CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Raniero Campigotto, the owner of a mountain hut nearly 7,000 feet up in the Dolomites range, has resigned himself to the impossibility of serving dinner without having his guests jump up mid-fork through the polenta and grilled sausage and run outside.

They are trying to catch “enrosadira,” the term from a local language called Ladin for the stunning moment when the setting sun makes gray spires glow iridescent pink in this mountain range in northeastern Italy. Picture the jutting rock formations of the southwestern United States, substitute the desert floor with a sea of dark-green spruce forest, and you have what some will argue is the most breathtaking landscape in the Alps.

“I’ve always lived here,” said 43-year-old Campigotto. “But sometimes I stop in my tracks, enchanted by certain sunsets and certain dawns.”

Last summer, I returned to the area where I had spent my favorite childhood winter skiing breaks, this time for a combined hiking and driving visit along the Grande Strada delle Dolomiti, the Dolomites Great Road.

It stretches just south of the Italian-Austrian border for about 70 miles, starting at Cortina d’Ampezzo, a couple of hours north of Venice. Right before entering town, a road sign reads “Bon azeto,” welcome in Ladin, the ancient language spoken only by an estimated 30,000 inhabitants in the Dolomites.

The road then hikes right up to Campigotto’s Col Gallina “rifugio” (mountain shelter) at Falzarego Pass and eventually ends in Bolzano/Bozen in the autonomous and bilingual region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Sudtirol.

The highlight for me was a strenuous four-hour round-trip hike from Col Gallina to Rifugio Lagazuoi where, on its terrace at 9,000 feet, I devoured a heaping plate of tagliolini pasta with meat from the roe deer, a small regional species, while taking in a 360-degree view over the Dolomites’ most striking peaks and valleys.

To the east is the broad basin with swanky Cortina, Italy’s answer to Aspen and St. Moritz. The imposing peaks of the Sella Group rise to the west, carved into surreal shapes from the coral-reef-and-volcanic rock mixture that emerged millions of years ago to form the range. The Marmolada glacier glittered in the August sun to the south.

In the cheerful buzz of conversations in Italian and German at the communal outdoor tables, I suddenly realized that I have never seen a place where the majestic beauty of nature contrasts more with the tragic scratches of human folly.

The same trails where athletic mountaineers and fashion-conscious day-trippers with poodles in tow file up and down were carved by hand by the Austrian-Hungarian and Italian armies, which fought bitter trench battles here during World War I.

Less than a century later, mountain-lovers from the former enemies vie for position down improbable tunnels hewn through the sheer rock face to shoot only the perfect Alpine photo.

The sole animosity I witnessed was directed toward a pesky leash-less poodle that dangerously darted between legs on the steepest stretch of trail. (No, Prada-clad ma’am, I was not trampling your dog, I was nimbly trying to avoid falling down a ravine.)

Three generations ago, bloodshed marked the gain of each meter in the stalemated front line. Today, the trailhead parking lot, with license plates spanning the European Union from Portugal to Romania, is itself evidence of a borderless continent.

About halfway up the mountain from the Falzarego Pass to Lagazuoi, at the snow line past fragrant shrubby pines, tiny daisies and violets, hikers with flashlights and safety equipment can leave the main trail and go straight up the mountain through tunnels carved during the 1914-1918 Great War.

Tunnels, machine-gun nests and impossibly cramped living quarters are all part of the free “Museo all’aperto del Lagazuoi,” one of several World War I open-air museums in the area that provide a striking introduction to this forgotten history.

“People can experience firsthand what those soldiers suffered through,” Campigotto said. “We have a hard time walking up with a backpack, they went up armed carrying 90 pounds.”

On a cloudless summer day, it was indeed staggering to read on the many bilingual museum panels of men who shivered through subfreezing storms, hunkered down on the opposite side of a rock face in an improbable high-altitude standoff.

Even the Great Road was built for strategic reasons, but it is virtually impossible to visualize war among the bursts of red petunias cascading down wooden balconies in its merry villages dominated by onion-steeple churches.

Leaving the Falzarego Pass on SR48, the road precipitously descends into a deep valley, with walls of giant firs allowing a few glimpses of remote chalets, the ruined castle of Andraz and the pastel spires above, some towering above 10,000 feet.

