Have you always dreamed of spending
time in the Tuscan countryside enjoying great food and wine, exploring quaint
villages and shops, creating photographs that are as breathtaking as you can
ever imagine? Well this trip is for you, we will be joined by Elizabeth &
Trey Homan for that trip of a lifetime, or if you have been with us before, the
next trip of a lifetime! Attendees have raved about our past adventures and we
have raised the bar even more this year! Here is a look at what we have
planned, so get ready to have all of your senses provoked like never before.
We start our adventure at Agriturismo
Nerbona, which will be our home base for the week, located in the beautiful
village of Colle Val d'Elsa. Arrive in
the heart of Tuscany by 3pm on the first
day to get settled in. We will be there to welcome you and show you to your
room. At 7pm, we will meet for a wine
reception followed by an authentic Italian dinner right at the villa. Spend the
evening getting to know each other, share wine over a beautiful sunset and get
ready for your week to remember!
Day two will
take us out on our first adventure. We will have transportation depart from the
villa to take you to the San Galgano Monastery where you can wander, take
pictures, work with the Homans and Behnkes on your portrait skills or pretend
it is 1432AD and just take it all in. From there, we will depart for Siena, where
you can spend the day in this historic center of Tuscany. From the Piazza del
Campo to the winding, hilly streets you can shop, enjoy the gelato and the
people. Home to the famous Palio di Siena horse race, this city has the
architecture that screams Italia! Then in the evening, we will meet for a cooking
class for all that is also your dinner. The fun of this event is not to be missed,
not to mention the wine!
After yesterdays long day, we will not
depart the villa until about 11am on day
three, and take the train into Florence. This is a day on your own in
Florence to enjoy shopping, the Uffizzi or Michaelangelo Museums, the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Boboli
Gardens and other sites. We will arrange
a fantastic dinner in Florence for all that will be a memorable event. We will
return after dinner via the train and we will arrange transportation back to
the villa. For those who want to do a
sunrise portrait workshop, we will make that happen today before we leave for
Florence if you are interested.
The halfway
point, day four, of the adventure
will take your breath away, relax for the two hour ride down to Umbria. We will be visiting two of our
favorite towns, Buonreggio and Orvieto. We will first take the bus to the magical
Buonreggio which really is even prettier than its pictures show it to be. Hike
the half mile bridge to this land-locked island in the middle of something that
looks like the grand canyon. Check out the restaurants there for snacks or an
early lunch on your own. Grab some amazing pictures from all angles. Then it's on
to Orvieto, one of our favorite towns in Italy, in Umbria near the Tuscan
border. Great shopping, an underground tour not to be missed and lots of great
places to sip wine, enjoy lunch or whatever your heart leads you to. You are on
your own for dinner with tons of places to pick from. After dinner you can stroll
this vibrant town until 10:00pm, then the bus will get us back around midnight.
It's a full day, but well worth the time.
Day five will
feature a trip to nearby San Gimignano, known by many who travel to Tuscany as
their favorite day trip destination. Check out the sights, the people and the
food and wine. You will have until early afternoon to visit this walled city at
which time we will head out for an incredible visit to Tenuta Torciano, the
world famous wine school. There you will sample a number of incredible wines
from Chiantis to Super Tuscans and enjoy a spectacular lunch that is included while learning about wine. After a
late lunch, we will then head back to the villa to relax. That evening you can prepare your own dinner
in your villa or you can head out to a local eatery and immerse in the Italian
culture of Tuscany.
Day six is a option
day for all, you can choose what you want to do. If you are wanting to kick
back, you can stay at the villa all day, we'll make sure the wine is stocked
for you! Hit the pool, play games or take a trip into town on your own to
explore. For those that are still wanting to tour the countryside, we will have
a group take off for both Montalcino and Montepulciano where you can wander the
streets, do some shopping or a wine tasting where Brunello wines are king! Later
that evening, we'll have some fun events planned at the villa, with a fun cookout
featuring chef's Trey and Bert at around 7pm to end the day. (There will be evening portrait Sessions for
anybody who would like to have one done by Cindy and Elizabeth)
On day seven, we will be touring Pisa and Lucca. We will go to Pisa in
the morning, tickets to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa will be provided. Have
lunch in Pisa on your own then we will head to the old city center of Lucca to
wander and shop before our return to the villa. Our final dinner will be at the
villa at 8pm where we can share our stories, drink wine and chill out together.
There will be some special activities for all of us to enjoy that last evening
together.
The final day together will see us all enjoying breakfast at the villa
before getting packed up to depart by 10am, our checkout time, to travel home or move on to your next destination.
The Homans will be hosting an
optional two days in Cinque Terra preceding this workshop as an extra bonus if
you are interested! The Behnkes will be moving on to the south of France
afterwards for a family wedding, if
anybody is interested in traveling that way let us know, no tour just good
traveling company!
FAQ
Where should I fly to?
The Florence airport is less than 60 minutes away and closest to our
villa. There are also flights to Pisa (75 minutes) and Rome (3 hours). There
are buses and trains to take you to Poggibonsi where we can pick you up. There
are also taxis and shuttles available, we can help with information on that.
What is included in the package?
You will receive a welcome package when you arrive that will include two
bottles of wine, snacks and some goodies too. All transportation on our
scheduled trips, once you arrive at the villa, is included as well as
refreshments on the bus. All breakfasts at the villa each morning are included.
Five dinners, two wine tastings (one includes lunch at wine school) and all
entrance fees to San Galgano Monastery, Leaning Tower of Pisa and your train
ticket to/from Florence are also included. For those wanting a special portrait
done while in Italy, we will provide that also.
Do I need travel insurance?
We strongly recommend at least trip cancellation insurance. Once you
register, we are responsible for all expenses and refunds are not give, less
than 120 days out. This insures you will be covered if you need to cancel.
www.allianz.com is one insurance company we have used
What is best way to pay for things in Italy?
We recommend you check your credit card company on foreign transaction
fees and your bank policies on debit card purchases. We always use the ATM
machines at Italian banks for the best way to get cash. Most purchases, we use
our credit card for the safety it provides.
What are VAT taxes?
Value added tax is charged in Italy, usually over 20% on purchases. If
you make a purchase, especially a larger one, ask the clerk for a refund form
to be filled out. You can then get your tax refunded at the airport before you
fly home.
What documents are required to go to Italy?
Your passport it all you will need. If it expires less than six months
before your trip, check to see if it is OK to use it or renew it before you go.
There are no visas or other documents required.
Can I rent a car in Italy?
It is very similar to here in the USA. There is a mandatory insurance
added and you would be best to add full coverage since most USA insurers do not
cover you outside of the United States.
What is cellular service and wifi like in Italy?
Again, similar to USA, in fact we are amazed that cell service is good
even in the hills and tunnels. We suggest checking with your carrier for
international plans before you go. The villa has wifi and there are hotspots in
many cities.
