TASTING  VENETO
(8 days, 7 nights)

A gourmet tasting experience starring the varied products of the region.

Veneto's richness in different cultures makes its own expression through the variety of
its typical dishes, coming from fishermen and farmers alike. Old traditions adapted and are appreciated all over the world as the quality of the ingredients create a refined cooking style with strong delicious tastes.

The cuisine of the Veneto has remained alive thanks to the commitment of all those engaged in adapting it to adapt to the present, in a combination of attractive flavors and ingredients from the local environment, maintaining the delicate characteristic of the old dishes without abandoning the new interest in the international gastronomy world.

DAY 1: WELCOME TO ITALY - VICENZA

Pick up at Milan airport. Transfer to the hotel in Vicenza located 40 miles west of Venice.

Free time before having welcome dinner at the hotel tonight.

DAY 2: VICENZA - ASIAGO - MAROSTICA (VI) - VICENZA

Breakfast at the hotel followed by a sightseeing overview of the city and on to
Marostica to experience its medieval atmosphere and then a stop at a fine
“trattoria” for your first tasting experience of local cuisine for lunch.

	This city is a 14th century medieval center, its city walls connect the Lower Castle to the Upper one, like a frame to this extraordinary panorama. Marostica is famous for the game of "living chess", a 15th century costume event which, every year in September, re-evokes an old challenge between knights. The chess game takes place in the famous Castle square with the chess-board designed on it.

Typical dishes are found in Vicenza such as Baccalà, polenta with mostarda and a desert which is so good that people decided to call it Tiramisù. The province offers different typical food specialties, but you won't be able to taste all of them as they are linked to an exact time of the year and to a wine of the area. The creativity of the traditions of Vicenza is described by some typical dishes such as baccalà alla Vicentina, cod with soft polenta according to the Vicentine tradition and all the different recipes of ''risotti''. Famous also is Sopressa, a kind of salame usually eaten with a slice of grilled polenta called polenta brustolà.

Transfer to Asiago to visit a mountain dairy known as a Malga and see breeders create some of the 30 DOP kinds of Italian cheeses and to enjoy a tasting.

The "Cimbri" people colonized this region many centuries ago. Until 1807 the "Altopiano" formed an independent state known as the "Honourable Regency of the 7 Communes", one of the first confederations in existence. It allied with the "Most Serene Republic of Venice" for trade. The First World War marked this land indelibly and its scars are still visible Today this area is a famous tourist resort area known and appreciated all over Europe.

After eating you can relax enjoying the scenery framed by the Dolomite mountains.

Return to the hotel for Dinner.

DAY 3: VICENZA - DELTA DEL PO (CHIOGGIA) – PADUA

Breakfast at the hotel.

This morning visit the the river Po Delta Park and its strange and fascinating atmosphere. Cruising the delta of the longest river crossing the widest plain of Italy draining into Adriatic and its mouth extends 40 miles along the coast. You'll cruise this area by boat and see exotic birds because of the particular fauna inhabiting the Park. At the end of the cruise, a fresh fish lunch will let you savor species of the fish in this area, such as anguilla, and big clams.

Needless to say fish is the king of this cuisine. Eels and fresh water fish are cooked on a grill pan and usually served with polenta. The sturgeon of the Po are boiled, stewed, fried and roasted. Their eggs make exquisite caviar.

	Very famous are also clams of Chioggia, that are DOP protected by the government as authentic traditional product. Game is plentiful, wild duck, pin-tails, widgeon, coot, curlew, and other are often used in this cuisine Pork is a large staple of diet and a typical product is “bondiola”, a big sausage boiled for hours and served as a main dish with mashed potatoes or cooked vegetables.

PADUA is one of the cultural and economic centers in Northeast Italy. Padua is a pilgrimage city, millions of pilgrims come here every year to visit the "Basilica di Sant’Antonio", where you can visit the grave of "Sant’Antonio". The other reason to visit this city is Giotto. In Padua you will find the most complete and the best preserved collection of works by Giotto.This city is one of the cultural and economic centers in the Northeast of Italy.

	Paduan cuisine can be traced back to the times of the Obizzi, Da Carrara and Contarini families, who with their skill managed to create exquisite dishes using the simplest of ingredients. The most outstanding hors d'oeuvres are the preserved meats, the pearl of which is the fine ham from Montagnana.

Second courses include boiled meats, the much renowned Paduan hen, "torresani allo spiedo" (pigeons grilled and seasoned with a mixture of pepper and juniper berries), "oca in onto" (goose meat in its own fat, served with rice and peas), stewed pork, with served meats ("cotechino" and "bondiola") and the famous "polenta e osei" (yellow polenta topped with delicious bird). All the dishes are magnificent examples of rich culinary "poverty".  It's up to lovers of good food to satisfy their palate with these or other specialties, especially when accompanied by the generous wines of the Euganean Hills.

