Incredible food and wine tours in Italy … Whether a lover of wine or a self-professed connoisseur, you will indulge in the variety of Tuscan vineyards with this personalized gourmet itinerary of Italy. Medieval towers crown the hilltops, cypress trees line the country roads, and vineyards blanket the verdant knolls. Sample the exceptional wines known as Super Tuscans or leisurely sip the excellent wines of Montepulciano. Savor the familiar flavors of a home-cooked Italian meal and wander the cobbled lanes of a charming, hidden medieval town. Your dreams of a gourmet wine, gastronomy, and art experience come to life in the grandeur of Tuscany with this one week Italy itinerary.
Sardinia … a fabulous place to see.. Clinging to the top of a steep mountain ridge, the precipitous streets of Nuoro open to views in every direction. The 19th-century cathedral of Santa Maria della Neve sits above a cliff that drops straight into the valley, and the small plaza in front of the church is almost the only level spot in town. Nuoro is a good base for exploring the surrounding Gennargentu, Sardinia’s most rugged and beautiful interior mountains, and the remote villages (Mamoiada is especially interesting), which seem barely touched by the 20th century, let alone the 21st. It’s a fascinating region, with towns clinging to steep mountainsides and local customs that still ring of the ancient past. Driving here, however, is not for the faint of heart, as roads are narrow and steep with hairpin turns over sheer drops, without railings. You can learn more about these villages and their often strange customs at the outstanding Museo Etnografico Sardo (Museum of Sardinian Traditions), which alone is worth a stopover in Nuoro. This is the island’s best collection (and brilliantly displayed) of Sardinian costume and decorative art; clothing is shown on models with jewelry and accessories worn at weddings and festivals. An entire gallery displays traditional masks. While you’re there, the National Archeological Museum has collections excavated from the Neolithic sites, as well as fossils.
The ancient settlement of Tharros is situated at the southern edge of the Sinis peninsula. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century B.C. near a pre-existing nuragic village from the Bronze Age, it suffered under Carthaginian first then Roman dominations, and finally fell under the Vandals and the Byzantines dominations. A gradual decay led to the abandonment of the site around the year 1050 A.D. The area is like an open-air museum that stands overlooking the sea: ancient streets, houses, shops from the Roman era, the temple and the necropolis are among the ruins that the Sinis Peninsula offers us. You can also visit the small early Christian church of San Giovanni situated nearby Tharros village. Read more on Combined programs main Italy and Sardinia.
Basilica di Saccargia, This striking, black and white striped, 12th-century basilica is the most important example of Romanesque style architecture on the island. Located in the countryside near Sassari, inside are beautifully preserved frescoes you can admire. If you are looking for adventure, take a roughly two hour hike through the ancient Nuragic settlement of Tiscali along the river to reach an immense 1500 foot high gorge. Pack a picnic and see if you can verify the local legend of seeing stars at the bottom of the gorge.
Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Di La Maddalena is a national park in the North of Sardinia. During clear days, you can see the coastline of the French island Corsica from the most Northern island of La Maddalena, Isola Razzoli. This archipelago, of which most islands can only be reached by boat, offers an unspoiled nature, stunning views, friendly people, and nearly anything else you need to feel completely away from this world. The Louis Vuitton Trophy, one of the most prestigious sailing races in the world, visits La Maddalena with a good reason!