News Articles
Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours wins Best Food & Wine Holidays from Italian State Tourist Board 2009 Operators' Awards — Posted on: 19/03/2010
At the inaugural Award Ceremony to recognise the best in tourism to Italy held in London on 18 March 2010 and hosted by the Italian State Tourist Office, Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours were voted best Wine & Food Tour Operator to Italy for 2009.
This is the culmination of nearly 20 years of operating innovative, creative and exciting wine tours throughout Italy, from North to South. Our wine tours programme to Italy includes our expert led wine tours in Piemonte, Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily and Friuli; gourmet tours in Piemonte and Emilia Romagna, and our new vineyard walk in Piemonte and our superb programme of wine and opera in Milan. Verona, Venice and Lucca.
Italian Programme Manager, Cindy-Marie Harvey said “We are very grateful to our wine making colleagues throughout Italy for the special welcome that they extend to our clients and the wonderful tastings that we receive – their hospitality to our Italian wine loving clients is reflected in this award”.
This award, following on our Best Brochure to France, (not just for wine tours), recognises Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours as the leading niche wine tours specialist.
Piemonte Vineyard Walk
6 - 12 May 2012
Enjoy the full spectrum of Piemontese wines ranging from the frothy Moscato d’Asti, to the serious wines from the Nebbiolo grape; the powerful Barolo and the elegant Barbaresco. Piemonte is a beautiful region of rolling count…
The Great Wine & Food of Sicily
22 - 30 September 2012
Sicily has long been an Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours ‘Classic’ wine holiday and this up-dated and revised itinerary visits Etna; features the fascinating cities of Syracuse, Palermo and Marsala and, as always on an Arbla…
Trentino & Alto-Adige
27 May - 1 June 2012
This wonderful tour in the shadow of the Dolomites northeastern Italy visits the Trentino and Alto Adige regions to taste their great wines.
We start in style near Verona, with lunch at Serego Alighieri, a leading producer …
Verona Opera & Wine
11 - 15 July 2012, 18 - 22 July 2012
Journey through the wine villages of Valpolicella and on the shores of Lake Garda by day, and experience the glamour of world-class Opera performed in a magical setting by night. You will be tasting the smooth, cherry like Valp…
Classic Tuscany
8 - 12 October 2012
A wonderful blend of respect for tradition and a determined attitude to increasing quality makes Italy one of the most exciting wine regions of the world, and nowhere more so than Tuscany. On this tour we’ll visit those estate…
Gourmet Emilia-Romagna
27 - 31 October 2012
Parma Ham, vintage Balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano are just a few of the culinary delights you will discover and learn more about on this fabulous Gourmet tour based in the region of Emilia Romagna.
Emilia – Roma…
Gourmet Piemonte: Truffle Hunting & the Slow Food Festival
24 - 28 October 2012
Experience truffle hunting in the Piemontese countryside; taste wines from our personal selection of the pioneering Barolo wine estates; sample chocolates of Turin; visit the Slow Food’s flagship trattoria in Bra plus visit t…
Independent Opera, Puccini Festival
9 - 12 August 2012
This independent Opera holiday is based in the lovely Tuscan town of Lucca, and includes the Puccini festival on the lake-side at Torre del Lago.
Most years since 1930, a stage has been set up by the Massaciuccoli Lake to ho…
Opera at the Verona Festival
22 June - 2 September 2012
Arblaster & Clarke offer tailor-made, unescorted breaks with your choice of Opera tickets to the great Roman arena which houses the annual summer Opera festival in Verona. We arrange accommodation in a comfortable central Vero…
Piemonte Wine & Truffles Vineyard Walk
7 - 13 October 2012
Enjoy the full spectrum of Piemontese wines on this vineyard walk, ranging from the frothy Moscato d’Asti, to the serious wines from the Nebbiolo grape; the powerful Barolo and the elegant Barbaresco. Piemonte is a beautiful …
Independent Opera, La Fenice, Venice
Departures throughout the year.
