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Italian Journeys with Isabella and Luigi Dusi |
| BACK TO TOURS 2007/2008 |
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Copyright:
L. & I. DUSI ITALY
in DEPTH Ancient
Cultures, Festivals, Opera & Village Life Today Preliminary
Itinerary 2008
Saturday
30 August to Friday 12 September 2008
13
nights in Italy Day
1. Arrival in Italy – Vicenza – Montagnana
Saturday 30 August: Your hosts, Isabella and Luigi Dusi, will meet you at Malpensa Milan airport and we’ll begin our adventure. Our destination today is the village of Montagnana, where we will stay 4 nights, but along our route lies Vicenza, home of the architectural genius Andrea Palladio. At Vicenza we’ll visit the Olympic Theatre, another of his stunning designs and stroll into the heart of Vicenza to see some of his most famous buildings. Your introduction to Italy and our tour starts today in this, the first of the regional cities we’ll visit, a little free time for you to enjoy a relaxing Italian pranzo (lunch) in a very Italian piazza.
Unlike
many Italian villages, Montagnana does not see a pilgrimage of visitors.
It is a village in which to experience the way of life of today’s
Italians outside of the tourist trail. Once we check into our rooms you’ll
be free to relax for the rest of the afternoon. We’ll gather this
evening for our welcome dinner.
Day
2. Montagnana – the Opera – Verona Sunday 31 August: Montagnana is one of the best preserved fortified military villages existing in Europe. A walk and talk with Isabella inside the walls, visiting the fortified gates and moat, as well as the Cathedral with a wonderful work by Veronese, will give you insight into life in this military compound a thousand years ago. We will enjoy a light late lunch at our hotel, and you may wish to enjoy a siesta, because our return to Montagnana will be late tonight. This evening is set aside for you to experience Opera under the Stars in a two thousand year old Roman amphitheatre. You will participate in a spectacular performance in a setting second to none.
Guests
who are not familiar with Opera will find the excitement, emotion and
drama a long remembered highlight. We’ll depart to Verona as it is
awakening after siesta. The piazza will be buzzing as guests arrive from
all over Europe and passeggiata, pass around, awaiting tonight’s
performance. Evening dress is optional. The majority of patrons dress in
smart casual style. You will be able to have a snack before the Opera.
Day
3. Verona – Italian friends Monday 01 September: After our late night at the Opera we’ll indulge in a very slow start this morning, giving you time to catch up on sleep. At Montagnana today we are awaited at the Trattoria of friends of your hosts. Bring a large appetite and your sense of humour, a delicious lunch at this Trattoria is an unforgettable experience.
This
afternoon will be our second, more leisurely visit, to a very different,
Verona; the sights, the shopping, the families and rulers, the history.
Most Italian cities, towns, villages celebrate their non-working weekend
as Sunday and Monday morning – their “working week” starts Monday
afternoon so, this afternoon, by the time we make our way across the
autostrada Verona will be awake!
The legend of Romeo and Guliette arose in Verona, but the city has
not always had a romantic history. We’ll visit the home of Guliette, and
the Gothic Tombs of the Scaligeri family, tyrannical rulers of Verona in
the 12th century. Overnight
***Hotel Aldo Moro, Montagnana. Lunch with wines included.
Day
4. Venice Tuesday
02 September: Today is devoted to the maritime republic of Venice. Many
visitors do not understand Venice. It is easy to be confused by the crowds,
confounded by the tourist stalls, distracted by the glass and disturbed at
the price of caffè. Even with a day at our disposal we can penetrate
these barriers and come away with an enduring impression of one of the
world’s unique, bizarre and fabulous cities. People may say: “Don’t
bother to go to Venice, it’s this, or its that…” but Venice is
everything….and to miss it is to miss something incredible. We’ll seek
to understand the power and penetration of this exciting city where you’ll
find the Basilica of Saint Mark, Palace of the Doge, the Rialto Bridge and
Piazza San Marco. Despite the sheer novelty of its improbable self, Venice
survives, and continues to attract visitors who adore the history as well
as its thousands of beckoning shops. On our return to the hotel you will
be free for the evening. Overnight ***Hotel Aldo Moro, Montagnana.
