Rome * Umbria * Tuscany * Venice With WWNO New Orleans Public Radio October 18-28, 2017

Transcription

1 Flavors and Sounds of Bella Italia Rome * Umbria * Tuscany * Venice With WWNO New Orleans Public Radio October 18-28, 2017 You may have the universe if I may have Italy. Giuseppe Verdi Buongiorno! Join WWNO New Orleans Public Radio, and a like-minded group of curious travelers for a journey rich in the art, architecture, food, wine, and music of la bella Italia. Italy owns an astonishing thirty percent of the world s cultural heritage. Fine arts, architecture, food, wine and design are some of the best known treasures, but for many, it is the music of Italy s great composers that they hold most dear. Together we will explore ancient Rome and Tuscan hill towns, sip fine wines and sample mouth-watering cheeses. Our custom journey also includes an in-depth look at a new project to protect the city of Venice from the threat of rising seas and frequent flooding. Don t miss out. Space is limited.

2 JOURNEY AT A GLANCE Fly to Italy 2 Nights Rome 2 Nights Orvieto, Umbrian Hill Town 3 Nights Montecatini, Tuscan Spa Town 3 Nights in Vivaldi's Venice MUSIC, FOOD, ART HIGHLIGHTS! A splendid Vivaldi concert in a Baroque church in Venice Behind the scenes in Puccini s home town of Lucca A tour of La Fenice Opera House in Venice Cheese, wine and balsamic vinegar tastings with the producers Three nights in the ancient hill town of Montecatini Private tours of the museums of Florence Excursions to the towering Tuscan hill towns of Lucca and Montepulciano An in-depth look at MOSE: A new project intended to protect the city of Venice from rising seas and frequent flooding An interesting group of art, food and wine lovers INCLUDED IN YOUR JOURNEY Travel with staff from WWNO New Orleans Public Radio Fully guided by an expert Earthbound Expeditions program director Charming palaces, historic, restored abbeys and four star hotels chosen to offer you the full flavor of Italy A 48 hour ferry pass in Venice Private guided museum tours by local experts Transportation aboard an air-conditioned mini coach All breakfasts, plus 9 multi-course meals featuring regional specialties served in local bistros and neighborhood restaurants All entrances as listed in your itinerary Mouth-watering wine, balsamic vinegar and cheese tastings with the producers Gratuities for your driver, guide and local guides Entertaining Italian lessons en route City and regional maps Pre-trip educational reading/video and packing lists Alumni appreciation discounts applied toward future expeditions An interesting group of like-minded fellow travelers

3 TRIP FACTS 11 Days/10 Nights (not including air travel) *$4,350 per person double occupancy land (20-29 guests) $995 single supplement Journey begins in Rome on October 18 Journey ends in Venice on October 28 *Save $250. See below for details. $200 small group comfort charge applied for guests. GROUP AIR: $ on Delta from New Orleans via JFK airport. Taxes, fees and airport transfers in Italy are included. NOT INCLUDED: Airfare, alcoholic beverages with meals, any meals not mentioned, room/mini-bar service, gratuities for hotel staff, travel insurance, items of a personal nature and anything not listed in the Included in your Journey section above. RESERVATIONS: Please call Earthbound Expeditions or visit us online. A $500 deposit is required to secure your space. An additional $200 is required if opting for group air. Deposits are fully refundable for 60 days from the processing date or 90 days prior to departure, whichever comes first. Deposits made 90 days prior to a trip departing are not refundable. A $75 per person processing fee applies to all cancellations. * S A V E $ (1) Alumni save $100 (2) Pay your final balance by check and save $100 (3) Reserve by April 15, 2017 and save $50

4 Y O U R C U L I N A R Y C L A S S I C A L J O U R N E Y B E G I N S Day 1: October 17 - Depart the USA for Bella Italia Day 2: October 18 - All Roads Lead to Rome True to the adage all roads lead to Rome, our journey begins in the capital of Italy. If you love ancient history, colorful markets and world class museums, you will surely fall in love with Rome. Bursting with ancient ruins, Baroque masterpieces, Renaissance treasures and the infinite hum of Vespas, the Eternal City is chaos perfected. After checking into our centrally located hotel we ll meet our host and guide for an evening welcome feast. Sleep in Rome (D) Day 3: October 19 - Enjoy a Day in Rome This morning, we set out on a stroll across what was at one time ancient Rome. Our journey on foot will include stops at the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and finally, lunch will be in the famous La Carbonara on the Campo di Fiori (Rome s Flower Market). In the late afternoon you are free to explore Rome at your own leisurely pace. Some may wish to visit the Vatican. Your guide will be available to assist you with plans. Sleep in Rome (B, L)

