ARTS & GARDENS TOUR Sept 2014
Venice –Verona- Lake Como-
Milan
with Jacqueline Coates, Tuscany Under the Skin & ECM
Travel
The tour commences in Venice September
27, 2014- Finishes in Milan Oct 12, 2014
If
you love being inspired by art, beauty and grandeur, beautiful palazzos layered
in history and great stories,………..if you enjoy visiting handpicked sumptuous
gardens in amazing locations, trying your hand at some creative activities, and
experiencing a regional cooking class,………. If the idea of having an aperitif as
the sun goes down over majestic Lake Como, after a day visiting stupendous
villas and gardens then chances are you will swoon over this itinerary I am
proud to present.
This
tour has been created in conjunction with Tuscany Under the Skin and Karen Caba
of Elite Conference Travel Management, both of whom I have worked with on
previous tours to great success.
What makes this tour different to others?
·
·
Careful selection of wonderful
experiences that are outside of mass produced tour styles
·
Live like a Venetian in
Venice in gorgeous apartments so you have room to relax and unwind in one of
the most stunning cities on earth with an
·
Arts and Gardens focus so
you will feel inspired, as opposed to a general tour full of historic facts that leave
you numb.
·
Wonderful hands on
authentic experiences including painting masks with a master mask maker in
Venice, cooking class using local produce with a Venetian chef, and some painting
opportunities with Jacqueline Coates along the way. This is a great way to truly
experience the places we will visit
·
Insiders secrets and
shopping tips from Barbara.
·
A civilized pace designed
for enjoyment with numbers of guests limited to a maximum of 21 and the tour
will go with 12 guests ……..as opposed to bus tours that reach 50 and you aren’t
sure what city you are in when you wake up each morning!
·
Accompanied by Barbara
Mariotti who is not only an Aussie but married to an Italian and speaks Italian
so she bridges both cultures perfectly
·
Accompanied by artist
jacqueline Coates who will answer your questions about how to capture the
essence of your tour and give you some art lessons as well.
OUR VENEZIA, IL VENETO, LAGO DI COMO & MILANO
SATURDAY 27 SEPTEMBER - SUNDAY 12 OCTOBER 2014
Saturday 27 Sept (D)
When you arrive
at the Marco Polo airport you’ll be met by Barbara or Ugo Mariotti and
transferred by water taxi to meeting points with hosts who will lead you to
your Venice apartments. You’ll have time to settle in and get to know your
neighbourhood: find the local deli, the supermarket, the fruit & veggie
stalls… and your favourite cafè. We
enjoy a Welcome Dinner in a characteristic restaurant.
Sunday 28 Sept
This morning we do a small-group tour of the “Essence
of Venice – featuring a tour of St Mark’s Basilica with skip the line tickets,
an overview of the famous landmarks of St Mark’s Square, along with a lovely
walk to discover some of the hidden treasures … your guide will introduce you
to the history of the past and present Venice, what it meant to be a Venetian
at the times of La Serenissima, and what it means today to live in the most
beautiful city in the world. The Tour
concludes at the Bridge of Sighs.”
You have the
remainder of the day at leisure. Perhaps find the nearest vaporetto stop.
You’ll have your weekly vaporetto ticket so maybe take a ride along the Grand
Canal. Begin to know Venice. We’ll be there to assist. At sunset, meet Dottor
Balanzone. ‘Il Dottore’ is the good
friend of Harlequin, Colombine, Pulcinella and other famous characters of the
Commedia dell’ Arte. He rubs shoulders with the Carnival characters too. He loves his food, loves to talk, and loves
his Venezia. Who better to show you the back streets behind the Rialto Bridge
and let you in on the gossip, old and new? Join him for an aperitif as you
watch the gondolas go by on the Grand Canal. Evening at leisure.
Monday 29 Sept (L)
We have an earlier start this morning to beat the
crowds on the ‘vaporetto’ to the famed island of Murano. We’re using our weekly
vaporetto ticket which gets us around easily. Let’s stay on the ferry till the
lesser known stop of Navarego, maybe in time for a quick caffè with the locals
at the Duomo bar. You could of course brace yourself with a caffè corretto?
