WORLDWIDE CULTURAL AND CULINARY VACATIONS
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Culinary and Cultural Flavors of the Cinque Terre

(This tour requires a minimum of 2 people, and a maximum of 12)

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Priced From
$3,998 USD *
(For One Person, Double Occupancy)
* Plus taxes. Tours sold on an availability basis.
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7 days | 6 nights

Discovering the Cinque Terre
Monterosso, Manarola, Vernazza,
Riomaggiore and the Enchanting Portovenere

Discover the flavors of the Cinque Terre while staying at a charming hotel located right in the heart of the largest of the five villages, Monterosso al Mare. Situated near olive groves and vineyards and numerous coastal hiking trails, this region makes a perfect location for both an adventurous and relaxing culinary holiday. Located at the northern entrance of picturesque coastal villages of the Cinque Terre, here you will find yourself in a land full of green olive groves and steep vineyards, only a few steps away from the beautiful Ligurian sea. Your week will be filled with great food, cooking classes, guided village tours, and a cruise to enchanting Portovenere.

Culinary and Cultural Flavors of the Cinque Terre

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Itinerary Accommodations Map FAQ Testimonials
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS
Please note: Tour inclusions can change depending upon seasonality and weather conditions.
•6 Nights Monterosso Accommodations
•Breakfast Buffet Each Morning
•Full Day, Private Guided Cinque Terre Tour
•Full Day, Private Tour of Portovenere
•Public Boat to and from Portovenere
•Public Boat Tour Islands of the Gulf of Poets
•Hands-On Ligurian Cuisine Cooking Class
•Hands-On Pesto Cooking Class
•Vineyard Tour and Wine Experience
•3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
•Round-Trip Transfers for all Activities
•24-Hour Local Support During Tour
While our tours are designed as soft adventure experiences, walking, climbing stairs, and in rare cases mild hiking may be required. If you have mobility issues, you should speak with one of our culinary travel specialists to determine if this tour is appropriate for your situation.
AVAILABLE DATES
Based on Availability, late March through late October. Low Season is March 22, 2023 to April 11, 2023 and October 17, 2023 through October 31, 2023. All other times are considered High Season.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Please note: Actual itineraries are subject to change due to seasonality.
(click item for details)
Day 1
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Welcome to Cinque Terre | Multi-Course Tasting Dinner Monterosso al Mare is the largest, and oldest of the five villages in the Cinque Terre, and part of the region of Liguria. Along the Italian Riviera you will soak in the vistas of five beautiful seaside villages that make up the Cinque Terre National Park, famous for its villas overlooking the sea, colorful houses, and its narrow roads. On your day of arrival, check into your hotel and enjoy a multi-course tasting dinner at a nearby restaurant. Benvenuto!
Day 2
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Breakfast Buffet | Dinner Enjoy a rich, traditional breakfast buffet that is sure to prepare you for the events of the day. This evening you will enjoy local specialties in a beautiful restaurant in Monterosso.
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Private, Guided Discover Cinque Terre Tour | Sightseeing from the Sea! After the rich breakfast buffet, you will meet at the hotel with your private English-speaking local guide to start an amazing tour of the Cinque Terre villages. Weather and sea conditions permitting, you will move around the villages by water, with a panoramic trip that will allow you to admire this beautiful stretch of coast and see the villages from a different perspective, from the sea. You'll be charmed by the picturesque fishing villages and explore them with an insider's touch. With your local expert guide you'll understand why the Cinque Terre villages have been celebrated by writers and poets, and described as "a paradise on earth!" You'll visit Riomaggiore with its church and stunning castle, you'll walk among the famous terraced vineyards of Manarola, the picturesque Vernazza and Monterosso, with a romantic walk to the capuchin cloister. For dinner, you'll try local specialties in a beautiful restaurant in Monterosso.
Day 3
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Breakfast Buffet | Lunch Enjoy a rich, traditional breakfast buffet that is sure to prepare you for the events of the day. This afternoon you will enjoy local specialties at the conclusion of your cooking class.
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Secrets of the Perfect Pesto Cooking Class Reach Riomaggiore with a short train ride (Cinque Terre train day pass is included). Today you will experience the authentic side of Cinque Terre! Luca will wait for you in his tiny restaurant, located in an old cellar with stone walls. Here you will learn to prepare pesto, as tradition dictates, with mortar and pestle! You will be engulfed by the scent of basil leaves pounded in the mortar, but don't worry, in the end you will enjoy a delicious dish of Troffie (a local pasta specialty) with pesto accompanied by wine - from the Cinque Terre, of course. In the afternoon you will have time at your disposal to explore more on your own, do some hiking or just relax. Dinner on your own this evening, with our suggestions.
Day 4
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Breakfast Buffet | Lunch Enjoy a rich, traditional breakfast buffet that is sure to prepare you for the events of the day. This afternoon you will enjoy local specialties for lunch at a restaurant in the village of Portovenere.
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Discovering Portovenere | Islands of the Poet's Gulf | Panoramic Boat Tour After breakfast, reach La Spezia on your own with a short train ride (about 30 min – Cinque Terre train day pass is included). From here you'll reach Portovenere and the beautiful islands of the Poets Gulf with a panoramic trip by boat. You'll discover breathtaking landscapes naturally architected by mother nature and mankind together over time. You'll admire the impressive cliffs, grottos and fortresses of this beautiful stretch of coastline loved by poets and writers such as Byron and Shelley. You will disembark in the amazing village of Portovenere, still surrounded by Medieval walls. Here you will have time to explore the village on your own. Enjoy a delicious lunch in a beautiful restaurant tasting local recipes such as stuffed mussels from the gulf. In the afternoon, you'll go back to La Spezia by boat, and from there you'll go back to Monterosso by train. Dinner on your own this evening, with our suggestions.
