Wine Tours: La Dolce Vita

As you pour the first glass of your favorite Chianti or Chardonnay and settle into an intimate Friday evening, you wonder about the wine's origins. Look no further for the answer to your fleeting Friday night queries-Italy, land of romantics, heroic epics and passionately-written plays. In the countryside and cities where the Renaissance began it seems fitting to find a hedonistic exploration of the richest vineyards in the world to suit even the pickiest travelers. Best known for its world-renowned wines paired with decadent cuisine and intertwined with the rich culture of the people who produce it, it's not just another spot on the globe- it's a destination filled with memories to last a lifetime.

With La Dolce Vita the sky is the limit for destinations and experiences. They've thought of everything- from famous vineyards to elegant accommodations. The names are all familiar: Sicily, Tuscany, Venice, Verona-but these places are more than just a name on a fine bottle or a magical place in a Shakespearean play. With La Dolce Vita the countryside and cities become real as you taste "the good life" firsthand.

A relaxing walking tour of the Amalfi Coast in south Naples, home of outstanding wines from ancient Greek grapes, such as Aglianico, Greco di Tufo, and Fiano di Avellino, is just one amazing tour. Enjoy hillsides covered in lemon trees and umbrella pines, fresh seafood and the breathtaking sea that gave it life as Mt. Vesuvius rises behind you in majestic and ancient grace. If wheels and pedals are more to your liking you can coast through the countryside of Chianti Classico in Tuscany and see the dense forests and medieval castles that gave birth to wine of the same name. Enjoy authentic pasta fagioli prepared with handmade pasta and porcini mushrooms. A full glass of Chianti in your hand you watch the sun sets across the winding vineyards below you.

These tours are made for lovers and groups alike, as well as offering customized tours and additional single accommodations. Designed to dazzle the most inexperienced, as well as most elegant wine connoisseur, tours run May to November and are generally booked for five day and six nights stays.