In an old glass workshop nearby, Gianni
Moretti a descendant of the original Ercole, can honestly say “there are only a
few craft industries still working in Venezia a century after their foundation”
because he and his extended family are doing just that. Their expertise is with the ‘perline’, the
beads, and exquisite plates. Fortunately for us the family has thrown nothing
away so we are able to see more than a 100 years of lovely glass pieces, tools and work techniques plus
the proud pictorial history of the glass-workers as well as learning how it’s
done today. To complete our picture of Venetian glass we’ll go to Gianni’s
next-door neighbour Massimo Furlan where the glass is ‘blown’. The blower may show you his arms “when you
get your first burn you begin to be a blower…”
We enjoy a ‘laguna’
lunch at the Osteria al Duomo where the locals first introduced us to Gianni
and Massimo. Your afternoon and evening
are at leisure. Murano offers many glass work-shops and showrooms and has an
excellent museum Il Museo del Vetro.
Plus the chance to wander, to just watch and enjoy the canals and lagoon
views. The vaporetto links you to colourful Burano, a small island of
lace-makers and fishermen which is well worth a visit. It has a lovely Lace
Museum, il Museo del Merletto, closed on Mondays but should this be your
special interest it’s easy to return on your free day, Thursday, with your
vaporetto ticket.
Tuesday 30 Sept
This morning you may meet some of those Carnival
friends of Dottor Balanzone. We go to a
workshop where the classic Carnival of Venezia masks are created. You’ll be able to decide the one you would
most like to be, choose your colours and then with the help of a skilled
artisan, create your own mask. The workshop also makes Carnival costumes,
jewelry and accessories. Carnivale anyone?
In the early
afternoon we visit the Galleria dell’ Accademia di Venezia. This museum holds the richest collection of
paintings from Byzantine and Gothic Venice and the Veneto, plus those of the
Renaissance artists: Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintorello,
Tiziano, Tiepolo… And the 1700s works of
Canaletto, Guardi, Longhi and others. A
celebration of art. As a matter of
interest the Accademia is situated in the Dorsoduro district: to the right is
the lovely area towards il Campo Santa Margherita, full of interesting shops,
calle and bridges, and bordering on the San Polo district, an area of antique
sellers; behind are the calle leading to the Giudecca Canal which offers a
relaxing stroll and some good restaurants. Along one of the calle is the last
remaining workshop where the Venetian gondola is crafted.
The rest of the
afternoon and evening is at leisure.
Wednesday 1 Oct (D)
This morning we
join our chef at the Rialto markets to select the ingredients for the
preparation of tonight’s dinner – emphasis on how to choose the freshest
seafood. We then learn how to make Venetian dishes based on the seasonal
ingredients we’ve selected. Anyone for dinner on the Campo this evening?
Following the
lesson, we stroll to the nearby Ca’ Rezzonico, one of the most splendid Baroque
palaces on the Grand Canal. It was begun
in the mid 1600s by Baldassare Longhena for the Bon family but was so costly
that it wasn’t until the mid 1700s that the Rezzonico family completed the
palazzo and decorated it in grand style.
It became their ‘party house’ when all of Venice was famous for parties.
For a brief time in the late 1800s the poet Robert Browning lived there, loving
its comfort and splendour. Since the early 1900s Ca’ Rezzonico has been a
gallery museum, housing the best of 18th century Venice and the Veneto: rich in grand rooms, furnishings and works of
art. We’ll visit this palazzo with a guide who can encompass its story and the
best of the works it holds.
The remainder of
the day is at leisure until we meet to enjoy the dinner we prepared this
morning.
Thursday 2 Oct
Today you have at leisure to follow your special
interests. We are providing a list of hints and suggestions which you may find
useful during your other leisure time.
·
Il Burchiello: this was a boat
which left Venice along the Brenta River, using lock gates, so that nobles and
merchants could access their country villas in the Veneto. The Burchiello was
pulled by horses along the river’s edge. Today a more modern craft is used to
navigate the Brenta river, with three stops to visit three different Venetian
villas - Palladio’s Villa Foscari nicknamed the Malcontenta, Villa Widman and
the impressive Villa Pisana di Stra. There is a stop for lunch, an option. Perhaps pack a picnic. The tour finishes in Padua so you can return
to Venice by train.
·
A visit to the Basilica San
Giorgio Maggiore located on an island of the same name, accessible by
vaporetto. This church is one of the
largest in Venice, the work of Andrea Palladio, with works of Tintoretto, Palma
il Giovane, Jacapo da Bassano. Next to
the Basilica is the neo-classical bell-tower from which there is the best view
of Venice and the lagoon. The island also contains the Giorgio Cini Foundation
lodged in an historic building which has guided tours in English at 11.00,
13.00, and 15.00.
·
Each evening at 8.00 pm in the
old Theatre of San Gallo, a group of actors play out the story of Venice
including the meaning of the masks. It’s
in English and is well told. The Theatre shop has an excellent free exhibit of
Commedia dell’ Arte masks.
