Italy

Nat Geo Day Tour: Discovering the Rome of Julius Caesar

Discover the legacy of Julius Caesar by tracing historic connections in Rome. Feel his influence echo through the centuries as you tour monuments and locations, tracing his life, deeds, and impact.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Handmade in Milan

Explore Isola district's heritage and get behind-the-scenes access to artisan workshops. Get hands-on crafting your own arrangement and savor lunch at a trattoria.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Regenerative Agriculture at Fattoria Triboli

Discover how regenerative organic agriculture at Fattoria Triboli is improving the natural resources available, then tour the farm and enjoy an olive oil tasting and light lunch of local Tuscan produce.

Nat Geo Day Tour: The Secrets of Tuscan Olive Oil

Discover Tuscan olive oil's exquisite flavor and history at Villa Campestri, the world's first Olive Oil Resort, and unveil the secrets of preserving virgin olive oil's distinctive flavor. Tour, taste, and picnic amidst scenic beauty.

Nat Geo Day Tour: A Green and Inclusive Sanctuary in Milan

Visit Cascina Biblioteca, a historic oasis in Milan, where a cooperative helps the vulnerable through a variety of projects such as sustainable farming. Explore on a rickshaw, get hands-on helping in local farming and savor homegrown dishes.

Nat Geo Day Tour: A Taste of Tramonti, Pizza Making and Wine Tasting

Discover the treasures of Tramonti on this National Geographic Day Tour. The day starts with a scenic ride along the Bay of Naples, under the watchful eye of Mount Vesuvius, leading through Monte Lattari and Valle dei Chiunzi, where the small hamlets of Tramonti await. The world owes its love of pizza to the ancestors of today's residents of Tramonti — it's thanks to them that pizzerias have spread across the globe. Your National Geographic-trained guide will share tales of local culture and history as you weave along the scenic roads towards your first destination. Perched high above the Amalfi Coast, Tramonti beckons with lemon orchards, chestnut trees, and terraced vineyards. Your first stop is the garden of Acarbio, a visionary association committed to reuniting people with tradition and nature that has been promoting the Amalfi Coast's candidature to become a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Here, you'll enjoy a refreshment while discovering some of the ongoing projects, including the revival of the historical Rè Fiascone tomato, an almost-extinct key ingredient for pizza making. It's hard not to be inspired by this dynamic association, and their dedication to preserving the Amalfi Coast's rural heritage and hidden biodiversity, focusing on reviving local agriculture and endangered species. From there, you'll travel to a family-run vineyard, nestled among Tramonti's terraced slopes. Stroll amidst some of Europe's ancient vines, uncovering the secrets to their remarkable resilience. Then, treat your palate to an exquisite wine tasting, savoring the rich flavors of Amalfi Coast wines. The last stop of the tour is a local Agritourism venue, in their rural restaurant, for a hands-on pizza-making workshop led by a skilled pizza chef, who'll guide you through the art of crafting traditional pizzas. The president of the Tramonti Pizzaioli Association — an important national association of around 2000 pizza chefs — will shed light on Tramonti's pivotal role in global pizza history. Finally, relish your culinary creations during a delectable lunch.

Nat Geo Day Tour: In Verdi's Footsteps

Giuseppe Verdi is celebrated as one of the most influential opera composers of the 19th century, and his work still enjoys great popularity today. Among his best-known operas are La Traviata, Rigoletto and Aida, each telling a very different story but all offering dramatic music and emotional intensity. Taking a tour of Verdi's Milan spotlights his musical genius and reveals his fierce dedication to becoming a maestro of Italian Opera.Discover the legacy he left in Milan, a city he both loved and loathed, with a visit to the Fondazione Giuseppe Verdi, the house that the Opera maestro built to host retired artists and musicians. Here, you'll get a close up look at the life of Verdi and his wife, including their personal belongings, furnishings, art collections, and their final resting places.Next on the itinerary is an opportunity to meet the current residents of Casa Verdi, many of whom are internationally acclaimed artists, and listen to their extraordinary life stories. You are also invited to attend an exclusive performance for National Geographic travelers by one of the residents.Your penultimate stop is La Scala Theatre. Visit the museum and find out the behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Verdi's relationship with the theatre.At the end of the tour, you'll follow in Verdi's footsteps and indulge in an apéritif at Grand Hotel et de Milan, where Verdi lived for 27 years and in fact, where he took his last breath.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Gragnano, the Epicenter of Dried Pasta Production

