Duration: 2.5 hours
Type of Service: Venice Highlights Walking Tour with Gondola Ride - small group tour
Is your time in Venice limited? Would you prefer to spend much of your visit to Venice eating cicchetti (venetian appetizers), drinking, shopping and relaxing? Most people visit Venice for just a day or two, which makes it difficult to squeeze in all the best things to do and see. Experience the best of Venice in just a few hours, leaving you ample time to enjoy yourself and wander down romantic canal side streets. This 2.5-hour tour includes:
- St. Mark's Square and St. Mark's Basilica
- Rialto Bridge
- An English-speaking professional guide
- A gondola ride
St. Mark's Square in Venice - Begin your tour of Venice in St. Mark's Square. Home to the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica, Bell Tower and Doge’s Palace, this is the biggest piazza (public square) in Venice. This is the first stop on your Venice walking tour and it’s also the meeting point of the tour. After meeting up with your fellow Venetian visitors and guide, it's time to head to St. Mark’s Basilica. As this is one of the most visited landmarks in Venice, long lines are expected in summer months. However, this Venice walking tour includes skip the line tickets.
Once inside, it's clear why the basilica is nicknamed “the Church of Gold”. With 4,240 square meters (45,638 square feet) of gilded mosaics constructed over eight centuries, the interior of St. Mark's Basilica is unlike anything you've ever seen. In part, the basilica is so richly outfitted because of the conquest of Constantinople. In 1204, after the Middle-East city fell, treasure was shipped back and installed in St. Mark's Basilica. Included in the haul were the four bronze horses and The Pala d’Oro (high altar retable of St. Mark's).
St. Mark's is a sacred place, so both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders. Otherwise, you may be refused entry to a portion of your tour. We understand the summers in Venice is hot. A great alternative is to bring a shawl, scarf, or sweater with you, that way you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.
Rialto Bridge and Neighborhood - Just a few minutes away from St. Mark’s Square is the Rialto Bridge, as much a symbol of Venice as St. Mark's Basilica. Initially built from old boats, the unstable bridge was rebuilt in 1500. On one side of the bridge is the Rialto Market in the Rialto neighborhood, a place that’s been satisfying appetites for seven centuries. The oldest of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge features a 24-foot tall arch. Providing access to the district, the Rialto Bridge enables Venetians to carry on their business in the area.
A Gondola Ride in Venice - After your Venice walking tour ends, it’s time to partake in an essential Venice activity. Step right up to your gondola boat and say hello to your gondolier! Now, it's time to enjoy the beauty of Venice from the water on a thirty-minute gondola ride. The privilege of working as a gondolier is not taken lightly. In fact, Venice only awards a limited number of licenses per year. In addition to being expert rowers, gondoliers are storytellers and Venice historians.
Your gondola ride ends a few minutes’ walk from St. Mark’s Square, where your tour began. From here, catch a water taxi back to your hotel or the train station. Or, if you aren't ready to call it a day, ask your guide where the best places to eat and drink in Venice are. We will happily point you in the direction of some delicious Venetian cuisine.
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Duration: 10 hours
Type of Service: VIP Brunello Wine Tour - semi-private tour
Delve into the famous Tuscan wine region to educate yourself in the “King of Italian Wine”.
On this true wine experts tour, discover the world famous, Wine Spectator’s prized Brunello di Montalcino - one of the most renowned wines worldwide, and arguably one of the most esteemed wines in all of Italy.
The Brunello wine is especially known for its longevity that you can store a bottle of Brunello wine even for 100 years! Americans have a tremendous thirst for Montalcino's flagship wine, buying roughly 175,000 cases each year, and has become one of the most famous wines in the world, prized and praised by important wine critics, wine collectors and wine lovers.
In Tuscany’s most beautiful panorama, skirting the city of Siena, the Brunello di Montalcino territory offers the perfect microclimate. More so, the wine is given a maturation of about 5 years before it hits the shelves - which is part of what makes Brunello so unique and so precious!
Visit two of our favorite wine cellars producing from the same Sangiovese grapes. In the smaller boutique winery sample and taste Brunello DOCG together with an abundant traditional multi-course Tuscan lunch.
By visiting two wine cellars different in size and wine making philosophy, you will better understand the nuances between innovation and tradition in Brunello wine production.
