What could possibly be better than springtime in Italy, Tuscany and Abruzzo to be exact? Springtime in Italy from behind the wheel of a classic Italian roadster like an Alfa Romeo Giulietta, touring the countryside with the top down, soaking in the Italian sunshine.

Last fall I had the opportunity to visit the province of Abruzzo as part of a group, touring this undiscovered gem in an iconic Fiat 500, better known as the Cinquecento. Having visited Italy many times, touring in a late model rental car, the Cinquecento gave me a unique, unhurried perspective of Italy at its best.

Following the Abruzzo tour, my companion Susan and I decided to spend a few additional days in Tuscany. There we were able to locate a classic car touring company--with over 30 vintage Italian, British, French, and German roadsters--who put us behind the wheel of the equally-iconic Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Over the next three days we explored Tuscany, the museums of Florence, the Siena countryside, and Cortona, best known as the setting of "Under the Tuscan Sun" on our own.

Finally, after arriving at the Hotel San Simeone in the village of Rocca d'Orcia in Val d'Orcia at dusk, we were able to relax. The hotel, once part of an abbey, was just about ready to close for the season so we had the place to ourselves and walked a short distance to have dinner. We were unprepared for what awaited us in the morning.

It was at breakfast, surveying the 180-degree view of the Val d'Orcia from the hotel terrace, that it came to me: What a glorious way to introduce car enthusiasts to the splendor of Italy! As Susan and I discussed the possibilities, an idea was hatched. Why couldn't Automotive Traveler host an escorted classic-car tour of Tuscany and Abruzzo?

When we returned to the US, we researched the region. With colleagues on the ground in Italy--Nicky Pellicciotta and Leonardo Di Flaviis and their organization Sapori e Colori d'Abruzzo (literally translated the tastes and colors of Abruzzo)--we developed an itinerary that would be certain to please, no matter how many times one had visited Italy. First, except for the cost of airfare from your gateway city to Rome, everything will be included: the car, fuel, and insurance, attractions and activities, top-tier hotels, and of course the exceptional food and wine of both regions. Unless you want to buy souvenirs for the less fortunate back home, there will be no reason to take out your wallet from the moment you arrive in Rome until your departure at trip's end.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Sunday, March 29

Arrive in Rome after an overnight flight from the US. Hospitality set up in a lounge at the airport waiting for the last guests to arrive, then transfer to the Hotel Villa San Pio in Rome to relax and for the group's first dinner together.

Day 2 - Monday, March 30

Breakfast at the hotel, review of the day's itinerary, an orientation for each driver with the car selected, then it's on to Abruzzo. First stop, for lunch, and a cable car ride to the Hotel Campo Imperatore where Mussolini, held by Italian partisans, was rescued by German commandos in World War Two. After eating it's on to Abruzzo and the Villa Danilo, our base of operations for the next five nights.

Day 3 - Tuesday, March 31

The highlight of the first full day in Abruzzo will be a visit to the medieval castle at Roccascalegna with a honey-tasting session under the castle and lunch in a local agriturismo to sample rustic and simple Italian cuisine. Arriving back at the hotel, there will be a pasta-making demonstration where the fresh pasta will be served with a variety of local recipes.

Day 4 - Wednesday, April 1

Italian gastronomy at its finest starting with an invigorating drive to Fossacesia followed by lunch on the famed Trabocco, on a pier over the sea. The afternoon's drive will be punctuated by visits to sample local olive oil, the Masciarelli estate for an exclusive wine tasting, followed by a visit to Guardiagrele to taste its famous Three Mountain pastry. Dinner that evening will be light, pizza back at the hotel.

Day 5 - Thursday, April 2

Early morning truffle hunt followed by a drive through rural Abruzzo to Pescocostanzo for a truffle-flavored lunch at the famed La Corniola. The afternoon will be low-key with an excursion to the Rio Waterfalls in Borrello. To insure that everyone can enjoy the evening's festivities, a van will transfer the guests for a 30-minute drive to an agriturismo in Roio del Sangro, Il Mulino di Roio, for dinner.

Day 6 - Friday, April 3

The final full day in Abruzzo is at leisure, with no scheduled group activities. Guests will be free to take advantage of complementary spa treatments at the hotel, a round of golf, in Miglianico, independent shopping, or an escorted tour of the Pescara circuit, public roads that were used for the 1957 Italian Grand Prix. (At 16 miles it was the longest course ever used for Formula One up to that time.)

Day 7 - Saturday, April 4

After an optional sunrise automotive-photography instruction session, the group will embark for the trip to Tuscany. Normally a direct five-hour drive, the tour will explore the back roads of Abruzzo, Umbria, and on to Tuscany with lunch at a traditional trattoria along the way. After visiting Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, the group will arrive at the spectacular Hotel San Simeone at dusk. The group will freshen up before walking to dinner near the hotel.