Then it spools up an emerald meadow, bend after bend popular with bikers, to the Pordoi Pass, which at 7,346 feet allows another breathtaking panorama over the massifs all the way to the Cortina basin. On a late Sunday afternoon, a smattering of faithful walked up a narrow trail to a tiny stone church that looked doll-sized against the backdrop of the Marmolada glacier.

On the other side of the pass, SS48 traces Val di Fassa through resort villages like Canazei that are pure “Sound of Music” fantasy, with their whitewashed houses trimmed in blond wood. The Great Dolomites Road follows SS241 up one last, lower pass with wide views before coming down toward Bolzano/Bozen.

Guidebooks make much of the Lago di Carezza/Karersee as the last attraction before the city, but the pretty pond, visible only from a boardwalk, is a far cry from the splendor just left behind.

In fact, driving the last stretch of road is literally a comedown, mixed with the realization of how unique the Dolomites are.

There is plenty of mountain scenery ahead, and on this particular summer evening, I had dinner plans at Toblino castle, which sits in the middle of a lake surrounded by vineyards, a short drive down the autostrada.

But as the sun set in a golden summer dusk, I felt a distinct twinge of regret.

No more enrosadira for me, no more peaks that looked first like the rose marble along Venice’s canals and then as if a flame had been touched inside them.

I wished I were up at Col Gallina, where silverware must have been clattering down as people stampeded outside for one last look.

Day 1 ARRIVAL [D]
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Arrival in Rome and individual transfer to the hotel.
Meeting with Mr. Pietro at hotel in the evening for a welcome cocktail.
Welcome dinner at restaurant “L’Antica Pesa”.
Overnight at Hotel Regina Baglioni

Day 2 DISCOVERING CARAVAGGIO [B]
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and meeting the guide to enjoy a fabulous tour of
Rome.
Caravaggio is one of greatest genius of the Art History. Rome is the house
of most of his masterpiece. Discover six of his works while walking the
most beautiful roads in the heart of Roma. Visit the churches of San Luigi
dei Francesi, Santa Maria del Popolo and Palazzo Madama. Afternoon and
dinner at leisure.
Overnight at Hotel Regina Baglioni

Day 3 SACRO & PROFANO [B, D]
Monday, 10 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and meeting with the local guide to visit the Vatican
and its breathtaking Museum including the Sistine Chapel. Stroll through
St. Peter’s Square, passing Bernini’s famous colonnade, visit St. Peter’s
Basilica, where you will view Michelangelo’s Pietà. Afternoon at leisure.
Prepare yourself to an exciting evening: walking tour of Trastevere with
dinner at local Trattoria with Music. Trastevere is one the most distinct
neighborhoods in Rome, and a picturesque medieval area located on the
west bank of the Tiber. The area escaped the grand developments which
changed the aspect of central Rome.
Trastevere still maintains a strong local identity, thanks to the many
trattoria and original restaurants hidden in its small roads. It’s a charming
place to wander, eat or relax.. To taste it, we offer a typical experience
in one of these trattoria, where it’s possible to dine and savor the most
popular Italian delicacies.

Day 4 THE ETRUSCAN CIVILIZATION [B, D]
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and Transfer to Siena. En route stop to discover the
Etruscan civilization. The tour includes the visits to Cerveteri and
Tarquinia, destinations in which the Etruscan culture developed his arts
and his cult for the death.
The Etruscans are one of his most fascinating, mysterious and complex
civilization of the Mediterranean area. Proud people and fighter, they
came to the highest levels in the arts and social structure, qualities that
led them to a secular hegemony, especially in the southern part of Tuscany
and Lazio before the advent of Rome. The great sense of devotion and
respect for the death is attested in extraordinary burial sites such as the
Necropolis of Cerveteri and Tarquinia, with their “urban” structure and
the frescoes in the burial chambers are a unique and exceptional
testimony of the ancient.
Dinner at Fonteverde in San Casciano di Siena.