Besides our knowledgeable guide giving pointers on how to best taste the wines during the tasting, you will also have a chance to visit, together in a small group, a typical medieval village town. While strolling down the little windy roads and alleys, you will hear stories of this adorable little UNESCO hamlet village.
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Duration: 11 hours
Type of Service: Tuscany Tour of Montalcino, Pienza and Val d'Orcia Wine Roads – group tour
We give you an outstanding experience in Tuscany, guiding you through the most beautiful places in this charming region of Italy. Join our unique tour through the attractions of Tuscany, including the beautiful Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano and Val d'Orcia. Explore the fascinating world of the Tuscan wines with a unique full day tour from Florence.
Visit Montalcino and discover its tradition and its story - The amazing tour of Tuscany will start with a visit of a typical winery in Montalcino, famous for its Brunello wine. There, you will have a fascinating wine tasting session, as well as snacks. The tour of Montalcino also includes a visit of the fortress and main attractions in this old hilltop town.
Visit Pienza, wonderful hilltop village in Tuscany -The tour will then pass to the beautiful Val d'Orcia, with visits of two small treasures, Pienza and Montepulciano. These are the perfect introduction to this fascinating natural area, among the most beautiful in Italy. Pienza is famous for its Pecorino cheese. You will have the opportunity to visit on your own this small charming town and the captivating landscapes around.
Stop in Montalcino to taste its world-famous wine - Lastly, a tour of Montepulciano will uncover its treasures, with Renaissance buildings and amazing churches. Another feature of this place is the ancient tradition of its wine, the Nobile di Montepulciano, one of the most famous in Tuscany. You will have a wine tasting session in Montepulciano, in one of the most popular local wineries.
Things to Know:
Duration: 8 hours
Type of Service: Siena Foodie Tour with Charcuterie Lunch at Salumeria – private tour with one hour visit to the Siena Cathedral
You will be picked up from the Siena train station if coming from Florence or your accommodations in Siena. Private door to door service is also available from your Florence accommodations. The medieval town of Siena is located 1 hour, 20 minutes south of Florence.
This special foodie tour starts in the heart of the ancient hilltop town of Siena. We will visit a cafe for coffee, where the owners roast their own coffee beans as they have for 3 generations.
Then we will make the short walk to a family owned generation bakery to hear the history and sample many of the local Sienese desserts.
If this tour is booked on a Tuesday or Saturday, we can visit a local farmers market for a sampling of the Tuscan Pecorino cheeses, and honey, among other things.
Next, we make the short drive outside the walls of Siena, to a Salumeria for lunch. This is a historical delicatessen, which offers artesian quality products. The salamis are lovingly made by, the Norcino, using local recipes that are 300 years old. All made from local livestock without any use of colorants, preservatives, milk-based ingredients or gluten.
Following our lunch, we will make a short drive to visit a family winery for a wine and olive oil tasting. At the end of the tasting we will return to Siena or drop off at the Siena train station or transfer back to Florence.
Things to Know
Duration: 8 hours
Type of Service: Montalcino Brunello Wine Tour with Lunch
We start the day with a scenic drive through the Tuscan country side to our first winery, with incredible views of the valley and mountains around Montalcino. We’ll begin with a tour of the wine cellars before our first tasting of the famous Brunello wines.
Next, we’ll visit the ancient walled city of Montalcino where we’ll tour the fortress, and enjoy a relaxing walk around the town. After our walk through Montalcino, we will have lunch at a family restaurant that serves food harvested from their organic gardens. After lunch we will visit our second family winery, which includes a tour of their vineyards and an olive oil tasting.
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Duration: 6 hours
Type of Service: Tuscany Wine and Olive Oil Trail – small group tour
Carefully designed to offer an all-round immersive Chianti wine experience. Our signature Tuscany Wine and Olive Oil Trail Tour leads you down country roads and vineyards, through the cellars and straight under the labels and into the bottles of one of the world's most exceptional wines: Chianti!
Enjoy the exclusive privileges of exploring Chianti and Chianti Classico in a small group, aboard a minivan, with the expert guidance of a sommelier throughout your tour.
