ITALY 2025
Web links provided for destantions and restaurants
Tuscany & Venice
MilesFish.com
(The two meals per day consist of Breakfast and Lunch or Dinner. Lunch/Dinner are all full Italian meals of Antipasto (appetizer), Primo (first course), Secondo w/Contorno (second-course w/side), Dolce (dessert) and include water, Italian or American coffee, unlimited wine selected by the chef, and a generous gratuity from our group to the staff.)
—Wed May 28
7:00 pm (19,00)--Welcome Prosecco reception and brief orientation in the Ravizza Garden
7:30 pm (19,30)--Walk to IL CAMPO
=>8:00 pm (20,00)--First Night Dinner at AL MANGIA in “Il Campo”
10:00 pm (22,00)--Post-dinner First Gelato of the Summer
10:15 pm (22,15)--Walk back to the hotel via a stop at the Duomo at night
—Thu May 29
7:30 am-9:00 am (7,30-9,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
9:00 am (9,00)—Meet in Ravizza Garden / Walk to Duomo
9:30-10:30 am (9,30-10,30)—Tour DUOMO complex
10:30 am-1:00 pm—(10,30-13,00)--Tour DUOMO MUSEUM
=>Lunch on our own / Afternoon free to explore Siena
7:45 pm (19,45)--Meet in the Ravizza Garden (or meet at Vivace at 8pm)
=>8:00 pm (20,00)--Dinner at VIVACE
—Fri May 30
7:30-9:00 am (7,30-9,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
9:00 am (9,00)—Meet in the Ravizza Garden, walk to Santa Maria Della Scala (across from Duomo)
9:30 am (9,30)—Tour SANTA MARIA DELLA SCALA world’s first research hospital
=>Lunch on our own / Afternoon free to explore Siena
7:30 pm (19,30)—Meet in the Ravizza Garden and walk to Cice’s (small, rustic, and just about my favorite spot to eat)
=>8:00 pm (20,00)—Dinner at OSTERIA DA CICE
—Sat May 31
7:30-9:00 am (7,00-9,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
9:00 am (9,00)—Meet in the Ravizza Garden, then walk down the hill to PORTA SAN MARCO
9:30 am (9,30)—Depart for MONTALCINO via private transportation (bus)
10:30 am (10,30)—Arrive Montalcino / Explore until 11,45
11:45 am (11,45)—Meet at ENOTECA LA FORTEZZA (wine shop at the fort)
=>12:00 noon (12,00)--BRUNELLO tasting and light lunch upstairs at the fort
1:30 pm (13,30)—Shop the Enoteca (good deals to ship wine home; easy to split a case among friends)
1:45 pm (13,45)—leisurely walk back to the bus
2:00 pm (14,00)—Depart Montalcino for Bagno Vignoni
2:30 pm (14,30)--BAGNO VIGNONI, Tour the Etruscan and later Roman hot springs baths
3:30 pm (15,30)—Depart Bagno Vignoni
4:00 pm (16,00)—Arrive Porta San Marco Siena
=>Evening Free, Dinner on-our-own
—Sun June 1
7:30-10:00 am (7,30-10,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
10:00 am (10,00)—Meet in Ravizza Garden / Walk to Palazzo Pubblico, Civic Museum of Siena (Mangia Tower complex)
10:30-11:30 am (10,30-11,30)—Tour PALAZZO PUBBLICO
=>12:00 noon (12,00)—Sunday Brunch at MUGOLONE’S (near il Campo)
=>Evening Free, Dinner on-our-own
—Mon June 2
7:30-9:00 am (7,30-9,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
9:30 am (9,00)—Meet in the Ravizza Garden, walk to Bruce Contrada
10:00-12:30 noon (9,30-12,30)—Meet with Dario at the BRUCO CONTRADA for an enlightening and entertaining talk about the 17 Sienese Contdradas and the PALIO
=>1:00 pm (13,00) Lunch at NUMERO UNICO
=>Evening Free, Dinner on-our-own
—Tue June 3
7:30-8:30 am (7,30-8,30)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
8:30 am (8,30)—Meet in the Ravizza Garden, walk to Porta San Marco
9:00 am (9,00)—Depart for Castello di Brolio via private transportation (bus)
10:30 am (10,30)—Arrive CASTELLO DI BROLIO
11:00 am (11,00)—Guided tour of the Castle grounds and chapel with Sabina
11:30 am (11,30)—Brolio’s “PRIVILEGE TOUR” wine tasting in the Castle’s banquet hall
=>1:00 pm (13,00)—Lunch at OSTERIA DI BROLIO, where the forest meets the vineyard
2:30 pm (14,30)—visit the Brolio WINE SHOP
3:00 pm (15,00)—Depart for Siena
4:00 pm (16,00)—Arrive Porta San Marco, Siena
7:30 pm (19,30)—Meet in the Garden to walk to I Barberi Trattoria
=>8:00 pm (20,00)—Dinner at TRATTORIA I BARBERI
—Wed June 4
Free Day—all Day & all Night
Visit the Not-to-be-Missed Siena Weekly Outdoor Summer Market Day from about 8-11 am
OR
Rent a car and drive around Tuscany
OR
Take the public bus to Pisa and visit the Leaning Tower
OR
Take the train and spend the day (or day & night) in Florence (nothing is planned for the morning of June 5)
OR
Do nothing at all; spend the day just relaxing in the Ravizza Garden with me.