Day 5 A DAY AT SPA [B]
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and enjoy a Full Day at Fonteverde Spa, among the
most beautiful in Italy. Free time for dinner.
Overnight at hotel in San Casciano di Siena

Day 6 SIENA AND THE CRETE [B, D]
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and guided tour of the Crete Senesi.
The tour includes San Giminiano and Siena, destinations that are situated
in romantic scenarios represented by lovely hills.
Dinner at Fonteverde
Overnight at hotel in Siena

Day 7 TUSCAN COAST:
VIEWS, WINES, OIL, MARBLE AND ARTS [B, D]
Friday, 14 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and transfer to the fashion village of Forte dei
Marmi. Visit of Pietrasanta and Carrara.
Dinner in a local farm house. Overnight in hotel Principe di Piemonte
in Viareggio.

Day 8 CINQUE TERRE [B, D]
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel. Visit of Cinqueterre, a group of villages of the
Riviera di Levante. The most important center of Cinque Terre is
Monterosso al Mare, a fortified hamlet; Vernazza was an ancient
Roman port and took part in the conflicts against Pisa and Genoa;
Corniglia is famous for its vineyards and olive graves; Riomaggiore,
the oriental bourdary of the Cinque Terre; and finally Manarola that
probably is the most characteristic village of the Cinque Terre.
Return in Viareggio.
Dinner will be served in a nice restaurant near the hotel.
Overnight in hotel Principe di Piemonte
in Viareggio.

Day 9 PARMA [B]
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and transfer to Como. En route stop in Parma and
guided visit of this elegant and cosmopolitan city. Parma is home to
Verdi and Toscanini, and the Opera is only one of many cultural
highlights Parma has to offer. The city’s rich artistic heritage includes
museums and churches displaying the great works of Correggio and
Parmigianino.
Continue to Como and time at leisure.
Overnight in Hotel Imperiale di Moltrasio, Como

Day 10 COMO [B]
Monday, 17 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel. Today discover Como and the lake.
You will enjoy a unique view of the lake shores and the villages.
Coasting along the lake you can admire Cernobbio, Menaggio and
Bellagio.
The little thoroughfares and the churches of San Carlo and Santo
Stefano make a visit to Menaggio enchanting. From here you take the
boat to reach the other side of the lake and visit Bellagio with its
famous sophisticated and luxury shops. In Bellaggio you can visit the
wonderful gardens of Villa Melzi. Lunch at leisure during the visit and
take again the boat to return in Menaggio.
Dinner at leisure.
Overnight in Hotel Imperiale di Moltrasio, Como

Day 11 ASCONA, LOCARNO, LUGANO [B, D]
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Full Day excursion in Locarno, Ascona and lake of Lugano.
Locarno is the capital of the Swiss district of Ticino. It’s one of the
smaller and popular destinations and you can admire the Sanctuary of
Madonna del Sasso and Castello Visconteo. Ascona is famous for its
popular historical center on Lake Maggiore. At least you will visit
Lugano, the biggest town of Canton Ticino. Return in Como.
Farewell dinner in a local restaurant.
Overnight in Hotel Imperiale di Moltrasio, Como

Day 12 COMO [B]
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and transfer to Malpensa airport.

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Day1 ARRIVAL
22 October 2011
Welcome to Italy! Arrival in VENICE airport and independent transfer to
hotel.
Meeting with Mr. Pietro at hotel in the evening for a welcome cocktail.
Welcome dinner at restaurant.
Overnight at Hotel
Day 2 DISCOVERING VENICE
23 October 2011
After breakfast, meet the local guide and enjoy a fabulous tour of Venice:
The real Venice’s lovers a 4-hour walking tour to discover the classic
Venice as well as new intriguing paths.
You will visit the Cathedral of Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s
palace, fourteenth century building from where the ancient Venetian
republic exerted the control over the city, the famous Bridge of Sighs.
Continue to Castello quarter to discover the hidden secrets of the city,
then explore the Jewish ghetto, one of the most interesting in the world.
Proper attire is required while visiting the Basilica. For security reasons
bags, back-packs, etc. cannot be taken into the Basilica.
The rest of the day will be at leisure
Overnight at hotel