Renowned worldwide for its precious ruby-red blends the Chianti hillside is quite unique: a sea of softly rolling hills dotted by swaying cypresses, olive groves and golden farmhouses and a myriad of extensive vineyards. This is the land of the black rooster - il Gallo Nero - which you can see defiantly looking out of all the signs along the countryside roads and labels, the land where back in 1872 the ideal percentage of different grapes (Sangiovese, Canaiolo and others) used to make the area's namesake wine was discovered.
Explore the marvelous realm of wine in its very kingdom, learn about the history, the peculiar characteristics, the different tastes and aromas.
Your tour includes visiting two wineries and an ancient olive oil mill.
The mill boasts ancient architectural features and modern technology and produces delicious gourmet olive oil. Enjoy learning about the centuries-old olive oil tradition, the harvesting and pressing process, and finally savor the unique, full, flavor of the estate oil.
Experience the thrill of exploring the cellars lined with precious blends (both wineries are internationally renowned and acclaimed), learning about wine production in general and about the two different approaches and techniques, while savoring the very best of the estate blends.
At the end of the tour, you will savor a typical Tuscan lunch.
Things to Know:
Duration: 8 hours
Type of Service: VIP Small-group Siena and San Gimignano day tour from Florence with dinner - small group tour
A fabulous and exclusive all-round Tuscan extravaganza!
Spend an enlightening afternoon visiting Siena and San Gimignano, two of Tuscany's "jewel cities", and top the day off with a sunset and dinner in a boutique winery in the rolling Chianti countryside.
Depart Florence for Siena in full comfort aboard our state-of-the-art minivan, with your dedicated English-speaking driver and tour escort, and reach Siena.
Set in a beautiful landscape, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, it is one of the most enchanting medieval cities in Italy.
Led by a specialized knowledgeable guide you will discover the town's most striking sights, admire the marvelous Piazza del Campo - where twice a year dashing horses compete in the heart-rendering Palio race. Explore quieter backstreets and learn everything about the Contrade (the 17 medieval city districts that compete against each other in the Palio) and enjoy a flavorful surprise, a tasting of a local specialty.
Then travel on to San Gimignano, UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most splendid examples of an ancient walled town. Renowned as “the city of beautiful towers” or "Tuscany's Manhattan" it boasts an exceptional skyline. It is certainly one of the most well-preserved towns in the whole of Italy and has, in fact, been used as a background in many movies. During your free time here, stroll the maze of quaint cobblestone streets at leisure, discovering the many tall towers, once homes, which characterize the town.
Breathe in the authentic atmosphere and then set off to admire the sun setting over the vineyard-clad Chianti hills and savor a genuine Tuscan dinner and wine tasting in the charming premises of a delightful boutique winery.
Enjoy the scrumptious flavors of an authentic typical meal splendidly paired with different excellent wines, as well as the privilege of a private visit to the estate's wine cellar.
Leaving you free to relax in the morning, and leading you into the heart of Tuscan beauty and heritage in the afternoon and evening, our VIP Small-Group Siena and San Gimignano with Dinner in a Chianti Winery provides a quintessential Dolce Vita Tuscan experience which you will never forget.
Things to Know:
Duration: 2.5 hours
Type of Service: Wine and Food Tasting Dinner – small group tasting
Embark on a food pairing and wine tasting journey around Italy's regions at popular and famous wine bar in Rome. This wine tasting experience is fun and exciting in an intimate environment with delicious food.
This unique wine bar/restaurant focuses on the best and fresh artisan selections in wine and food from all over Italy. Their focus extends beyond just Wine Tastings and Dinners to Cooking Classes, Olive Oil Tastings, and more…their expertise sommeliers offer an unforgettable experience for the everyday wine drinkers to wine collectors.
Learn the origins, history and stories of Italy’s wines, regions and foods while you taste through the authentic flavors of the best artisan producers of Italy selected by expertise sommeliers in this group dinner (no boring lectures). An unforgettable night spent with people from all over the world with amazing food and wines.