Day
5. Chianti – Siena –
San Gimignano Wednesday 03 September: Our destination at the end of the day is San Gimignano. Along our route, once we reach Tuscany, are some gems not to be missed, so although it means our arrival at our hotel will not be until evening, let’s make the most of our journey. We’ll travel south towards Florence on our way to an enchanting Chianti village where you’ll have time to explore, and then we’ll walk to a splendid wine cellar and you will be able to taste a variety of Chianti wines right where they are made. We are only a short distance from Siena which we’ll reach in time to visit the Cathedral and the frescoes by Pinturicchio. You will be able to visit the Campo where the annual horserace to win the Palio banner takes place twice a year.
This
evening we’ll dine early at a pizzeria in the Campo. As evening draws on
we’ll travel to San Gimignano and after checking into our rooms you’ll
be free to relax for the evening after a wonderful day. Overnight
***Hotel La Cisterna, San Gimignano.
Pizza Dinner
with wines included.
Day
6. San Gimignano –
Volterra Thursday 04 September: You are free to explore the village of San Gimignano until the early afternoon. The splendid architecture, well preserved medieval churches, art galleries, artisan boutiques and ceramists mean your free time will be thoroughly enjoyable as you wander among the cobbled streets and try one of the best gelati you’ll ever eat in Italy! In the afternoon Isabella will take you to the nearby village of Volterra.
Aside
from artisan skills in carving alabaster over the past two and a half
thousand years, Volterra rests on its Etruscan origins, a civilisation
which pre dated the Romans, and from whom the Romans learned many of their
skills. Our visit will help us understand the magnificence of this ancient
civilisation. Overnight
***Hotel La Cisterna, San Gimignano.
Day
7. Florence Friday
05 September: We have the whole day to understand what happened in
Florence centuries years ago which led to an incredible flowering of
man’s ability. Your morning includes pre booked entry to the Accademia
Gallery to see the sculpture work of Michelangelo, including the David,
and a pre booked entry to the Uffizi Gallery to see a selection of works
by masters such as Giotto, Cimabue, Piero della Francesca, da Vinci,
Botticelli and Michelangelo. Following an orientation walk you’ll be
free to follow your own
itinerary in Florence, perhaps a walk to Ponte Vecchio over the River
Arno, or to the San Lorenzo markets for some shopping. At the end of a
magnificent day we’ll gather and return to our hotel, and you will be
free for the evening. Overnight
***Hotel La Cisterna, San Gimignano.
Day
8. Cortona - Arezzo Saturday
6 September: Arezzo is our
home for the next 3 nights. Your time here will be another amazing
highlight of your tour, but on the way to Arezzo we are going to Cortona.
It is a frequently visited village yet maintains a friendly atmosphere and
it is home to one of Italy’s stunning works of art. You’ll have time
to explore after Isabella leads a visit to the Diocesan gallery where
we’ll view an Annunciation by Beato Angelico, also known as Fra
Angelico. When we reach Arezzo activities leading to the Joust of the Saracen will be underway. The tension is rising in Arezzo. You’ll hear the horses clip-clopping over the cobbles, the distant sound of trumpets and drums, and Quartiere members chanting – warning opposing Quartiere of their readiness to win the Joust on Sunday. We’ll take an orientation walk together.
Arezzo
is divided into four quarters, or Quartiere, each with its own colours,
emblem and team of jousters. This evening an official pre-joust dinner
will be held in each Quartiere to pray for victory and to wish the
jousters luck. Guests on Italy in Depth tours have enjoyed the thrill of
becoming an Honorary Member of a quartiere and this evening you will
receive your colours and sit down to dinner with hundreds of members of
our quartiere to pray for victory – and to dance, and chant and enjoy a
thoroughly Italian evening. Overnight
***Hotel Cavaliere Palace, Arezzo. Quartiere Dinner with wine included.
Day
9. Arezzo – The Joust of the Saracen Sunday 7 September: The annual antiques fair is held in the streets this very weekend, and hundreds of dealers in antiques, collectibles and bric-a-brac have arrived.
Today will be passionate and amazing! This is the one day in the year which arouses the passion of the Aretine and the streets will be abuzz with excitement. Pre-joust activities get underway from 7 am this morning. Jousters in medieval costume are summonsed by canon blast to present themselves ready for the joust. Each quartiere and their jousters, and the town bands, parade through the town to the stirring sound of trumpets and drums.
