FLAVORS OF ITALY
A Celebration of Music, Food, Wine & Art with host Sean MacLean!
October 4 – 15, 2012
“You may have the universe if I may have Italy.”
Giuseppe Verdi
With Earthbound Expeditions founder Matthew Brumley &
KING FM host Sean MacLean
Italy owns an astonishing thirty percent of the world’s cultural heritage, according to UNESCO. Fine arts, architecture and design are maybe the best known treasures, but music, food and wine have also left a great legacy throughout the centuries.
Join host Sean MacLean on an eleven day art, food and music lover’s journey to “Bella Italia” and celebrate the lives of Verdi, Toscanini and Puccini. Walk in the footsteps of great Italian masters by visiting the very places they loved, lived and worked. Enjoy in-depth private tours highlighting the origins of painting and sculpture in central Italy. Along the way, you’ll be introduced to the culinary arts and visit the producers of fine wines, delicious olive oils and mouth-watering cheeses. This exclusive small group journey will also include an entertaining cooking class, outings to colorful country markets, the towering hill towns of central Italy and fine multi-course bistro dining. Celebrate life and the arts with your host, Sean MacLean this October in “Bella Italia!” Space is limited.
JOURNEY OVERVIEW
1 Overnight flight
2 Nights Venice Pre Tour Option
3 Nights Parma/ Bologna (Italy’s premier food producing region)
3 Nights Renaissance Florence
3 Nights Tuscany Countryside
1 Night Rome, Lazio
JOURNEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Hosted by Sean MacLean, of Classical KING-FM 98.1
- Exclusive visits with food, wine and art authorities
- Outings to country markets
- Wine, honey and grappa tastings with the producers in Chianti, Montepulciano, Montalcino and Orvieto
- A pecorino cheese tasting in Pienza with a local producer
- Excursions to the towering hill towns of Montalcino, Montepulciano, Pienza, & Civita di Bagnoreggio
- The Torgiano wine museum
- Private cooking demonstration with an Italian chef
- Exclusive, guided visits of the Uffizi and Bargello Museums in Florence
- A small group of fellow art, food and wine lovers
IT’S INCLUDED
- Co-guided by Matthew Brumley, Founder of Earthbound Expeditions guide
- Roundtrip air on Delta Airlines
- Airport transfers upon arrival and departure in Italy
- Classical concerts and the Verdi Music Festival of Parma (TBA by mid July)
- Private guided museum tours
- Ten nights of accommodations in charming hotels, country inns & villas (with private shower and toilet)
- Transportation from Milan to Rome aboard an air-conditioned, spacious motor coach
- All breakfasts, plus five lunches and five multi-course dinners featuring regional specialties
- All entrances as listed in your itinerary
- An entertaining cooking demonstration
- Mouthwatering wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and cheese tastings with the producers
- Gratuities for your driver, guide and local guides
- Italian lessons en route given by your guide
- Complimentary evening wine and cheese gatherings
- A pre-trip educational reading/video and packing lists
- Alumni appreciation discounts applied toward future Expeditions
- A small, fun group of like-minded fellow travelers
TRIP FACTS
11 Days/10 Nights (without air travel)
$4,195 Dbl (20-29 Guests Land Only)
$750 Single Supplement (waived if you are willing to share)
Trip departs Seattle on October 4, 2012
Trip begins in Italy on October 5, 2012
Trip returns on October 15, 2012
Limited to 29 guests
GROUP AIR OPTION ON DELTA AIRLINES VIA PARIS
$1,265.00 (Includes all taxes, fuel, ticketing and airport transfers while in Italy)
*Fuel subject to change at time of ticketing
PRE TOUR VENICE OPTION
$595 Dbl. Occupancy
* 2 Nights Superior 3+ star hotel in the historic center of Venice
* Trains tickets to Bologna ( a 1.5 hour to Bologna)
Note: Group flight price subject to deviation fees.
WAYS TO SAVE $425-
1. Pay by check: Pay your final balance by check or money order and save $100 per person.
2. King FM Early Booking Discount: Signup by June 1 and save $150 per person.
3. All alumni of Earthbound Expeditions and King FM partner trips will receive $100 off.
4. Refer a friend and save an additional $75 for each person new to Earthbound who travels with you.
“If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.”
Michelangelo
YOUR JOURNEY…
Thursday, October 4-
Day 1: Depart the United States for bella Italia
Remember, you’ll lose a day on the way to Italy so if not joining the group flight, please make sure to depart the USA on or before October 4. Note: Fly over a few days early and spend a two nights in romantic Venice. After two nights you’ll take the one and a half hour journey south to the region of Bologna. Call for details.
Friday, October 5-
Day 2: Arrive in Milan- Home of La Scala
Upon arrival in Milan you’ll be met by your guide and transported two hours south to Italy’s gastronomic capital of Parma. En route we’ll pass the town of Cremona, home to the world’s most prestigious collection of Stradivarius violins and over 300 violin-making workshops!
Our short drive continues through the Po River Valley. Gastronomy is of such importance here that the region is called “Food Valley” and gourmet travelers arrive like gastro-pilgrims to the region.