Embark on an unforgettable adventure through Gragnano, the epicenter of dried pasta production. The tour starts with a picturesque bus ride along the Bay of Naples, offering panoramic views dominated by the presence of Mount Vesuvius. Throughout the day, your National Geographic-trained guide will provide intriguing insights into Campanian culture. Your first destination is the idyllic Valley of the Mills, nestled between the towns of Sorrento, Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Here, you'll have the rare privilege of exploring the historical site, together with a local historian & retired miller who is dedicated to this important restoration project. He will explain in detail the ingenious engineering that powered the mills, a captivating revelation exclusively reserved for National Geographic travelers. As you take a leisurely stroll through this lush landscape, you can connect with the natural beauty that has inspired generations. The next stop is a renowned pasta factory with deep-rooted traditions. Prepare to be amazed by the creativity of chief pasta maker, Antonino Moccia, and the factory's 140 different shapes of pasta, some of which are patented. Accompanied by the factory's owner, you'll embark on a tour of the museum, hearing intimate stories that have shaped this industry over the centuries.Don your apron and go backstage to the production area to see the pasta-making process step by step, gaining a deeper appreciation for the artistry and precision that goes into crafting each piece of pasta. You'll discover the meticulous packaging techniques that ensure the final product reaches homes around the world in pristine condition. As a delightful conclusion to your immersive experience, savour the culmination of this intricate process by indulging in a plate of gragnese pasta, allowing the rich flavours and unique texture to transport you to the heart of Italian culinary tradition.

Nat Geo Day Tour: The History of Pasta

Discover the essence of Gragnano on this National Geographic-exclusive pasta tour, starting with a scenic bus ride along the Bay of Naples under the watchful eye of Mount Vesuvius. Your National Geographic-trained guide will give you an insight into Campanian culture as you soak up the views.Your first stop is the Valley of the Mills, a ravine on the slopes between Sorrento, Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Here, a local volunteer historian and retired miller, dedicated to the restoration of the site, will reveal the fascinating engineering behind the series of mills, of which two will be exclusively opened for travelers on this tour.Enjoy a leisurely walk through the landscape before heading to a renowned pasta factory with deep-rooted traditions. Be amazed by the creativity of chief pasta maker, Antonino Moccia, and the factory's 140 different shapes of pasta. Accompanied by the factory's owner, you'll embark on a tour of the museum, hearing stories that have shaped this industry over the centuries. You'll learn about one of the oldest pasta-making families of the area, an ancestry that is partly responsible for pasta's transatlantic journey to the United States in the late 1800's.Next, it's time to roll up your sleeves at an interactive pasta-making session, with Nonna Giuseppina on hand to guide you as you knead. Finally, indulge in a pasta lunch featuring ingredients sourced from the factory's garden, a true farm-to-table experience and a rewarding way to end the tour.

Nat Geo Day Tour: Spartacus' World at Ancient Capua

Boasting a strategic location on the Via Appia, Ancient Capua was a hugely important city since its foundation in the 5th century BCE. Your journey begins at the Arena of Spartacus, the ancient amphitheater in Capua. Second in size only to Rome's Colosseum, this amphitheater is older, better preserved, and less crowded. Join your guide, a specialist in Roman archaeology, to tour the home of the Gladiator school of Ancient Rome where the legendary gladiator Spartacus made his daring escape and ignited his revolt against Roman slavery.Upon leaving the army, Spartacus was sold into slavery. He was ordered to go to Capua to enroll in Gladiator training school, where he rebelled against his enslavement and managed to escape alongside several other trainee gladiators. He became the leader of the growing group of escaped slaves who were ready to fight for freedom and autonomy. Against the odds, Spartacus and his rebel army resisted Roman attempts to overpower them, becoming a symbol of resistance against oppression.As you explore the amphitheater's ‘hypogeum' or underground area, you'll feel like you have a backstage pass to the gladiator shows of days past. The areas here are far better preserved than those found at the Colosseum of Rome. You'll then visit what is known as the 'gladiator's room,' off limits to other visitors. Still being studied, specialist archeologists are still trying to understand the room's original purpose.An augmented reality experience, exclusive to National Geographic travelers, will bring to life the experience of being Spartacus 2000 years ago, complete with reconstructions of the original amphitheater from the perspective of both the spectators and the gladiators. Step into the shoes of Spartacus, and feel the pulse of Ancient Rome.After your tour, relax over a lunch lovingly prepared with local organic produce by owners who take pride in maintaining their historic surroundings. The restaurant is conveniently located on the perimeter of the archeological site.