—Thu June 5
7:30-10:00 am (7,30-10,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
Morning Free
12:00 noon (12,00)—Meet in the Ravizza Garden, walk to Compagnia die Vinattie
=>1:00 pm (13,00)—Lunch at COMPAGNIA DIE VINATTIE
Afternoon Free
7:00 pm (19,00)—Antonella & Aldo, Garden Mini-Concert with Prosecco
=>Dinner on-our-own
—Fri June 6
7:30-10:00 am (7,30-10,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
10:00 am (10,00)—Walk to Porta San Marco to meet our bus
10:30 am (10,30)—Depart Porta San Marco for CASTELLO DELLE QUATTRO TORRA
11:00 am (11,00)—Arrive and enjoy a bit of Quattro Torra
11:30 am (11,30)—Depart for CERTOSA DI PONTIGNANO
12 noon (12,00)—Walk about the grounds of La Certosa, an ancient monastery and gardens
12:30 pm (12,30)—Aperitifs on the balcony overlooking the garden
=>1:00 pm (13,00)—Lunch in the La Certosa monastery
3:00 pm (15,00)--Depart for Siena
3:30 pm (15,30)—Arrive Porta San Marco Siena
=>Evening free, dinner on-our-own
—Sat June 7
7:30-10:00 am (7,30-10,00)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
=>Last Day: Morning and Afternoon Free, Lunch on our own
7:30 pm (19,30)—Meet in the Garden to walk to SPADAFORTE
=>8:00 pm (20,00)—Final Pizza Party Dinner at SPADAFORTE at Il Campo
—Sun June 8
7:30 am (7,30)—Italian Breakfast in the Garden
8:15 am (8,15)—Taxi on our own to SIENA STAZIONE (Train Station)
8:45 am (8,45)—Train departs Siena for FLORENCE SANTA MARIA NOVELA (SMN Florence), Business Class
10:17 am (10,17)—Train arrives in Florence SMN
11:20 am (11,20)—Train departs Florence SMN (for Venice travelers)
=>12:00 noon (12,00)—Lunch on our own on the train
1:34 pm (13,34)—Train arrives SANTA LUCIA VENICE (train station)
2:00 pm (14,00)—Private Water Taxi from the train station to HOTEL METROPOLE
2:30 pm (14,30)— Arrive at hotel, check-in
3:00 pm (15,00)—Meet in the garden for a short walking tour of our ST. MARK’S neighborhood
6:30 pm (18,30)—Private reception for our group in the Metropole Garden
7:30 pm (19,30)--Depart hotel for Ristorante Grand Canal
=>8:00 pm (20,00)—Dinner at RISTORANTE GRAND CANAL
10:00 pm (22,00)—After dinner, don’t miss the opportunity for a nightcap in St. Mark’s Square
—Mon June 9
7:30-9:30 am (7,30-9,30)—Full American breakfast in the Metropole Garden
9:20 am (9,30)—Meet in the Metropole reception room and depart for St. Mark’s
10:00 am (10,00)—Self-guided tour of DOGES PALACE
12:00 noon (12,00)—Self-guided tour of ST. MARK’S BASILICA (meet near the Bell Tower entrance)
=>1:00 pm (13,00)—Lunch on our own, afternoon free (get lost in Venice, it’s the best way to enjoy it)
2:30 pm (14,50)—Visit the PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION (for those who want) met at Vaperado “F” station “Zaccaria”
7:30 pm (19,50)—Meet in the Metropole Reception Room, then depart for dinner at Da Giorgio’s
=>8:00 pm (20,00) Dinner at TRATTORIA DA GIORGIO
10:00 pm (22,00)—After dinner, don’t miss the opportunity for a nightcap in St. Mark’s Square
—Tue June 10
7:00-10:00 am (7,30-10,00)—Full American breakfast in the Metropole Garden
10:00 am (10,00)—Meet in the Metropole Reception Room, then depart via private water taxi for Murano
10:00 am-1:00 pm (10,30-13,00)—Self-tour of Murano (ok to ship from stores here)
=>1:00 pm (13,00)—Lunch at RISTORANTE LA FORNACE
2:30 pm (14,30)—Return to Venice Metropole via private water taxi
=>Last night in Venice is a Free Night, dinner on our own
—Wed June 11
Depart Venice for Marco Polo Airport. We’ll make private transport arrangements based on your flights
Italy 2025
MilesFish.com
MilesFishTravels,LLC