Day 8 - Sunday, April 5

After the long day's drive from Abruzzo to Tuscany, driving will be a secondary consideration on day eight as it is only a two-hour drive north to Florence. There, guided by Nicky, the group will start at the Duomo and absorb as much as possible of one of the world's greatest art cities in one day. Lunch will be on the main square, and, weather permitting, the drive back to the hotel will provide a spectacular Tuscan sunset. Taxis will transport the group to the Osteria al Giardino in nearby Montalcino for dinner.

Day 9 - Monday, April 6

With the taste of the previous evening's wine still familiar, this day will be spent visiting a number of the area's wineries before heading north to Siena for lunch. The return route will pass through Montepulciano and Pienza before arriving at a local kitchen for the tour's second cooking seminar before dinner where again, the group will be able to savor its own efforts.

Day 10 - Tuesday, April 7

What would a trip to Tuscany be without a visit to the historic city of Pisa, home of its landmark leaning tower? Lunch will be at Osteria dei Cavalieri, which tripadvisor.com's members rank as the top restaurant in Pisa. The trip back to the hotel will be primarily along the Mediterranean coast making for a very full day's travel with the promise of another spectacular Tuscan sunset on the return trip.

Day 11 - Wednesday, April 8

The final full day on the ground for the group in Italy (optional post tour excursions can be arranged, including extension of the classic car rental) with a spectacular drive on the backroads from Castiglione d' Orcia back to the Hotel Villa San Pio in Rome and a farewell dinner in the shadows of the Vatican where everyone can share memories and exchange contact information to stay in touch.

Day 12 - Thursday, April 9

Prearranged transfers to the airport for those returning to the US. For those staying on in Italy, Zephyrus, Automotive Traveler's vintage car supplier in Italy, can arrange additional tours of Rome or any other region of Italy.

Here's the 411

Imagine, 11 nights and 12 days on the ground in Italy, with everything included: Four-star accommodations in Rome, Abruzzo, and Tuscany, three gastronomic indulgences daily including wine, a vintage car, fuel, insurance, maps and guidebooks, all activities (tastings, cooking schools, truffle hunting), guides who know Italy but speak impeccable English, all transfers (including luggage valet services), gratuities, local taxes, and a complementary spa treatment for you and your significant other at the Villa. What do you think this package might cost? Can you believe that with the recent strengthening of the dollar against the Euro the package is priced at just $9,995 per couple? When we say all-inclusive, we mean it!

This price includes your choice, subject to availability, of a 1970 Citroen 2CV, 1971 Fiat 500, or a 1961 Triumph Herald Cabriolet. The only thing you need to add is airfare from your gateway city.

Car Upgrades

Optional car upgrades include a 1962 Alfa Giulietta Spider ($1180), 1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider ($1180), 1966 Alfa Romeo Duetto ($580), 1985 Alfa Romeo Duetto ($460), 1991 BMW 320i ($460), 1979 Ferrari 308GTS ($2500), 1963 Fiat 1500 Spider ($580), 1965 Fiat 1200 Spider ($460), 1967 Fiat 124 Spider ($460), 1980 Fiat 124 Spider ($460), Innocenti 950 Spider ($460), 1972 Matra M530 MX ($580), MGA 1600 MK II ($1180), Morgan 4/4 Plus 4 ($1180), 1975 Peugeot 304 Cabriolet ($460), 1971 Porsche 914 Targa ($650), a 1976 Porsche 550 replica ($1600), 1984 Porsche 911S Targa ($650), 1973 Triumph Spitfire ($460), and a 1974 Volkswagen Maggiolone Cabriolet ($460). If you want to drive two different cars, switching upon arrival in Tuscany, please inquire for a specific quote.

When Are We Going?

The date? This March, with guests arriving at Rome's Fiumicino International Airport on Sunday, March 29th where you will be met by the Automotive Traveler team for a direct transfer via luxury motor coach to the Hotel Villa San Pio in Rome, about 45 minutes away.

More Information

Interested in more information or have questions? Contact Automotive Traveler for all the details. To insure a completely personalized experience, the tour is limited to just six couples and as of January 21, just four positions remain open. If you've always wanted to experience a drive like you've read about in magazines like Classic and Sports Car, Motor Trend, or Car, living the life of an automotive journalist for 10 full days, here's your chance. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a great way to celebrate an important occasion, or to experience the history, splendor, and tastes of Italy in a unique way, from behind the wheel of a classic Italian, German, British, or French roadster.

Join us for the drive of a lifetime.