Day 5
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Breakfast Buffet | Lunch Enjoy a rich, traditional breakfast buffet that is sure to prepare you for the events of the day. This afternoon you will enjoy local specialties at the conclusion of your cooking class.
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Ligurian Cuisine Cooking Class | Village of Monterosso Today you'll have your second hands-on cooking class. Our culinary expert will welcome you in a cozy location, just above the village of Monterosso. Be ready to learn the secrets of Ligurian cuisine with its simple, healthy and delicious flavors. You'll learn about local ingredients such as aromatic herbs and extra virgin olive oil. You will have fun preparing a full meal and discovering more about local culture through its food. At the end of the lesson, you will dine on what you have prepared. Your lunch will undoubtedly be delicious, accompanied by local wine and a healthy dose of laughter. The cooking class starts mid-morning and finishes in the early afternoon. After having lunch in complete relaxation, you'll go back down to Monterosso by private transfer. For dinner, if you are still hungry, you will receive a list of preferred restaurants along with some suggestions for special places where you can sip an aperitif while watching a gorgeous sunset.
Day 6
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Breakfast Buffet | Farewell Dinner Enjoy a rich, traditional breakfast buffet that is sure to prepare you for the events of the day. This evening you will enjoy local specialties in a beautiful restaurant in Monterosso.
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Guided Cinque Terre Wine Tour | Riomaggiore Today you will reach Riomaggiore where you'll be warmly welcomed by a local vintner to enjoy a special wine experience. Here you will discover the most authentic side of Cinque Terre! Cinque Terre exist thanks to the incredible efforts in past times to create the unique terraced vineyards that shape this exceptional landscape. That's why visiting these amazing vineyards overlooking the sea is to understand the real soul of Cinque Terre. And today a well-known local producer will welcome you in his vineyard and tell you the story behind his heroic wine. After admiring the breathtaking panorama, you will visit the ancient cellar and taste the most typical Cinque Terre wines, among which are the Sciacchetrà, paired with traditional appetizers. Back in Monterosso, relax and get ready for your farewell dinner in a lovely restaurant where you will enjoy more local specialties.
Day 7
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Breakfast Buffet | Check-Out and Departure In the morning before you depart, enjoy another wonderful breakfast buffet. Time flies when you're having so much fun, but alas…it is time to check out and depart this delicious, "Edible Destination." Arrivederci!
Hotel Margherita Monterosso
Located 800 feet from the beach in Monterosso al Mare, the Margherita is a modern hotel with a peaceful patio. It features free Wi-Fi and air-conditioned rooms with a fridge and a satellite LCD TV. Rooms at the Hotel Margherita have whitewashed walls and tile floors. Each includes a hairdryer and free toiletries in the private bathroom. A buffet breakfast is provided daily. The village has a number of restaurants serving Ligurian cuisine. Monterosso Station, with regular services to the other villages of the Cinque Terre, is half a mile from the hotel. Levanto is a 20-minute drive away. Wonderful location on the Via Roma in the heart of Monterosso, near shops and restaurants.
Monterosso, Italy•Manarola, Italy•La Spezia, Italy•Vernazza, Italy•Riomaggiore, Italy•Portovenere, Italy
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What Currency is being quoted?
The Currency Code is listed directly after the published amount. If it states USD, then the quoted price is in United States Dollars. If it states CAD, then the quoted price is in Canadian Dollars. If it states EUR, then the quoted price is in European Union Dollars…etc. However, please note that all charges are processed in USD, and Epitourean’s Merchant Bank automatically calculates the currency conversion on the day of the charge.
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What does Double Occupancy mean?
Two persons traveling together, and staying in the same room. Tour prices are normally quoted as “per person, double occupancy” in case two people are traveling together and staying in the same room, but paying separately. The cost of the lodging is also shared by two people, thereby reducing costs. This could be a married couple, two friends or relatives.
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What is a Single Supplement?
Whenever a person travels alone, the cost of their lodging cannot be shared by another person. When tour products are priced, they are normally stated as “per person, double occupancy.” Whenever a guest occupies a room as a solo, the whole cost of the lodging must be incurred by that one individual. Tour companies accommodate this by charging a Single Supplement. Epitourean does its best to keep the single supplement as low as possible, but it is a real cost that tour companies must absorb, and must pass along to the single traveler.
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If I am a Solo Traveler, will I be paired with another person?
Epitourean never pairs a solo traveler with another person without a special request. If you book Single Occupancy, you will have a room entirely to yourself. However, should you wish to be paired with another solo traveler to save on the single supplement, you may make this request. We cannot guarantee that we can accommodate such requests, since it would take another solo traveling on the same tour for the same dates. But if requested, we will certainly try.
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Are flights included in the tour price?
No. Flights are never included in the price of our land-only tours. Epitourean does not provide air, rail or sea travel, unless expressly noted in the itinerary.