DAY 4: PADUA - BASSANO DEL GRAPPA - BELLUNO – MEL - PADUA

Breakfast at the hotel.

This morning you transfer to Bassano del Grappa. A famous city because for many different reasons. Walk through its quaint little streets still with remaining evidence of the tragic world war before visiting a distillery of Grappa.

The Ponte Vecchio also called "Ponte degli Alpini", was conceived by Andrea Palladio and it is the symbol of the city. The choice of wood as the construction material is more suited to the river's strong current. The bridge has been destroyed more than once by the floods of the river and during the war. The last reconstruction being due to the worthy efforts of the Alpine troops in the post-World War II period.

Walking through the narrow streets you will appreciate the atmosphere of of the old part of the city and discover its elegant streets and splendid Renaissance buildings where one may stop in one of many craft shops and see the famous pottery and splendid jewelry creations among other hand crafter items the city is known for.

	When a product is identified with its origin of production to the point of taking its name Grappa from the mountains of Bassano and Grappa, this distillate means that it has attained the highest quality. From April to June it is the time of the asparagus from this area, it is diuretic, depurative, and rich in vitamins. Another product of this territory are eating cherries.

Continue to Belluno have lunch and taste typical dishes and a tour of the city

Belluno, a name of Celtic origin that means "splendid, illuminated city", rises over a promontory located near the merging of the Ardo River and the Piave River. It stands in a beautiful area with the Dolomites to the north and the Venete Pre Alps in the south. A city that offers artistic and natural beauties and can be appreciated by everybody. The major attraction of Belluno is the tranquilityof its streets,

where people can stroll and stop to chat with others in the beautiful squares, all of them characterized by a pure water fountain; in the sky colors; in its splendid panorama which allows you to look all the way to the Valley, the Dolomite peaks of Schiara, Pelf and Gusèla del Vescovà Mountains. Belluno is a city located in an untouched valley, a city that is just a few minutes from mountain paths and wood trails.

Herbs are widely used, vegetables, pulses and fruit allows delicious first courses: soups beans, nettles, mushrooms, barley, or rice with pumpkin or milk. Stale bread with olive oil, salt and sage make a typical dish of the area and the panada; pumpkin dumplings with grated smoked ricotta that is a kind of unsalted cheese, all soaked in melted butter.

	These are all simple preparations by those who have to use the few things they have at their disposal. Traditions are respected in the main courses with lamb cooked with different herbs and spices, chicken, and the unfailing game and the classic pastin, the salami kneading flavored with sage and then browned; or the cabbage with pork cutlets.

After our visit in Belluno we transfer to Mel and its magnificent Zumelle Castle dating back to A.D. 46 for a visit and a Middle Ages Dinner , an experience few have had.

	Mel, a small town in Italy has an important and rich history and is still famous for Zumelle Castle built as a military fortress and local political symbol in the 6th century. Today it is the only castle that survived in the Belluno area and a visible memory of many centuries of history.

Return to your hotel in Padua.

DAY 5: PADUA - VENICE - PADUA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today an excursion to Venice on the deluxe motor launch “Il Burchiello® Classico” an adventure in river travel via the Brenta Canal passing through several locks en route and passing more than 50 historic villas before arriving in Venice.

After meeting your il Burchiello guide at the hotel, transfer to Stra to visit the Villa Pisani, a national museum. Then you will board Il Burchiello and start your cruise along the Brenta canal. Along the river you'll pass many villas, once residences of Venetian nobility. Before arriving in Venice there will be a visit with the guide to Villa Valmarana or Villa Widmann and Villa Foscari in Malcontenta. Seafood lunch on board Il Burchiello. On arrival in Venice's St. Marks Square a short walk will give you a feel for this enchanting city and its beauties at sunset.

Venice, rises from the middle of a lagoon. It is four kilometers from dry land, two Km from the sea and on top of one hundred and eighteen islands, divided from one another by one hundred and sixty canals, crossed by almost four hundred bridges, one of which connects it to the mainland.

Venice is a city whose history has determined an absolutely unique reality, an extremely particular cultural make-up that is reflected by its typical Venetian cooking. To appreciate its authentic cuisine, we will return to savours of the 18th century, that is in the period while this ancient Republic was named la Serenissima, because of its splendor and of the serene way of life of its inhabitants.

As far as desert are concerned we cannot omit mentioning the traditional Venetian dry and thin biscuits Baicoli. They are delicate crisp little biscuits that go well with a piping hot chocolate, creamy and rich with plenty of cinnamon. Caramelized fruits are also a typical Venetian dessert, served on wooden skewers. The Crema Fritta was a fried custard cake sold in olden days by fish-fry shops to go with the fried fish.

