Culture and Cuisine of Italy

12 days from $7,950 Celebrate Italy on a journey that will have you fl oating through history in Venice, admiring great art in Florence, tasting wines and olive oils at an agriturismo in Tuscany, and exploring Rome’s magnifi cent sites with a private guide.

WHERE TO STAY Hotel L’Orologio

Venice – A stylish boutique hotel perched on the Grand Canal, a short walk from the Ponte di Rialto.

Hotel Bernini

Palace – A luxury hotel and former 15th-century palazzo, just steps from the Uffi zi and Palazzo Vecchio.

Badia a Coltibuono Hilltop

A former monastery that has served as an organic farm and winery for centuries.

Hotel de Russie

A luxury property near Rome’s Piazza del Popolo, and an enduring favorite of artists, writers, stars, and politicians.

HIGHLIGHTS

� Get an insider’s view of world-renowned sites on private tours of the Doge’s Palace in Venice, the Roman Colosseum, and Florence’s art museums. � Learn to make Italian specialties with a top chef during a private cooking class in Florence. � Go truffl e hunting in the Tuscan countryside with a guide and his truffl e dog, and sample your bounty in traditional Tuscan dishes. � Zip around Rome as the locals do on a guided Vespa tour.

The itinerary below is a sample of what’s possible. Your Smithsonian Tailor-Made Journey will be handcrafted just for you. Days 1–3 – Venice, Italy

Travel by private boat along the famous Grand Canal to your hotel, located near St. Mark’s Square. The next morning, set out on a private tour of Venice’s most celebrated sites, including St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Enjoy a full day at leisure—your guide will provide plenty of ideas on how to spend it, from visiting the city’s museums to exploring the nearby islands of Murano and Burano.

Days 4–7 – Florence

Gaze at Italy’s languid landscapes from a train window as you travel to Florence. Here, join a top chef for a private cooking class. Make a local specialty like pasta or gelato from scratch, then sit down together to taste your creations. Gain insight from a local art expert on a full-day private tour of the Accademia and Uffi zi galleries. Spend a day in the woodlands outside Florence, hunting for truffl es on a private excursion with an expert and his truffl e dog. Your hunting expedition concludes with a lunch of local dishes featuring your truffl e bounty.

Days 8 & 9 – Tuscany

Settle into a beautiful agriturismo in the heart of Tuscany and discover this fabled region with a private guide. In Siena you’ll see the magnifi cent facade of the cathedral, and stroll across the vast Piazza del Campo where the medieval bareback horserace known as the Palio takes place every summer. Visit the beautiful hilltop town of San Gimignano and savor a traditional Tuscan farmhouse lunch as you enjoy a panorama of vineyards and olive groves.

Days 10–12 – Rome

Head south by train to Rome, where a private guide will provide in-depth tours of ancient Rome and the Vatican. Skip past the lines at the Colosseum and gain direct entry into this legendary site as your guide explains its architecture and history; then continue to the Roman Forum and learn about its many temples and buildings. Spend a morning at Vatican City where your guide ushers you to the important artwork of the Vatican Museums, the incomparable Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Cap off your time in Rome on a Vespa tour, discovering different perspectives of the Eternal City.