La Dolce Vita Wine Tours

The most intimate way to explore Italy. Stroll down country lanes and see why travelers have walked these roads through the centuries. In Tuscany, hike past vineyards, olive groves, stone farmhouses, and quaint medieval villages. Or head to the coast and explore the seacliffs and fishing villages of the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, or Sicily. Morning walks are 3-4 hours (7-12 miles). In the afternoon, van shuttle to the vineyards.

New in 2009:
THE ALPS
It's The Sound of Music meets Sideways! This hiking tour takes place in the lower slopes of the Italian Alps. Fortunately for thirsty hikers, this is one of Italy's premiere wine regions. Vineyards lining the Adige river valley grow aromatic grapes like gewurztraminer and sauvignon blanc, and luscious reds like pinot noir and lagrein. This part of Italy, called Alto Adige, is infused with an Austrian feel--in its alpine architecture, cuisine, and Germanic language. Explore its spectacular scenery with morning hikes (3-4 hours/day) on breathtaking mountain ridges, through vineyards, orchards, and quaint towns, and cap each day with a wine tasting.

The best of both worlds: Piedmont, with its treasures of the forest, vine-covered hills, and world-class red wine. And the Cinque Terre, with its fishing villages, seafood, and refreshing white wine. Walk through the vineyards and along the Riviera seacliffs in this surf-n-turf combo, Italian style!

2009: May 31-June 6; September 6-12

Visit Tuscany as you've always imagined it. Ancient abbeys and castles, forests and vineyards, and country roads lined with cypress trees add up to dream hiking around Montalcino and San Gimignano. You'll hear Gregorian chants in an abbey, wander through the Renaissance towns of Pienza and Montepulciano, and explore the serpentine streets of Siena.

May 24-30; September 20-26

Planted by the Greeks and prized by the Romans, the wines of Campania still seduce. Come to the coast south of Naples and hike the seacliffs of Amalfi, Positano, and Capri, visit Roman vineyards being resurrected in Pompeii, and trek around the cone of Mt. Vesuvius.

June 28 - July 4

Sicily's raw beauty comes in two forms: one is its rocky coast, and the other is its mountainous interior. Explore both as you hike along seaside trails and in the island's beautiful, stark interior, where traces of ancient civilizations stimulate the imagination.