Day 3 CANNAREGIO AND JEWISH GHETTO SAN
GIORGIO MAGGIORE ISLAND AND THE ARMENIAN MONASTERY IN SAN
LAZZARO ISLAND
24 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel. Full day guided tour of the city that include a unique
walk through the popular neighbourhood of Cannaregio in the morning.
This tour includes some monuments, palaces and churches in one of the
ancient but richest area of the town. The famous Jewish Ghetto, the first
in Europe. “Ghetto” is in fact a Venetian word meaning “foundry” because
the Jewish quarter was built replacing a foundry. This name now means
“Jewish District” all over the world. Here you can join a visit of the
Jewish Synagogues with specialized guides.
Lunch at leisure
In the afternoon tour follow with the visit of San Giorgio Maggiore
Looking at the lagoon, from St. Mark’s square, the white shape of a
classical temple appears surrounded by the waters. It is San Giorgio
Maggiore Church, one of the Palladian buildings in Venice, in San Giorgio
island. Also known in the ancient times as the “cypresses island”, it was
first a settlement of a Benedictine community. Far from the crowded St.
Mark’s Square, the island offers a breathtaking sight from the top of the
bell tower, the façade that Venice showed to her visitors coming from the
sea. Then a little jewel of the lagoon, San Lazzaro degli Armeni, this
island, dedicated to San Lazzaro, patron saint of the leprosies, was first a
leper hospital. After a few centuries of decay, at the beginning of the 18th
century, a community of Armenian monks, settled here. They turned the
old buildings in a monastery so that the island became an incredible
cultural centre, important for the collection of books and for the
typography opened in 1789. Overnight at hotel

Day 4 THE VENETIAN VILLAS AND PADOVA
25 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel.
In the morning private transfer to VERONA and en route stop to discover
the Venetian Villas.
This tour is a beautiful opportunity to enter the region that, for many
centuries, belonged to the Republic of Venice. Starting from Venice you
will visit some of the beautiful villas of the noble Venetian families built
along the Brenta Canal, where they enjoyed summertime and also they
got control over their possessions in the mainland. Then the lively Padova,
with the ancient University, the colourful “Piazza delle Erbe” and the
precious “Scrovegni Chapel” with the expressiveness of Giotto frescoes
(this visit has to be reserved in advance). Before arrival to Verona, a last
glance to the bucolic atmosphere in which the great master Palladio, built
classical villas for the pleasure of Venetian nobles.
Dinner at Villa Quaranta
Overnight at Villa Quaranta in Verona
Thursday, May 26, 2011

Day 5 VERONA
26 OCTOBER 2011
Day dedicated to individual visit of the city
Overnight at Villa Quaranta in Verona

Day 6 THE JEWELS OF RENAISSANCE: MANTOVA AND
FERRARA
27 October 2011
In the morning private transfer to Bologna and en route stop in
Mantova and Ferrara Enjoy a walking in MANTOVA, a beautiful, historic
city in northern Italy surrounded on three sides by lakes. It was one of
the greatest Renaissance Courts in Europe and home of the wealthy
Gonzaga family. The town’s center is three spacious and lively piazzas
that join together. In 2008 Mantova became a UNESCO World Heritage
Site based on its Renaissance planning and architecture. Leave
Mantova and move to FERRARA to visit the Estense Castle , originally
fortress and later splendid Renaissance residence of the court; to the
cathedral , un usual and perfect fusion of different styles, Arrival in
Bologna in the evening and accommodation in hotel. Dinner at
Taverna del Postiglione in Bologna. Overnight in Bologna at Majestic

Day 7 BOLOGNA
28 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel. Meet your local guide and start a walking tour of
Bologna and discover why is named: la dotta (the learned) for its
ancient university, la rossa (the red) for the warm color of its roofs
and houses, and la grassa (the fat) for the wonderful food!
Particularly noteworthy is the Piazza Maggiore, which is known for its
vibrancy and charm. Discover the gorgeous Towers and the thousands
of arcades that characterized the city. Afternoon at disposal for
individual visit
Typical dinner at Osteria Broccaindosso in Bologna
Overnight in Bologna at Majestic

“You may have the Universe
if I may have Italy”
Giuseppe Verdi

Day 8 FLORENCE
29 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and departure to Chianti area with an en
route stop in Florence. Discover why Florence became one of
the greatest art city in the world has ever seen. Immerse in it
and the past and listen medieval stories with a three hour
stroll around Florence’s essential sights. Continue to Chianti
countryside. Dinner in a local farm house Overnight at Borgo
Vescine

