From the Italian Riviera to Tuscany


This trip has a huge variety of what you would expect from a tour through Italy. From the regal Alps to the cliff side villages hanging over colorful coast of the Italian Riviera. We stroll through medieval walled-in villages and then travel past the vineyards between the rolling hills of Tuscany. Finally to Florence the birth place of the Renascence. Great foods, wine, scenery, art and history await us. Read on and see why you will love this Tour. Touring Italy with the owner of Coco’s Italian Market. These tours are the easiest way for you to have an in-depth experience of Italy. If you’re planning a trip to Italy and you want minimal hassle and maximum efficiency, no surprises or long tourist lines. If you want to experience Italy like an insider then consider traveling with me. I am with you every step of the way. I am passionate about Italy and love how excited all of my guests are while doing these tours. My travelers say touring with me is like traveling with their Italian Cousin.
9 day package 11 Meals
Sold as Single, Double or Triple. (*Save additional money using your air miles)
Please call Chuck for current pricing 615-474 5989 or email chuck@cocositalainmarket.com

Day 1 Overnight Flight
We land in Milano in the afternoon and take a scenic ride to Turin. Admire the Alpine peaks and towers in the distance, your first taste of what is in store for you. Soon we settle in for a two night stay.
DAY 2 Turin, Italy
You will love this bustling university town, home to some of the best sights, restaurants, and museums that mostly locals only flock to so you wont feel so touristy. Our hotel is centrally located and steps away from some of the city’s top attractions and historical destinations. Tonight we enjoy our welcome dinner featuring regional specialties.


DAY 3 Turin
Today we walk through Turin with a local expert guide, uncovering a blend of French and Italian heritage with it’s unique culture unlike the rest of Italy it remained an independent state until Italian unification. Lucky for us this is the birth place to Italian Chocolate so we wrap up the tour by trying a bicerin – a mix of espresso and chocolate in one of the city’s cafés. After getting acquainted with the city, the rest of the day is ours to further explore. This evening, consider an optional excursion to a historic palace where you will enjoy an aperitif with a local guide. The concept of the afternoon cocktail (the aperitivo) was born here in the mid 1880’s. We will enjoy a “Slow drink” with tasteful bruschetta and appetizers, the Italian ancestor to Spanish tapas.
DAY 4 Turin-La Morra – Langhe Wine Country – Italian Riveria
Have your cameras ready as we weave through the picturesque Langhe wine country (UNESCO) on our way to Italy’s Riviera. Along the way we stop at the hilltop village of La Morra, and a fantastic local winery where we will enjoy a tour and tasting. After our light lunch we continue to the town of Sestri Levante, perched along the Mediterranean Sea. This evening we will enjoy free time on our own. Let me help you get acquainted with the Italian Riviera and help you pick a restaurant. You will love the local cuisine. Cinque Terre is famous for its fresh seafood. The towns are, after all, fishing villages! Sample pesto with your pasta, or try some fresh focaccia bread.


DAY 5 Italian Riveria – Cinque Terre
After breakfast we meet up with our local guide and spend the day exploring the colorful cliff-side five villages of Cinque Terre with our local guide. You will marvel at the rugged coastline dotted with terraced vineyards as we travel by the local rail. Pay attention to what you may want to go back and visit because we have free time for further exploration this afternoon. Perhaps you may want to go to Riomaggiore which boasts a medieval castle. Cinque Terre is particularly famed for its trails, and there are dozens of them in the area. One of the most popular is the Sentiero Azzurro, or the Blue Path, the trail that links all 5 towns. Vernazza’s Doria Castle boasts one of the best views. Since our hotel is right on the ocean grab a chair, a beverage and kick back and relax in the sun. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon. For Dinner we are on our own; ask Mariangela or me for recommendations. Besides seafood Pesto dishes are a specialty here.
DAY 6 Italian Riveria – Lucca- Tuscany
Today we stop in Lucca for an afternoon with our local guide. Sometimes called the city of 100 churches thanks to the intricate marble cathedrals and Renaissance art. You’ll enjoy hearing about the Roman history and storied past but the best thing to do in Lucca is just explore! You can’t get lost inside the walls of this ancient town and there are no hills so just have fun as you journey around every corner of the narrow and winding streets that lead to cobbled piazzas, shady avenues and historic villas. If you follow me we will likely end up having lunch at one of the terrace bars and people watch. Next we continue on through the rolling hills of Tuscany for a 3-night stay in the village of Figline. This evening, try your hand at the local culture with an interactive pasta-making demonstration by your hotel’s on-site chef.


DAY 7 Florence – Tuscan Estate
Today we explore Florence the “Cradle of the Renaissance” during a locally guided walking tour of the city’s iconic sites. During the afternoon maybe visit one of the most famous art galleries in the world, Uffizi Gallery to see the historical pieces by artists such as Raphael, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Botticelli, Giotto and Titian, just to name a few. Florence is a calm city easy for pedestrians who slowly stroll the streets for fun and to window-shop, I always enjoy a gelato or take in a beautiful day sitting in a piazza while chatting and people watching before returning to your hotel in the evening. I have written a guide on shopping in Florence and will be happy to share it.
DAY 8 Olive Oil Mill – Greve Chianti – Tuscan Estate
Today after a hardy breakfast we journey through Tuscany’s low-lying hills and dense olive groves to visit one of Coco’s olive oil suppliers. The award-winning Carletti families’ Frantoio (olive mill). This family has been pressing olives for over 500 years. There we will meet Carlo and his sons and learn about the many varieties of trees and oil-making methods. They will treat us to a tasting of the different varietals of EVOO produced at the mill. After hugs to my friends the Carletti’s we continue on to the village of Greve, surrounded by vineyard-carpeted hills of the famous Chianti region and home to the annual Chianti Classico Exposition. We will spend the afternoon in this small town with a quaint atmosphere. At the southernmost corner of the piazza stands the church of Santa Croce, home to several interesting works of art by the Fra Angelico school. Under the arched loggia, you will find numerous stores selling wine, ceramics, artisan products and all kinds of local food. But don’t eat too much and save room for tonight’s farewell dinner with our fellow travelers as we toast each other to cap off our unforgettable journey and exchange emails and phone numbers with our new friends.
DAY 9 Figline – Tour Ends
After breakfast we all head to the airport and say arrivederci to Italy.