5 Day 4: October 20 - The Wine Route of Orvieto Classico This morning we say arrivederci to Rome and make our way north to Umbria. En-route to our palace home in Orvieto we ll stop at a winery to sample some fine Orvieto classicos. We ll check into our hotel, located in the very heart of the ancient hill town, later this afternoon. Join locals for the evening passeggiata (stroll) before joining your host and guide for dinner and a cooking class in an ancient Etruscan cave. Sleep in a palace in Orvieto (B, L, D) Day 5: October 21 - Etruscan Caves and Ancient Hill Towns In the 8 th century BC, the Etruscans settled the hill towns of Civita di Bagnoreggio and Orvieto. On these parched rocky fortresses they founded Italy s first cities. The Romans called these first settlers the "Etruschi," or those who live on hills. This morning we set off to walk through Italy s grand canyon to the town of Civita di Bagnoreggio. Civita is a traffic-free community that can only be reached by footbridge. Today, fewer than 30 people call the village home. Your reward for walking 40 minutes (up and down) is freshly made bruschetta toasted over an open fire in an Etruscan cave. Wear your most comfortable walking shoes today! Not up for a walk? There is a café in Bagnoreggio where you can relax and enjoy a cappuccino and lunch. Upon our return to Orvieto you are free to sample some of the many dishes in a local trattoria. Sleep in a palace in Orvieto (B) Day 6: October 22 - Towering Hill Towns of Tuscany This morning we ll make our way to one of Tuscany's most celebrated hill towns, Montepulciano. After lunch, we ll stop to taste the fruit of the Sangiovese grape at a nearby winery and then make our way to Pienza for a pecorino cheese tasting with a local producer. Our journey continues as we drive deeper into Tuscany to the land of Puccini. Sleep in Montecatini (B, L)

6 Day 7: October 23 - In Pursuit of Puccini Puccini was born Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini in Lucca in Tuscany, in He was one of nine children of Michele Puccini and Albina Magi. The Puccini family was established in Lucca as a local musical dynasty. Puccini was given a general education at the seminary of San Michele in Lucca, and then at the seminary of the cathedral. In 1880, at the age of 21, Puccini composed his Mass, which marks the culmination of his family's long association with church music in his native Lucca. Today, we ll walk in Puccini s footsteps by visiting the very home where Puccini was born, enjoying an opera recital dedicated to his works and finally, ending our day with a visit to the villa, Torre del Lago were Puccini spent his final days. Sleep in Montecatini (B, L) Day 8: October 24 - Day in Florence or Soak up the Waters at a Famous Spa Though often teeming with tourists, Florence is still well worth the intellectual and physical effort, for inside the city walls lies one of the world s greatest collections of paintings, architecture and sculpture. Simply said, the city contains the entire history of the Renaissance. Works by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Brunelleschi and their fellow masters sit side by side in Florence s world renowned galleries. If you have not already spent time in Florence, we suggest that you join us for a full day dedicated towards art, history, architecture and yes, food! Or, relax like Verdi once did and enjoy the world famous spas located in the town of Montecatini. Note: Thermal waters are the treasure of Montecatini: in fact, spas were built around them. You can both drink the water of the Terme di Montecatini or do spa treatments from massages to mud baths, saunas to beauty treatments. There are nine thermal centers immersed in the green of the extensive thermal park. Finally, in terms of architecture, the spas of Montecatini are a great example of open-air Art Nouveau that is not-to-be-missed! Sleep in Montecatini (B) Day 9: October 25 - North to Romantic Venice Bursting with Baroque cathedrals, outdoor markets, islands and piazzas, Venice is the perfect place to conclude our culinary and musical journey of Italia. Home to Casanova, Vivaldi and Marco Polo, Venice was the single most powerful city state in 13 th century Europe. With an economy equal to that of France it is no wonder Shakespeare located his merchants in Venice. This evening join your guide, host and fellow travelers for a Venetian feast fit for Casanova himself. Sleep in the heart of Venice in a restored old abbey (B, D)

7 No man is lonely while eating spaghetti: It requires so much attention. Christopher Morley Day 10: October 26 - In Vivaldi s Footsteps To Market, To Market! Our day begins with a fascinating tour of the Rialto market and the Piazza San Marco with our local guide. These are the very streets where Vivaldi and Marco Polo used to stroll. Together we ll learn why Venice was one of the great centers for the culinary arts in the 15 th, 16 th and 17 th centuries. This evening: an optional performance of Don Giovanni at La Fenice, the restored 225-yearold opera house of Venice. Whether this will be your first opera or your fiftieth, it will be an unforgettable night of music, drama, and grandeur. Tickets range from $80 to $200. Sleep in the heart of Venice in a restored old abbey (B, L) Day 11: October 27 - The Waterways of Venice This morning we set out to learn about the MOSE flood barrier project, an ambitious endeavor to control the flow of water into Venice. This presentation has been specially arranged for this trip, because New Orleanians, like Venetians, understand the pleasures and perils of life close to the sea. Now that you have gotten to know Venice a bit, this afternoon is yours to explore on your own. We can suggest hopping a ferry to Murano or Burano, visiting La Fenice opera house, walking about the historic Jewish ghetto or the Venetian Arsenal. You may wish to climb the towering campanile (bell tower) for a spectacular view of the city. The day is yours to do as you please, or for embracing the Italian notion of Dolce far Niente the sweetness of doing nothing! Meet your host and guide early this evening for a farewell feast followed by a concert featuring the best known composer of Venice, Antonio Vivaldi! Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, a prolific composer of concertos and choral music, and best known for a series of familiar violin concertos, The Four Seasons. Sleep in the heart of Venice in a restored old abbey (B, D)

8 Day 12: October 28 - Return home with a lifetime of memories! Arrivederci tutti! Whether you stay on to see more of Venice, or return to the US, we wish you a very safe and pleasant journey. Music lovers, book your tickets to Don Giovanni! Teatro La Fenice, founded in 1792, is the opera house of Venice. It is one of the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre and in the history of opera as a whole. Especially in the 19th century, La Fenice ( The Phoenix ) became the site of many famous operatic premieres at which the works of several of the four major bel canto era composers Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi were performed including Verdi s La Traviata! Its interior is an architectural marvel, especially as the hall has been destroyed by fire three times. It was most recently devastated in 1996 and reopened in RESERVATIONS & QUESTIONS ~ J O U R N E Y D E T A I L S S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E ~