Day 9 CHIANTI
30 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and departure for a special tour to know the
essence of Chianti: Cellars and winery. Discover the art of
winemaking on a private visit to a winery beautifully situated in
the Chianti zone of Tuscany and taste this special product with the
assistant of a sommelier. Dinner at leisure
Overnight in hotel in Chianti at Borgo Vescine

Day 10 SIENA AND SAN GIMIGNANO
31 October 2011
Leave the picturesque Chianti area and move to Rome, with an en
route stop in Siena and San Gimignano and Siena, among Italy’s most
fascinating cities with its typical and splendid gothic Duomo and the
famous “palio”.Overnight in hotel in Regina Baglioni

Day 11 ROME
01 November 2011
Day dedicated to discover Rome on your own
in the evening typical farewell dinner in Trastevere at one of the most
famous historical Restaurant Meo Patacca and enjoy the folkloristic
show

Day 12 DEPARTURE
02 November 2011
Individual transfer to Fiumicino airport

Reservations EMAIL:  JESS@FriendsTravel.com

JESS Kalinowsky Professional Travel Consultant

Friends Travel LLP

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Friday, 24 September 2011
Arrival in Rome and individual transfer to the hotel.
Meeting with Mr. Pietro at hotel in the evening for a welcome
cocktail.
Welcome dinner at restaurant “L’Antica Pesa”.
Overnight at Hotel Regina Baglioni

Day 2 BORROMINI & BERNINI: THE HEAT [B]
Saturday, 25 September 2011
Breakfast in hotel. Meeting with the guide and enjoy a fabulous walking
tour in Rome. The Roman Baroque can be summarized in the “challenge”
between the two greatest architects of: Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680)
and Francesco Borromini (1599-1667). They gave a huge contribution to
the new image of Rome.
They worked together with St. Peter and the Palazzo Barberini, but soon
the professional competition, diversity of character and artistic design
also led to a violent rupture between the two, which turned into open
rivalry.
Afternoon and dinner at leisure. Overnight at Hotel Regina Baglioni

Day 3 SACRO & PROFANO: VATICAN AND TRASTEVERE [B, D]
Sunday, 26 September 2011
Breakfast in hotel. Meeting with the guide and visit of the Vatican and its
breathtaking Museum including the Sistine Chapel. Stroll through St.
Peter’s Square, passing Bernini’s famous colonnade, visit St. Peter’s
Basilica, where you will view Michelangelo’s Pietà.
Afternoon at leisure. Prepare yourself to an exciting evening: walking tour
of Trastevere with dinner at local Trattoria with Music.
Trastevere is one of the most distinct neighborhoods in Rome, and a
picturesque medieval area located on the west bank of the Tiber. The area
escaped the grand developments which changed the aspect of central
Rome.
Trastevere still maintains a strong local identity, thanks to the many
trattoria and original restaurants hidden in its small roads. It is a charming
place to wander, eat or relax.. To taste it, we offer a typical experience
in one of these trattoria, where it’s possible to dine and savor the most
popular Italian delicacies.
Overnight at Hotel Regina Baglioni

Day 4 CASERTA: WINES AND ROYAL PALACES [B, L]
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Breakfast in hotel and transfer by private coach to Sorrento.
En route stop in Caserta to visit the magnificent Royal Palace, also chosen
by G. Lucas for the last Star Wars.
Then continue to the Masseria Gio Sole, where you will have a great
farmer lunch. Nearby, you will visit Villa Matilde Winemaker, one of the
most interesting wine producer of South Italy. Arrival in Sorrento late
afternoon. Time free and dinner at O’Parrucchiano. Overnight at Parco
dei Principi in Sorrento.

Day 5 CAPRI AND POSITANO FROM THE SEA [B, L]
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Breakfast in hotel and transfer to Sorrento pier for a Full Day experience
to Capri with private cruise. After the visit of Positano and Li Galli Island
by the sea, continue to Capri. Lunch in Nerano at Taverna del capitano, a
wonderful restaurant reachable only by boat. In Capri, free time to
explore the island with an assistant. Return to Sorrento late afternoon.
Dinner at leisure.
Overnight at Parco dei Principi in Sorrento.