·
The Doges Palace: perhaps best
visited with a guided tour to avoid the ticket queues.
·
Venice offers a Museum Pass
which includes the Doges Place, Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ Pesaro, the Fortuny Museum,
the Glass and the Lace Museums on this islands of Murano and Burano, plus
others (it doesn’t include the Accademia).
If you enjoy museums this is most useful.
·
Another pass, the Chorus Pass,
gives entry to the art treasures held in almost 20 of Venice’s churches which
until recently were hidden from the public eye.
·
There are many other galleries
e.g that of Peggy Guggenheim.
Friday 3 Oct (D)
This morning we join a small group tour “Private
Secret Gardens of Venice Walking Tours - explore some of the hidden gardens of
the city and learn the history that brought the locals to build gardens in such
a difficult environment. Gardens in Venice come as a surprise and although many
palaces own their own small private gardens, your impression while walking
around Venice is that it is a city of stone. Gardens played an important role …
and these aspects will be discussed during the tour… three gardens, two
belonging to convents and one belonging to a secluded palace…” (Avventure
Bellissime)
Your day is at
leisure until sunset. We then join the
gondolas for a tour along small canals and the Canale Grande: without the
daytime traffic of garbage junks and delivery boats we can enjoy the play of
lights on water, the grand buildings and the sound of people enjoying it all. Our evening is complete with a Farewell to
Venezia dinner.
Saturday 4 Oct (L)
We leave our
apartments and take the water taxis to Tronchetto where we meet the driver who
will transfer us from Venice into the Veneto, famous for its food, wine and the
‘villa’. The first villas in the Veneto date back to Roman times in 200 B.C.
But the tradition of the ‘Villa Veneta’, the
country manor of rich Venetian nobles and merchants, began in the 1500s. The
outstanding architect of this period was Andrea Palladio whose work satisfied
the classical ideals of the noble families while allowing for the
practicalities of a producing farm.
Travelling north from Treviso we’ll visit one of the most beautiful
Palladio villas, Villa Barbaro, named for its founder Daniele Barbaro but more
commonly called Villa Maser as it’s on the outskirts of the village of Maser. Of unusual interest is that the Villa is still
inhabited by descendents of the original founders and the surrounding property
still farmed – the wines, including a Prosecco, and the olive oil are
excellent. The main part of the villa is
open to us as are the original gardens which are an on-going work of
restoration. The old Carriage Shed, with
its carts and coaches, is also included in the visit.
We enjoy a light
lunch which includes a tasting of the villa’s wines and the story of their
production. After lunch we go to the
small town of Asolo, known as the ‘city of a hundred horizons’, due to its
setting among the mountains. The town is also famous for its antique
shops. You’ll have time at leisure to
explore before we set out for Verona, our home for the next three nights. We’ll
be staying in an area called the ‘Veronetta’, a short walk across the river
Adige and the busy ‘tourist’ centre of town. There’s the University nearby, the green hills
behind and lots of charming coffee shops and places to eat. It’s a pleasant, lively, ‘local’ place. After
we settle into our accommodation we meet for an aperitif in a special little
bar/restaurant, the Café Carducci. Your
evening is at leisure.
Sunday 5 Oct (B)
This morning we
meet our local guide for a two hour walking tour of Verona, one of Italy’s most
alluring cities, circled by the river Adige whose waters are fast running and
richly green, crossed by fine bridges one of them Roman. The Romans came in 89
B.C. and our tour includes many of their remains such as the Ampitheatre which
is still in use today for major concerts and shows. Verona’s position on the river made it the
crossroads between Venice, Genoa and the Brenner Pass bringing the influence of
other cultures still present today. There
is of course the story of Romeo and Juliet… our tour includes them as
well. The City Tour will also give you a
‘feel’ for the town: its elegant shops, its antiques, its galleries and
extraordinary churches such as San Zeno and Sant’ Anastasia which has an
unusual ceiling frescoed with stylized plants and flowers.
After the tour
your time is at leisure to explore the town and visit places of interest that
you may have noticed during the City Tour.
Monday 6 Oct (B)
Today is at your
leisure. We meet in the morning perhaps at the Café Carducci to discuss the
possibilities:
·
The Giusti Gardens, created
towards the end of the 1400s, are recognized as one of the most beautiful of
Italy’s Renaissance. The ‘belvedere’ at the top of the gardens offers one of
the most beautiful panoramas of Verona.
·
Verona offers a number of
organized tours: to the stunning castle of Sirmione; to the Veneto vineyards
for tastings of the famous Valpollicella; to the Tenuta Santa Maria alla Pieve
on Lake Garda…
·
Get a Verona Card and visit the
many archeological sites, museums, churches etc that Verona offers.
