Venice and the Villages of the Veneto
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Highlights:
Discover the hidden gems of the Veneto region including the villages of Asolo, Bassano del Grappa and Marostica. Marvel at the beautiful landscape as you ride a Vespa along the rolling hills. Taste Prosecco and learn that there are other sparkling wines from this area. Start it all off with a chance to get acquainted or re-acquainted with the romantic ambiance of Venice.
Whatever routes you choose in the Veneto, you’ll have ample time to explore and experience. Hikes and walks through the wine estates and towns. Wine tastings, gourmet meals and food and wine pairing experiences are abundant. Ideal for a couple or two or three compatible couples.
Discover the hidden gems of the Veneto region including the villages of Asolo, Bassano del Grappa and Marostica. Marvel at the beautiful landscape as you ride a Vespa along the rolling hills. Taste Prosecco and learn that there are other sparkling wines from this area. Start it all off with a chance to get acquainted or re-acquainted with the romantic ambiance of Venice.
Whatever routes you choose in the Veneto, you’ll have ample time to explore and experience. Hikes and walks through the wine estates and towns. Wine tastings, gourmet meals and food and wine pairing experiences are abundant. Ideal for a couple or two or three compatible couples.
SKU:
Explore: Venice
Customizable Itinerary - 9 Days (from $4,263 per person)
Day 1: Depart USA
This evening you head to the airport to begin your exploration of Venice and the Veneto and fulfill a fantasy of riding vintage Vespa’s through the rolling hills of the Italian Countryside.
Day 2: Arrival in Venice
You arrive at Marco Polo airport where we meet you and take you to a water taxi which will take you to your hotel centrally located on the Grand Canal. Your taxi will dock and your bags will be transferred to your room overlooking the Grand Canal. After a chance to relax you meet one of guides in the lobby for an early evening tour to enjoy Cicchetti, the Venetian variation on Tapas accompanied by local wine. In addition to being a taste treat it also allows you to visit some of the lesser visited parts of the city. If you are still wide awake you can try a nightcap at the hotel’s rooftop bar with splendid views of the illuminated Grand Canal.
Dinner
Day 3: Highlights of Venice
After breakfast you will meet your guide in the lobby for a private exploration of the highlights of Classical Venice. You will visit the Piazza San Marco to view the Campanile and tour inside the Doge’s Palace the former seat of power on the glory days of Venice. You will see the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge and your guide will take you on the Vaporetto (a unique water bus) along the Grand Canal pointing out buildings of architectural and historic interest. The afternoon is left open to allow you to explore other areas on your own.
Breakfast
Day 4: The Lido and Islands of the Lagoon
Today your guide will meet you at your hotel’s dock where you board a private boat for the cruise to the islands of the Lagoon. You will visit Torcello, now uninhabited but the original site of Venice as the old cathedral can testify, then it is a stop at Murano to visit a glassworks where the famous Venetian glass is created, then it is the scenic island of Burano known for its lace and its multicolored houses. After your visits the boat will take you across the lagoon to the Lido which is the beach area of Venice complete with elegant hotels on the promenade. Here you guide will leave you to enjoy the beach and the promenade and try lunch with a view at one of the hotels. You can take a Vaporetto back to the Grand Canal when you are ready.
