Stay in a traditional Tuscan farmhouse near San Gimignano, surrounded by vineyards and olive trees, and tour the grounds, indulging in tastings of their local wines and rich organic olive oil.

Take a cooking class and watch a demonstration of how Bologna pasta is made right in the heart of this culinary namesake before sitting down to enjoy the fruits (or pasta sheets) of your labour for dinner with your host.

Swap stories with a Roman local as you feast on seasonal dishes, homecooked for your group for dinner right in their home.

See Italy’s iconic sights, like the canals of Venice, the romantic streets of Rome and the UNESCO World Heritage Site in San Gimignano.

Find foodie bliss with a food tour that lets you taste all the regional highlights, like gelato, cicchetti, pasta, vinegar, cheese, seasonal fruit and veg and organic meats.

By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Cooperativa Coraggio. Donations help them regenerate 22 hectares of unused public land to create local jobs and produce organic food in Italy.

The cuisine of Italy includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans, we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Italy which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

The primary means of transportation on this trip is by train. Trains are comfortable and all have toilets but can be quite busy. You'll have to carry your own luggage on and off the train, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find this information in the 'Packing' section of the Essential Trip Information.

Don’t let the heat keep you from exploring the world! Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s essential to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

Day 1: Venice

Buongiorno! Welcome to Italy. Your adventure starts in the iconic city of Venice. If you arrive early, take some time to get lost in the narrow cobblestone streets and spacious piazzas, crossing the tiny bridges to find shops, markets, galleries and churches. Stroll past St Mark’s Square, the Campanile and the Doges Palace. Cross the Rialto and admire the Bridge of Sighs. You’ll have a welcome meeting tonight at 6 pm. After, head out for a welcome aperitivo – the spritz and the bellini are local favourites. Venice's distinctive culinary heritage goes back to ancient times and features rich risottos, saline baccala (salted cod) and creamy polenta. If you're hungry, follow your leader to an atmospheric restaurant for your first introduction to Venetian flavours.

 Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

 Included activities

• Venice - Welcome Aperitivo

Special information: It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Day 2: Venice

It's an early start today. Walk down to the canals and watch farmers unload their produce from canal boats, ready to be sold at Venice's famous Rialto markets. This tradition is more than 1000 years old. Next, you’ll swing past the fish market, where the day’s catch might come directly from the Venetian lagoon – the enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea. Finish with an Italian cafe alongside the market. You'll also be treated to a specialty dessert of the region – tiramisu. The afternoon is free for your own exploration. In the evening, discover the Venetian answer to tapas on a cicchetti crawl through the city's fabulous bacari (wine bars). Snacking is an important pastime in Venice, with many people stopping for cicchetti both before and after meals.

 Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

 Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 Included activities

• Venice - Cicchetti tour
• Venice - Venetian Breakfast and Market Tour

 Add on activities

• Venice - Doge's Palace & Bridge of Sighs - EUR30
• Peggy Guggenheim Collection - EUR17
• Venice - St Mark's Campanile - EUR12
• Venice - Accademia Gallery - EUR16
• Venice - San Giorgio Bell Tower - EUR6

Day 3: Bologna

Travel to Bologna by train this morning – this city's culinary claim to fame is significant, thanks to the ragu alla bolognese. Home of tagliatelle, mortadella and a range of other cured meats and salamis, Bologna, along with the surrounding Emilia Romagna region, is a foodie’s paradise. When you arrive, maybe wander past the beautiful old terracotta buildings and lively streets and acquaint yourself with the area. Later, you'll discover the real food of Bologna with a hands-on cooking class in the fine art of pasta-making. Feast on your handiwork over dinner with your host and your group, celebrating your new skill.

 Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

 Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 Included activities

• Bologna - Pasta class

Add on activities

• Bologna - Eataly World - Free
• Bologna - Torre degli Asinelli Tower - EUR5
• Special information: Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

Day 4: Bologna / Modena

Today you’ll discover the flavours of the renowned Emilia Romagna region. Visit a factory dedicated to producing one of Italy's most coveted culinary exports – Parmigiano Reggiano. Learn how this cheese is made, and then try it for yourself. Continue to the town of Modena and visit an acetaia – a house where the family produce fine-aged Modena balsamic vinegar in the attic. You'll see how the vinegar is aged in barrels made from different woods, learn why it’s never less than 12 years old and then see the difference between the factory-made vinegar and the real stuff with a tasting. Head to a trattoria for a plant-based lunch of the best local produce and farm-fresh seasonal dishes. Wash it down with a glass of Lambrusco – the town's famed sparkling red. Stroll around the town and admire the Palazzo Ducale before returning to Bologna in the late afternoon.

 Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

 Included activities

• Modena - Acetaia Visit
• Modena - Trattoria Lunch
• Modena - Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory visit

Special information: Your travel time today will be approximately 1 hour.

Day 5: San Gimignano

This morning, travel to the village of Pancole in the heart of Tuscany. The region is renowned for a cuisine that celebrates simplicity and the bounty of locally grown produce in hearty, rustic dishes. Pecorino cheese, farro (an ancient grain) and artisanal cured meats like lardo di colonnata are just some of the many local ingredients you can expect to indulge in during your stay. Your accommodation is a traditional Tuscan farmhouse near the enchanting village of San Gimignano. The farmhouse is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees that the family has been producing excellent wine and olive oil from by organic methods for over fifty years. Enjoy a guided walk through the vineyards and cellars of the estate, followed by a tasting of some signature Tuscan wines and olive oils. Dinner tonight will be seasonal favourites, made with ingredients freshly harvested from the farmhouse garden beds. This could include homemade pasta, salads, finocchiona salami, crostini toscani (chicken liver pate on lightly toasted bread) and seasonal vegetables.

 Accommodation: Agriturismo (1 night)

 Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 Included activities

• Agriturismo - Tour with wine and olive oil tasting

Special information: Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

Day 6: San Gimignano

This morning, walk along a portion of the Via Francigena – the major pilgrimage route to Rome during the Middle Ages. Explore the medieval walled town of San Gimignano – a UNESCO World Heritage Site often called the Town of Fine Towers due to the preservation of several impressive torre (tower houses) within its walls. Stop past an award-winning gelateria, where intriguing flavours like gorgonzola cheese and walnuts await your tastebuds. Spend the rest of your time exploring the walking paths around the farm or, weather permitting, relaxing by the pool, enjoying beautiful views of the Tuscan countryside.

 Accommodation: Agriturismo (1 night)

 Meals: Breakfast

 Included activities

• San Gimignano - Leader-led orientation walk
• San Gimignano - Gelateria visit
• San Gimignano - Walk a section of the Via Francigena

Special information: The walk along the Via Francigena is about 7 km (4.5 miles) and takes approximately 1.5 hours. The terrain is nice and easy, although you can elect to take a taxi to San Gimignano if preferred (at own cost).

Day 7: Rome

Today, jump on a train to Rome – Italy’s capital famed for its deliciously fresh food and scattered ancient ruins. When you arrive, take a leader-led orientation walk through the historical city centre, past the Pantheon, Navona Square, St. Peter’s Basilica, Campo del Fiori, the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere. After taking in all the big (and small) highlights of this magical city, you’ll head to a local’s home for a special homecooked dinner experience. Swap stories with your host and sit down for a feast of seasonal dishes, which could include local favourites like cacio e pepe, saltimbocca, artichokes or porchetta. After, maybe head to a local bar and cheers to a trip well-travelled over a glass of local wine.

 Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

 Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 Included activities

• Rome - Leader-led orientation walk
• Rome - Home-cooked dinner

Day 8: Rome

With no activities planned after breakfast, your food adventure comes to an end today. If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.

Meals: Breakfast

Please note: itinerary may be subject to change.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement exclude Days 5 and 6 (Agriturismo) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

2. While we endeavor to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.

Price is per person, based on 2 sharing,  and includes:

• 8-day Italy: Real Food Adventure tour
• Meals: 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners
• Transport: Train, Metro, Private Vehicle, Bus
• Accommodation: Hotel (5 nights), Farmstay (2 nights)
• Included activities:
  • Venice - Welcome Aperitivo
  • Venice - Cicchetti tour
  • Venice - Venetian Breakfast and Market Tour
  • Bologna - Pasta class
  • Modena - Acetaia Visit
  • Modena - Trattoria Lunch
  • Modena - Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory visit
  • Agriturismo - Tour with wine and olive oil tasting
  • San Gimignano - Leader-led orientation walk
  • San Gimignano - Gelateria visit
  • San Gimignano - Walk a section of the Via Francigena
  • Rome - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Rome - Home-cooked dinner

• Flights- we'll find the best fare for your chosen departure airport and date
• Single rooms available at a supplement (where available- i.e. you'll have to share in a homestay)
• Travel Insurance

Subject to availability. Terms & conditions apply.

For more information please call us on 021 427 7094 or 01 696 5135, email info@shandontravel.ie, request a call back using the red button, or submit an enquiry through the form below.