Balsamic Vinegar Tour
Exclusive VIP tour to taste authentic Aceto Balsamico in Modena/Reggio Emilia, with gourmet lunch, private driver, and guide. Book now!
EXPLORE ALL OUR EXPLORE YOUR PRIVATE WINE TOURS IN ITALY
Milan is famous worldwide for its Haute fashion industry, for the Teatro alla Scala Opera House, and the striking, Gothic Duomo cathedral. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper painting is located in Milan and attracts art lovers from all over the planet. Yet despite all of these cultural treasures, Milan is still skipped by many visitors who instead head straight from the airport to Lake Como, Piedmont, or Verona. And what a pity, as Milan is worth spending at least a few days to discover its many hidden gems, learn about its delightful culinary traditions, and to get a taste of the elegant lifestyle here “like a local.”
We have prepared this fantastic, super-premium “insiders itinerary” that you can add to the start or end of your vacation in Italy if you are flying in or out of Milan. Over the course of the next few days, you will enjoy an array of unexpected and truly memorable experiences! Visit La Vigna di Leonardo (Leonardo da Vinci’s Vineyard) right in central Milan; see some of the most unique, historical shops in the city, from hatmakers to graceful tailors. Learn the art of mixology during a private class at Martini (making the classic Negroni and Americano cocktails); be swept away on a fun, private “aperitivo” tour of Milan’s most stylish bars; and tickle your taste buds on a fascinating food and wine walking tour of Milan with a gregarious food journalist. You will be sleeping at the best 5 star in town set in a gorgeous 18th-century mansion, and you’ll have your chauffeur and Mercedes for getting around. If you want to see the best Milan offers in terms of food, wine, and luxury, contact us for more info on this fabulous trip!
Milan airport - Milan
Arrive at Milan airport today, and meet your private chauffeur who will drive you comfortably by Mercedes into the historic center of town. After checking in to your ultra-luxury hotel and freshening up, your driver will take you to your welcome lunch. You can look forward to a delicious feast of Milanese specialties, and dazzling views of the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Spazio Milano is our hands-down favorite lunch venue in Milan, offering a chic setting, terrific cooking, and those amazing views! Sit down to three courses and wine pairings.
After lunch, then we have a treat for you- a customized one- on- one shopping tour for “ladies and gents.” You will have two guides this afternoon, one for him and one for her. Your hosts are two distinguished locals who know the best, most off the beaten track high-end shopping experiences with artisans and historic workshops. The ladies will discover wonderful boutiques with original pieces, vintage jewelers, milliners, and one of a kind handmade Italian shoes. The gents have a fun activity, perfect after a flight – a Milanese “Barbieria Colla” vintage barbershop shave. You will have the chance to pick up tailored shoes or boots at Stivaleria Savoia, a beautiful Marinella tie, or a Melegari handmade hat.
Head back to your luxury hotel for a rest, and you have one last unforgettable activity this evening- an aperitivo tour of Milan at sunset. This is happy hour, Italian style! Visit the hip Navigli quarter with your local private guide alongside the pretty canals built in the 12th century and famously improved by Leonardo da Vinci. You’ll graze your way through fashionable, upmarket venues enjoying a few pre-dinner Italian drinks like a Spritz & Campari Soda served with delicious nibbles. The last visit, an absolute “must,” is to Bar Basso, where the Negroni Sbagliato cocktail was invented. You’ll be back at your hotel by dinnertime, and you can dine out with our tips, or onsite. Depending on the time of the year, you could also take the opportunity to take in an opera or show at the Teatro Della Scala di Milano. We hope you had an unforgettable & delightful first day in this sophisticated city!
Milan
This morning your private art guide will take you on a tailored walking tour of the city’s best attractions, based on your main interests such as design, architecture, fashion, modern art galleries like Fondazione Prada, opera, etc. Unmissable highlights of Milan include the gorgeous Piazza Duomo and Duomo (including the rooftop, with its spectacular views), the museum at La Scala (with historical costumes and musical instruments), the exquisite Renaissance church Santa Maria Presso San Satiro, and the photogenic Castello Sforzesco citadel. Built by Francesco Sforza ( the Duke of Milan) in the 15th century, it now houses an impressive art collection with masterpieces by Titian, Canaletto, Giambattista Tiepolo, and Tintoretto, not to mention the demure Pietà Rondanini by Michelangelo. Lunch will be on your own so that you can relax. We highly suggest Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone for an alfresco lunch- with its sublime, palatial courtyard terrace, complete with mosaic tiling and grapevines.
After lunch, meet your private art guide for a thoroughly entertaining afternoon. You will learn all about the mindboggling genius of Leonardo da Vinci who was not only an artist but was – among so many other talents- also an engineer, architect, mathematician, botanist, machinist, scientist, and military strategist. Da Vinci lived in Milan the last two decades of the 1400s and left extraordinary masterpieces here like the Last Supper painting (located in the Unesco world heritage site of Santa Maria Delle Grazie church) and the Codex Atlanticus (the most extensive collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s writings and drawings in the world). Your knowledgable guide will bring you back to Renaissance Italy and breathe life to Da Vinci’s stories and achievements when you visit the Last Supper and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, where you can see the fantastic Codex Atlanticus.
As a thrilling finale, you will visit Leonardo’s private vineyard in downtown Milan! This little known gem was gifted to Leonardo in 1498 by Ludovico “Il Moro” Sforza, the Duke of Milan (who indeed had commissioned him to paint the Last Supper). The beautiful estate has remarkably restored the vineyard within the original vineyard rows and with the original vine stock! You will visit the handsome Casa degli Atellani villa, the manicured garden, and vineyard, and conclude with a wine tasting of Tasto Atellano. Relax at the hotel then, freshen up, and you’ll have some free time before dinner. After a great day, enjoy an even more outstanding dinner tonight. You will be dining at a 3 Michelin starred gourmet restaurant, at Enrico Bartolini’s stylish offering at Mudec (the Museo Delle Culture). Get ready for the perfect night. Lean back, unwind, and enjoy the refined and alluring, luxe atmosphere, and a chef’s tasting menu of excellent Italian food and wine!
Milan
After the high-end experience last night, today will be more casual, and a lot of fun. Your local food journalist guide will meet you in the morning, for a gourmet walking tour – from an insider’s perspective. Everything you taste this morning comes with an interesting story, context, and cultural significance. From your first Italian coffee with a croissant to pre-lunch bubbly from Franciacorta and snacks of cured prosciutto and parmigiano to various lunch tastings with wine pairings and of course gelato to finish off, each location you visit is special and with a great story. The rest of the early afternoon, then, is your leisure time to go shopping, sightseeing, and enjoying your luxury hotel’s facilities, including a top spa.
In the early evening then, you have a unique activity in-store. You will learn the art of mixology with your private master bartender at the stunning Terrazza Martini Milano. While taking in the dreamy panorama over the entire city, learn how to make a classic Martini Negroni and Americano, and then enjoy the fruits of your labor overlooking the magical views as the sunsets. Follow with a trendy, dinner at Trippa- one of Milan’s hottest “neo trattorias.” The cuisine is fresh, seasonal, and creative, and the ambiance is bohemian and vintage. You’ll taste the daily specials on a multi-course dinner with wine pairings.
Milan - Milan airport
After a full breakfast at your hotel and at your preferred time, your chauffeur will pick you up to transfer to your next port of call. This concludes your short but inspiring food and wine experience in cosmopolitan Milan!
If you would like us to customize an exclusive luxury tour, contact us and let us know your travel plans. We offer luxury food and wine tours for private groups of a mininium two guests. In addition, all of our private, chauffeured tours are available year-round upon request.