Breakfast
Day 5: Follina and the “Strada del Prosecco”
In the morning you will be assisted to the causeway which is close to your hotel. Here you will meet your driver who will drive across the causeway to take you to your next destination. The Prosecco Region is located about 30 miles north of Venice halfway between the Dolomites and the Adriatic Sea. The location and low altitudes create an ideal climate for growing the grapes used to make Prosecco as well as beautiful terrain. You arrive at your elegant Relais et Chateaux hotel and have the afternoon to explore the town. Follina is a picturesque village with ancient origins, situated on the “Strada del Prosecco”, immersed in the lush green landscape of vineyards; this small community is situated in the foothills of the Treviagian Alps. The town was developed in the 12th Century by a group of Cistercian monks, who used the abundant water supply of the area to establish a flourishing industry of woolen goods. In the evening enjoy regional cuisine in the hotel’s Trattoria.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6: A Vespa Tour through The Prosecco Hills
In the morning you will be transferred to Vittorio Veneto where you will pick up your Vespa or Vespas. You can share the same Vespa or each ride your own machine. Just let us know during the booking process. Explore the Prosecco area, with its more than 100 Prosecco Hills, as you leisurely wind your way between wine cellars, farm houses and ancient villages. There are more than 74 miles of narrow winding roads for you to ride your Vespa, passing through villages and towns where you can smell the centuries of wine making. There are tremendous views and fascinating landscapes across the vineyard-laden hills for you to enjoy, along with medieval ruins, monasteries, centuries-old churches and traces of the civil and religious history of the local people. Why not roll into a medieval village, catch the aroma of a local restaurant and settle in for lunch accompanied by a glass of Prosecco of course. Return to Follina for a Prosecco tasting at the courtyard of your hotel, followed by a delicious gourmet dinner at the 1 Star Michelin Restaurant “La Corte’ located in your hotel.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: An Active Day on the Way to Asolo
After breakfast you leave your luggage at reception and begin your second day of Vespa touring. Ride to the top of Passo San Boldo (2,316 feet). This beautiful route includes winding toads, tunnels and bridges. It is called the “ Road of 100 days” because, during WW I, the Austro-Hungarian Army built the road in just 100 days to rush supplies to their troops. Continue to the canyon of Brent de l’Art with red canyons carved by the Ardo River. From here you have the option to hike up Mount Visentin, a one hour ridge hike with fantastic views, and descend to Santa Croce Lake. In the afternoon you ride to Vittorio Veneto to drop off your Vespa(s). A private transfer will take you to the town of Asolo where you check in to your hotel which has hosted guests as diverse as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother to Sophia Loren. You are reunited with your luggage and have time to explore the town starting with a walk up to the castle to enjoy 360 degree views of the town and the surrounding area. Return to the Villa to dine with cuisine that bears the name of Cipriani.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 8: Charming Villages of the Veneto
After breakfast, meet your local guide for a private tour of some of the most beautifully preserved villages in all of Italy. Tucked into the plains and hillsides of the Veneto region, each of these villages was once governed by the republic of Venice. You’ll note the Winged Lion, the symbol of Venice in each village. While the towns of Asolo, Marostica and Bassano del Grappa share this common history and each has a castle protecting them from invasion, each has their own unique personality which you will explore. In the evening, finish your program with dinner and a bottle of Prosecco to toast your adventure in the Veneto.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9: Return to USA
In the morning a driver will be waiting to take you to Venice airport for your journey back home where you arrive back in the afternoon. Breakfast
This evening you head to the airport to begin your exploration of Venice and the Veneto and fulfill a fantasy of riding vintage Vespa’s through the rolling hills of the Italian Countryside.
Day 2: Arrival in Venice
You arrive at Marco Polo airport where we meet you and take you to a water taxi which will take you to your hotel centrally located on the Grand Canal. Your taxi will dock and your bags will be transferred to your room overlooking the Grand Canal. After a chance to relax you meet one of guides in the lobby for an early evening tour to enjoy Cicchetti, the Venetian variation on Tapas accompanied by local wine. In addition to being a taste treat it also allows you to visit some of the lesser visited parts of the city. If you are still wide awake you can try a nightcap at the hotel’s rooftop bar with splendid views of the illuminated Grand Canal.
Dinner
Day 3: Highlights of Venice
After breakfast you will meet your guide in the lobby for a private exploration of the highlights of Classical Venice. You will visit the Piazza San Marco to view the Campanile and tour inside the Doge’s Palace the former seat of power on the glory days of Venice. You will see the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge and your guide will take you on the Vaporetto (a unique water bus) along the Grand Canal pointing out buildings of architectural and historic interest. The afternoon is left open to allow you to explore other areas on your own.