The
tension rises, the atmosphere is electrified, everyone is anxious, worried,
lest their jousters not win. Your seats have been reserved so that you can
witness this spectacular festival. The
Joust of the Saracen will leave you breathless, it is like nothing you
have ever witnessed. Jousters race into the Piazza on horseback, jousting
lance held firm and straight, with nerves of steel and incredible
precision, daring to do their best. After the joust you will be free to
mix with the locals and enjoy post joust celebrations. Overnight
***Hotel Cavaliere Palace, Arezzo.
Day
10. Montalcino Monday
8 September: Following the passion and excitement of the Joust of the
Saracen, we depart Arezzo this morning and travel across beautiful Tuscan
countryside to visit the hill top village of Montalcino, the home of your
tour hosts, where you’ll experience first hand, Italian village culture,
everyday life and local hospitality.
Often visitors are not privy to what really goes on in Tuscan villages. It is exceedingly hard to penetrate beyond the walls of stone. This is a unique opportunity to discover a village which, in thirty years, has risen from a state of poverty to become one of the richest in Tuscany.
On
our arrival Isabella will lead you on a walk, explaining the way of life,
the rituals, traditions and cultural identity of the citizens, which must
be understood if you wish to be accepted by the locals in a small
community such as this. We’ll sit down to an educative wine tasting of
Brunello di Montalcino, the famous wine which has saved the fortunes of
the village. Our tasting
completed, its now time for “pranzo” (lunch) and so, off to a
fabulous trattoria, to meet some dear friends and savour a selection of
their exquisite Montalcinesi dishes!
You’ll have time to do more exploring and enjoy the boutiques and
wine shops before we return to our hotel in Arezzo in the late afternoon/early
evening. Overnight:
***Hotel Cavaliere Palace, Arezzo. Wine tasting, Lunch with wine included.
Day
11. Orvieto – Frascati Tuesday 9 September: After our emotional experience of life in Montalcino the stunning town of Orvieto awaits. Built on a plateau at the top of an enormous outcrop of tufa rock, you can distinguish the Cathedral many kilometres distant, enshrining one of Christianity’s most important holy relics. Inside, the cycle of frescoes by Luca Signorelli are his finest work and definitely not to be missed. They impress us with the power of the medieval church. Orvieto is a centre for woodworking and ceramic production. Lunch today will be in a splendid restaurant in Orvieto.
This
afternoon we are on our way to Frascati, an intriguing town outside of
Rome, where we will stay for 3 nights. Patrician Roman families built
astonishing villas on these hills to allow them to escape the heat and
noise of the city, visible below in the distant haze. Frascati is a
delightfully Italian town far removed from the tourist trail…except for
those who come to buy crates of Frascati wine! By the time of the evening
passeggiata the wine visitors have gone, and we can participate in the
social rituals in the piazza of Frascati. Overnight
***Hotel Colonna, Frascati. Degustazione
Lunch with wine included.
Day
12. Grottaferrata – A Vineyard – Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps Wednesday
10 September: The villages around Frascati were inhabited by warring
tribes destined to become the founders of the magnificent Roman Empire.
We’ll visit Grottaferrata and a monastery, and then we’ll visit
friends in a vineyard nearby. Our host will walk us through the vineyard
and we’ll lunch and taste Frascati wine right where it is produced. In
the afternoon we’ll travel into Rome to visit Trevi Fountain and the
Spanish Steps. We’ll be in Rome tomorrow, but we will not have time to
visit this this area. This evening, meandering around this interesting and
animated Rome neighbourhood - you
can toss a coin into the Fountain
of Trevi. Overnight
***Hotel Colonna, Frascati. Vineyard lunch with
wine included.
Day
13. The Eternal City of Rome Thursday
11 September: We’ll set off early this morning and visit Saint Peter’s
Basilica and the Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican Museum. Making our way
around Rome using public transport and on foot, we’ll reach Piazza
Venezia, pause for a sandwich, and then walk to Capital Hill, designed by
Michelangelo, and amble through the archaeological ruins of the Roman
Forum, finishing our walk at the Coliseum, which we’ll enter. A bus will
take us to the Pantheon, Temple to all the Gods. You will be free for the
rest of the afternoon. If you wish to plan your own itinerary, you can
arrange a time to meet your tour leaders.
After a marvellous day in Rome we’ll return to our hotel and
prepare for our farewell dinner. Overnight
***Hotel Colonna Frascati. Snack lunch and
Farewell dinner with wine included.
Day
14. Departure Friday 12 September: Following an early breakfast guests will be delivered to Leonardo da Vinci, Airport, Rome. Please note that your tour hosts have no control over and take no responsibility for missed flights or failed travel connections for any reason whatsoever, including delays caused by traffic, weather, ticketing, customs or any other cause. You are advised to leave an adequate margin for flight and train connections. If the group airport arrival time does not coincide with your requirements you will need to make your own departure arrangements, at your expense. If you are staying in Rome following the tour, your tour hosts will be happy to help you organise your departure from Frascati into Rome. A train to Termini Railway Station in Rome takes around 40 minutes.
