Escapes in 2011
1) Assisi, Artisans & Artichokes - Women Only
When:
Monday, May 2 - Monday, May 9
Where:
Assisi, Italy
Price:
$1700 per person/double occupancy
Accommodation in a beautiful agriturismo.
What's Included:
- 7 nights accommodation with ensuite bath
- 7 breakfasts, three dinners including wine
- Pino’s Tour with van transportation
- Cooking class with Letizia Mattiacci
- Visit to ceramics and textile workshops
- Personalized support: where to go and what to do.
Guests are responsible for airfare, ground transportation, lunches, 4 dinners, car rental and trip insurance.
2) Tuscan Vineyards & Villages in the Val D'Orcia
When:
Saturday, May 21 - Saturday May 28
Where:
Pienza, Italy, in the region of Tuscany
Price:
$2250 per person/double occupancy
Accommodation in an elegant villa, 5 kilometers from Pienza.
What's Included:
- 7 nights accommodation with ensuite bath
- 7 breakfasts, 3 dinners including wine
- Art class with Elizabeth Cochrane of Montisi
- Winery and village tour with Pino Teresi, including van transportation
- Cooking class at the villa
- Balsamic vinegar tasting in Pienza
- Visit to Belsedere Cheese farm
- Under The Tuscan Stars Party
Guests are responsible for airfare, ground transportation, lunches, 4 dinners, car rental and trip insurance.
Payment Details for All Tours:
A $400 per person deposit is required at the time of booking. The balance is due 90 days before the beginning of your week with us. Payments are made by personal or cashier's check, payable in US dollars.
Cancellation Fees:
- 91 + days (from the first day of the trip): $200/person
- 61 - 90 days: 25% of the total price
- 31 - 60 days: 50% of the total price
- 0 - 30 days: 100% of the total price
Cancellation fees must apply regardless of the reason. We strongly recommend travel insurance. You can compare rates and purchase travel insurance online at www.insuremytrip.com.
Pino's Tour:
Included each week is a fabulous tour with our guide of 10 years, Pino Teresi. Pino taught in an agricultural school for many years, grows his own vines, and is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the Italian land and culture. We can't imagine a tour without him!
Art With Elizabeth:
During the Tuscany tour, you will enjoy a casual art class at the villa with Liz Cochrane. She has been painting in this region for over 12 years and her work is in private collections around the world. She's great fun and you will have a personal work of art to take home! We'll visit her studio in Montisi, too.
Transportation:
As public transportation in the Assisi and Pienza area is minimal, it is necessary for you to have a car. You will be surprised at how easy it is to drive in these areas, and how little traffic you will encounter on the back roads. You'll enjoy taking daytrips to Cortona, Siena, Deruta for pottery, Montepulciano, Gubbio, and other places of interest.
I recommend Auto Europe, an umbrella company for Hertz, Avis, Budget, etc., and Aesse Car Rental, located across the street from the train station in Chiusi. Links to these agencies are on my Links page.
Activity Level:
We have hosted guests of all ages during the past 9 years. Those who have enjoyed their week with us the most are fit and active. The Italian tile floors and stone staircases are worn and uneven after centuries of use. The charming hill towns in the area are, well...hilly! We do a lot of walking to justify consuming lots of the wonderful pasta and gelato (ice cream)! But of course your time is your own. If you decide to sit by the pool all week and enjoy the beautiful views and the singing of the birds, with a glass of wine in one hand and a book in the other, that's fine!
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So...this is it. This is the Italy I love. Timeless villages in the beautiful countryside with a picture-perfect view at every turn. History, art, and inspiration a part of daily life. You will have the experience you choose. For those who have toured Italy before, it may be a respite from the frenzy of the cities; and for others, a gentle introduction.
What I wish for you is to make a little piece of Italy your own. Its luminous energy, its sounds, tastes, and vistas - so much has remained the same for centuries. There is heart-restoring tranquility here and a peaceful spirit. I hope you'll join us!
Gail Hecko
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