Breakfast
Day 4: The Lido and Islands of the Lagoon
Today your guide will meet you at your hotel’s dock where you board a private boat for the cruise to the islands of the Lagoon. You will visit Torcello, now uninhabited but the original site of Venice as the old cathedral can testify, then it is a stop at Murano to visit a glassworks where the famous Venetian glass is created, then it is the scenic island of Burano known for its lace and its multicolored houses. After your visits the boat will take you across the lagoon to the Lido which is the beach area of Venice complete with elegant hotels on the promenade. Here you guide will leave you to enjoy the beach and the promenade and try lunch with a view at one of the hotels. You can take a Vaporetto back to the Grand Canal when you are ready.
Breakfast
Day 5: Follina and the “Strada del Prosecco”
In the morning you will be assisted to the causeway which is close to your hotel. Here you will meet your driver who will drive across the causeway to take you to your next destination. The Prosecco Region is located about 30 miles north of Venice halfway between the Dolomites and the Adriatic Sea. The location and low altitudes create an ideal climate for growing the grapes used to make Prosecco as well as beautiful terrain. You arrive at your elegant Relais et Chateaux hotel and have the afternoon to explore the town. Follina is a picturesque village with ancient origins, situated on the “Strada del Prosecco”, immersed in the lush green landscape of vineyards; this small community is situated in the foothills of the Treviagian Alps. The town was developed in the 12th Century by a group of Cistercian monks, who used the abundant water supply of the area to establish a flourishing industry of woolen goods. In the evening enjoy regional cuisine in the hotel’s Trattoria.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6: A Vespa Tour through The Prosecco Hills
In the morning you will be transferred to Vittorio Veneto where you will pick up your Vespa or Vespas. You can share the same Vespa or each ride your own machine. Just let us know during the booking process. Explore the Prosecco area, with its more than 100 Prosecco Hills, as you leisurely wind your way between wine cellars, farm houses and ancient villages. There are more than 74 miles of narrow winding roads for you to ride your Vespa, passing through villages and towns where you can smell the centuries of wine making. There are tremendous views and fascinating landscapes across the vineyard-laden hills for you to enjoy, along with medieval ruins, monasteries, centuries-old churches and traces of the civil and religious history of the local people. Why not roll into a medieval village, catch the aroma of a local restaurant and settle in for lunch accompanied by a glass of Prosecco of course. Return to Follina for a Prosecco tasting at the courtyard of your hotel, followed by a delicious gourmet dinner at the 1 Star Michelin Restaurant “La Corte’ located in your hotel.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: An Active Day on the Way to Asolo
After breakfast you leave your luggage at reception and begin your second day of Vespa touring. Ride to the top of Passo San Boldo (2,316 feet). This beautiful route includes winding toads, tunnels and bridges. It is called the “ Road of 100 days” because, during WW I, the Austro-Hungarian Army built the road in just 100 days to rush supplies to their troops. Continue to the canyon of Brent de l’Art with red canyons carved by the Ardo River. From here you have the option to hike up Mount Visentin, a one hour ridge hike with fantastic views, and descend to Santa Croce Lake. In the afternoon you ride to Vittorio Veneto to drop off your Vespa(s). A private transfer will take you to the town of Asolo where you check in to your hotel which has hosted guests as diverse as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother to Sophia Loren. You are reunited with your luggage and have time to explore the town starting with a walk up to the castle to enjoy 360 degree views of the town and the surrounding area. Return to the Villa to dine with cuisine that bears the name of Cipriani.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 8: Charming Villages of the Veneto
After breakfast, meet your local guide for a private tour of some of the most beautifully preserved villages in all of Italy. Tucked into the plains and hillsides of the Veneto region, each of these villages was once governed by the republic of Venice. You’ll note the Winged Lion, the symbol of Venice in each village. While the towns of Asolo, Marostica and Bassano del Grappa share this common history and each has a castle protecting them from invasion, each has their own unique personality which you will explore. In the evening, finish your program with dinner and a bottle of Prosecco to toast your adventure in the Veneto.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9: Return to USA
In the morning a driver will be waiting to take you to Venice airport for your journey back home where you arrive back in the afternoon. Breakfast
