Ultra luxury private food and wine tours of Portofino and the Italian Riviera
Liguria is one of the loveliest and most startlingly picturesque regions of Italy. This region is home to captivating seaside villages such as Rapallo, Santa Margherita and Camogli and further south to the simply darling Cinque Terre hamlets of Monterosso, Vernazza, Coniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, not forgetting beautiful Portovenere just below the Cinque Terre. Genova is the biggest town, with an international airport, Italy’s largest port, and a wonderful medieval center. The coastline is breathtaking, with pastel colored villages crowned with medieval churches and abbeys rising up on dramatic rocky outcrops, and vineyards and olive groves descending vertically down to the turquoise sparkling sea. Lush pine forests hug the coastline, shading many trekking paths between villages.
The jewel of the Ligurian crown is the glamorous village of Portofino and this tour is designed for those looking for a luxurious food and wine focused tour to include Portofino and the best of Liguria. You will stay at the finest hotel in Portofino, a once in a lifetime experience. With your own private chauffeur and private catamarans, you will explore alluring villages and inlets only reachable by sea. You will dine at an array of “ristoranti” and “trattorie”, from elegant to cozy and traditional- many with stunning views. Ligurian cuisine is the epitome of the Mediterranean diet and characterized by its use of fresh herbs and vegetables such as basil, bay leaves, fennel, marjoram, zucchini (courgette), eggplant (aubergine), seafood (anchovies, swordfish, sea bass) and of course extra virgin olive oil and fragrant wines.
Local specialties of the area include Focaccia alla Genovese (delicious flatbread) and Pesto Genovese (gorgeous sauce made with basil, pine nuts, walnuts, Parmigiano and Pecorino cheese, and ample olive oil and garlic- all served over pasta). Learn more about Ligurian cooking in your own private cooking class this short break. Wine as always is a focus on our tours and you will have the chance to visit a beautiful winery inland from the charming town of Lerici and taste the fabulous local Sciacchetrà wines. Looking for luxury, pampering and fine food and wine? Contact us for more information on this fantastic tour of Portofino.
Portofino Wine Tour Highlights:
- Ultra Luxurious Hotel Portofino
- Private Boat Tour
- Cooking Class Cinque Terre
- Wine Tasting Italian Riviera
Below is a suggested Itinerary for your private Portofino Wine Tour
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Genova -Portofino
Relax and Enjoy the Italian Riviera
Dine overlooking the harbor in Portofino - 5* Ultra Luxury Hotel
- Traditional lunch with paired wines
- Privately Chauffeured Mercedes
Arrive at Genova airport, and meet your private driver who will drive you into the historic center where with your own art guide you will enjoy a walking tour. Learn all about Genova’s ancient maritime legends and stories, and perhaps visit the graceful Palazzo Ducale and Royal Palace, the impressive Church of Saint Matteo, Christopher Columbus’s house, and the beautiful Dominican Santa Maria di Castello convent.
Carry on to the little postcard perfect village of Recco where you will taste the famous local focaccia at a historic restaurant. In the afternoon, transfer to Portofino and check into your glamorous hotel, home to movie stars and royalty. The rest of the day is yours to get settled in, relax, do some shopping (Portofino’s tiny piazzeta is lined with designer boutiques and luxurious shops) or go for an invigorating walk to the marvelous San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte abbey (located in a beautiful carved inlet, and with a fascinating history as a pirates’ lair). In your sea-facing bedroom, you will find our welcome pack, with gifts, maps and course a bottle of wine.
We suggest you enjoy dinner tonight at your hotel’s candlelit terrace. Welcome to La Dolce Vita, hope you love your first night in Portofino!
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Portofine - Monterosso -Vernazza - Portofino
Private Cooking Class & Wine Tasting
Handmade trofie pasta - 5* Ultra Luxury Hotel
- Full breakfast, cooking class and traditional lunch with wines
- Privately Chauffeured Mercedes
With your personal chef, you will learn how to make Liguria’s most famous dishes- from focaccia to pesto to hand made trofie pasta. Sit down to lunch of your own creations.
Transfer to Monterosso by boat, admiring the world’s most scenic coastline, the Cinque Terre! You will enjoy a visit and tasting at a local winery, producing Sciacchetrà (the most famous and rare wine in the area), olive oil, honey and lemons. Visit the vineyards, the lemon gardens and the cellar.
Free time in the gorgeous hamlet of Monterosso, and if time permits carry on to the next hillside coastal village of Vernazza.
In the evening, return to Portofino and enjoy a free evening. Try dinner at Da Puny where the jetsetters relax and take in the views of the yachts.
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Portofino - Portovenere - Castelnuovo Magra - Riomaggiore -Portofino
Excursion to Portovenere & Dine at Casa di Marin
Vermentino grapes - 5* Ultra Luxury Hotel
- Full breakfast, wine tasting, Dinner paired with wines
- Privately Chauffeured Mercedes
This morning you will head south towards to the delightful Golfo dei Poeti, or “Poet’s Gulf”. Do not forget the camera today! Visit medieval Portovenere, located right at the tip of the Peninsula that encloses this coastline. The surrounding area is full of colorful towns such as Tellaro, Lerici and Fiascherino and enchanting tiny bays. Next head to Castelnuovo Magra and enjoy a visit and tasting at a beautiful winery that also has an interesting a wine museum. Located in the Colli di Luna appellation, this region is famous for delicate and aromatic Vermentinos made from grapes grown on its gentle rolling hills.
Lunch will follow on your own in a cozy trattoria. We suggest you to have only a light lunch, as tonight you will have dinner in picturesque Riomaggiore at one of our favorite restaurants in Liguria-the fantastic “In Casa di Marin”, a restaurant that feels more like a private home where you will taste superb traditional cuisine. After dinner transfer back to your luxurious abode in Portofino.
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Portofino -Genova
End of Tour
Buon Viaggio! - None
- Full breakfast
- Privately Chauffeured Mercedes
This morning, at your preferred time, your chauffeured Mercedes will arrive to take you back to the airport in Genova. If you had more time available we can propose a multitude of activities in Portofino, the Cinque Terre and surrounding Riviera. Drop off at airport. Arrivederci!
