Backroads

Meet in Santa Margherita Ligure Shuttle to the nearby town of Ruta for a hike into a 3,000-acre nature sanctuary Walk along a winding path in the Parcodi Portofino toward the hamlet of San Rocco for a relaxing hilltop picnic  The longer option leads to Punta Chiappa, where a boat transports you to the fishing village of Camogli  Enjoy a cooking lesson at our hotel, followed by a dinner of Ligurian specialties, including trofie al pesto Genovese.

Hike from Camogli to breathtaking San Fruttuoso  In the Parco di Portofino, stroll to the Benedictine abbey at San Fruttuoso via Piettre Strette Take a dip in the Mediterranean before we enjoy a seaside lunch of fresh seafood, pesto and Ligurian wine  Hike to Portofino, the most elegant village on the Italian Riviera, and continue to San Fruttuoso (or take the local boat!) to our home for the next few nights, the Hotel Splendido Savor dinner at a local favorite in Portofino's harbor Travel by train to the picture-perfect fishing village of Riomaggiore, a World Heritage site  Hike along well-groomed footpaths lined by ancient stone walls to Monterosso al Mare, the northernmost town of the Cinque Terre En route, pass through cliffside Manarola (the center of Cinque Terre winemaking), quiet Corniglia and colorful Vernazza.

Tour the grounds of the Castello di Meleto before hiking to Castello di Brolio, where the first Chianti Classico wine was crafted Take in scenic views from the castle and sample Chianti Classico in the cantina before continuing your hike through a timeless Tuscan landscape of cypress-lined roads and rolling hills dotted with villas and hamlets to San Felice  Stroll from Borgo San Felice to Villa Sesta and then down toward Castelnuovo Berardenga   Enjoy a picnic lunch on the terrace of a local home and then learn some of the secrets of Tuscan cooking in an afternoon cooking lesson Taste local wines with a local expert before dining on Tuscan specialties Discover the ancient ridgetop village of Radda in Chianti, known as the center of Chianti Classico wine production, on a walking tour  Enjoy lunch at a restored farmhouse before shuttling to Florence.