Taste of Amalfi
September 20th - 26th, 2013
This trip has been designed for those with a taste for life and a passion for wine. This tour is for those that want to enjoy the good life. Perhaps are least “winecentric” tour, it nonetheless is an epicurean adventure. Come explore Campania's marvellous coastline, fresh ingredients including a cornucopia of seafood, simple pizzas and salads made with Buffalo Mozzarella.
We invite you to join us in a hand on taste adventure, as you sip and taste your way across the Amalfi Coast. This tour has been organized by Mark DeWolf – sommelier instructor for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers and Publications Editor of Occasions Magazine.
Tour Cost
Cost $3395/person based on double occupancy.
Does not include flights.
Inquiries/Reservations: info@winebytheglass.ca, call 902-488-9959
Includes
- 7 nights’ accommodation (deluxe villa)
- 1 night 4* Hotel
- 8 breakfasts
- 6 lunches including Michelin experience
- 8 dinners including Michelin experience
- 1 cooking class
- 2 winery visits/tastings
- all transportation including private boat charters to Capri and Positano
Does not include flights to and from North America and meals or drinks not specified in the itinerary. Itinerary subject to change.
Friday, September 20th
Welcome to Italy. Our destination today is Naples. This vibrant city is rich in history, culture and character. Situated on the beautiful Bay of Naples, this large metropolis has beauty and the beast reputation at it is home to spectacular architecture, a wealth of museums but it also can be quite industrial. Over the last decade, the city has been revolutionized and boasts beautiful hotels and restaurants. We’ll stay at a 4* property. After being transferred to the hotel by your local driver, you’ll enjoy a walking tour of the city before in enjoying a relaxing meal in a local pizzeria. Naples is home after all to the best pizza on the planet.
Saturday, September 21st
Our destination today is Schiazzano. Schiazzano is a small village located on the Sorrento Peninsula, with spectacular views over the Bay of Naples. While it has the feeling of being remote it is the perfect situation for day tours to the nearby Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and Capri. Tonight we’ll have a relaxing cooking class, presented by your host, featuring vegetables of the south (think fresh tomatoes, fennel and basil) matched with Falanghina; a fresh white wine that is becoming increasingly popular in Italy and in North America.
Sunday, September 20th
After a couple days to adjust to being in Italy, we’ll have our first day trip. We’re off (by boat) to Capri; an island that is considered to be one of Europe’s most beautiful destinations. The island offers dramatic vistas at every turn with spectacular villas clinging to cliffs and hidden caves and grottos offering breathtaking water views. We’ll enjoy a guided tour of the island, visiting both Capri and Anacapri (ana meaning high). This is a shoppers paradise with most of Europe’s finest retailers well represented here. It’s not all Gucci and Prada, as there a number of artisanal ceramic makers and artists here as well. In addition to the tour, the day will include a light lunch at a local restaurant. We’ll return to the villa late in the afternoon and enjoy a spectacular meal overlooking the ocean at Hotel la Certosa, whose restaurant is famous for its seafood and legendary for its zucchini pasta.
Monday, September 21st
Today, you will enjoy a much needed morning to sleep in or have a swim in the pool. We’ll enjoy a light lunch then it is off to Sorrento. Sorrento is a picturesque city perched on a cliff. This bustling city offers a wealth of shopping opportunities and general sightseeing. We’ll begin by having a tour of this small city perched on the cliffs above the Bay of Naples. After the short tour there will be some leisurely time in Sorrento. We’ll then return to the villa and head out for a light dinner, which will consist of homemade pizza and Piedierosso. Piedierosso is a local red grape known for making light fruity “pizza” friendly red wines. This area is the home of pizza, with nearby Naples considered a mecca for any gourmet pizza maker.
Tuesday, September 22nd
Get set to enjoy some culture. Today, we’ll make the journey to Pompeii by train. Pompeii, which was famously destroyed and buried in ashes when Mount Vesuvius erupted almost 2,000 years ago. When rediscovered by archaeologists, the city was revealed to be perhaps the best preserved Roman city. No visit to Campania is complete without a visit to this historic site. We’ll have a light lunch just outside the before entering this famed archaeological treasure. Bring comfortable shoes as the guided tour of this ancient city takes close to two hours. After a day soaking in history we’ll return to the villa for some time to swim, wine and a great dinner prepared by your host.
Wednesday, September 23rd
Today you will visit the spectacular and famous Amalfi coast. First stop is Positano; the cliffside town made famous by movie moguls and stars of the silver screen. Positano is truly one of the most spectacular places you will ever see. You’ll have free time to explore the town and have lunch (not included in tour price) at one of the seaside restaurants. Be sure to wear your Prada sunglasses and don your best Luis Vuitton handbag, order a glass of Prosecco and feel like a Hollywood star as you dine as the world’s wealthiest do; near the beach in Positano. After Positano, it is on to the town of Amalfi which has more shopping and some great nooks and crannies – don’t afraid to head down a few alley ways and see what you discover. After a day of great shopping and spectacular views we’ll return to the villa for some pool time before returning to Nerano. Tonight, your host will prepare a delicious meal.
Thursday, September 24th – A Day in Wine Country
Let’s not forget that Campania is one of Italy’s hottest wine regions. Today we’ll venture towards the towns of Avellino and Benevento, where some the country’s most exciting wines are being made. We’ll visit two renowned wineries and also dine in the region. While the wines of Campania are not well known to the wine buying public they enjoy an enviable reputation in the wine world. Its reputation rests on its impressive red wines made from the local Aglianico grape but it also produces a full range of white wines ranging from the delicate Falanghina to the more structured Fiano di Avellino. Included in our visit is a spectacular lunch with paired wines at Feudi San Gregorio’s Michelin rated restaurant. After a day of wine touring we’ll return to our villa to rest and soak in the beauty of the Sorrento Peninsula.
Friday, September 25th
Our final day will be a gourmet one. Today we’ll enjoy a gastronomic tour of Schiazzano, including visiting an artisanal cheese maker, a limoncello producer and learn how to make pizza. After our exciting day we will return to our villa to glam up in preparation for our final meal in Italy, and what a final meal it is. We’ll enjoy dinner at Don Alfonso; one of Italy’s finest restaurants. The last time we dined there the ratio of chefs to diners was 1:1. Figure in service staff and the ratio of staff to guests is 1:2; now that’s service.
Saturday, September 26th
Your guides will deliver you to Naples airport, ensuring a safe start to your journey home.