Day 6 COOKING CLASS IN THE HORTII OF RAVELLO [B, L, D]
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Breakfast in hotel and transfer to Ravello.
Nothing better than learn to cook in one of the most important
destinations of Campania. The course starts with a visit to the gardens on
the cliff of Ravello, from where is possible to enjoy a breathtaking
panorama of Amalfi coast. Then, continue to the kitchen of Villa Maria to
prepare very special dishes. Tourists and official chiefs can cook typical
foods of Campania learning how to use secrets ingredients. Obviously they
will eat what they have prepared!
Return to Sorrento. Tonight enjoy a dinner at Il Borgo, with the view of the

Day 7 FREE TIME [B, D]
Friday, 30 September 2011
Breakfast in hotel.
Free time to enjoy the coast.
Farewell Sorrento Dinner at restaurant “Il Francischiello”.
Overnight at Parco dei Principi in Sorrento.

Day 8 PAESTUM AND THE MOZZARELLA [B, L, D]
Saturday, 01 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and departure to Matera.
En route stop in Paestum and guided visit of the Greek temples.
Lunch at Fattoria Vannullo, where it is possible to understand how
they produce mozzarella cheese and see the buffalo in their natural
ambient. The visit will end with a lunch to taste the best of the area:
mozzarella, tomato, fresh vegetables.
The best mozzarella in the world come from this area.
Arrival in Matera late afternoon.
Dinner will be served in a restaurant located in the Sassi to enjoy the
fantastic view of the town at the sunset.
Overnight in Matera

Day 9 MATERA [B, D]
Sunday, 02 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and morning at leisure.
In the afternoon meeting with the local guide to visit the famous
Sassi. Dug into the tufa are the Sassi and villages, the Roman and
Baroque churches, the noble buildings and the more recent swanky
neighborhoods.
Dinner in a local farm house to taste the famous burrata.
Overnight in Matera

Day 10 A TASTE OF APULIA [B]
Monday, 03 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel.
Today discover Alberobello, a Unesco world heritage where it is
possible to admire more than 1500 trulli, strange houses built like a
cone of white stones. Alberobello is undoubtedly one of the most
interesting and fascinating towns to discover in Puglia. It is the capital
town of the “Trulli”, unique dry stone dwellings with round or square
whitewashed bases and conical shaped roofs. After the visit, continue
to Ostuni, the wonderful White City. First of all, there is a moment for
taking photographs of the breathtaking scenery. Enjoy a stroll along
the bastioned towers, which herald the entrance to the town, before
viewing the town and the obelisk of S. Oronzo. Next follows a visit to
the medieval area of the town with the numerous alleyways and side
streets, which are characterized by the sparkling whiteness of the
houses. On the return, en route stop in Altamura to discover an
artisan who produce the famous Bread of Altamura. Stop in a
traditional bread maker to taste of the bread & Local biscotti. Dinner
at leisure and overnight in Borgobianco.

Day 11 LECCE [B, D]
Tuesday, 04 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel. Transfer to Lecce and meeting with a local guide to
discovery the historical center of Lecce. The guided tour starts in the
old part of town, which is rich in elegant buildings and marvelous
Baroque churches. In the central square of St. Oronzo one can find
the archaeological remains of a Roman amphitheater.
Farewell dinner at Borgobianco.
Overnight in Borgobianco.

Day 12 DEPARTURE
Wednesday, 05 October 2011
Breakfast in hotel and independent transfer to airport.

“You may have the Universe
if I may have Italy”
Giuseppe Verdi

RESERVATION EMAIL: JESS@FriendsTravel.com

JESS Kalinowsky Professional Travel Consultant

from $6760. pp/do

Discounted First Class, Business Class, and Coach Airfares Worldwide!

Small group tour based on minimum 8 and maximum of 20

 HIGHLIGHTS:  

ü    Rome city tour at night featuring Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, St Peter’s Basilica and more

ü    Touring the Highway to the Sun

ü    Panoramic tour of Naples with spectacular views

ü    Guided tour to remarkable Island of Capri with lunch

ü    Amazing Amalfi Coast drive with stops at Positano, Amalfi & Ravello. Special lunch.

