October 24 - November 4, 2023

Join Sally (and possibly Matt) Slice for a fun adventure through Florence and Tuscany! Beginning in Florence, we will enjoy special, private tours of the city with behind the scenes glimpses into the city’s best sites and shops. We will enjoy fabulous meals at our favorite restaurants with the locals and fill our hearts with the sites and sounds of the city before heading to a Tuscan villa for the week. At the villa we will enjoy private chef services, cooking classes, several private winery tours and visits, a truffle hunt, olive oil tasting, hiking and walking through the vineyards and visits to hilltop towns. Lots of time laughing and exploring with my local friends and partners.

ITINERARY:

• Oct 24 - Arrive Florence - Check in to hotel in Oltrarno neighborhood - Dinner at local favorite restaurant

• Oct 25 - Casual morning walking tour of Florence with local guide - Lunch at wonderful trattoria - Dinner with wine tasting overlooking the Ponte Vecchio

• Oct 26 - Artisan shopping tour - wonderful lunch in piazza - Private leather shopping at local store - amazing dinner in the hills overlooking the city

• Oct 27 - Free Day with options to: Visit other, enjoy bike or Vespa Tour, shopping, visit local gardens, etc

• Oct 28 - Breakfast in Florence - Private transportation to Tuscan villa stopping at famous Butcher of Panzano for lunch and winery visit for private tasting - Welcome aperitivo dinner at the villa

• Oct 29 - Montalcino wine tour day for private tours and tastings with full Tuscan lunch included - light aperitivo dinner at the villa

• Oct 30 - Morning in Siena for private walking tour + lunch - Chef’s dinner with wine tasting at the villa

• Oct 31 - Truffle hunt with farmer and his dog + truffle lunch and town visit - light dinner at the villa

• Nov 1 - Relaxing morning at the villa with lunch - visit to Cortona in the afternoon for exploring and aperitivo style dinner at a local shop

• Nov 2 - Chianti wine tour day with 2 winery visits for private tours and tastings including a full Tuscan lunch with wine - light aperitivo at the villa

• Nov 3 - Farm visit for pecorino cheese tasting lunch and walk around Pienza - Chef’s dinner and wine pairing at the villa

• Nov 4 - 9 AM check out - assistance with transportation to Florence or Rome will be provided
  
  

Cost: $8,500 per person in double occupancy room
$10,000 per person in single occupancy room
Open to up to 3 double occupancy rooms - 6 adults total; single occupancy rooms also welcome!

Included: All accommodations, group meals as described in the itinerary, Chef services, all winery tours and visits, Vespa tour, and all guides and drivers for the group activities, plus daily breakfast and snacks, wine and water, all planning and on-site guidance, tips and gratuities, taxes. (There will be the opportunity for people to have free time in some of the hilltop towns, in which case meals during those times would not be included.)

Not Included: Flights, trip insurance, transportation to and from the group locations, misc spending, some meals during free time.

A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person is required to hold your spot. Balance will be split into two separate payments not due until 2023.

Exact itinerary subject to change.

Led by Sally & Matt Slice, open to up to 3 couples for 8 nights of Liguria & Piedmont food, wine and experiences.

4 Nights on the Italian riviera in a private villa with chef services, a yacht day with lunch on the beach, amazing meals and wine, and adventure. Then private transportation to a villa in Barolo, Piedmont for winery tours, truffles, and fantastic meals and fun with the locals.

Wine & Dine week at a private villa with chef services, wine tours, gourmet dinners and more.

Join Sally (and maybe Matt) plus my Croatia + Spain wine travel partner, SweetEasy tours, for 6 nights of wine and truffles in Istria, “the most beautiful coast on the Mediterranean.”

“With a fantastic food tradition, a nature that can compete with Tuscany, and exciting wine producers, we promise that this trip will be something extra. An experience beyond the ordinary!

In this environment, of course, vines thrive and the Croatian wine in Istria has, in recent years, developed into something to be experienced. The old traditional ways of making wine are still there, but some modern thinking, which benefits the quality, has made its entrance. This combination of old and new is exciting and we discover a style of wine that we are not used to.

And we learn about new grape varieties such as Teran, Refosk and Malvazija (or Malvasia, Malvasija, Malvasija Istriana…).

But it is not just beautiful scenery and good wines that Istria offers. The culinary treasures deserve their own journey. Delights from the sea; oysters, scallops, octopus, spider crabs and other seafood – is something we will enjoy during the trip.

The olive oil and the air-dried ham are high-quality and the truffle is at its best at this time of year. Young, ambitious chefs make use of all the great ingredients available and combine new and old, traditional recipes. There are plenty of top quality restaurants. Our wine tour is also a gastronomy trip!”

Open to up to 12 adults + your group hosts Sally (and maybe Matt) and Sinisa of SweetEasy
Min 8 adults required to travel

Day 1 • October 3, 2021
We meet at the Arrivals Hall at Venice Airport Marco Polo, where your guide will receive you and we will go by private transportation to the beautiful Hotel Valamar Riviera in Porec in the Istria region of Croatia. We expect a late arrival to the hotel, but a small snack and a refreshing glass of wine is awaiting you.

Day 2 • October 4, 2021
Visit to Kozlovic Winery in Momjan plus a visit with lunch at Veralda vineyard in Brtonigla. Brief evening guided tour of Porec with a free evening and dinner on your own.

Day 3 • October 5, 2021
Joint walk from Hotel Valamar to the port of Porec where we will board a private boat for the day enjoying lunch on board, a guided tour of Rovinj, a visit to the Limskifjord and the possibility of swimming (yes, even at this time of year). Free evening back in Porec.

Day 4 • October 6, 2021
Visits to Misal Vineyard in Visnjan and lunch at Konoba Milena restaurant, followed by visit to Matosevia Vineyard in Kruncici. Free evening back in Porec.

Day 5 • October 7, 2021
Visit, tasting and lunch at Wine Station Trapan in Sisan followed by a guided tour of Pula and free time in Pula. Free evening back in Porec.

Day 6 • October 8, 2021
Visit to Fakin Vineyard in Motovun followed by lunch at a Motovun Old Town typical restaurant. Afternoon visit to olive grower Ipša in Livade. Dinner at a restaurant in Porec.

Day 7, October 9, 2021
9AM Departure from Hotel Valamar Riviera to Venice Airport Marco Polo 

Cost: $2,575 per person in double occupancy room
$3,075 per person in single occupancy room
Up to 12 total adults + your on-site guides

Croatia is open for business. However, due to COVID concerns and flying in/out of Italy, the non-refundable deposit of $550 per person is not required until July 30, 2021. The balance payment will be due 30 days prior to travel. Payments are considered non-refundable after they have been received.

Included
• 6 hotel nights at 4-star hotel in Porec
• Meals: Six lunches with selected wine packages, including an exclusive truffle lunch.
• 1 welcome meal/ dinner with selected wine package
• 1 gastronomic departure dinner with selected wine package
• Private transportation on site during all days, including transfer to and from the Marco Polo airport in Venice
• All visits, boat excursion, guided tours and winery visits with extensive, private wine tastings
• Wine guide and travel guidance in English by SweetEasy

Not included
• Flight tickets. We are happy to provide suggestions on how to book tickets.
• Dinners, except for the two mentioned
• Personal travel insurance
• Personal expenses and purchases

Notes: All times are approximate and may be adjusted during the journey. Winery visits and exact itinerary are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Led by Sally, a small group gourmet week at a private villa with chef services, wine tours, and fun activities.