After dinner in Venice you will return by motor coach to your hotel in Padua

DAY 6: PADUA – VERONA – TORRI DEL BENACO – BARDOLINO – NEGRAR -  VALPOLICELLA area - PADUA

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Verona to visit the city of Romeo & Juliet and see the Roman Arena "the" historical monument symbol of this city.

	Verona is a city with many Roman vestiges, including the more renowned monuments of the glorious past and one of the best preserved Roman arenas in the world. During a tour in the city you could visit the Castel Vecchio, Gavi Arch, Roman Arena, elegant shop-lined Via Mazzini and Piazza dei Signori and no visit to Verona would be complete without a visit to see the famous balcony where Romeo wooed Juliet.

Transfer on to Torri del Benaco, a little and characteristic village on Lake Garda before visiting the Scaliger Castle walk along the narrow streets and you will have lunch at a restaurant located with a view where you can admire the lake in its majesty, while eating fresh fish from the lake.

At Torri del Benaco the weather is mild, mornings and evenings are cooled by lake breezes and the vegetation is " typical" mediterranean. Here the olive tree is dominant, growing all the way to the long beaches. Venetian style buildings face the small harbor, where yachts are docked alongside fishermen's boats. This ancient hamlet is perched on a knoll and the historic center with its medieval streets is enclosed between the Scaliger Castle and the elegant Parochial Church. The castle has an interesting museum on local traditions, (in particular fishing and olive cultivation). One room is also dedicated to prehistoric pictoglyphs found inscribed on rocks in the area.

Lake fish is used in dozens of dishes, accompanied by the famous wines of this territory. Different wines suitable to different occasions are produced in this area, from the classic Veronese Bardolino del Garda to the Soave, from the strong and austere Amarone to the sparkling wine of the Conegliano zone.

The province of Verona has a modest production of olive oil, but of excellent quality, having characteristics that distinguish it from other Italian and foreign olive oils.  Today's gourmands appreciate the famous local asparagus and have it as an appetizer with wine and olive oil. Different kinds of first courses make a wide range of opportunities, for tasting a traditional excellent dish. This area, especially Lower Verona is famous because of the production of the kind of rice named “vialone nano veronese” really suitable for risotto. If you don’t like rice you should choose fresh home made pasta in the particular size of “bigoli”, a sort of spaghetti. Another solution is to have “Gnocchi”, they are little potatoes dumplings, dressed with butter and cheese or with meat sauce.

Before eating these exceptional dishes you should start your meal tasting the typical “sfilacci di cavallo”, tasty dried horse meat and oil and lemon. The most famous cake of this territory is obviously “pandoro”, which literary means “golden bread”. It is a soft sweet type of leavened bread, rich in butter and sprinkled on the top with icing sugar.  Pandoro now become a product of the national Italian confectionery industry, not only because it is now consumed all over the world but also because it is very difficult to make at home and is typically eaten over Christmas.

The mild climate, the lake and the fertile hills have always been Bardolino's assets. It was these same resources that caused this territory to be claimed by emperors, monks and noble families who built castles, palaces and monasteries. Throughout the centuries an extraordinary historical and artistic heritage has formed revealed today by the towers and remains of the Scaliger walls, by the beautiful churches and by the garden parks and Venetian style villas. Here you will find both the new and the old. Restaurants use seasonal fresh local fish and agricultural crops for their menus.

Before returning to the hotel we'll stop in Negrar, famous for its Valpolicella wine where you will visit a typical cantina's wine cellar to taste some of the regions excellent wines.

Dinner tonight in Valpolicella. After dinner return to the hotel in Padua.

DAY 7: PADUA– TREVISO – VALDOBBIADENE area - PADUA

After breakfast depart to visit the city of Treviso.

	Treviso, with its old city walls and ancient red-brick buildings and canals, reminds one of Venice. Facades of painted houses jutting out of corbels, alleyways, little bridges and porticos give Treviso its characteristic appearance. Traditionally "joyous and passionate" Treviso is known for its restaurants that have maintained the art of fine cooking (the most special plates are with horticultural products, especially the famous red "radicchio").

	Transfer on to Valdobbiadene to have an appetizer tasting of the well-known Prosecco of this territory. Have lunch in one of the rare typical restaurants remaining in the center of the city. Going back to the hotel you will follow the roads of the white wine Soave, passing through Conegliano and its fascinating vineyards.

	The passion for gastronomy for which Treviso and its borderlands have been credited, recognized by many experts, has lead them to become the leading gastronomic city and province in the whole of Italy.

	pork ears, trotters and tails. Finally, when the soup is cooked, it can supplemented with the addition of the traditional «tirache», a dialect term for braces, which in the common local culinary slang describes a quality of fairly dense textured tagliatelle made from wheat flour, mixed without eggs and which can be substituted both by egg spaghetti and tagliatelle, or even by rice.

DAY 8: PADUA TO MILAN AIRPORT

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your flight home.

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