8 Days – 7 Nights

Self Drive Tour

Operated daily from April 1st – October 24th, 2022 (Last Day of Departure)

Day 1: Venice -Verona -Sirmoine –Milan (193 miles): In the morning, we pick up the rental car at Venice airport, then depart for Verona. Here you will be given the possibility to take a guided walk through the historic city center. In the afternoon continue to Sirmione, the pearl of Garda Lake, where you will take a short boat cruise on the lake, allowing you to admire the ruins of an ancient Roman villa what was once Maria Callas’ Villa but known today as Catullo Caves. You’ll also see the Scaligero Castello from a unique perspective, passing under its drawbridges. After these visits, we continue towards Milan. Arrive in the evening at the hotel where you can dine in the hotel or at one of Milan’s many top notch restaurants.

Optional Experiences:

• Private Verona Walking tour

Day 2: Milan – Tremezzina – Como – Bellagio – Milan (192 miles): Breakfast (included) at the hotel, then your morning is free to visit the city. You have the option of taking a guided tour of the centre, which highlights the iconic symbols of the city, such as the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, La Scala theatre house and the Sforzesco Castle. Alternatively, you can take an in-depth visit to the “Teatro alla Scala” or for the sports enthusiasts, a bike tour Tour is also available. Early In the afternoon, depart for Tremezzina on Como Lake, the entrance to Villa Carlotta, where you can visit the museum and admire the gardens all around the lake. You will have free time to spend discovering the villages that line the lake, such as Tremezzo, Cernobbio, and the ancient village of Bellagio with its noble villas and magnificent gardens. Do not miss Como, where you can either participate in a food tour to taste the local delicacies. You can return to Milan in the late afternoon or, if you’d prefer to spend more time at the lake, after dinner.

Optional Experiences:

• Milan Bike tour (semi private)
• Private Milan Walking Tour
• Visit of the Teatro alla Scala and the Museum
• Milan Apertivo Food Tour
• Como food tour (small group or private)

Day 3: Milan -Turin (93 miles): Breakfast (included) at the hotel, then depart to Pessione, home of the factory where the famous Martini is produced. Here you can explore the museum of Casa Martini, discover all the secrets of vermouth, and have a special tasting. Those who wish can also participate in a 2-hourVermouth Masterclass, a unique experience to learn the techniques of preparing distillates and aromatic extracts. In the afternoon, continue to Turin, first capital of the kingdom of Italy, which hosts numerous royal palaces and historic coffee houses. In Turin you’ll have free time to visit the city or join an optional activity such as a guided tour of the Royal Palace or the Egyptian Museum. Alternatively, you can discover the local specialties on an appetizing street food tour. For dinner, we recommend taking to the streets and discovering one of Turin’s incredible restaurants.

Optional Experiences:

• Vermouth Masterclass at Casa Martini
• Royal Palace guided tour (small group)
• Guided visit to the Egyptian Museum (small group)
• Street food tour (small group)
• Turin Walking tour (small group or private)

Day 4: Turin – Barolo – Alba – Savona – Genova (155 miles): Breakfast (included) at the hotel, then an early departure to the famous Langhe vinary-growing area, recently named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The first stop will be in Barolo, where you will visit the Wimu Wine Museum (included), an immersion in the world of wine, its culture and its myth. Continue to Alba, home of the very precious white truffle. Here you can participate in an exciting truffle hunt accompanied by a real ‘trifulau’. In the afternoon, visit Savona, with its imposing Priamar Fortress overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Here you can walk around the city and explore yourselves. At the end of the day, arrive in Genoa, widely famous for its large aquarium.