Rest up and relax before meeting your guide and host for a welcome orientation and dinner featuring local wines and pasta with names like tortellini, lasagne, gramigna and tagliatelle! Sleep in Bologna, Emilia–Romagna
Saturday, October 6-
Day 3: A Food, Wine & Music Lovers’ Dream
The music of Toscanini, Monteverdi, Verdi, Pavarotti and Stradivarius will forever be associated with the province of Emilia–Romagna. And not only is this region one of the great centers for classical music, but the area surrounding Bologna also produces some of Italy’s most celebrated cuisine, produce and artisanal products.
Your day of gourmet delights begins when you meet your knowledgeable English speaking guide in the city center of Bologna. Rich with architecture, history, student life and artisan food products, your guide will show you a fascinating side of Bologna most tourists never discover. Together you will visit several historic bottegas (small specialized food shops) where you’ll begin your taste adventure by sampling their products. Hear the stories and legends of Bologna as you pass through the covered walkways and side streets. Next up is the historic Medieval market, a one-of-a-kind foodie experience! See the huge rounds of mortadella, flavorful ciccioli and sausages and the mouthwatering chocolate treats found only here. Your guide will be happy to leave you at one of Bologna’s wonderful trattorias for some of their famous filled tortellini pasta. Tonight be treated to your first included concert. Sleep in Bologna, Emilia–Romagna
VINTATE AUTOMOBILES OF MODENA & BOLOGNA
Lamborghini, Ferrari, vintage Maseratis all hail from the province of Emilia-Romagna. And lucky you… an optional outing has been planned to view these beautifully designed machines and will be offered to those who are not just interested in food, wine and music, but also love modern design.
Sunday, October 7-
Day 4: In Pursuit of Verdi, Toscanini and Luciano
Today we’ll walk in the historic footsteps of the great composers (and tenor) of this region.
The region surrounding Parma is known as the “music capital of Italy,” both for being the birthplace of Giuseppe Verdi and the great conductor Arturo Toscanini. We’ll visit homes and museums dedicated to the great masters and tour the small opera house where the artists perform.
Savoring the regions edible art is also on the program and you’ll be enjoying tastings with the producers of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Prosciutto di Parma and visiting a family estate in order taste authentic Balsamic vinegar de Modena. This evening enjoy a second classical concert. (Performances at the Verdi Music Festival may be available; the concert schedule is to be announced in May of 2012). Sleep in Bologna, Emilia–Romagna
Monday, October 8-
Day 5: In the Footsteps of Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Rafael
This morning we depart Emilia-Romagna and drive south to Tuscany. Just two hours south of Bologna lies the city which gave birth to the Renaissance: Florence. It was here that the boundaries of art and science were pushed to their known limits by men like Ghiberti, Da Vinci, Giotto and the Medici men.
Upon arrival in Florence we’ll journey into the world of Boticelli, Raphael and Michelangelo with a privately guided visit of the Uffizi Art Gallery. Tonight we will have a traditional Tuscan feast, which will feature fresh, regional specialties. Sleep in Florence.
Tuesday, October 9-
Day 6: A Day of Beauty and Renaissance Art
After breakfast we set out to explore the “Bargello” Museum. The National Musem “Il Bargello” is housed in one of the oldest buildings in Florence and one of the most beautiful in Italy, built in 1255. Initially the residence was built for the “Bargello,” or the head of police spies, for which it was named. The current use of the building as a museum began in the mid-nineteenth century. That which the Uffizi offers in painting, the Bargello offers in sculpture and its courtyard and interiors contain some of the masterpieces of the Tuscan Renaissance; there are works by Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Cellini, Giambologna and Donatello along with priceless ivories, enamels, jewels, tapestries and weapons.
Your afternoon is free. May we suggest a visit to the church of Santa Croce which contains stunning Renaissance frescoes and is the final resting spot of many of the outstanding 15th and 16th century Italian artists and intellectuals. Sleep in Florence.
Wednesday, October 10-
Day 7: A Morning with “David” & Fra Angelico
The Galleria dell’Accademia contains Michelangelo’s David, which is easily the most famous sculpture in the world. Once inside, you’re also treated to his unfinished and powerful Slaves, along with works by Perugino, Giambologna, and Botticelli.
After, we’ll visit the Museum of San Marco, worth visiting for its architecture alone.Everything in the former convent was designed to coordinate and simplify the monastic life within its walls in its calm cloister, as well as the light-filled library, one of the finest interiors of the Renaissance. Furthermore, the museum contains the works of Fra’ Angelico in the form of frescoed interiors and the panels displayed in the large alms-house. The museum also has a very beautiful Last Supper frescoed by Ghirlandaio at the end of the fifteenth century, and, in its first public library of the Renaissance, a fine series of illuminated manuscripts. It is a building that was also the scene of fervent religious activity, highlighted by personalities such as Beato Angelico and later, Gerolamo Savonarola. Your afternoon is free to explore Florence at your own leisurely pace. Sleep in Florence.
Thursday, October 11-
Day 8: Florence to Southern Tuscany via Chianti
We depart this morning for stunning southern Tuscany. En route, discover the Gallo Nero wine route which meanders from Florence to Siena. This full day outing will include a visit to Panzano and the butcher shop of Dario Cecchini, known as the “Michelangelo of Meat” and a mouth-watering wine tasting at a Tuscan estate.