Arblaster & Clarke offer tailor-made, unescorted breaks all with first class Opera tickets to the great Italian Opera house La Fenice with hotel accommodation in central Venice 4* hotel within easy walking distance of the Opera…
La Scala in Milan Opera Breaks
Departures throughout the year.
Arblaster & Clarke offer independent tailor-made opera holidays with tickets to the classic Italian Opera house Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
La Scala is arguably the world’s…
Friuli, Istria & Slovenia
13 - 19 June 2011
This fascinating tour takes in three beautiful countries: Italy, Croatia and Slovenia. It combines the undiscovered wines of Istria in the north-west of Croatia, the world class whites of Friuli in Italy and the increasingly im…
Gourmet Istria
Departures throughout the year.
Istrians tend not so much to think of themselves as Italians, Croatians or Slovenes, more as Istrians first who happen to be Italian, Croatian or Slovene. The majority of Istria is in Croatia and that is where this tour is base…
Milan & Reggio Emilia Independent Opera Holiday
Contact us for dates.
Arblaster and Clarke are very pleased to offer this independent Opera holiday based in Reggio Emilia and Milan; with tickets for the wonderful Opera house of La Scala to see Russi…
Milan Wine & Opera - Small Group Tour
23 - 26 June 2011
Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours have been arranging Wine & Opera trips for around 17 years now, and since the reopening after major renovation of La Scala in 2004 , have offered a series of independent opera breaks to the city. …
Opera Holiday La Bohème at La Fenice Carnival 2011
Contact us for dates.
It is hard to overstate the historic importance of Venice’s opera house, La Fenice. Five of Verdi’s great operas including La Traviata were first perfomed here, and that was after its baroque heyday or when one great belcan…
Puglia, Southern Italy
10 - 15 October 2009
Puglia, the heel of Italy is Southern Italy’s powerhouse wine region. The production is more than Germany and almost as much as Australia. This may seem surprising but it is not new, Puglia has been producing a lot of good wi…
Rome Opera & Wine
30 July - 2 August 2009
Enjoy a performnce of Bizet’s Carmen, set amongst the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. This is a highly atmospheric, relatively small venue where productions are generally fairly traditional and performances are of high…
Southern Tuscany & Chianti Classico
18 - 23 October 2010
This fully revised Italian wine tour to Southern Tuscany & Chianti Classico encompasses two of Italy’s great classic wine regions.
We start with the cult wine region of Bolgheri on the coast in Southern Tuscany. Our base …
The Great Wines & Food of Northern Italy
16 - 22 October 2011
On this gastronomic wine tour we’ll discover, at source, many of Italy’s famous delicacies in the culinary heartland of Italy, Emilia-Romagna and Piemonte. Explore the wonderful food markets and enjoy great wines along with the…
The Great Wines of Piemonte
14 - 18 September 2009
Great Wines of Piemonte – this tour is available for private groups at any time, please call for a quote – the price below was based on a party of 20 and on 2009 rates – current rates will be higher and a smaller party size wil…
Tuscany in Harvest, small party tour
Contact us for dates.
With harvest in full swing in Tuscany at this time, the vineyards will be a hive of activity. This outstanding value tour gives you the excuse to get some Autumn warmth before winter! The vines on the gentle, cypress-tree dott…
Tuscany Wine Holiday
Contact us for dates.