·
Locals in Verona love to walk
or cycle along their river or go up into the hills above the Roman theatre to
the Castle of San Peter, overlooking the town.
Join them.
In the evening
we meet again at the Café Carducci for a Farewell to Verona aperitif.
Tuesday 7 Oct (B)
We travel to the
charming town of Como which nestles in a green hollow at the end of the western
branch of the lake that bears its name. Como was established by the ancient
Romans and is still surrounded by its Medieval walls which protect the
magnificent cathedral, famous churches and delightful garden villas. Since the
1500s Como has been the capital of the most precious of fabrics, Silk, and is
reputed to be one of the best place for fashion shopping outside Milan. The lake itself, often known by its old name
of ‘Lario’, lies in a dreamlike landscape of soft hills, rugged mountains and
still waters which have enthralled travelers since pre-historic times.
This afternoon
we take the fast ferry from Como to Tremezzo and walk along the lake shores to
the fabled Villa Carlotta, created in the 1600s in a natural basin between the
mountains and the water. In the 1800s
the villa became a ‘must’ for travelers doing the European Grand Tour, housing
works by Canova, Thorvaldsen and Hayez.
Later in that century Princess Marianne of Nassau bought the villa as a gift
to her daughter Carlotta on her marriage to Georg of Saxe-Meiningen who was
passionate about botany and who improved an already beautiful park/garden. Today we can visit the villa itself and the
extensive surrounds: the Italian Garden and Citrus Arbor, the Garden of Ferns,
the Camelia Garden, the Azaleas, the Rhododendron Wood, the Bamboo Garden, the
Rock Garden. Prepare to walk, to sit, to
admire.
Evening at
leisure.
Wednesday 8 Oct (B)
This morning we
cross the waters again to the magic town of Bellagio, set on the end of a
promontory between the western and eastern branches of the lake. For centuries
Bellagio has simply been called ‘the Pearl of lario’: its beauty persuaded the Roman writer Pliny
the Younger to build his summer villa there and the rich and famous have
followed suit. We visit the elegant neo-classic Villa Melzi, set in
English-style gardens which follow the lake shore. The villa and gardens were
created in the early 1800s for Franceso Melzi, Duke of Lodi, who wanted a villa
that was sober and elegant which would not overwhelm the lovely surrounding
lake and countryside. The park/garden is rich in rare and exotic plants.
Because of the beauty of this place and the lakeside village of Bellagio you
will want time at leisure to explore, to shop and enjoy fine local food.
We meet at
sunset for an aperitif in Bellagio before taking the fast ferry back to
Como. Evening at leisure.
Thursday 9 Oct (B)
A day at leisure
to enjoy this area. We suggest the following:
·
A day in Varenna, a morning
cooking lesson and lunch with the afternoon at leisure to explore this pretty
lakeside town.
·
Visit the beautiful Villa
Monastero and Villa Cipressi and their gardens.
These villas are now quality hotels but their gardens remain open to the
public.
·
The best way to experience Lake
Como is by boat: there are luxury launches which do tours and explore the nooks
and crannies; there’s a public ferry trip which stops at villages along the
way, with the option of lunch on board, and finishes at the ancient Abbey of
Piona where a monk can give you a guided visit.
·
Take the ferry for a visit to
the stunning garden Villa del Balbianello.
·
Como itself is worth exploring:
a funicular goes up to the tiny village of Brunate offering grand views of the
lake; a pleasant walk along the lake shore leads to one of the most beautiful
villas, Villa Olmi now a luxury hotel with a charming bar for an evening
aperitif (you can also swim in a clean water pool and sun yourself on the lake
shore at Villa Olmi); in Como the quality of the shopping, including
silks, is excellent and its caffès, tea-houses and restaurants likewise, a
pleasant lively town.
Friday 10 Oct (B, D)
We leave Como
for Milan. This is a quick trip and our hotel is near the Milan Central station
and the centre of town. After our arrival we can orient ourselves in this big
and busy city, perhaps learn how the Metro works, and become familiar with central
Milan including some of the major shopping streets plus important museums and
galleries. You have time at leisure until early evening when we meet for a
visit to the Duomo before taking the tram or metro to Naviglo where we explore this fascinating old area
and enjoy a Farewell Dinner.
Saturday 11 Oct
Enjoy Milan at
your leisure – its galleries, museums, shops and excellent restaurants. Buon Divertimento!
Sunday 12 Oct
Independent
departure from Milan. Buon Viaggio!