Eight centuries before Christ, the Etruscans settled the hill towns of central Italy and on these parched rocky fortresses founded Italy’s first cities. The Romans called them the “Etruschi,” meaning “those who live on hills.” Over the course of the next three days you’ll become a true expert on the vanishing way of life which can only be found today in central Italy’s hill towns.
Our day ends in the Tuscan countryside near the region of Siena. The rich earth of this region produces some of Italy’s most celebrated wines. Over the course of the next two days we’ll enjoy a cooking class, several wine tastings and the picturesque hill towns dotting the landscape. Sleep in the Tuscan countryside.
Friday, October 12-
Day 9: Pienza and Montepulciano
Our excursion today moves slowly from the acclaimed wine-producing town of Montepulciano, Italy’s highest hill town, to nearby Pienza, which presides over the Val d’Orcia, a zone of pristine beauty that has been listed as a world heritage area. Pienza was named after Pope Pius II, who sought to create of this town a paradise on earth.
We’ll lunch in a local trattoria outside of Pienza and enjoy the simple but elegant food that Tuscany is so famous for and meant to be enjoyed overlooking one of the world’s loveliest valleys. Sleep in the Tuscan countryside
Saturday, October 13-
Day 10: A Day in Siena
Siena, once home to Saint Catherine, remembers its medieval roots by celebrating the Palio, Italy’s most prestigious horse race. Our day begins with a walking tour with a local expert through the famous Campo and will continue through the winding cobblestone alleyways to Siena’s massive Gothic cathedral and other historical sights. We’ll have a delicious Siennese feast tonight, featuring local specialties such as “pici” pasta and wines made from the fruit of the San Giovese grape. Sleep in the Tuscan countryside.
Sunday, October 14-
Day 11: A Towering Hill Town & Wine Estate
Welcome the new day with an exhilarating walk to the stunning hill town of Civita. With a population of approximately forty people, this just may be Italy’s least populous hill town. The thirty to forty five minute walk through a rugged valley follows the route of an old donkey trail, which today, thankfully, is now a paved footbridge.
In the midday we visit a family-run wine estate in order to sample the aromatic white wine of Orvieto Classico and have a gala farewell lunch. We’ll toast to a fabulous adventure and say “arrivederci” to Italia. Sleep in Rome
Monday, October 15-
Day 12: Depart for home or Explore Rome
Group transfer departs early this morning. Or, if you like stay on in Rome for a few extra nights.
Return home with a lifetime of memories!
Buon Viaggio!
MEET YOUR HOSTS…
Sean MacLean is the radio host of Northwest Focus at Seattle’s Classical 98.1 King FM. He’s a pianist and composer, whose choral and orchestral works have been performed by internationally acclaimed ensembles, including the BBC Symphony. Sean can’t imagine life without travel. Recent trips to Bali, Patagonia, South Africa, and the Czech Republic are still informing his radio show. He lived five years in France as a recording producer, traveling all over Western Europe, falling in love with Romance languages … and the food and wine they extol! Training his eye on Europe’s architecture, Sean became a published travel photographer, a hobby he continues today with kitesurfing and telemark skiing in the Pacific Northwest. He’s delighted to be returning to Italy, where he spent a memorable summer exploring Tuscany, writing songs in the hills above Florence, and having light wines with lunch that don’t get you drunk, just ready for la bella vita!
Matthew Brumley is the founder of Earthbound Expeditions and has been leading and creating adventures worldwide for 20 plus years. He has utilized his talents as an expedition leader with The World Wild Life Fund, Special Expeditions and Smithsonian Institute in North and Latin America, Asia, Europe and Russia. In addition, for two seasons he was the expedition leader on the Trans-Siberian Orient Express. After completing his undergraduate studies at the universities of Copenhagen and Moscow, he went on to attend the graduate program at the London School of Economics. He has lived in Copenhagen, Paris, London, Tel Aviv, to San Jose and Costa Rica. Matthew has led well over one hundred overseas adventures and lives on “la Isla Bonita” (A.K.A. Bainbridge Island, Washington) with his Francophile wife Danna, son Liam, and daughter Aiyana.
RAVES AND REVIEWS
Read what former Italian travelers are saying about Earthbound Expeditions
”I have two albums of 300 pictures of memorable moments and they’re all wonderful! The trip was well planned and led, well paced and exceeded my already high expectations. ”
Former guest, Lynne Apple
“Most memorable moment? Civita di Bagnoregio and the ancient olive mill, and the delightful Vibio with its tiny opera house. They were priceless gems. But then there was the dinner at La Bastiglia.”
Former guest, Ray Styles
“The itinerary was excellent, without prolonged bus rides, and providing a chance to tie together different areas within the broader region. For example, we had an opportunity to understand the ancient rivalry between towns, and to even flavor the nuances of the different wines in Umbria and Tuscany.”
Former guest, Peter Wray
-ITINERARY SPECIFICS SUBJECT TO CHANGE-
Make Your Reservation
