Overview

Daily Itinerary (Subject to Change)

Day 1: Friday, June 18, 2027

Depart Chicago to Milan

We will meet in Bloomington to take a motorcoach together to Chicago O'Hare International Airport where you will board your over night flight to Milan, Italy

Day 2: Saturday, June 19, 2027

Milan/Turin

A transfer is included upon arrival from the airport to Principi di Piemonte, a historic Art Deco hotel ideally located in the heart of Turin. You can spend the day at your leisure and explore as you wish.

Day 3: Sunday, June 20, 2027

Turin

The day is yours to explore. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 4: Monday, June 21, 2027

Explore Turin - Italy's First Capital

Baroque beauty, revolutionary history, and culinary firsts define your day in Turin, Italy’s original capital and a city as refined as it is quietly radical. Begin with a guided walking tour through the elegant city center, where ornate facades and grand piazzas speak to Turin’s regal past under the House of Savoy. Step inside the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, home to centuries of intrigue and devotion, then take in sweeping views on a panoramic drive en route to the National Automobile Museum, tracing Italy’s deep ties to innovation and industry. Before lunch, view the very first Eataly – a global Italian marketplace – to learn more about its history and enjoy time to stroll the former vermouth factory in which it is housed. The afternoon brings a regional lunch at a local favorite, where the flavors of Piedmont unfold course by course. The rest of the day is yours to explore Turin as you please. (B,L)

Day 5: Tuesday, June 22, 2027

Venaria Reale and flavors of the Langhe region

Travel outside of the city for an exclusive early-opening visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of La Venaria Reale, a former royal residence of the House of Savoy dating back to the mid-17th century. Regarded as the Versailles of Italy, and considered a natural and architectural masterpiece, the grand restored estate was the summer retreat of the Savoy family and today is home to the dazzling Reggia of Venaria Reale and expansive parklands. Continue on to the Langhe hills for a visit to the Banca del Vino, where a guided tasting introduces the region’s wines, followed by lunch at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, the birthplace of the Slow Food movement. Your picturesque spa hotel is set amidst a paradise of vineyards. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Wednesday, June 23, 2027

Truffle hunting and a cooking class 

This morning, set out into the wooded hills with a trifulau and trained dogs in search of Alba’s coveted white truffles – an experience that connects you directly to the land and its traditions. The scent of earth and forest lingers as you learn how these rare delicacies are found. Later, enjoy a chef-hosted cooking class inside Castello di Roddi, surrounded by nut trees and vineyards, where the chef shares traditional recipes with you. Explore the sights of Alba as you wish this afternoon before returning to your hotel for time at leisure. Dinner is at a local restaurant this evening. (B,D)

Day 7: Thursday, June 24, 2027

Castles and landscapes of Langhe 

Today unfolds among the vineyards of the Langhe, where wine, history, and landscape are inseparable. This morning, a scenic drive reveals a patchwork of hills, cellars, and hilltop villages – an Italy few travelers experience. Visit Grinzane Cavour Castle, perched above some of the region’s most prestigious vineyards, and take in sweeping views that define this UNESCO-recognized wine country. Lunch celebrates local ingredients and wines that express the character of the land. Following time at leisure, dinner is at a countryside farmhouse where regional dishes are paired with wines produced just beyond your table. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Friday, June 25, 2027

Gavi wine and elegant Lake Maggiore

Drive today to the Gavi wine region, stopping for a tour of a 1,000-year-old castle in the town of Ovada. Owned by a noble family since 1498, the castle overlooks vineyards where the family continues the centuries-old tradition of tending the grapes and producing local wines. Enjoy lunch, with a tasting of Gavi wines, at an award-winning Piedmont winery that cultivates native grape varieties dedicated to the production of Gavi and Barbera wines. Drive to Stresa where your grand hotel is nestled along the shimmering Alpine shores of magnificent Lake Maggiore. Dinner tonight is at your hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Saturday, June 26, 2027 

Lakeside Stresa and Isola Bella 

The morning is yours to savor the peaceful elegance of Stresa, where lakeside promenades, flower-filled gardens, and Alpine views invite quiet exploration. Later this afternoon, set out by private boat across Lake Maggiore, bound for the jewel-box island of Isola Bella. Tour the lavish halls and terraced gardens of this Baroque palace of the Borromeo family. Continue by boat to neighboring Isola dei Pescatori, the charming “Fisherman’s Island,” where your farewell reception and dinner await. (B,D)

Day 10: Sunday, June 27, 2027 

Journey Home 

This morning, your unforgettable Italian journey comes to an end. As you make your way home, take with you the memories of the incredible places you’ve explored, the experiences you’ve shared, and the beauty of Italy that will stay with you long after your journey ends. (B)

(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)

Package Includes

• Dedicated Tour Manager
• Hotel accommodations while on tour
• Round Trip Air from O'Hare Intl Airport
• Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges 
• Hotel Transfers
• Round Trip Group Transfers Between Bloomington and Chicago
• All meals as stated in itinerary
• All excursions as stated in itinerary

Activity Level & Tour Information

Every Women's Only Departure operates as a small group itinerary averaging 24 guests and is led by a female Tauck Director. For women considering their first guided trip, it offers an easy way in: a built-in community of like-minded women, an expertly designed destination experience and the assurance that everything is taken care of. It's the ease of a fully curated journey and the freedom to be fully present without managing a single logistical detail. 

This tour is an activity level 3 and 2 pace level. Tour activity level 3 means most days involve walking in the 2-3.5 miles range with frequent stairs, cobblestones and standing for 90+ minutes. Activity is consistent across consecutive days, requiring stamina and balance throughout the itinerary. Pace level 2 means a steady tempo with 2-3 guided activities. Most days include early departures balanced with rest periods or scenic downtime.

To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion. Italy is home to innumerable historic buildings and sites, some dating from antiquity. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture will present difficulties for some guests with physical limitations. You will encounter cobblestone streets, narrow passageways, and some steep and winding staircases.

PLEASE NOTE:  We regret that this  itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters.  Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

Deposit & Final Payment

A deposit of $600 per person is due upon reservation plus the cost of insurance if purchasing. Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis. Final payment due by March 8, 2027. Any monies paid are non-refundable. We highly recommend travel insurance.