ü    One entirely free day to enjoy the antique lanes of Sorrento

ü    A guided tour to visit the ruins of Pompeii, destroyed in 79 AD

INCLUDED IN TOUR: 

• 2 Nights Rome – first class hotel
• 5 nights Sorrento –  first class hotel

Breakfast Daily, 2 lunches, 4 Dinner (wine & water)

• Escorted
• Transfers,
• Guided tour and hydrofoil to Capri w/lunch
• Guided tour to ruins of Pompeii
• Tour along Amalfi coast to Amalfi & Ravello w/lunch
• Panoramic tour of Naples
• Lemons, Olive Oil, Cheese & Wine

OPTIONAL TOUR

Day Six –  Evening tour of local agriturismo farm for tasting of local products,

the art of pizza making and tasting of wine and lemoncello

Reservations EMAIL:  JESS@FriendsTravel.com 

JESS Kalinowsky Professional Travel Consultant

Friends Travel LLP

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This magnificent old grand dame of a hotel, a Relais & Chateaux property, was recently renovated, and it’s now the premier deluxe resort on Capri, with 55 elegant, antiques-filled rooms and suites with sweeping, postcard views over the Bay of Naples. It perches imperiously atop a sheer, thousand-foot cliff that plunges into the glittering waters below, all just outside the mountain village of Anacapri. In the evening, you’ll enjoy spectacular sunsets from the terrace bar followed by a classic caprese tasting menu at the new La Terrazza di Lucullo restaurant, next to the infinity pool.

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JESS Kalinowsky

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JESS@FriendsTravel.com Reservations 24/7/365

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Locanda dei Mai Intees Azzate, Italy

Situated in the small town of Azzate, this former medieval settlement-turned-hotel has 12 individually designed rooms outfitted with antique touches—Oriental rugs, original marble bathrooms—as well as modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs and complimentary Wi-Fi. Elsewhere on the property, guests find 15th-century frescoes and lush courtyards and gardens. At the hotel’s restaurant, once a chemist’s shop, Chef Paolo serves up hearty Italian fare like sausage ravioli and baked yellow risotto, while the former post office serves as an intimate bar.

Discounted First Class Business Class and Coach Airfares Anywhere in the World

JESS Kalinowsky

JESS@FriendsTravel.com

Discounted First Class Business Class and Coach Airfares

Reservations:
JESS Kalinowsky

JESS@FriendsTravel.com

JESS@FriendsTravel.com Reservations 24/7/365

The extraordinary locale of the Abano Grand Hotel and Anti –Aging Spa part of GB Thermae Hotels and Abano Terme rests atop a natural, thermal hot spring, containing thermal waters rich in salts, bromide, iodine, and other unique and beneficial compounds.  This water combines with earth and microorganisms to form a clay, “Fango,” which is the basis for many of the therapeutic treatments that GB Thermae Hotels offer.
The Euganean Hills are world-renowned as one of the premier wine regions in Italy, complementing the freshest culinary treasures of the Veneto countryside.  The town of Abano Terme and the surrounding region is dotted with boutiques and manufacturers of some of the top fashion houses in the world, and guests enjoy shopping excursions for haute couture designs hand-fitted by the artisans themselves.
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Minimum stay 7 nights – Rate of the programme – € 1.350,00 – stay not included

• 6 thermal mud “fango” treatments antioxidant and anti-aging
• 6 anti-aging thermal baths with aroma therapeutic hydro-essences
• 6 anti-aging personalized treatments of 1 hour:
thermal or delicate facial cleansing,
face and body chocolate treatment (1 hour and 30 min.),
regenerating multivitamin facial treatment with relaxing massage,
thermal fango body and breast firming GB treatment,
anti-stress facial treatment,
FANGO PLUS emotional & energizing
• 5 reactivating massages of the circulatory system of 30 min.
• Thermal Spa Card
For any information /booking please contact:

For any information /booking please contact:
JESS Kalinowsky Professional Travel Consultant

Italy@FriendsTravel.com

Walking & Gourmet
Walk through Wild Herbs and Flowers
  9-15 Octobre 2011

Dive into the edible landscape of the Tuscan countryside rediscovering the secrets of an ancestral relationship with a booming nature of herbs and flowers…

• out to the fields and then back into the kitchen, in life there is always to learn
• be able to recognize the most common wild herbs
• Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino barrel tasting
• live in the complex of an old country church isolated from the rest of the world
• Reservations: Italy@FriendsTravel.com 24/7/365
• JESS Kalinowsky Professional Travel Consultant
• Discounted First Class, Business Class and Coach Airfares Worldwide.