Between the Alps and the Sea: Portofino and Truffles

Meet at the airport with our driver and transfer to the “Grand Hotel Savoia”, where you will be greeted with a welcome cocktail and checked-in. In the afternoon, enjoy a private guided tour of Genoa, one of the most prosperous Italian maritime republics, independent from 1099 to 1815, called the “Superba” because, as her motto says, she did not recognize any power above herself. Explore its intricate historic center, a maze of alleys and squares, which combines shadows and lights, dark streets and the splendid noble palaces of the “Rolli”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the night.

Have breakfast at the hotel and get ready for a day dedicated to Genoese cuisine, with a visit to the main city food market, where you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the fragrances and colors of local products, such as the renowned “focaccia”, and a special cooking class, dedicated to the preparation of the famous “pesto”, a Ligurian basil sauce, in a splendid noble building. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the night.

After breakfast at the hotel, meet with our driver and transfer to Portofino, where a welcome cocktail will wait for you while you check-in at the “Splendido” hotel, followed by a visit to this fairytale village, set in a hidden, secret cove.  Return to the hotel, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the night.

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a full free morning and lunch at leisure and, in the afternoon, meet with our driver and leave towards the former Abbey of Cervara, of fourteenth-century origin, a treasure chest of priceless artistic treasures, where you will savour a dreamy aperitif in the sumptuous monumental Italian garden, romantically overlooking the Gulf of Tigullio. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel and rest for the night.

Have breakfast at the hotel, meet with our driver and leave for Piedmont. Stop in the town of Cherasco, to visit its fine historic center and taste the exquisite “baci”, chocolates invented in 1881 by a local pastry chef. After a lunch at leisure, enjoy a scrumptious tasting at a famous winery. Continue on in the direction of Penango. Check-in at the “Relais Sant’Uffizio” hotel and relax for the rest of the day.

Meet your private tour guide and driver after breakfast at the hotel and depart for a panoramic tour through the Barbaresco’s hills. Reach Neive, “one of the most beautiful towns in Italy”. Enjoy a walking tour in the historical centre, before being transferred to a prestigious Barbaresco-producing cellar for a tour and a tasting. Spend your lunch time in Alba, the city with a hundred towers, famous for its truffle production. Enjoy the flavor of the truffle and all the culinary excellences of this land at leisure (lunch not included). Walk the streets of the old town and get in touch with its traditions and old testimonies of the past. Return to the hotel and enjoy a late afternoon of pure relaxation.

POSSIBLE ADD ONS 

• Truffle experience: enjoy a guided tour with a truffle hunter to discover everything about truffles, the local traditions, their growth environment, their varieties and characteristics. Savour a decadent truffle tasting with local cheese and wine. 

After breakfast at the hotel get privately transferred to the airport of your choice.