Our charming four-star hotel is in Radda-in-Chianti, in the heart of the lovely Chianti region. From here we visit a hand-picked selection of the top Chianti wine estates to taste the traditional Chianti Classico, which at this…
Athens to Malta Wine Cruise 2010
11 - 20 July 2010
Introducing our 2010 Wine Cruise
Every year A&C offers a small ship cruise. We visit smaller harbours and stop for impromptu swims. You will get to know the crew and your fellow passengers and meet people from the host …
Campania & Naples in the Spring
26 - 30 March 2008
This new itinerary explores Campania, staying on the bay of Naples convenient for our wine visits here and in Naples itself. The viticultural heartland of Campania is just inland from the volcano of Vesuvius. Here we find the e…
Corsica & Sardinia
16 - 23 September 2007
Both the Corsicans and the Sardinians are fiercely independent mountain people, paradoxically living close to the the sea but having traditionally little to do with it. Over the years the inhabitants of these islands tended to …
Corsica, Italy & Croatia Wine Cruise
22 July - 1 August 2008
A luxury small ship Wine Cruise from Nice to Venice, with great food and wine. We sailed round Italy, calling in on Corsica, Sicily and the Croatia’s Dalmatian islands too. being on a smaller ship we were of course able to cal…
Florence Wine & City
6 - 9 November 2007
This unusual long weekend is based in the wonderful city of Florence, in an ideally situated hotel close to the banks of the River Arno and to the Boboli Gardens and Ponte Vecchio.
Close to the city are the beautiful rolling…
Gourmet Truffle Hunting
Contact us for dates.
For an unusual, enjoyable and informative short trip for all levels of staff – from junior sales teams to senior management why not consider a truffle hunting experience? No, we are not talking about the chocolate type of tru…
La Scala, Milan, Cosi Fan Tutte
14 - 17 February 2008, 29 October - 1 November 2008
This superb escorted tour features Opera at La Scala, Milan, arguably the greatest Opera venue in the world, (with 1st category tickets) and tastings of the great wines of Northern italy over superb meals in and around Milan.
…
Milan Private Opera Tour
Contact us for dates.
Client Incentive or Senior Management level reward
For a special thank-you to an opera-loving client, or key employee, this is a real treat – the rare opportunity to attend an opera at one of the world’s most renow…
Milan: Opera, Wine, Lakes & Gardens
Contact us for dates.
This spectacular tour is a feast for the senses, taking in great Opera, the wonderful, but little known wines of the Lombardy region, and the beautiful lakes and gardens of Northwest Italy.
On our first evening, we are privi…
New Year in Amalfi
29 December 2008 - 2 January 2009
The Arblaster & Clarke New Year tours are a great way to relax after the hard work of Christmas and to celebrate in a beautiful location. These holidays have long been an annual A&C tradition and are enjoyable, convivial breaks…
New Year in Lucca
30 December 2007 - 2 January 2008
This relaxing New Years break stays at the unspoilt Tuscan town of Lucca and includes visits to three of this regions top wine estates.
Lucca, Puccini’s birthplace, was an independent city-state until the nineteenth centur…
New Year in Turin
30 December 2009 - 2 January 2010
The Arblaster & Clarke New Year tours are a great way to relax after the hard work of Christmas and to celebrate in a beautiful location. These holidays have long been an annual A&C tradition and are enjoyable, convivial breaks…
Opera & Wine - Venice & Milan
Departures throughout the year.
At La Fenice the tour features Puccini’s Turandot with its great arias and complex orchestration. Turandot was in fact first performed at La Scala and here we have a magnificent production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. Wagner…
Ravenna, Urbino & The Marche
26 - 31 October 2008
On this fabulous wine holiday we visit Le Marche which nestles between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine mountains and has beautiful, unspoilt landscapes, dotted with many secret villages. One of the most dynamic of Italy’s win…
Slovenia & Friuli
7 - 12 July 2007
This tour combines the little known wines of Slovenia and the glorious whites of Friuli in Italy. We start in Slovenia’s picturesque capital city, Ljubljana, a small bustling University city. The river Ljubljanica runs throug…
Ultimate Tuscany
10 - 15 November 2007
This Ultimate Tuscany tour focuses on the greatest wine estates in Chianti, Montalcino and Bolgheri.
Here we will see the wonderful blend of respect for tradition and determination to achieve sublime quality which makes this o…