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May I give a culinary tour as a gift?
Yes. Epitourean has a special program designed specifically for this purpose. Our Gift Packages come with features such as special messages to the recipient, gift box option, gift link (without pricing), and floating dates (should you not know when the gift recipient wants to travel). Contact a Culinary Travel Specialist at 800-390-3292 or customerservice@epitourean.com to receive additional information about this unique offering.
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May we request separate beds if sharing a room?
Yes. In most cases, Epitourean can accommodate a request for two beds to be placed in one room. Just make sure to make this request in the comments section of the reservation process.
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Does each guestroom have a private bathroom?
Yes. Epitourean partners with the best lodging options in each destination, and private (en suite) bathrooms are a requirement. However, you should inquire as to the configuration of bathrooms should you have a special need. For example, some tours include accommodations in medieval villages, where either a shower or bath(but maybe not both) are present.
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Can your tours accommodate my dietary restrictions?
In almost all cases, Epitourean can accommodate dietary choices and restrictions. But we do request that you ask a Culinary Travel Specialist prior to making your reservation so that we can assess your individual situation.
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If I am unable to use a portion of the tour, can I get a partial refund?
Unfortunately, due to vendor and supplier contracts, we are unable to provide partial refunds for unused portions of any tour or tour component.
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Are Transfers included in the Itinerary?
Round-trip transfers from the airport or train station are normally included in our international tours. Transfers to the destination (for both international and domestic tours) are not included in the tour price. Please see the Sample Itinerary. If it mentions that transfers are included, then yes, transfers are included at no additional cost.
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What meals and excursions are included in the tour?
The Sample Itinerary should be your reference. If the meal or excursion is described in the Sample Itinerary, then it is included at no additional charge. For those days where it expressly notes Free time, then any optional activities you elect to participate in might have an additional cost. In addition, if the itinerary states "evening on your own," it would imply that you have the opportunity to visit a restaurant of your own choosing, and at your own expense. If you have any question about inclusions, please submit an inquiry by clicking on the blue "Ask Us a Question" button under the price section.
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Is it possible to book pre or post tours or stays through Edible Destinations?
Yes, we often do have optional 2 and 3 night excursions that are priced separately from the tour. We can also assist with pre and post night stays in a hotel if you choose to come in early before the tour starts, or stay on after a tour ends. The price of those hotel stays are not included in the price of the tour, but we would be happy to provide a quote. Simply ask your Culinary Travel Specialist, or submit an inquiry by clicking on the blue "Ask Us a Question" button.
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Are Guide or Host Gratuities included in the price of the tour?
Since tipping guidelines and customs vary widely between countries, we do not include gratuities in the price of the tour. Your Culinary Travel Specialist can provide you with recommendations. But the general rule is to tip modestly when you are pleased with a guide’s services, either at the end of the tour, or at the conclusion of a specialty day excursion where you will only be with that guide (or chef) on that day.
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Should we plan on any personal expenses during the tour?
All lodging, meals, transfers, classes and excursions mentioned in the Sample Itinerary and Vacation Highlights are included in the price of the tour. However, we highly recommend taking local currency for purchasing personal items, souvenirs, tipping, etc. You can either get the local currency at an airport exchange service, ATM or from your local bank prior to travel. However, you should note that many hosted destinations do not accept credit cards for personal purchases.
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Do you recommend Travel Protection?
We recommend that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans can include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. For more information on the available plans or to enroll, click on the link below or contact Travelex Insurance Services at 800-228-9792 and reference location number 06-0248. The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex CA Agency License #0D10209. All products listed are underwritten by, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (formerly known as Stonewall Insurance Company), 1314 Douglas Street, Suite 1400, Omaha, NE 68102. 11.17 E7N
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Emanuela, Thanks! And many, many more thanks for your assistance in making our trip to Liguria so filled with wonderful experiences and memories. The friendly and knowledgeable guides of Paola and Serena provided enriching and practical information for Liguria and specifically the Cinque Terre villages. Their personalities provided Julie and I both joy and laughter during our walks and nautical experiences. Some of the highlights were the cooking experiences. Making and baking of focaccia with Daniele at his restaurant, La Sciamadda in Sestri was hilarious. He converted me to a lover of fresh anchovies in lemon and oil. The risotto with mussels and shrimp that we made with the tutelage of Silvia, the owner and chef of the Osteria della Corte is a remarkable experience and meal. They both were so gracious with their time and coaching. Emanuela, you made us feel like royalty throughout our trip. Your continual communication and detailed information insured our fantastic holiday. Thank you, a thousand times.
Ron and Julie - June 2022
Winner
OUTSTANDING
CULINARY TRAVEL
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