DAY 1: Overnight Flight
Depart for Europe.

DAY 2: Siena
After arriving in Rome, meet your tour manager, and transfer to the heart of Tuscany, Siena. Spend the afternoon acquainting yourself with this medieval masterpiece before tonight's welcome reception and dinner. (D)

DAY 3: Siena
Start the day's activities with a guided tour of Siena. Highlights include entrances to the Cathedral, the Piccolomini Library—one of the best-preserved Renaissance libraries—and the Cathedral Museum that documents its 12th century construction. Climbing the unfinished wall of the cathedral yields spectacular views of the countryside. A wine tasting this afternoon explores the regional varietals and bounty that help make Italy second only to France in worldwide wine production. (B)

DAY 4: Siena
Today's flavors are huge and hearty, as you might expect. Tastings and discussions delve into breads, oils, cured meats, wild mushrooms, cheeses and Siena's own Panforte. Lunch at a local Trattoria complements the morning's talk and samplings. This afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of the Pinacoteca Nazionale, home to the greatest Sienese medieval and Renaissance artists. The evening is free to spend as you wish. (B,L)

DAY 5: Siena
Today you're free to hop on the optional excursion to Florence. Bustling Florence is a striking city with an extremely famous resident, whom you visit via an included entrance to the Accademia. The presence of Michelangelo's David, standing more than 16-feet-tall, lingers long after you've gazed at this masterpiece. Spend the balance of the afternoon in Florence as you wish, perhaps at the Bargello museum for additional art infusion or wander to the vast Piazza della Signoria for a gelato and some people-watching. (B)

DAY 6: Siena
Sip an espresso or two at a café in Il Campo during this free day. Or opt for a full-day excursion exploring regional specialties in a trio of towns. Wine and Montepulciano have been linked since 789; the varietal was then sought after by English royalty in 1669. Today's tasting features Vino Nobile, a "noble" red wine blend. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pienza isn't just a Renaissance mecca, it's also renowned for its Pecorino di Pienza. The sheep's milk cheese is often aged for up to a year and is considered the primo Pecorino. In Montalcino, climb the ramparts for a view down from the medieval fortress before perusing the bottles of one of Italy's prized and most expensive red wines: Brunello di Montalcino. Continue just outside Montalcino to the Abbey of Sant' Antimo and surrender your ears to the magnificent Gregorian Chants. (B)

DAY 7: Siena
Tuscany evokes images of long farmhouse tables, brimming with delicacies, set in olive groves or orchards. On today's optional excursion, lunch will feature Tuscan specialties, served in the countryside for which the region is so famous. The morning's highlight is San Gimignano, which will correct assumptions that skyscrapers are a modern invention. Wealthy residents in the Middle Ages put their money into constructing towers which dominate the skyline of the town even to this day. (B)

DAY 8: Siena
Enjoy a final free day in Siena, or learn to impress your friends when ordering wine on an optional excursion to Chianti, wine tasting and talk included. You will visit two quaint towns in the region brimming with wine shops: cobblestoned Greve and fortressed Castellina. Conclude this day with a special farewell dinner. (B,D)

DAY 9: Departure
Depart for the USA. (B)