nights
Day 10: Verona Countryside via Valpolicella
Included meals: Breakfast, Light lunch, Wine tasting

Travel to the Verona countryside, stopping in Valpolicella along the way. Here, you’ll enjoy a light lunch and sample three red wines typical of the region: Amarone, Ripasso, and Recioto.

Then, venture on to your villa hotel in the Verona countryside.

Day 11: Sightseeing tour of Verona
Included meals: Breakfast, Tasting, Farewell dinner

Join your guide on a walking tour of the city of love.

  • Discover the sites that served as the backdrop for Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, including Casa di Giulietta, Juliet’s house and storied balcony.
  • Stroll down Via Mazzini, admiring the marble along the street as you go.
  • Visit Verona’s UNESCO-recognized historic district to see the Verona Arena, Piazza della Erbe, and Lamberti’s Tower.
  • Enjoy a tasting of tramezzino, a specialty sandwich from the Veneto region that’s similar to English tea sandwiches.

Enjoy free time to explore Verona, then return to your villa in the Verona countryside.

This evening, celebrate your trip during a farewell dinner featuring local and seasonal specialties from the villa.

Flight Home
Day 12: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay to explore Venice.

Extension to Venice
All the pictures in the world couldn’t prepare you for the real-life sight of Venice rising from the water. Find out why the Queen of the Adriatic has such a special place in our hearts as you explore the city’s maze of canals and streets with a local guide.
Venice2 nights
Day 12: Venice via Prosecco Region
Included meals: Breakfast, Light lunch, Wine tasting

Stop in the Province of Treviso, where Prosecco is produced, as you travel to Venice.

  • Tour 17th-century wine cellars to learn about Prosecco production.
  • Enjoy a light lunch at Osteria followed by a tasting of 3 different Proseccos, white wines that are comparable to Champagne.
Day 13: Sightseeing tour of Venice
Included meal: Breakfast

Admire historic churches, winding canals, and picture-perfect piazzas on a guided tour of the city known as the Queen of the Adriatic.

  • Explore the Rialto market, famous for its fish and vegetable stands.
  • Step into the iconic St. Mark's Square and enter St. Mark's Basilica.
  • View the stately Doge's Palace, built in the Venetian Gothic style in 1340.
  • Marvel at the Bridge of Sighs, the link between Doge's Palace and the New Prison.
  • See a glassblowing demonstration to learn about the city's most celebrated art.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Venice or add an excursion. Then, enjoy a farewell drink as you celebrate your trip with your fellow group members this evening.

Venice Grand Canal Cruise

From $99 per person

Flight Home
Day 14: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

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Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars

Overall rating 4.7 out of 5

Based on 112 authentic traveler reviews
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    3 out of 5 stars

    Not the best trip we've had with Go Ahead
    10/7/23 by 8th-time traveler Robert

    Good companions made this a very pleasant tour. Our director(s) were wonderful as was our bus driver and most local guides. However, of all our tours, this one had the most discrepancies from the printed Itinerary (with no explanation as to why....). Starting with the first full day in Turin when a ...

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    EF Go Ahead Tours replied on 1/9/24

    Thank you for taking the time to share your feedba...

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    5 out of 5 stars

    Wine, Food and Wonderful Scenery
    10/7/23 by 24th-time traveler Matthew

    A great time visiting wine tasting in scenic places. Making pasta and chocolate candy was a fun time. Historical sites and local foods completed a wonderful tour

    EF Go Ahead Tours replied on 12/5/23

    Thank you for sharing your delightful experience f...

    Read more +

    5 out of 5 stars

    Overall, this was an amazing tour
    10/21/23 by 1st-time traveler Samantha

    I enjoyed going to the smaller cities in Italy. The daily schedule was well planned and gave enough free time to explore on our own.

    Show more reviews

    Traveler photos

    Hotels, flights & FAQ

    Here's the nitty-gritty—where you’ll stay, how you’ll get there, and what to know about your destination before you go.

    Hotels

    We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
    Hotel Victoria Torino
    Hotel Victoria Torino

    This classic hotel is located in the heart of Turin. Guests enjoy the luxury spa, complimentary bicycles, and on-site coffee house. Nearby you’ll find...

    Read more +
    Park Hotel Suisse
    Park Hotel Suisse

    This modern hotel is located in Santa Margherita Ligure on the Italian Riviera. Guests enjoy the outdoor pool, bar, and bicycle rentals. Nearby you'll...

    Read more +
    Hotel Roma
    Hotel Roma

    This classic hotel is located in Bologna's historic center. Guest's enjoy the outdoor terrace, on-site coffee house, and bar. Nearby you'll find the T...

    Read more +
    Hotel Veronesi La Torre
    Hotel Veronesi La Torre

    This historic hotel is located in the Verona Countryside town of Dossobuono. Guests enjoy the hotel grounds which are in an ancient, renovated monaste...

    Read more +
    Hotel Santa Marina Venezia
    Hotel Santa Marina Venezia

    This elegant hotel is located in the Castello neighborhood of Venice. Guests enjoy an outdoor terrace, bar, and lounge. Nearby you’ll find St. Mark’s ...

    Read more +

    Flights

    Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
    Add our airfare package and you'll get:
    • Round-trip flight for your tour
    • Airport transfers at your destination
    • A great price locked in today
    • 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
    • Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
    • Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
    • Find out more about flights

    FAQ

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