Italy is the prime destination for travelers who enjoy holidays that focus on wine tasting and cuisine. And this journey is sure to feed the mind, body, and soul in a myriad of ways. On this tour of the north-eastern Italian regions of Veneto and Trentino, you’ll have a rare opportunity to learn more about the drink, the history, and culture of the region, as well as to meet the winemakers, and the generations of family that are involved in the business.
Day 1: Arrive in Treviso and check into your hotel. Your lodging during the trip will be hand picked according to the style that best reflect your desires. Regardless of whether it is a five-star luxury hotel or a cozy bed and breakfast you desire, Cairn Travels provides you stays at the most sought after hotels in each region. And, we always make sure you have access to inspired, regional cuisine!
Treviso stands at the confluence of the River Sile and the Cagnan Grande. These two rivers give a unique, historic charm to the ancient city, with grassy banks, weeping willows, waterwheels, parks, and houses lining the numerous canals that carry water through the town.
While Treviso is sometimes referred to as “Little Venice,” Venice it is not. And that’s a good thing! Not only is it smaller, it doesn’t depend on tourism – so it has far fewer crowds, lacks tacky tourist shops, and limits the crazy prices. It is an authentic, prosperous, Italian town, where you can get a real picture of daily Italian life.
Day 2: Visit the Cathedral of St. Peter (the Duomo). Here you’ll find artworks by Tiziano; Titian’s altarpiece, the “Malchiostro Annunciation,” which is the Duomo’s prize possession; and the fascinating crypt that contains extensive fragments of colored medieval frescoes. In the opposite corner of town you’ll find Chiesa di San Nicolò, a strikingly elongated church that appears to reach upwards to the heavens, and a fine example of Italian Gothic architecture. You’ll find a number of frescoes by Tomaso da Modena, a fourteenth-century artist’s whose frescoes are found throughout the city’s churches, and are among the best art you’ll see in Treviso.
In the afternoon, continue exploring the city on your own, or visit the shops along the Via Calmaggiore, Treviso’s smartest shopping street, or relax at your hotel.
Day 3: A famed Italian sparkling wine, the Italian grape varietal the wine is made from, and a region in Northern Italy can only mean one thing – Prosecco of course! The Prosecco region lies 31 miles from Venice, halfway between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains. This creates the perfect climate for growing the prosecco grape. The terrain here is beautiful – a hilly strip of land in the Veneto’s Treviso, between the small towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.
In the morning, take a short (30-minute) transfer to Conegliano, a cheerful and attractive historic town close to the foothills of the Dolomites. Stroll the streets of here on your own, discovering the charm of the town. From here, your private driver will take you along the Strada del Prosecco e Vini dei Colli Conegliano Valdobbiadene, or Prosecco Wine Road. Throughout, you’ll stop along the wine road both for cultural visits, and of course for Prosecco tastings, in some of the world-famous wineries. The entire Prosecco region is full of charm and atmosphere. Historical and artistic attractions abound, from a 12th century abbey, to Palladian Villas from the 16th century, to historic and contemporary wineries that produce Prosecco. Truly, the magnificence of the sparkling wine produced here mirrors the loveliness of the landscape, and is amply celebrated with the pop of a cork each day!
Day 4: In the morning, transfer to Feltre. Known as a city of frescoes, Feltre is one of the most picturesque walled towns of the Veneto, combining buildings from the Middle Ages with Venetian-style frescoed façades on its palaces and homes. This small town is set at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains, in a sweeping valley. Placed at the center of the valley atop a small hill, “Colle delle Capre,” Feltre sits almost like a crown rising from the valley floor, surrounded by the breathtaking peaks of the Italian Alps. The town is best explored on foot, over cobblestone streets and up steep steps. Peaceful and elegant, the historic center where plenty of 16th century palazzos were built is perfect for a walk.
In the afternoon, drive to the Valsugana (Sugana Valley) to Levico Terme (~1 hour). This charming mountain town is best known for its therapeutic waters, and has built its fame on spa centers and treatments, which you will enjoy tomorrow. Levico Terme is located in the Trentino region, home to the Metodo Classico Sparkling Wine.
Day 5: Today you’ll visit the famous Parco delle Terme di Levico. This park covers an area of over 131,000 square meters (more than 81 square miles) of gardens. With 125 species of shrubs and trees, it is home to a huge range of botanical species including giant sequoia trees from California, the large white-flowered magnolia from South America, cedars from the Himalaya, and ginkgo biloba from China.
After you explore the gardens, spend the rest of the day enjoying the thermal spring waters at the Terme di Levico spa. The modern spa center is a bright, modern, well-equipped place of care, offering numerous clinics and care areas. The highly mineralized spring waters found here have therapeutically effective concentrations of sulfate, iron, arsenic, and are strongly acidic, enabling a large number of thermal cures. Treatments and services available include baths, mud bath therapy, thermal hydromassage, balneotherapy, a variety of inhalation treatments, Physiotherapy, Kinesitherapy, Kneipp treatments, and medical clinic.
Day 6: In the morning, transfer to Trento and explore its historic center on your own. While Trento was the location of the Council of Trent and the start of the counter-reformation in the 16th century, today it is an educational, scientific, financial, and political center. Explore the narrow streets as you walk around the attractive city center, and gaze up at the nearby mountains. The highlight of your visit to Trento may well be the Castello del Buonconsiglio. This walled castle encompasses a variety of buildings and architectural styles, including the original 13th century Castelvecchio and the 16th-century Magna Palazzo, effectively a palace within a castle!
In the afternoon, transfer to the famous Ferrari Winery where you will begin an exciting discovery of Italian Metodo Classico sparkling wine. In 1902, Giulio Ferrari had a dream of creating an Italian wine capable of competing with the best French Champagnes, so he developed Italy’s sparkling Metodo Classico. This method is more akin to France’s méthode champenoise, rather than the Prosecco Method that Italy is most associated with. Enjoy a visit of the winery, and a toast with Ferrari Perlé Trentodoc. This vintage Ferrari sparkling wine has become a style icon, made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes hand picked in the family vineyards.
Next you will be captured by the beauty of Ferrari’s 16th-century Villa Margon, a magnificent and historic aristocratic villa. And to end the tour in the most exclusive way, enjoy dinner at the Locanda Margon, enchanted by tasteful dishes by two-star Michelin Chef Alfio Ghezzi.
Day 7: The time has come to say good-bye. A private driver will transfer you to the airport for the return flight home.
Cairn Travels 