Things to Know:
Duration: 2.5 hours
Type of Service: Hidden Venice Food Tour with Rialto Market, Cicchetti and Gondola Ride - small group tour
Are you looking for the best food tour in Venice? Embark on a foodie-led exploration of Venetian culture that takes you off the beaten path. With a friendly, English-speaking guide by your side, visit some of our favorite bacari wine bars to sample assorted cicchetti dishes. Get a taste of local Venice food culture and learn about the city as you fill your belly with the best regional wine and food. This 2.5-hour tour includes:
- English-speaking, local foodie guide
- Maximum of 10 people per group
- Gondola ride
- Prosecco, wine and cocktails
- Sit down pasta lunch
- Cicchetti and Bacari
There are two words that are very important to learn when visiting Venice: cicchetti and bacari. The word cicchetti comes from Venetian dialect, meaning "a small savory snack". They are served at various little ‘bacari’ (local wine bars) and come in many delicious varieties. The tradition of going to bacari goes back to at least the 1300's. As time went on and the city got bigger, the number of bacari multiplied as more and more people desired wine.
Your local Venetian guide will explain many of the traditions involving why people visited bacari during the day (even in the morning!). When Italians drink wine, they always have something to eat with it, to make sure that they don't get too tipsy. So over time, the bacari started offering cicchetti (small savory snacks). And a new tradition was born, drinking wine with cicchetti.
Prosecco for Breakfast - In a city known throughout the world for its many islands and canals, most people think that they have Venice figured out. What they don't know is that there is so much more to discover, especially gastronomically. The first stop on this Venice food tour introduces you to a tasty side of Venice that not many experiences, starting with some bubbly wine for breakfast. Don’t worry, you’ll have a bite to eat as well.
A Refreshing Gondola Ride - A trip to Venice wouldn't be complete without a ride on a gondola. Instead of taking the regular route and crossing Venice's Grand Canal by bridge, your local guide will take you across the water on a short, 2-minute gondola taxi ride! Get your cameras ready.
Mercato Rialto - The Rialto Market has been around for centuries. Early Venetian settlers used to come to this area to trade goods, and to this day, not much has changed. Today, Venetian vendors continue to gather here and offer locally-grown produce and fish.
The Spritz - After sampling some cicchetti and prosecco at your first stop, taste another popular drink in Venice at our second bacari stop. Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer bitter drinks, there is a Spritz for everyone. The Campari Spritz has a higher alcohol content than an Aperol Spritz; it also tastes more bitter than sweet. If you’ve ever seen pictures of people drinking a bright orange cocktail from a stemmed glass in Italy, that’s an Aperol Spritz. Both drinks are made with prosecco.
Ombra and Lunch - An ombra in Venice is a small glass of wine; ombra means “shade” in Italian. Legend has it that in the old days, wine was sold near the bell tower of San Marco's square in the shade. So, the people would say "let's go drink in the shade by the bell tower”. Today it has been shortened to just one word - ombra. At the third stop, taste some of the local favorite ombra, as you sit down for a delicious lunch that includes some of the best pasta in Venice.
Gelato in Venice - No Italian foodie experience is complete without some gelato. On this guided tour of Venice, learn how to spot authentic gelato from the kind with additives in one of Venice's best "gelateria" (gelato shops).
You may feel like staying out in Venice exploring after the tour ends or you might need to take a rest after all the eating and drinking. If you're ready to head home, your guide will happily show you where to catch the nearest "vaporetto" (water taxi) so you can cruise back to your accommodations for an afternoon nap.
Things to Know:
Duration: 3 Hours, (includes one-hour visit to the interior of Doge's Palace)
Type of Service: Walking food tour of Venice
On this three-hour tour you’ll enjoy the authentic Venetian food and wine traditions at a local Osteria and be introduced to Venice’s famous landmarks, including the exterior of Doge’s Palace.
Your personal local guide will provide you a walking tour of the picturesque Venetian calli (streets) and ponti (bridges) of Venice, telling you the incredible history and secrets of this unique city. You’ll admire the center of the Venetian power during the Serenissima Republic of Venice: Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) and its fascinating buildings, such as the Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), which was the heart of the political life and public administration of the Venetian Republic. Follow some incredible off-the-beaten-track itineraries and discover Venice's best-kept secrets, then taste the authentic Venetian food and wine traditions in a typical “Osteria.” Mix up with the locals and enjoy a tasty Venetian aperitif with “cicchetti e un’ombra di vino” (finger food and a glass of wine), that will invigorate your spirit and make you look at Venice from the locals’ point of view!
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