Tuscany / Liguria

Explore Italy
Enjoy Beautiful Locations
Take in the Sea Views
Relax with Peaceful Sunsets
Bike Through the Italian Countryside
Taste the authentic flavors of Italy
Learn to make homemade pasta
Make your own perfume in Florence
Meet your Truffle Hunter
Dine on a Sunset Boat Cruise
Fine and local dining
Enjoy Making Memories!

10 Days / 9 Nights

This curated trip with beautiful accommodations and private transportation highlights Tuscan and Ligurian cultures through food, wine, and people.
Our guests will hike the hills of Cinque Terre, sip cocktails on a boat at sunset while on the Mediterranean Sea,
e-Bike through vineyards in the Tuscany countryside, float in natural thermal baths, hunt for truffles in the hills south of Florence,
roll fresh pasta, learn about and taste olive oils, drink many fabulous wines and eat delicious local specialties.
With our small groups (maximum of 14), we offer our guests intimate interactions with local farmers, artisans, vintners, and chefs.

Beyond the Sites Travel provides these and more unique experiences in Liguria and Tuscany through our collaboration with Filippo, a Master
Sommelier who has been in the business of sharing amazing Tuscan experiences and Italian wines for over two decades.
His personal relationships with local producers enable our guests to enjoy truly memorable experiences.

Itinerary

A private driver will meet you upon your arrival and take you to our hotel in Portovenere with a lovely view of the water. (You have the choice between two hotels.)
In the evening, Beyond the Sites’ guests will meet for an aperitivo and dinner at a lovely restaurant.

A short walk will bring you to a lovely spot in the hills above the Mediterranean Sea, where we will sip local Sciacchetrà wines.
Lunch will be at a trattoria that serves a variety of seafood and a specialized local pizza.
You will have the choice to return to Portovenere by car or to hike to the local ferry and return by sea.

The day is open to several options. You can explore the villages of the Cinque Terre by ferry, train or on foot. Or perhaps you will choose to stay local and grab a seat at a cafè and watch the Italian life sail by.
In the early evening, we will all meet at the port of Monterosso, the most northern town of the Cinque Terre, where our captain will take us on a private boat cruise along the Cinque Terre coastline, while savoring a lite dinner of pesto, local cheeses, meats, bread and jams.

We will leave Portovenere and head south to the Tuscan coast. Along the way, we will stop at a beautiful winery and savor a Tuscan lunch while sampling their wines.
Upon arriving at our charming boutique hotel on the Tuscan coast, there will be time to relax and appreciate the sunset over the Mediterranean Sea.

You will visit a lovely winery where tastings of wine will be served with a special lunch. You will also be introduced to production of olive oil.
In the evening we will visit the charming village of Bolgheri, made famous by the production of Super Tuscan wines.

An e-Bike ride with our local guide will take you through the vineyards of the Tuscan countryside. We will finish the ride at a spectacular winery. The tour of this award winning winery -2018 Architectural Digest “Top 19 Best Designed Vineyards Around the World”, will be completed with a lunch and wine tasting.
You have a choice in the afternoon:
A stroll through the 2000 year old ruins of Populonia, offering a great self guided hike.
Or
A visit to the Thermal Baths of Sassetta, where you can swim, soak, dry sauna or steam away the afternoon.

As we head east to the Chianti region, we will visit a cheese maker, learn the process of cheese making and enjoy lunch, before a guided visit to the ancient Etruscan city of Volterra.
After settling into our beautiful Tuscan countryside hotel, you will be able to enjoy the vineyard views during the sunset.

This special day will begin with a pasta making lesson with Daniela. Then over a cappuccino and some breakfast cake, we will learn about the growth of truffles.
We will follow Daniele (Daniela’s husband) and his energetic dog Billo, on a hike through the Tuscan hills and forest in search of black truffles.
Upon our return we will dine on homemade pasta and truffles, plus many other homemade Tuscan dishes, all while drinking Daniele and Daniela’s wine.

During the day in Florence you choose your activity: a lesson in creating your own Perfume in a Renaissance palace (reservation for one person), a guided walking tour of Florence, a Food Tour with a local Foodie, an e-Bike Tour, a Segway Tour, a local cooking class, or a full day free to wander the streets of Florence on your own. Please note that these excursions may not be exclusively attended by BTST guests.
We will savor an aperitivo with a bird’s eye view of Florence before our farewell dinner.