Optional Experiences:

• Truffle hunting in Alba

Day 5: Genova – Portofino – La Spezia (80 miles): After breakfast at the hotel (included), an entrance to Villa del Principe follows, the largest and most sumptuous noble residence in the city of Genoa. You will be given the opportunity to enter the beautiful villa and stroll through the imposing garden that once hosted Emperor Charles V and was the home of the successive generations of the Doria Pamphilj family. You’ll have the rest of the morning to discover the main monuments and alleys of the historic centre, called “caruggi”. There are also multiple guided walking tours you can take advantage of. In the afternoon, continue towards La Spezia. Depending on the time available, you can stop in one or more of the many towns along the coast. We suggest not to miss the fishing village of Camogli and the small gem of Portofino, famous all over the world. Rapallo and Sestri Levante also deserve a stop. At the end of the day arrive in La Spezia, the starting town for exploring the Cinque Terre. Here you’ll have lots of options for dinner.

Optional Experiences:

• Walking tour of Genoa (private)
• Genoa Food Tour

Day 6: La Spezia – Cinque Terre – La Spezia: Breakfast (included) at the hotel, then a full day dedicated to the discovery of the famous Cinque Terre, the stretch of coast with the 5 fishing villages perched over the sea: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. A one-day Cinque Terre Train Card is included, which allows access to the National Park area and the use of regional trains that connect the villages and of local buses. For gastronomy enthusiasts, we can organize a wine tasting in Manarola or Monterosso, or a cooking lesson to learn how to make pesto. Sports enthusiasts can opt for a mountain e-bike ride with a guide on one of the many scenic routes of the Gulf of Poets. In the evening, return to La Spezia.

Optional Experiences:

• Wine tasting in Manarola or Monterosso
• Pesto making class in Manarolo or Monterosso
• La Spezia Food Tour (small group)
• E-bike Tour from la Spezia (small group)

Day 7: La Spezia – Lucca – Pisa – Grosseto Area (155 miles): Breakfast (included) at the hotel, then depart to Lucca, a wonderful small town full of treasures, such as the beautiful Amphitheatre Square, elliptical in shape because it rises right above an ancient Roman amphitheater. The next stop is in Pisa, the city of the famous leaning tower. Here we can organize a guided walk with a presentation of the monuments in Piazza dei Miracoli, namely the Duomo, the Baptistery, the Campo Santo and the Bell Tower. For the bravest who want to experience the thrill of climbing to the top of the tower, there is the possibility of purchasing an additional ticket. In the evening, we continue southwards. Arrive at the hotel in the outskirts of Grosseto, dinner (included) and overnight stay at the hotel.

Optional Experiences:

• Walking tour of Pisa (Private)
• Ticket to climb the top of the Tower of Pisa

Day 8: Grosseto Area – Viterbo – Rome (136 miles): After breakfast (included) at the hotel, set off for Rome. Along the way, we recommend stopping at the wonderful Tarot Garden, an artistic park made up of huge sculptures created by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle, inspired by Gaudí’s Park Güell in Barcelona. Another recommended stop is in Viterbo, known as the City of the Popes. Here we suggest visiting the Popes’ Palace and the medieval quarter of San Pellegrino on one’s own, or to admire the Villa Lante in Bagnaia nearby, which houses one of the most famous Italian gardens, full of fountains, waterfalls, caves and water games. At the end of the day, we return the car to Rome Fiumicino airport or Termini station, but you can continue the journey by joining another itinerary of ours.

Package Includes:

• 2 nights in 4-star hotel in Milan
• 1 night in 4-star hotel in Turin
• 1 night in 4- star hotel in Genova
• 2 nights in 4- star hotel in La Spezia
• 1 night in 4- star hotel in Grosseto area
• 7 breakfasts
• 1 Martini discovery tour with final tasting
• 1 dinner (drinks not included)
• 1 regular boat tour ticket of the Garda Lake
• 1 entrance ticket to Villa Carlotta
• 1 entrance ticket to Wimu Wine Museum in Barolo
• 1 entrance ticket to Villa del Principe di Genova
• 1 day Cinque Terre train card
• Car rental

*Package descriptions and pricing are subject to change without notice.

Contact Us at 800-621-2259 or info@tourcrafters.com to book today!