*****END
OF ARRANGEMENTS*****
TOUR PRICE OPTIONS
A$ 8,990.00 per person twin share*
A$10,890.00
per person single room throughout #
INCLUSIONS:
·
Airfare Credit of $2,200.00 (we suggest Emirates however it is your
choice of airline and routing)
- Fully guided by Barbara Mariotti for 15
days
o
27 September to 12 October 2014
- Transfers between cities by private
coach
- City Access Tickets for coaches in
Venice, Verona, Como & Milano
- Water taxi from Airport to closest
Wharf to apartment in Venice
- Water taxi to Coach Point in Venice
- Taxis from City Bus Point to hotels
were applicable
- Vaporetto weekly pass in Venice
- 1 metro ticket in Milano
- Ferry/hydrofoil return Como/Bellagio
- Accommodation Venice x 7 nights: twin share or single occupancy room in 2
bedroom apartment with private facilities
- note this is over 7 apartments and some rooms will have a double
bed and some 2 twins beds, first to book will have the choice.
- Accommodation Verona (tba) x 3 nights: single room with private
facilities
- Accommodation Albergo Firenze, Como x 3
nights: single room with private
facilities
- Accommodation Milano (tba) x 2 nights:
single room with private facilities
- Bed tax x 15 nights
- Italian continental breakfast daily in
hotels Verona, Como & Milano only (B)
o
You will be
responsible for your own breakfast in Venice
- 3 dinners with wine (1/4 bottle each)
(D)
- 1 lunch in Venice
- 1 wine tasting lunch
- 1 cooking lesson & dinner
- 4 aperitivi
- 5 Entries: Accademia; Villa Maser; VillaMelzi;
Villa Carlotta; Ca’ Rezzonico
- Guided tours Venice:
o
Dtte. Balanzone – Comedia
dell’Arte
o
“Essence of Venezia”
o
“Secret Gardens of Venice”
o
Murano Glass Workshop
o
Mask Workshop
o
Ca’ Rezzonico
o
Gondola ride – 4 pax per boat
- City Guide in Verona
- Luggage transfers
- Porterage assistance to Venice
apartments
- Porterage in and out of hotels: Verona,
Como & Milano
All due care will be taken to ensure inclusions will be
delivered as agreed. In case of changes
beyond our control, we will provide viable alternatives.
NOT INCLUDED:
·
Laundry, telephone calls
and other items of a personal nature
·
Meals other than those
specified – breakfast is not included in Venice – this is so you can experience
“living” like a Venetian!
·
Gratuities
·
Security
Deposit for each of the apartments in Venice.
o
A credit card
must be presented by one guest in each apartment against any damage. An inspection will be carried out by the
booking agency Truly Venice on departure of the guests and any damage found
will be debited against the credit card being held for that apartment by the
agency
TOUR BOOKING
CONDITIONS:
·
A $4,000 deposit is due at time of
booking at which stage we will book and ticket your airfares. Should the best airfare of the day come in
under the allocated amount of A$2,200 you will have the difference applied to
your final balance, if it is more expensive it will be invoiced at time of
requesting your final balance.
·
Costs are based on current exchange rates and a minimum of 12 passengers
travelling on the entire itinerary, if any of these factors change a recost may
be necessary.
·
Travel insurance is
compulsory and in the interest of each passenger, to cover medical emergencies,
loss of luggage/bookings and in case of cancellation ECM Travel can provide
cover with Comprehensive Holiday Insurance.
·
The Tour Manager
reserves the right to decline to accept any person as a member of a tour
·
The passenger must
declare that they are not travelling against any medical advice
CANCELLATION
POLICY:
10% of the deposit
is non-refundable
Plus any penalties
applied by the airline issuing your ticket.
39 – 30 days prior
to tour 30%
29 – 16 days prior
to tour 50%
15 – 0 days prior
to tour 100%
How to book in
For Bookings please contact Karen Caba from
Elite Conference Management and Travel on email – ecmtravel@live.com.au or by phone (03)
8682 8895
Please note:
* Twin share in Venice is two people
sharing a bedroom in a 2 bedroom apartment in two twin beds and a room with two
beds in the hotels for the remainder of the tour.
# Single room in Venice is a single
occupancy room in a 2 bedroom apartment then single hotel room throughout for
the remainder of the tour
Karen Caba
Elite Conference Management and Travel
Elite Conference Management and Travel
ecmtravel@live.com.au
tel: (03) 86828895 (7am to 2pm EST)
License: 3575049
ABN: 54854747594
tel: (03) 86828895 (7am to 2pm EST)
License: 3575049
ABN: 54854747594
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