Your
Hosts in Italy: Luigi
and Isabella Dusi, your English and Italian speaking hosts, are your
personal tour hosts. Luigi is Italian by birth but grew up in Australia,
transferring to his homeland in 1994. His special interests include the
viticulture of Italy. Isabella grew up in Australia, and following their
transfer to Italy, has strengthened her interest in the history,
architecture and art of Italy. Isabella’s books
about the village of Montalcino, “Vanilla Beans & Brodo”
and “Bel Vino” are essential reading for those who seek to understand
Italy and Italians. You will find Isabella and Luigi to be informed and
friendly hosts who share their knowledge and time beyond your expectations.
Isabella’s informal walks and talks explaining history and traditions of
towns and villages is always a highlight. TOUR INCLUSIONS·
13 nights accommodation: 4 nights
***Hotel Aldo Moro, Montagnana; 3
nights ***Hotel Graziano, San Gimignano;
3 nights ***Cavaliere Palace Hotel, Arezzo;
3 nights***Hotel Colonna, Frascati.
Includes buffet breakfast each morning. Single supplements are
available but limited. Hotels have YET TO BE confirmed.
A finalised Hotel Schedule will be available with the final tour
itinerary ·
10 Meals
including 1 sandwich lunch as set out on the itinerary. Each meal includes
regional wines/water. There is no reimbursement for wines not consumed.
Meals not specifically listed as included on the itinerary are at your own
expense. Coffee and brioche refreshments on arrival are included. ·
SPECIAL
EVENTS: Admission and costs (with the exception of performances being
cancelled, altered or re-scheduled by the organizing authorities and
beyond any control of the tour operator) to :- ·
Opera
under the Stars at Verona. The Opera schedule at the time of our visit is
Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Aida’. Please note that the performance is at the
discretion of and under the control of the Verona Opera Board. There is no
refund for non- attendance, nor for cancelled performances. Tickets to the
opera are purchased many months in advance. ·
The
Joust of the Saracen with Reserved numbered seats, including admission and
pre joust Dinner in a Quartiere. ·
Entry
fees for all visits and tastings stated on the itinerary are included.
There is no refund if you choose not to attend any performance or event. ·
All
transport costs where local buses, trains or boats are required to effect
the above itinerary are included. There are no “extra” costs involved
as your tour, as set out on the itinerary, is fully inclusive. ·
One pick
up at Malpensa airport, Milan, on the morning of the tour commencement.
Travel throughout by air conditioned touring coach. One transfer to
Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome, on the final morning of the tour. Your
booking agent is aware of the specific and only times for pick up and
return to airports. It is your responsibility to ensure your travel plans
coincide with tour pick up and departure times. If your private travel
plans or flight connections mean you are unable to take advantage of
airport pick up and return services please make your own private
arrangements which will be at your expense.
Your hosts take no responsibility for missed flights due to traffic
problems, inclement weather or for any other reason. · Porterage: Boutique ***hotels do not maintain permanent porters. Please note that your hosts endeavour to arrange baggage delivery from coach to your room, and vice versa, but you may be required to handle your baggage from hotel foyer to room if porter staff is not available on our arrival or departure. It is essential that your baggage is on wheels and manageable, clearly labelled with a printed and visible name tag. If you are unable to manage your baggage please advise your tour hosts. Your main baggage will remain on the touring coach. Your hand baggage remains your responsibility at all times.
TOUR
PRICE: Euro 3980,00 per person, twin share, land only
EXCLUSIONS and INSURANCE
Travel Insurance – please note personal travel insurance is mandatory on all tours and it is essential for you to insure your travel and tour holiday at the time you make your booking in case of cancellation due to sickness or any other cause whatsoever. It is your responsibility to ensure you have adequate insurance and your attendance on tour will only be confirmed once you have signed and returned the Tour Operators Booking Form and Terms & Conditions to your booking agent. Visas and passports, meals other than those specifically included on itinerary, personal expenses, excess baggage, telephone, laundry, bar fridge, etc. and your own optional excursions and visits are all at your expense. Project
Travel International retains the right to make practical itinerary
alterations deemed necessary or for reasons outside their control. Any
such alterations are generally of a minor nature, however you are assured
of an equal quality tour in both value and content.
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