STAGE 1 - South Tyrol
The sheer variety of cuisine in Italy never fails to surprise, but none more so than in the German-speaking Italian region of South Tyrol. Foodies can indulge in serious bragging rights in this region, where dishes intermix the best of both worlds - although you may find the usual pasta-tiramisu combo ditched for a delicious strudel. Pile up crispy rye flatbreads with mountain cheese and farmhouse cured bacon, fill up on German cheese noodles with fried onion rings and get your fix of other South Tyrolean delicacies at Hotel Alte Goste in Puster Valley. Two female chefs lovingly prepare authentic Alpine cuisine, accompanied by an array of fine red and white wines.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Alte Goste
Olang, Südtirol, Pustertal, Italy
STAGE 2 - Lake Garda
Head south for the next leg of your trip, where the glories of Italy’s mightiest lake await you. Winding paths lined with hedges of fragrant rosemary, the unexpected breeze of fragrant lemon trees, and Agriturismo L´Unicorno rising among the vineyards and olive groves of Valtenesi. Hailing back to 1654, this is the oldest house in the hamlet of Macesina and the finest setting to sample freshly pressed extra virgin olives drizzled onto locally sourced dishes. Don’t miss the 16th-century wine cellar with bottles extracted from Groppello grapes, the most important vine of the Brescia area of Lake Garda.
WHERE TO STAY
Agriturismo L'Unicorno
Bedizzole, Macesina, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
STAGE 3 - Venice
Eat like the locals, or ‘veneziani’, in this iconic Italian city. Nudging lagoon waters, typical Venetian dishes range from sarde in saor - a sweetly sour dish of fried sardine fillets, vinegar, onions, raisins and pine nuts - to squid-ink-black seafood risotto. Venetians go crazy for cicchetti: relax in a bar any time of the day and it won’t be long before you’re tempted with classic savoury side dishes and an Aperol spritz. If you’re on the hunt for a rich breakfast, you’ll be spoilt for choice at Hotel Giorgione - a 4-star hotel within an 18th-century building just 10 minutes from St.Mark’s Square.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Giorgione
Venice, Venice, Veneto, Italy
STAGE 4 - Florence
Bite into fluffy focaccia stuffed with paper-thin charcuterie, devour a chargrilled, T-boned Florentine steak, or sip a glass of classic Carmignano alongside Tuscan pâté, artichokes, fennel-tinged salami and cheeses. It’s true: Florence is food-obsessed. The region is also prime territory for olive-based cuisine: arguably the best in the country with Villa Campestri nestled within its rolling hills. Set in a 13th-century villa, it’s the first olive oil resort in Italy, where nature falls on your plate and is prepared with traditional Tuscan finesse. Your charismatic host, Paolo Pasquali, is deeply passionate about olive oil gaining as much respect in foodie circles as a fine bottle of wine.
WHERE TO STAY
Villa Campestri
Vicchio del Mugello, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
STAGE 5 - San Gimignano
Snatch some delicately scented white truffles on your next leg of the trip - the climate and soil conditions of San Gimignano are just as perfect for blissful walks as they are for the growth of those sought-after nuggets. From Villa Campestri, it’s just over an hour’s drive - the perfect place for a whistle-stop tour before heading 50 minutes onwards to Villa Le Barone. Come for cured meats, hunks of cheese and Insta-brag-worthy pasta dishes, complemented with some of the best wines in Chianti. Get hands-on with the chefs at the award-winning hotel’s cooking classes, then impress guests back home with your new-found Tuscan culinary powers.
WHERE TO STAY
Villa Le Barone
Panzano in Chianti, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
STAGE 6 - Arezzo
The fertile lands of Arezzo are a very easy day trip from Florence - get there by train, taxi or car. This is a place where great food and fine wine go hand-in-hand. Savour the quiet charm of this city atop the precious hilltop town of Cortona, dining on its famous Chianina steak washed down with a unique colli arentini wine. Thanks to the slightly acidic soils of the area, these reds are characterised by a bright violet hue. Stay in the walled village of Castello di Gargonza, award-winning accommodation between Arezzo and Siena. Slurp homemade pasta dishes, snuggle up by roaring fires and savour heart-stopping views of the Valdichiana valley below.
WHERE TO STAY
Castello di Gargonza
Monte San Savino, Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy