YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE®

Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian Heartland 2023

Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13)

Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler,

For me, one of the joys of traveling is the careful planning that goes into an adventure—from the first spark of inspiration to hours spent poring over travel books about my dream destinations—and I can’t wait to see where my next journey will take me. I know you’re eager to explore the world, too, and our Tuscany & Umbria itinerary described inside is an excellent way to start.

Exactly how your adventure unfolds is up to you, because you have many choices to customize it. You can arrive early and stay later—perhaps by adding a pre- or post-trip extension, spending time in a Stopover city, or combining 2 or more trips. Plus, your itinerary is laced with free time, so you’ll have opportunities to do your own thing. More than 80% of the travelers who reserve this trip choose to tailor their adventure. In fact, O.A.T. is the only travel company to offer such flexibility and choice for an experience that is truly personalized.

As for Tuscany & Umbria, thanks to your small group of 8-16 travelers (average 13) you can expect some unforgettable experiences. Here are a few that stood out for me:

I love to eat in Italy (who doesn’t?) and Tuscany is truly a gastronomic playground, brimming with some of the nation’s most iconic dishes. You’ll see what I mean when you spend A Day in the Life in the Chianti Valley on a family-owned goat farm where you’ll have a chance to meet the goats, learn about organic farming practices during a stroll through the fruit and vegetable gardens, and discover the secrets of cheese-making firsthand before sitting down with your hosts for a farm-fresh lunch.

While I adore so many of the Italian traditions that I’ve encountered, I was saddened to learn about a darker side of this country’s heritage and the consequences of the machismo culture: femminicidio , or violence against women. When you visit La Città delle Donne—an organization that provides vital services for victims of domestic abuse, you’ll meet some of the volunteers who work closely with the survivors. They’ll speak to the challenges facing survivors after they leave an abusive relationship and share their passion for achieving gender equality in Italy. I found their stories harrowing but ultimately inspiring—and you will, too.

The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. That’s why we don’t shy away from controversial topics, and why all our Trip Experience Leaders are “insiders” who live in the country. At times you may be nudged out of your comfort zone. But you will also be inspired by the resilience and humanity of the wonderful people you meet. And that’s what adventure travel is all about.

Thanks for letting me dream along with you about Tuscany & Umbria. I’m looking forward to experiencing the enrichment that only travel can bring, and I hope you are, too. Until then, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925.

Love and peace,

Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel

P.S. Inspire fellow travelers with videos and slideshows of your most memorable travel moments from past adventures. You can upload them directly onto the trip-specific pages on our website, or learn more at www.oattravel.com/traveler-moments. USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler

2 CONTENTS

A Letter from Harriet Lewis ...... 2 The O.A.T. Difference...... 4 The Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ...... 6 Grand Circle Foundation...... 8 The Leader in Solo Travel ...... 9

TUSCANY & UMBRIA: RUSTIC BEAUTY ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: IN THE ITALIAN HEARTLAND CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Your Adventure at a Glance: Italian Culture ...... 82 Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, and What’s Included ...... 10 Shipping & More ...... 87 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ...... 12 Optional Tours ...... 34 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Pre-Trip Extensions ...... 35 Italy ...... 91 Post-Trip Extensions ...... 49 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 91 Dates & Prices ...... 60 Italy: A Brief History ...... 92 France...... 93 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 93 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION France: A Brief History ...... 94 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. . . 61 No Visas Required ...... 61 RESOURCES Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ...... 63 Suggested Reading ...... 96 Vaccines Required ...... 64 Suggested Film & Video ...... 97 Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Guidelines ...... 66 Tipping Guidelines...... 68 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 69 Optional Tours ...... 69 Communicating with Home from Abroad . . 70 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . . . 72 Suggested Packing Lists ...... 74 Electricity Abroad ...... 76 Climate & Average Temperatures ...... 78

Notes...... 102 Map ...... 107

3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in Italy

This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled. SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are hospitality. visiting, so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES stories, food, customs, hidden treasures With 36 regional offices around the world, and more. we are perfectly poised to leverage our local relationships to deliver an excellent experience AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported Engage with local people through visits to by our team in Rome. farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ studios; school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more.

œÖƑŋũŶĞāķŋóÖķƪÖƑŋũŭùŽũĢłė'ÖƘĢłŶĞādĢĕāĢł”āŶŶĢłŋ̇RŶÖķƘ NŽłŶĕŋũŶũŽƨāŭÖķŋłėŭĢùāŶĞāķŋóÖķŭĢłÖł­ĿðũĢÖł ĿŋŽłŶÖĢłƑĢķķÖėā

4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY En riching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. Experience what sets O.A.T. apart.

GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) discuss women’s roles and the challenges they VISIT face in contemporary Moroccan society. GCF was established in 1992 to help change A DAY IN THE LIFE people’s lives in the world where we live, Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like work, and travel. To date, we have pledged or to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s donated $200 million worldwide. find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an By investing in the places we explore— exclusive, immersive experience that places including local schools, cooperatives, or arts you in the heart of a community where you’ll centers—we hope to give locals the skills and meet various people where they live, work, confidence they need to become leaders of and play; visit the neighborhood school; lend a their generation and preserve their heritage hand with daily chores; and break bread with for many years to come. We’re proud to play our hosts. a part in preserving precious locales like the Perhaps you’ll join a local resident or Bryggen waterfront district of Bergen, a living community leader for a guided walk through example of the glory days of the Hanseatic the town, visit a market, or enjoy a unique League, and supporting villages like Harmi in opportunity to meet teachers and students at Estonia, whose once-struggling school is now a local school if school is in session. a center of community life. HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds Every culture has its joys and achievements, engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the and we celebrate them all. But every place things that can happen across a kitchen table, also has its challenges, and to gloss over them so we’ll break into groups of 4-5 to join a local would not do justice to those whose stories family in their home for a snack or a meal. need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who This is a rare opportunity to witness family deserves more than a sugar-coated version of life, learn local customs, and taste some things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will home-cooked fare. lead frank discussions on controversial issues, and introduce you to people whose stories will For example, we’ll get a taste of Scottish expand your understanding. hospitality and sample traditional flavors when we join a family for dinner in For example, we’ll speak to an expert in Glasgow; we’ll observe life from a communal Russia about free speech and the popularity Russian apartment in St. Petersburg as we of President Vladimir Putin; in Zambia, we’ll share lunch with the residents; and share a have a candid conversation with a park ranger meal with a Bosnian family who has lived in Kafue National Park on trophy hunting, a along Sarajevo’s “Sniper Alley,” since before controversial sport which generates around the siege of the city. $200 million in annual revenue across Africa; and we’ll meet a local Tangier woman to

5 You're in control with THE FREEDOM TO PERSONALIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE Exclusively with O.A.T. Your Choice. Your Adventure. Your Way.

It’s your adventure, so why not make it exactly what you want it to be? We offer an exclusive variety of options that let you tailor your adventure so it’s completely your own. In fact, O.A.T. is the only travel company to offer this level of flexibility and choice for a truly personalized experience.

PRE- OR POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS 2. Great value: All extensions include Every O.A.T. adventure offers at least one accommodations, daily breakfast, and optional pre-trip and one post-trip extension. airport transfers. Here’s why more than 55% of O.A.T. travelers 3. Continuity and camaraderie: You’ll usually choose to take a pre- or post-trip extension: travel with the same Trip Experience Leader who leads your main trip, enjoying more of 1. You’ll maximize your discoveries—often his or her insider expertise—and more time in an even smaller group than your main to bond with the group. adventure (on average, 6 travelers with a dedicated Trip Experience Leader)—and take advantage of your included airfare.

Optional Extensions offered with your Italy adventure

History and Culinary Delights of Bologna NEW! Sardinia: Jewel of the Mediterranean & Parma, Italy & Trove of Ancient History 6 nights pre-trip from $1995 6 nights pre-trip from $3295

Bologna, Italy Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

Rome: Ancient Sites & Hidden City Gems NEW! Highlights of the Côte d’Azur 4 nights post-trip from $1495 6 nights post-trip from $3295

Trastevere, Rome, Italy Nice, France

6 ARRIVE EARLY, STAY LATER of our Regional Adventure Counselors to learn Extending your time abroad—with us or more about your options and to arrange your on your own—is the best way to broaden international airfare. your experience. It’s also a practical way to You are free to choose however you’d like to maximize the value of the international airfare spend this additional time exploring, including covered in your main itinerary. the tours you take, activities you plan, and Expand Your Discoveries Before restaurants you visit. If you’d like ideas about or After Your Adventure how to spend this time and what to see and do, our Regional Adventure Counselors can provide Arrive early in the first destination on your recommendations when helping you plan pre-trip extension or main adventure, or stay this option. later in the last city on your main adventure or post-trip extension. By coming early, you can COMBINE ADVENTURES rest after your flight and adjust—with time to You’re already overseas. Why not see more and explore. By staying later, you have extra time maximize your value by avoiding the cost and to relax, pack, or continue exploring. length of another international flight? Here’s why 2,250 O.A.T. travelers combined two or This option lets you take advantage of our more adventures in 2019: lower group rates, with prices from $100 per person per night—including accommodations, • Save a total of $600-$3000 per person when private airport transfer, and daily breakfast. you combine two adventures compared to the Arrive early for your main trip in Lucca for $125 cost of taking each trip separately. per person per night • Apply the 5% or 6% Frequent Traveler Credit • Arrive early in Lucca before your main trip you earn on your first trip to your second trip. for $125 per person, per night • Sir Edmund Hillary Club members save an • Arrive early in Bologna on your Bologna extra $250-$350 per person when booking and Parma pre-trip extension for $100 per multiple trips in a calendar year. person, per night • Our Regional Adventure Counselors make all • Arrive early in Cagliari on your Sardinia pre- the arrangements for a seamless experience. trip extension for $150 per person, per night Combine this trip with our Sicily’s Ancient • Conclude your main trip or your Rome Landscapes & Timeless Traditions adventure—for post-trip extension with more time a total cost of $6490-$9990 per person—and in Rome for $150 per person, per night save $900-$1200 per person versus taking each trip separately. • Spend more time in Nice at the end of your French Riviera post-trip extension AIR PREFERENCES for $150 per person, per night 54% of our travelers customize their air Accommodations are at the same hotels where itineraries: you begin or end the main trip and optional • Choose your departure city and airline extensions, so transitions will be seamless. • Depart from one city and return to another NEW! Stopover in any major international city • Upgrade to Premium Economy or Travelers with O.A.T. airfare have the Business Class opportunity to stopover in popular cities en route to your main adventure. Speak with one

7 GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION Changing people’s lives, one village, one school, one person at a time

GIVING BACK TO THE WORLD WE TRAVEL Dear Traveler, Since our inception in 1992, the Grand Circle In 1992 we established Grand Circle Foundation has pledged or donated more than Foundation, an entity of the Lewis Family $200 million to projects around the world. Foundation, as a means to give back to the world that had already given us so JOIN OUR GENEROUS TRAVELERS much. We’ve pledged or donated more We consider each and every one of our travelers than $200 million worldwide to support to be partners in our worldwide giving. the education of young people and the Some travelers, however, are so inspired by preservation of international treasures the schools and villages they visit, they are and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. compelled to give more. In fact, our travelers have donated more than $1 million in 2019 Of course, none of this would be possible alone. And because we have no administrative without your help. A portion of the costs, 100% of donations are used to help proceeds of every adventure is donated to change people’s lives. Grand Circle Foundation—so just as your life will be enriched by the discoveries BETTER OUR OWN COMMUNITIES— you’ll make on your journey, you’ll also ALL AROUND THE WORLD help to enrich the lives of the people you’ll In addition to the destinations where we travel, meet along the way. we strive to better the communities where Thank you for traveling with us, and for we work—from our headquarters in Boston helping to change people’s lives. to our 36 offices around the world. In Boston, more than 99% of our associates participate Love and peace, in community service each year. Worldwide, nearly all of our offices organize annual community service events of their own. Harriet R. Lewis Chair, Grand Circle Foundation How you can help To learn more about ongoing Foundation projects, you can sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, the Inside Scoop, at www.oattravel.com/community/the- inside-scoop. When you do, you’ll not only receive updates on Grand Circle Foundation, but the latest news and discoveries on all things Grand Circle and Overseas Adventure Travel.

SCAN ME See how Grand Circle Foundation is giving back in this video Open the camera feature on your mobile device, and hover the lens over this code to scan it. A pop-up notification will take you www.grandcirclefoundation.org directly to the video.

8 THE LEADER IN SOLO TRAVEL in Italy—and Around the World

ON THIS ADVENTURE … FREE Single Supplements: We don’t charge The leader in solo-friendly a single supplement on this adventure and travel for Americans—by optional trip extensions—a savings of $960- the numbers $1,095 per person compared to other travel companies. But single spaces fill quickly, so early reservations are advised. More than 50% of all O.A.T. travelers are women who travel solo One of our most popular trips for solo travelers. More than 450 solo travelers joined us on this adventure in 2018 and 2019—either In 2022, we’re offering 30,000 independently or sharing a room with a singles spaces across all O.A.T. mother, daughter, sister, or friend. adventures. That’s 86% more than High ratings: More than 93% of these solo offered in 2019 travelers rated their adventure excellent.

On average, half of your group will also be 92% of our 30,000 single spaces traveling independently, so it’s easy to forge have FREE Single Supplements. The special bonds as you experience unforgettable remaining 8% have the lowest single moments together. supplements in the industry.

You’ll be in good hands, thanks to your dedicated local Trip Experience Leader (a In 2022, we’re offering 25 exclusive resident of Italy), and the expertise of our women’s departures on some of our regional office team in Rome. most popular itineraries

Increased Single Space: In 2023, we have up to 8 single spaces per departure. See available FREE single space at NEW! 101+ SCAN ME www.oattravel.com/bta2023. Tips for Solo Women Travelers This complimentary, 96-page booklet is a comprehensive collection of savvy tips specifically for seasoned women travelers going solo. Learn about safety for solos, packing like a pro, the best travel apps, self-care on the road, and more. Scan this code to view an online copy or to request one by mail.

9 Our best value in over 5 years—with a savings of up to $300 per person

Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian Heartland Small Group Adventure Italy: Lucca, Chianti region, Pienza, Spoleto, Rome

Countries: 1 | Cities : 5

Small groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! It’s Included (average of 13)

Explore in a small group of 8-16 29 meals—13 breakfasts, 8 lunches, FROM PER DAY DAYS • • travelers (average group size of 13) and 8 dinners (Including 1 Home- $ $ Hosted Lunch) 3595 240 15 • International airfare, airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel • 23 small group activities Including international airfare surcharges unless you choose to make Services of a local O.A.T. Trip your own air arrangements • FREE Single Supplement Experience Leader All land transportation • • Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and • Accommodations for 13 nights luggage porters Maximize Your • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward Discoveries & Value your next adventure—an average of $350

Optional extension s : SCAN ME History and Culinary Delights of Watch our #1 most popular video Bologna & Parma, Italy for this adventure 6 nights pre-trip from $1995 Travel from only $333 per night Open the camera feature on your mobile device, and hover the lens over this code to scan it. A pop-up notification will New! Sardinia: Jewel of the take you directly to the video. Mediterranean & Trove of Ancient History 6 nights pre-trip from $3295 Travel from only $550 per night Rome: Ancient Sites & Hidden City Gems 4 nights post-trip from $1495 Travel from only $374 per night New! Highlights of the Côte d’Azur 6 nights post-trip from $3295 Travel from only $550 per night

Panoramic view of Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian Heartland

10 Carrara Itinerary Summary Marina di POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS Carrara T

T Rome’s Great Beauty

i u Florence I b (incl. Trevi Fountain) Pre-trip extensions: 6 nights in History Lucca e VATICAN r (Optional Tour) rno s A Ancient City and Culinary Delights of Bologna & c of Rome Chianti Valley Trastevere Parma, Italy OR New! 6 nights in a District Rome Sardinia: Jewel of the Mediterranean & Y PRE-TRIP EXTENSIONS n I T A L A Siena T Trove of Ancient History Po d y r ano Parma i ulci a p nte L. Trasimeno t o ITALY i M Bologna c Perugia Lunigiana E DAYS DESTINATION S U C Valley Ravenna e I a Spello Villefranche-sur-Mer T (Optional (Optional Tour) N Ty A Tour) m Trevi r A Monaco rh Nice 1 Fly to Lucca, Italy S en Lucca L A a e ia Y b R e a n Cannes An S F tibe r Spoleto s n T a To Florence Sovana & i i b i r e u Pitigliano r i g 2-4 Lucca Corsica ITALY (Optional Tour) a L From Rome FRANCE L. di Bolsena L SARDINIA Tyrrhenian 5-7 Chianti region Su Nuraxi Sea Ty di Barumini rr h To/From U.S. en Y Monte Arcosu Res. Cagliari ia Internal flight 8-10 Pienza (Optional Tour) Nora & Pula n Land route (Optional Tour) S 020Miles ea Rome 11-13 Spoleto

What to Expect 14 Rome

15 Return to U.S.

Pacing: 5 locations in 14 days with one 1-night stay Post-trip extensions: 4 nights in Rome: Ancient Sites & Hidden City Gems OR New! Physical requirements: Travel on some rugged paths and many cobblestoned streets 6 nights in Highlights of the Côte d’Azur on foot, as well as over bumpy, narrow rural roads by bus; the ability to climb steep stairs and walk up and downhill is also required in several locations in hill towns and the countryside Arrive Early, Stay Later Flight time: Travel time will be 11-18 hours and will most likely have one to three connections Prices include accommodations, daily breakfast, and private airport transfer. View all physical requirements at www.oattravel.com/bta2023 • Arrive early in Lucca before your main trip for $125 per person, per night • Arrive early in Bologna on your Italy : The O.A.T. Difference Bologna and Parma pre-trip extension for $100 per person, per night Our Best Value in 5 Years: Save up to $300 per person, and travel at the lowest • Arrive early in Cagliari on your Sardinia price and per diems in the industry. pre-trip extension for $150 per person, per night People-to-People Experiences: Enjoy our NEW A Day in the Life in the Chianti • Conclude your main trip or your Rome Valley on a family-owned goat farm, where you’ll learn to make homemade post-trip extension with more time cheese, and then venture to a nearby winery to sample world-class Chianti in Rome for $150 per person, per night varieties. Plus, immerse yourself in an Umbrian mountain village when you hunt • Spend more time in Nice at the end of for truffles alongside the locals. your French Riviera post-trip extension for $150 per person, per night O.A.T. Exclusives: Engage in Controversial Topics throughout your adventure, including Italy’s culture of silence around femminicidio (violence against women), marble quarrying in Carrara, and reproductive rights in Umbria.

More than 93% of travelers rated this trip excellent

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/bta2023

11 Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian Heartland

YOUR DETAILED ITINERARY

BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION 6 nights in History and Culinary Delights of Bologna & Parma, Italy

Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 5 Transfer to Parma Day 2 Arrive in Bologna, Italy Day 6 Explore Parma Day 3 Explore Bologna Day 7 Parma • Po River Experience Day 4 Bologna • Optional Ravenna’s Day 8 Transfer to Lucca • Travel through Magnificent Mosaics excursion the Apennines • Join main trip

OR 6 nights in Sardinia: Jewel of the Mediterranean & Trove of Ancient History

Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 5 Mitza Fanebas Waterfalls • Explore Grotte Is Zuddas Day 2 Arrive Cagliari, Sardinia Day 6 Optional Wild nature & ancient Day 3 Explore Cagliari • Visit Su Nuraxi culture of Sardinia tour di Barumini Day 7 Explore Molentargius-Saline Day 4 Optional Monte Arcosu tour • Home-Hosted Dinner Regional Park Day 8 Fly to Florence • Transfer to Lucca • Join main trip

Day 1 Depart U.S.

Afternoon/Evening: You depart today on your overnight flight from the U.S. to Florence, Italy.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

12 Day 2 Arrive in Lucca, Italy Freedom To Explore: During your three days in Lucca, you have the freedom to explore • Destination: Lucca this charming walled city on your own during • Accommodations: Hotel San Luca Palace your free time. Below are a few recommended or similar options for independent explorations: Afternoon: You’ll arrive at the airport in • Visit the Palazzo Pfanner: Discover a Florence sometime this afternoon, depending 17th-century villa adorned by a manicured on your specific flight arrangements. An O.A.T. Italian-style garden featuring Mediterranean representative will meet you at the airport and plants, sprawling lawns, potted lemon trees, escort you to your hotel in Lucca—a transfer and stoic statues of 18th-century Greek gods. of up to 1.5 hours by bus, depending on traffic. Built in 1667, the villa is now used as an art Upon arrival, you will check in and receive your and artifacts museum. The garden boasts room assignments. We stay for three nights 18th-century statues carved in the likeness of in our hotel located in the historic center of Olympian gods and the four seasons making Lucca. Depending on which hotel we stay at, it a prime example of a Baroque garden. You amenities may include a restaurant, bar, and can also explore the lives of Italian nobility lounge area. Typical rooms include a minibar, as you meander through the villa’s central safe, air conditioning, wireless Internet, and hall, and also peruse a unique collection of private bath with hairdryer. Depending on your antique surgical instruments and medical arrival time at the hotel, you will also be offered texts against the backdrop of the opulent a drink by our Trip Experience Leader and may room. Plan to spend an hour or so exploring meet up with some of the other members of the villa’s unique architecture and historic your group—including the travelers who took curiosities. our optional History and Culinary Delights of Bologna & Parma, Italy or New! Sardinia: Jewel • How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute walk. of the Mediterranean & Trove of Ancient History • Hours: 10am-6pm, daily pre-trip extension. You may also wish to take (April-November). a brief walk led by your Trip Experience Leader • Cost: About $7 USD. around the hotel and surrounding area for a • Pedal along the Walls of Lucca: Cycle the chance to get acclimated, find an ATM, or seek almost 3-mile expanse of walls encircling the out a local market. heart of Lucca. Built between the mid-1600s and late 1800s, these walls are a prime ex- Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience ample of early modern fortification methods Leader will be happy to share their and now serves as a unique urban park. recommendations, if you’d like, or you might Enjoy the scenic, panoramic views of this want to sample some traditional pizza from historical city as you ride, or stop on one of a nearby bakery, savoring your slice as you the numerous benches and tables—perhaps wander the city. you’ll have a picnic, admiring the scenic city Evening: Your evening is on your own—you and countryside. are free to rest in your room after your flight • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk to prepare for tomorrow’s discoveries or to the bike rental store. reach out to your Trip Experience Leader for • Hours: 9am-7:30pm, daily. recommendations on things to do in the area. • Cost: About $5 USD per hour or $23 USD for full-day rental.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

13 • Discover the Puccini Museum: Walk the halls need to occur), discuss logistics, safety and of Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini’s emergency procedures, and ask any questions birth home in a museum tracing the history we may have. of his life and work. This elegant former Shortly before 9:45am, we’ll set off to explore home displays unique artifacts relating to Lucca on a roughly 2-hour walking tour led by a the famous composer that range from the local guide. Remarkably well preserved, Lucca’s iconic to the intimate. Witness treasures such narrow streets look much like they did when as a waistcoat once work by Puccini, antique the ancient Romans established the town in tour posters, and music school graduation about 180 BC. And the thick walls that encircled certificates. Lucca during the Renaissance era stand strong • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. today. Completely intact, they once hosted car • Hours: 10am-7pm, daily (varies by races and now serve as a pedestrian walkway. season). Lucca’s quaint center is enclosed by these • Cost: About $8 USD. walls, and brick ramparts from the 15th and Controversial 16th centuries preside over the streets. As we Day 3 Explore Lucca • explore, we’ll find quiet, tree-lined squares and Topic: Combating femminicidio—violence ancient churches with ornate facades of green, against women—with Daniela Grossi and gray, and white marble. Our stroll also takes us volunteers of La Citta delle Donne by the Duomo di San Martino, or St. Martin’s • Destination: Lucca Cathedral, which was originally built in 1063. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner We’ll conclude our walking tour shortly before • Accommodations: Hotel San Luca Palace noon at La Città delle Donne (literally, “The or similar City of Women”), an organization that provides Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today’s discoveries support, services, and a safe place to stay for feature the Controversial Topic of femminicidio, survivors of domestic abuse. Here, we’ll meet or violence against women in Italy with Daniela Daniela Grossi, president of the organization, Grossi, president of La Citta delle Donne (“The as well as volunteers Alida Bondanelli and City of Women”), and several volunteers Michela Panigada, and learn about the associated with the cause. This conversation Controversial Topic of femminicidio, or violence is one of the most eye-opening experiences against women in Italy. While each of these on this adventure, as it enables our small woman hails from different backgrounds and group to see all sides of Italy—including the cultivates various interests, Daniela, Alida, and difficult ones. Read more about this informative Michela all share a desire for gender equality conversation below. in Italy and a passion for helping victims of femminicidio. As we’ll find out during the hour Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning that we spend here, femminicidio is a taboo at 7am, with Italian and American options subject in Italy, one that many Italians prefer to available. think doesn’t happen in their country.

Morning: At about 9am, we’ll gather in the After introductions, Alida and Michela will hotel lobby to meet with our Trip Experience take us on a tour of the organization, giving us Leader for a Welcome Briefing. During this a better understanding of the situation faced briefing, we’ll review our itinerary in more by survivors of violence and of the services detail (including any changes that may

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

14 the organization provides them—including violence in Italy took place with the approval education, counseling, social services, and safe of Law number 66 in February of 1996, which apartments for women (and their children) finally began to consider violence against to stay. Because of the sensitive nature of this women as a crime against personal freedom, in topic, and the culture of shame surrounding addition to a crime of morality. Then in April of it in Italy, we likely will not hear from any 2001, more new measures were introduced to survivors during our time here. But Alida, combat cases of violence within the home—a Michela, and any other volunteers we encounter huge step forward. work closely with the survivors, and are able to During our hour-long interactive conversation, speak to their experiences and the issues they we’ll hear a 20-minute presentation, followed face after leaving their abusive relationships. by 40 minutes to ask Daniela, Alida, and Steeped in the twin cultures of Roman Michela any questions you may have. Our time Catholicism and machismo, Italy today at La Città delle Donne may be emotional and remains a strongly patriarchal society. The difficult. But it also sheds light on important Vatican’s powerful reach continues to influence societal issues that any traveler wishing how women—and in particular, women’s to understand the real Italy must contend sexuality—are viewed. As a result, many with. Our experiences and conversations this survivors of sexual or violent assault who morning are made possible by O.A.T.’s local come forward are not taken seriously: Police connections. officers frequently doubt women’s testimonies, Lunch: On your own anytime after 1pm. and many women are made to feel guilty and Ask your Trip Experience Leader for shame for their own abuse. And so, unlike in recommendations on restaurants in the many other progressive European countries, area. You might stop by La Bodeguita, a local there is a culture of silence and shame around mainstay for fresh sandwiches. femminicidio in Italy. Afternoon: You have the afternoon free to In fact, in 2019 alone, nearly 7 million Italian explore Lucca on your own, perhaps to take a women between the ages of 16 to 70 suffered pleasant walk along the city walls. a form of violence at least once during their lifetime—ranging from physical violence to Dinner: At around 6:15pm, we’ll take a serious forms of sexual violence, such as rape 15-minute walk to a nearby restaurant to enjoy and attempted rape. Yet according to Italy’s our Welcome Dinner. Our meal will feature statistics institute, only 12% of this violence traditional Italian cuisine and will include an is reported. Around 63% of the perpetrators appetizer such as bean soup, a main course of these violent crimes were either current such as veal with side dish, and dessert. or former romantic partners, which is likely Bottled water is included as well as a choice why the victims remained silent. La Città delle of a glass of wine, beer, or soft drink to toast Donne is one of the few places women can to the discoveries we’ll be making in Tuscany reliably turn to for support. and Umbria.

It is only in recent years that laws have been put Evening: After dinner concludes around in place to protect women who have been the 7:45pm, you are free to return to your room to victims of these kind of violent crimes. The first rest before your explorations tomorrow. Or, if significant legislative innovation against sexual

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

15 you’d prefer, take in the charms of Lucca by shapes for industrial or artistic use. Or, we’ll night on an evening stroll or venture out to a discover another use of the local marble during bar or a quiet café. a visit to a producer of “Lardo di Colonnata.” Here, we’ll meet a maker of this local delicacy Day 4 Lucca • Controversial Topic: The and discover how the pig-back fat is cured in health, economic, and environmental tubs of Carrara marble. impacts of marble production with Luigi Then, at about 10:30am, we’ll head up the Bernacca • Excursion to Carrara Marble winding mountain slopes of the Apuan Alps Quarries • Home-Hosted Lunch for an adventurous visit to the famous Carrara • Destination: Lucca marble quarries, where the block of white David • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch marble used by Michelangelo to sculpt his came from. Some 15,000 tons of marble are • Accommodations: Hotel San Luca Palace still extracted daily from the mountains. We’ll or similar have a chance to walk around the grounds and Exclusive O.A.T. Activities: Today, we’ll discuss even get to enter inside the marble caves for the Controversial Topic of the impacts of a behind-the-scenes look at the extraction marble quarrying with former quarry worker process. If the day is clear, you may be able Luigi Bernacca. The O.A.T. community is to enjoy scenic views of the surrounding one that seeks to uncover the truth about a mountains and the town below from the quarry. destination, and we believe this is why travelers have found this conversation to be particularly After our 1-hour walking tour, we’ll walk to a impactful. Although it reveals injustices and nearby shelter that is adjacent to the quarries. inequities, it will help you understand the past There, we’ll meet with Luigi Bernacca, a former and current complexities of life in Carrara. quarry worker, to learn about some of the Another exclusive O.A.T. activity we’ll enjoy impacts of this practice during a Controversial today is a Home-Hosted Lunch with a local Topic conversation. In the United States—and family. This is a unique opportunity to see how throughout the world—Carrara marble is people live and eat in this part of Italy, as well considered the gold standard in luxury. But as to immerse yourself in daily life. Read more as we’ll find out, the process of producing the about these activities below. marble is far from luxurious, and the riches it garners have not made their way back to Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at the town. 6:30am, with Italian and American options available. Luigi is 72 years old, and for 48 of those years, he worked in the quarries. Over the decades, Morning: We’ll begin the day by departing he’s witnessed the dramatic evolution of around 9am for Carrara, about a one-hour this contentious practice. When he started drive. Situated along the Carrione River, in the industry, he mined the marble using a Carrara is a town that was originally built by hammer and chisel—a high-risk method that the ancient Romans to house workers in the had the potential to result in injury, among a nearby quarries. Upon arrival, we’ll enjoy one of slew of other negative consequences. Today, two revealing local interactions at the site. We machines have almost entirely replaced manual might stop at a local marble workshop to meet labor—however, this has not eliminated the with the owner and workers to see how blocks of Carrara marble are worked into a variety of

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

16 dangers. He’ll share with us his firsthand illnesses seems to have stopped doing so after perspective on this evolution and how he feels a “reorganization” of sorts in 2017. As such, about marble quarrying today. those connected to the quarries have reason to believe a cover-up could be at play here. Quarrying has existed in this region of Italy for many centuries, and, bizarrely, the industry In addition to the many hazardous risks posed still follows some of the original laws governing to the workers, the local environment has marble extraction. A 15th-century rule, still suffered as well. While technically located in effect today, stipulates that whoever finds within a protected area of the Apuan Alps, the marble in the mountains is entitled to keep the quarries are not subject to the same safeguards marble and establish a quarry on the premises, as elsewhere in the region. As a result of without having to pay taxes to the town or centuries of blasting and marble extraction, the municipality. In practice, this means that the quarry mountains have actually shrunk the quarry owners continue to get richer and in height over time. But as long as there richer, while none of the wealth generated by continues to be a high demand for marble the quarries gets invested back into the town. and consumers willing to pay top-dollar for Quarry workers spend their days (and working the luxury of marble floors, countertops, and lives) handling some of the most expensive bathtubs, it’s unlikely that the regulations and sought-after materials in the world, only (or lack thereof) will change. Furthermore, it to return in the evenings to a town in financial seems that the powers that be are unwilling hardship: Carrara, shockingly, is the poorest to let go of Carrara’s history as a powerhouse town in Italy. marble producer. The city prides itself in this reputation and celebrates it just about On top of the economic inequities faced by everywhere you look: From the magnificent quarry workers, there are physical tolls as marbled Duomo to the marble intarsia inlay in well. Working in the mines is dangerous and the Piazza Alberica, the history of this practice dirty; explosions, landslides, and falling rocks is on full display. are commonplace. Accidents unfortunately happen all too often: In the last thirteen years As a former quarry worker and Carrara resident, alone, twelve quarry workers have died and Luigi will be able to share a deeply personal more than 1,000 have been gravely injured. account of the industry. Take advantage of this Many other workers have developed silicosis opportunity to ask him any questions you may or cancer from breathing in the dust and have—such as how he feels about the quarries’ chemicals of the mines, daily, over many years. impact on the town, and what regulations he Cancer-related deaths from the quarries have thinks should exist to protect workers and been recognized officially, and many families the environment. Undoubtedly, this 1-hour in Carrara are awaiting government assistance conversation will shed light on a troubling topic after the death of a loved one. But community that’s little-known outside of Italy, but will members are often afraid to speak out about hopefully give you a broader understanding the issue, fearing retribution from the powerful of Italy’s role as a luxury producer in the quarry owners. The quarries are the area’s only world market. source of employment; without them, families After our conversation concludes at about would have very little economic opportunity. 12:30pm, we’ll take a 15-minute drive to the Furthermore, the organization responsible for seaside town of Marina di Carrara, where we’ll tracking the rate of work-related injuries and

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

17 split into smaller groups and be picked up by Day 5 Lucca • Visit Florence • some local families for a 5-minute drive to their Chianti region homes. These residences may be in traditional • Destination: Chianti region Italian-style apartment buildings or in single family homes. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner • Accommodations: Villa Il Leccio or similar Lunch: At about 1pm, enjoy a Home-Hosted Activity Note: If you are departing the U.S. on a Lunch with a local family in Marina di Carrara. Thursday, our visit to Florence is on a Monday, Get to know your hosts and learn what it’s when most national museums are closed, like living in the shadow of the quarries while including the Accademia and Uffizi Gallery. savoring a home-cooked meal of regional cuisine. Our meal will consist of seasonal dishes Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at that include a pasta or soup and meat or fish, 6:30am, with Italian and American options depending on the days of the week (families available. here commonly enjoy fish on Tuesdays and Fridays). Morning: At about 8:30am, we’ll depart by bus for Florence, a drive of about 1.5 hours We’re afforded this special privilege by our depending on traffic. Florence, of course, is small group size; by dining in groups of no the birthplace of the Renaissance, and we’ll more than 5, we’re given the chance to enter begin our discoveries of this iconic Italian local homes and connect on a one-to-one level, destination at the Church of San Miniato, an and to even share a little with our hosts about ancient hilltop abbey located outside the city who we are and what has brought us to Italy. walls. After taking in the panoramic views of This will be a great opportunity to ask them the city, we’ll begin a walking tour led by a about life in Carrara, any customs they practice, local guide into Florence’s core—a UNESCO and more. World Heritage Site. Our urban hike toward the city center will take us through Piazza Santo Afternoon: At about 3pm, we’ll depart Carrara Spirito, a charming historic square frequented by bus and return to Lucca, arriving back at our by artists and bohemians. Florentines refer hotel by about 4pm. The remainder of the day is to the neighborhood as “Oltrarno,” or “the free to relax or explore independently. other side of the Arno River,” and we’ll be sure Dinner: On your own. You’re free to dine at the to look for opportunities to mingle with the hotel or at a local restaurant in Lucca—maybe locals while passing through. We’ll also have you will happen upon a mainstay for traditional an opportunity to admire Ponte Vecchio, the fare a few minutes away. everlasting symbol of Florence. Erected during Roman times, the current Ponte Vecchio, or Old Evening: Free for your own discoveries. You Bridge, has stood since about 1350. All of the can retire to your room for the night or ask your goldsmiths and jewelry shops on the bridge are Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. nothing new—they’ve been a feature of Ponte You might opt to settle in at a local bar to Vecchio since the 13th century. Shortly before people watch. noon, you’ll have free time to explore Florence on your own.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

18 Lunch: On your own in Florence. With Day 6 A Day in the Life in the everything from casual trattorie, gourmet Chianti Valley sandwich shops, and street food stalls to • Destination: Chianti region Michelin-starred restaurants, the Tuscan capital has dining options to satisfy any • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner appetite. • Accommodations: Villa Il Leccio or similar Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Our activities Afternoon: There’s no better way to see this morning include a NEW A Day in the Florence than a stroll through its cobblestoned Life experience in the Chianti Valley. This streets, and you’ll have a few hours to explore included feature provides an opportunity to the treasure-filled city at your own pace. venture into the homes and workplaces of You could check out the Duomo, head to the local villagers—from a farmer’s house and Mercato della Paglia and the Cathedral of Santa rolling property to a small-scale, organic Maria del Fiore with its famous dome designed winery—where we’ll immerse ourselves by Brunelleschi, or perhaps visit the Church in daily life and better understand regional of San Lorenzo with the Medici Chapels. Or if traditions and customs. Read more about this there’s a special museum you had in mind, experience below. your Trip Experience Leader will be happy to point you in the right direction. We’ll regroup Activity Note: Travelers may elect to join at about 3:45pm for our bus journey into the our Trip Experience Leader for a hike of Chianti countryside, arriving at our hotel approximately 45 minutes along the ancient shortly before 5pm. Depending on where we pilgrimage route of Via Francigena back to stay, our hotel will likely be nestled in the the hotel. wooded hills of Chianti with amenities that include a restaurant, bar, and outdoor pool. Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at Typical rooms will not be air-conditioned, but 6:30am, with Italian and American options they should include satellite TV, minibar, safe, available. and private bath. Morning: At about 8am, we’ll set off on an Dinner: Around 6:30pm, in the hotel’s approximately 30-minute drive by private restaurant, with Tuscan cuisine that features motorcoach to embark on our NEW A Day in locally grown ingredients. the Life of the Chianti Valley. Situated between the provinces of Florence and Siena, Chianti Evening: Your evening is on your own—you has long been revered as the heart and soul are free to rest in your room, visit the lounge, of Old Tuscany—known, of course, for its or perhaps take an evening stroll in the world-class wine production, a masterful surrounding woodlands. You can also reach tradition dating back to the thirteenth century. out to your Trip Experience Leader for In addition to its distinguished viticulture, recommendations on things to do in the area. Chianti is rich in gastronomic heritage, home to some of the most iconic and universally loved specialties. From expertly cured meats to sharp, melt-in-the-mouth cheeses and hearty, wholesome breads, the people of Chianti pride themselves in carrying on ancient culinary practices that work in tandem with the natural

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

19 environment to achieve unmatched quality and the natural earth and raise awareness about big sustainability. During our discoveries today, industry practices which threaten it. As we’ll we’ll learn about many of these practices and learn throughout the day, this movement isn’t come to understand why the rolling hills of merely a conviction—it’s a way of life that Tuscany, dotted with dense vineyards, Cyprus requires a deep, respectful synergy with the forests, and medieval villages, make for some natural environment. Valentina will also regale of the finest cuisine you’ll find just about us with the history of the farm, how it has anywhere. evolved over the years, and what their hopes are for the future. Arriving around 8:30am, our first stop will be at Podere Le Fornaci, a 74-acre goat farm Around 9am, we’ll make our way to the goats, just outside of Greve. There, we’ll be greeted which we’ll find either resting peacefully in the by Valentina, founder and community leader. barn or roaming the undulating fields freely. Her partner, Nicolo, also works at the farm as Don’t be surprised if they approach you seeking a chef, and additionally, helps out wherever attention and a warm touch. This herd is very needed. Valentina has always been fascinated tame and accustomed to frequent interactions by the fruitful, natural essence of the Tuscan with people; therefore, you can feel comfortable countryside, and this passion fuels her desire to petting them, and if the mood strikes, even be a part of it. Her primary duties on the farm going in for a cuddle (Valentina does!). This include caring for the 80 goats—everything species of goat is the Alpine chamois, a breed from nutrition to veterinary needs and breeding native to mountainous regions in Europe. practices—as well as cheese-making and These small bovids reach a height of about 30 horticulture management. During our visit, inches and weigh anywhere from 60-120 lbs we may also meet the other Valentina or “La on average. Both males and females possess Vale,” as she’s referred to, who assists Nicolo a set of short, curved horns and either brown in the kitchen, and Amanda, the point person or grey fur (depending on the season). Come for cheese-making. You may also notice upon spring, we may have the opportunity to meet arrival that there is a camper van parked on the the newborn kids and watch as they suckle from property. Students come from all over the world their mothers and clumsily romp around the to learn the sustainable practices of Podere Le fields—a true joy to behold. During our time Fornaci, and they opt to live as close to the earth with the herd, we will observe their behaviors as possible, hence the van. Perhaps we’ll meet and learn about the quality care they receive, some of them throughout the day and have as well as how their milk is utilized. We may the opportunity to ask what they’re learning even be able to feed them and help with a few and why they hope to emulate the practices of small chores around the barn. Valentina will this farm. also shed light on how she uses border collies to humanely herd the goats. These dogs never The philosophy of Podere Le Fornaci is simple: use force or cause harm to the animals. They If you bestow compassion upon the earth are specially trained to guide them in a docile and animals, allowing nature to thrive as it’s manner, eliminating any risk of anxiety. As intended, you will reap pure, sustainable, and we’ll learn, these goats are so well-loved wholesome delights. Valentina will go into that when they grow old and are unable to great detail about this credo, one which she breed or produce milk they are gifted to local aims to promote via her involvement in Genuino sanctuaries, where they may live out their lives Clandestino, a movement striving to preserve

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

20 in peace. This is not the case on most farms, her enthusiasm for natural and sustainable especially in big industry, where elderly goats agriculture. Her mother is friends with are slaughtered and used for meat. Stefano, which is how the opportunity initially presented itself. Founded in 1980 by members After meeting the animals, we’ll make of his family, Stefano felt compelled to take our way to the fruit and vegetable garden over the business—an act that actually went around 9:45am for a brief introduction to against his parent’s wishes (they urged him the cultivation methods for which Podere Le to follow another career path). But Stefano Fornaci is known. We’ll learn how Valentina couldn’t bear to imagine abandoning the fields and her staff channel the earth—without his forefathers worked so hard to maintain. the use of pesticides or chemicals—to yield In addition to running the winery, Stefano healthy, sizeable, and plentiful harvests. We’ll founded Fierucola Market in Florence, providing also have a chance to observe the various a means for selling his surpluses instead of types of produce that grow here and even pick letting them go to waste. some for ourselves. From there, we’ll head to the farmhouse around 10:30am to enjoy Around 1:30pm, Carlotta will lead us on a the hands-on activity of cheese-making. Of 30-minute walk through the vineyards, course, we’ll make some form of goat cheese, where we’ll hear in-depth about production whether a mild or more pungent variety. This methods and harvest. We’ll glean insight process includes acidification, the separation of into small-scale, low-impact agriculture and curds and whey, salting, shaping, and ripening understand how these methods contribute (which can take days, weeks, or months). At to the preservation of local biodiversity the end of our tutorial, we’ll sample some and build trust between the producer and previously aged cheeses to get an idea of how consumer. Carlotta will also explain how the finished product will taste—products they manage these practices, whilst keeping which we’ll enjoy more of during our their prices fair and avoiding the need to farm-fresh lunch. sell to large distributors. As we walk, take in the swirling colors of the wave-like Lunch: Around 11:30am, we’ll sit down with our vineyards—gold, chartreuse, and sage—set hosts to enjoy fresh, organic fare sourced from against the surrounding chestnut, maple, and the farm, a spread that will naturally include a Cyprus forests. variety of goat cheeses and vegetables. Then, around 2pm, we’ll head to the farmhouse Afternoon: At 12:30pm, we’ll spend about for a wine tasting of Chianti varieties. The 30 minutes helping our hosts clean up and exact tasting menu will vary from departure bid farewell around 1pm. We’ll transfer via to departure and season to season, but you can private motorcoach about 15 minutes to a be assured these tart, spicy, and herbaceous nearby winery called Santa Cristina Le Pancole. flavors will leave quite the impression. Chianti This vintner partners with Podere Le Fornaci wine is a red blend made primarily with and abides by the same Genuino Clandestino Sangiovese grapes and features common tasting principles. Upon arrival, we’ll be greeted by notes of red fruits, dried herbs, balsamic Carlotta, who assists the owner, Stefano, in vinegar, smoke, and game. It pairs beautifully running the operation. In getting to know with red meats, tomato-based sauces, and Carlotta, we’ll learn that it’s not so much her hearty pastas. During this visceral tasting, we’ll background that brought her here, but rather

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

21 learn about the aging and classification specific December to release their precious oil. Then to this wine, as well as the unique process during an olive-oil tasting, our small group which goes into crafting it. will learn about different varietals and how to distinguish between the spicy notes and other Following the tasting, we’ll say goodbye to characteristics of this staple of Tuscan cooking. Carlotta around 2:30pm and have the option to We’ll depart the mill at around 11:30am for either drive about 15 minutes to the hotel or join about a 20-minute drive to a local agriturismo our Trip Experience Leader in a 45-minute hike (farmhouse). Shortly after noon, we’ll enjoy through the Chianti Valley (about 1.5 miles), a hands-on cooking lesson led by the cook at concluding at our hotel. This walking trail, part the agriturismo that will reveal the secrets to of Via Francigena, is a famous pilgrimage route making traditional home-made pasta—the lined with ancient stones that have been there kind native Tuscans learned in the kitchens of for more than 1,000 years. Along the way, we their mothers and grandmothers. may have the opportunity to meet hikers and locals alike, coming to learn how they use this Lunch: After our cooking lesson ends at about natural pathway. 1:15pm, we’ll dine on the delicious Tuscan cuisine that we’ve helped to prepare in this Dinner: Around 6:30pm, in the hotel’s rustic country home in the hills outside restaurant, featuring authentic Tuscan cuisine of Florence and in the heart of the Chianti with a choice of entrees and dessert. countryside. Evening: Your evening is on your own—you Afternoon: At about 2:30pm, we’ll depart the can enjoy a nature walk, relax in the lounge, or farmhouse for the 30-minute drive by bus back reach out to your Trip Experience Leader for to our hotel. The remainder of the afternoon recommendations on things to do in the area. is free to relax in your room, enjoy the villa amenities, or explore the idyllic wooded hills of Day 7 Chianti countryside • Olive oil mill Chianti that surround our villa on our own. visit • Cooking class and farmhouse lunch Dinner: Around 6:30pm, in the hotel’s • Destination: Chianti region restaurant, featuring regional Tuscan cuisine • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner prepared with fresh, local ingredients served • Accommodations: Villa Il Leccio or similar with an appetizer, a choice of entrees, Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning and dessert. at 7am, with Italian and American options Evening: On your own—you can enjoy the available. amenities or begin packing for tomorrow’s Morning: At about 9am, we’ll depart our hotel transfer to Pienza. by bus for an excursion to an olive-oil mill in the Chianti countryside. This region of Tuscany produces some of finest extra virgin olive oil in the world, and our one-hour drive through rolling, vineyard carpeted hills will take us to an olive-oil producer whose groves have been in the same family for more than 150 years. At the mill, an oil maker will show us where the olives are pressed each November and

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

22 Day 8 Transfer to Pienza • Explore Siena Afternoon: After some free time to explore Siena on your own, we’ll regroup at about • Destination: Pienza 2:30pm and continue our drive by bus to • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Pienza, arriving at our hotel shortly before • Accommodations: Piccolo Hotel La Valle 5pm. Depending on where we stay, our or similar accommodations should be located overlooking Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning the Tuscan hills and just steps away from the at 7am, with Italian and American options heart of Pienza’s historic core. Typical rooms available. include a minibar, satellite TV, and private bath.

Morning: At about 9am, we’ll depart our Dinner: At around 6:30pm, we’ll take a hotel on a 30-minute bus ride to begin our 5-minute walk to a nearby restaurant, where three-night stay in Pienza—a UNESCO World we’ll enjoy dinner together featuring regional Heritage Site. Along the way, we’ll stop for Tuscan cuisine. a visit to Siena, home to Tuscany’s most Evening: On your own—you can enjoy the hotel celebrated festival, the annual Palio horse amenities or relax on the veranda to take in the race; as well as one of Italy’s most notable sweeping views of the Tuscan hills. cathedrals. We’ll arrive just outside this historic city shortly before 10am. A walking Freedom To Explore: During your three days tour led by a local guide will be like stepping in Pienza, you have the freedom to explore back in time to discover the palazzos, piazzas, this small Tuscan town on your own during and churches scattered throughout Siena’s your free time. Below are a few recommended Old Town, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. options for independent explorations: Siena’s streets are paved with cobblestones, and the city is built over five hills, making for a • Step back in time at Palazzo Piccolomini: challenging—yet rewarding—stroll. We’ll also History and architecture buffs will love learn about Siena’s unique districting system. touring this classic Renaissance-styled palace Siena’s 17 districts, or contrade, were originally dating back to 1459. Originally the summer divided by the city’s buildings and their owners residence of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, or at the time, rather than by roads or other Pope Pio II, this residence was designed by geographical markers. Each is named after Bernardo Rosselino and features ornately an animal or symbol, and we’ll explore one of carved windows, stone columns lining the these districts today where we may interact main courtyard, and a nice view of Val d’Orcia with the residents to get a glimpse into the from a small terrace. A visit to this three-level local culture. palace will provide a glimpse into high society in Italy during the 15th century and also a fine Lunch: On our own in Siena at around example of early Renaissance architecture. noon—ask your Trip Experience Leader for • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. dining options. The city’s main square, the • Hours: 10am-6:30pm, Tuesday-Sunday. famous Piazza del Campo, is lined with a • Cost: About $8 USD. variety of pizzerias and trattorias that should satisfy any palate. • Witness religious history at Pieve di Corsignano: Venture down the western hillside of Pienza to find the 7th century Romanesque church of Pieve di Corsignano.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

23 Pienza was formerly called Corsignano and Day 9 Visit Etruscan Museum • Explore pieve means “parish,” hence the name. Montepulciano • Grand Circle Foundation This ancient structure boasts a circular bell visit: Antoniano Female Orphanage tower with eight arched windows. Over the • Destination: Pienza main doorway, you’ll notice the carving of a two-headed siren, and above the side • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch door, appear to be scenes of the Three Kings • Accommodations: Piccolo Hotel La Valle and Nativity. The interior of the church is or similar relatively empty; however, you don’t want to Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today’s discoveries miss going in—the original baptismal font feature a visit to the Antoniano Female where Pope Pius II was christened remains Orphanage, an organization that cares for intact here orphaned children—supported in part by Grand • How to get there: About a 10-minute walk. Circle Foundation. With our travelers’ help, • Hours: 9am-6:30pm, Grand Circle Foundation has donated more than Wednesday-Monday. $3,000 to the organization to date, which has • Cost: Free. sponsored projects like painting the children’s bedrooms and covered the cost of multiple • Unleash your creativity at the Bai Linda iPads. During our visit, we’ll learn more about Ceramic Workshop: Located in the historic the organization’s mission from the staff and center of the city along the promenade that children who live there. parallels the medieval walls, this workshop honors Italy’s rich ceramics tradition. Visitors Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at can explore an on-site cave dug into volcanic 6:30am, with Italian and American options tufa stone featuring the only medieval well available. in the village before admiring handmade ceramic goods such as platters, dishes, Morning: Around 8am we’ll set out by and cookie jars made by an artistic couple. private motorcoach to the Etruscan Museum, Perhaps you might strike up a conversation about a 1.5 hour drive away. The Etruscans with the owners about the shop’s historic were an ancient people who lived on the location—inside one of their grandfather’s Italian peninsula long before the Romans former home. arrived. Because no literature survives from the Etruscan period, the history of their • How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. civilization is shrouded in mystery; all that is • Hours: 10am-7:30pm, Monday-Sunday. left of them are the artifacts—like weapons, • Cost: Free. cooking implements, and building tools—that archaeologists have been able to find. These artifacts have been collected and are now on display at the Etruscan Museum. When we arrive there this morning, we’ll be greeted by one of the museum’s archaeologists and given a welcome talk on the history of the Etruscans in the local Chianciano community. At around 10am, one of the archaeologists will then lead us in a hands-on activity using clay to further our understanding of the Etruscan

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

24 civilizatoin. Aournd 10:45am, you’ll have Now it houses eight sets of mothers and their about a half hour to explore the four floors of children who have fallen on hard times and the museum—which is housed in a converted need a place to stay. 19th-century granary barn—on your own. When we arrive at the orphanage, we’ll meet We’ll depart the museum around 11:15am the nuns and the children who live there. and drive by bus to nearby Montepulciano, We’ll have a chance to tour the home, see the a medieval hilltop town in the Tuscan common areas, and learn the stories of both the countryside about 15 minutes from away. Before organization’s inhabitants and the volunteers exploring the streets of Montepulciano, we’ll who live there. We’ll also get a preview of a stop briefly to admire the façade of San Biagio, special project the Grand Circle Foundation a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture that is working on, which includes painting the stands at the foot of a hill leading up to town, children’s bedrooms and providing iPads for with a brief tour led by our Trip Experience educational purposes. Leader. Built between 1518 and 1548, the domed After about an hour here, we’ll re-board our sanctuary was designed by Antonio da Sangallo private motorcoach and head back to Pienza, the Elder, an illustrious architect from Florence. arriving around 3:30pm. The rest of the day is Then we’ll complete our short drive up to one of free to do as you’d like. Montepulciano’s gates, where we’ll take a walk through the city center of this immaculately Dinner: On your own—you can ask your Trip preserved Tuscan town onto Via San Gallo, a Experience Leader for local dining options. historic street outlined with brick and stone Perhaps you may choose to venture down the buildings. road to taste some regional specialties.

Lunch: At about 12:15pm in a local restaurant, Evening: Free to explore Pienza on your featuring regional specialties. own—you may wish to visit a local café or retire to your room to prepare for tomorrow’s Afternoon: You’ll have about 45 minutes of free discoveries. time to wander through the elegant squares and hidden corners of Montepulciano on your own. Then, at about 2pm, we’ll reconvene as a Day 10 Pienza • Optional Pitigliano & small group and walk about 5 minutes to reach Sovana tour the Antoniano Female Orphanage, which is • Destination: Pienza sponsored in part by Grand Circle Foundation. • Included Meals: Breakfast Founded in 1930 by the nuns of the San • Accommodations: Piccolo Hotel La Valle Francesco Monastery, the orphanage’s mission or similar is to care for parentless children from humble origins, primarily those from Central-south Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning Italy. Initially, the orphanage only welcomed at 7am, with Italian and American options girl orphans, but over time the facility available. expanded to include boys, too—an important Morning: After breakfast, the entire day is development that allowed brothers and sisters free to explore Pienza independently, with to stay together. More recently, in the 1990s lunch and dinner on your own. You may stay and 2000s, the orphanage has expanded again: at the hotel to relax and reflect, spend some time exploring the surrounding hills of the Val

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

25 d’Orcia, or soak up more of the 15th-century Day 11 Pienza • Explore Perugia • splendor of the town named for Pope Pius II, Chocolate-making experience • Discovery who was born here. walk in Trevi • Transfer to Spoleto Or, you may join a full-day Optional Tour to • Destination: Spoleto Pitigliano & Sovana, with an included lunch. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Around 8am, we’ll board our bus and set off • Accommodations: Hotel Clitunno or similar for the hilltop town of Pitigliano, a drive of Activity Note: Some groups will stay in Trevi, about 1.5 hours. Surrounded by gorges on instead of Spoleto, for Days 11-13. Except for three sides, Pitigliano was originally settled minor variations in timing, travelers who stay by the Etruscans and was once home to a in Trevi for these three nights will enjoy the thriving Jewish population that had settled same activities as travelers staying in Spoleto. there in the early part of the 16th century—it was even known as La Piccola Gerusalemme Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning (or Little Jerusalem). Arriving at about 10am, at 7am, with Italian and American options we’ll explore Pitigliano’s Jewish heritage on available. a walking tour, followed by some free time to wander the labyrinth of streets and piazzas of Morning: Around 8:30am, we’ll bid farewell the historic district on your own. to Tuscany and turn our eyes toward Umbria. Considered “the green heart of Italy,” Umbria Lunch: Those who took the Optional Tour is rich with agriculture, olive oil making, and will enjoy lunch at around 12:15pm at a verdant forests. After a private motorcoach local restaurant in Pitigliano. Lunch will be ride of just over an hour, we’ll arrive at Perugia on your own for those who didn’t take the Piazzale Partigiani, in Perugia. We’ll take one Optional Tour. of the town’s escalators up to Corso Vannucci, a mostly pedestrian thoroughfare lined with Afternoon: At about 1:30pm, Optional Tour prominent buildings, museums, a cathedral, participants will re-board the bus for a and more. Then, we’ll begin our 1-hour walking 30-minute drive to the ancient Etruscan tour around the town with our Trip Experience necropolis of Sovana, where we’ll hike through Leader. Umbria’s capital, Perugia, is a hilltop the woods of this ancient burial site. After town of medieval walls, cobbled alleys, elegant walking along sunken roads carved into the piazzas, and even some Etruscan remains. volcanic rock and contemplating the mysteries Despite its ancient history, it is Umbria’s of the Etruscans, we’ll return to Pienza, largest and most cosmopolitan city, featuring a arriving back at our hotel by about 6pm. sizeable international student population and Dinner: On your own—you can ask your Trip all the modern luxuries one could imagine. Still, Experience Leader for local dining options. You the historic center of the town is remarakbly might try a local spot about a 3-minute walk well-preserved, from the towering basilicas to from the hotel serving Italian specialties. the Gothic palazzi (mansions) and Renaissance frescoes by the likes of Perugino and Raphael. Evening: Free to explore Pienza on your own—or you may wish to begin packing for Our discoveries will conclude around 11am tomorrow’s transfer to Trevi. at Cafè Turan, a former goldsmith workshop turned eatery and chocolaterie. The cafè is owned by sisters Giulia and Giorgia, who

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

26 opened the shop with the help of their mother, century, and it was the fourth town in Italy a pastry shop owner. Upon arrival, we’ll be to have a printing press. The good fortunes greeted by Giorgia and get an introduction to of this period are reflected in the number the business before heading into the kitchen of Renaissance-style mansions you’ll see to try our hand at chocolate-making. From around town. preparing the cacao beans to tempering the At 4:15pm, we’ll depart for our final destination chocolate and forming it into bars, bon-bons, for the day, Spoleto, where we’ll check into and more, we’ll get to see firsthand the our hotel and receive our room assignments multi-step process that goes into creating the around 4:45pm. Depending on where we stay, sisters’ confections. While we work, be sure to our hotel may feature a restaurant, furnished notice the restored frescoes that don the walls terrace, bar and lounge. Hotel amenities might of the cafè. include complimentary Wireless Internet, At around noon, we’ll say goodbye to Giorgia flat-screen TVs, a private bathroom, and tea- and walk 5 minutes to a local eatery. and coffee-making facilities. After checking in, we’ll have about 2 hours of free time to relax Lunch: At around noon, we’ll enjoy an before dinner. Check with your Trip Experience aperitivo-style lunch with our Trip Experience Leader for suggestions. Leader at a local café/bar in Perugia. “Aperitivo” is a cherished Italian custom featuring small Dinner: At around 7pm at the hotel’s plates of appetizers and traditional Italian restaurant, featuring typical Umbrian cuisine. snacks—these often include cheeses, cured Often called cucina povera, or peasant cooking, meats, olives, pasta, and more. due to its rustic nature and use of fresh, simple ingredients, the region of Umbria is also Afternoon: Following our light lunch, perhaps renowned for its gold-green olive oil, rich red you’ve saved room for dessert—because along wines, diverse grains, and salumi (cured meats). with its famous Perugina Baci chocolates, Perugia is also noted for its unusual and Evening: Free to relax at the bar or retire to delicious flavors of gelato, like Gorgonzola, your room. Or, you may wish to take an evening honey and walnuts, fresh strawberry with stroll through the ancient streets of Spoleto. ginger, and more. After about 1 hour of free Freedom To Explore: During your three days time to explore the historic streets of Perugia, in Spoleto, you have the freedom to explore we’ll board our private motorocoach at around this ancient Umbrian town on your own during 2:15pm for a half-hour drive to Trevi. Upon your free time. Below are a few recommended arrival, we’ll embark on a short discovery options for independent explorations: walk led by our Trip Experience Leader before enjoying 1 hour of free time to explore. Trevi • Enjoy a hike along the Spoleto-Norcia rail- is located on the lower flank of Monte Serano way: Opened in 1926, this engineering marvel and overlooks the wide plain of the Clitunno made high-speed travel possible between river system. With a population of just 8,000 the two mountainous towns. It took thirteen people, we can revel in the quaint, quiet charms years to build and was in operation until 1968 of this striking town, tucked away from the when faster alternatives became available. touristic, trodden path of Italy. At the height Today, the tracks have been removed and of its commercial influence, Trevi was called locals now use the historic route as a hiking il porto secco or “the dry port” during the 15th path. Enjoy several hours of hiking through

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

27 forests, ravines, and across massive stone Day 12 Explore Spoleto • Controversial bridges. Good hiking boots are required and Topic: Reproductive rights in Umbria pants are recommended. Also a must is a with Stefania Depersio & Silvia Menichini • water bottle, as there are no hydration points Umbrian Folk Music Optional Tour along the way. • Destination: Spoleto • How to get there: A 5-minute taxi ride, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch about $11 USD one way. • Accommodations: Hotel Clitunno or similar • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. • Cost: Free. Activity Note: Some groups will stay in Trevi, • Enjoy breathtaking views from the Ponte del- instead of Spoleto, for Days 11-13. Except for le Torri: This striking bridge is 774 feet long minor variations in timing, travelers who stay and nearly 300 feet high. Erected around the in Trevi for these three nights will enjoy the thirteenth century and supported by ogival same activities as travelers staying in Spoleto. arcades and stone pillars, it was designed to Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today’s activities connect Rocco Albornoziana with Monteluco, include a conversation surrounding the both as a road and water canal. Marvel at Controversial Topic of women’s reproductive this magnificent structure and enjoy the rights in Italy, led by two local healthcare panoramic views of untouched greenery that advocates. As a predominantly Catholic surround it. country, the debate about contraception and • How to get there: A 15-minute walk. reproduction has long been a heated issue here, • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. especially as the radical conservative party • Cost: Free. continues to gain traction. Our conversation • Visit the Ceramiche Umbre di Patrizi Elena: will primarily focus on new legislation that Ceramics are synonymous with Umbria—an has further restricted rights for women, but ancient tradition born out of the soil, which it will also examine the political and social is rich in clay and minerals necessary to climate that led to it. Read more about this the art form. This ceramic artisan shop and conversation below. facility showcases this cultural heritage Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning through the expert production of terracotta, at 7am, with Italian and American options a type of typically unglazed earthenware, available. and majolica, tin-glazed pottery decorated in colours on a white background. During your Morning: At about 9am, we’ll meet our local visit, you’ll have the opportunity to learn guide at the hotel to begin a walking tour about the production process unique to each of Spoleto, a walled hill town framed by the ceramic and even have a chance to take some towering Apennine Mountains. Inhabited since home with you. prehistoric times, it’s full of history, as we’ll discover during our 2-hour walking tour led • How to get there: A 10-minute walk. by a local guide. We’ll begin our discoveries at • Hours: 9am-1pm & 3pm-8pm, daily. Il Ponte delle Torri, a 774-foot-long medieval • Cost: Free entry; ceramic costs vary. bridge (actually, an aqueduct built on ancient Roman foundations) that runs over a scenic

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

28 wooded gorge. Then, we’ll also stop to admire distress prevention. Over the years, she has the Duomo di Spoleto, an eleventh-century spearheaded countless sex education projects cathedral made from salvaged Roman stones. for grades K-12, as well as for a number of private and public corporations. In addition Lunch: Around 12:15pm, our group will to shaping sex education in Italy, she is a stop by a local trattoria in Spoleto to enjoy technical consultant for the official Court of regional cuisine. Perugia, offering her expertise in matters of Afternoon: At about 1:30pm, we’ll walk 5 childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. minutes to another local resturant, where we’ll As a clinical psychologist and family mediator, head into a special meeting room to discuss the Silvia also brings a wealth of experience to our Controversial Topic of women’s reproductive conversation today. She currently works in a rights in Italy. With a population of almost 75% private practice, providing support to women practicing Catholics and a radical conservative and couples considering pregnancy or abortion; party on the rise, the fight for a woman’s right however, she has also worked in schools, to choose remains incessantly heated; in fact, public institutions, family homes, and drug legislation further restricting these rights addiction centers. was just set into motion in June 2020. Led by To begin, Stefania and Silvia will outline the the far-right political party, Lega Nord, Law current laws and regulations surrounding 194—a pre-existing law guaranteeing the right reproductive rights in Italy. They will also delve to voluntary pregnancy termination—was into the specifics of Law 194. We’ll discuss, amended to require a woman to check into for example, the fact that a woman will be a hospital for a minimum of 3 days before “observed” for 3 days by doctors, who will services would be administred—if at all. As then decide whether or not to grant her the we’ll learn, this signifies a considerable blow procedure or medication she requests; thereby, to a woman’s right to choose—but perhaps transferring a woman’s right to choose to her most alarmingly, this new policy even applies doctor. It’s important to note that roughly 70% to women seeking the morning-after pill. These of doctors throughout Italy do not condone a women aren’t even sure if their pregnancy is woman’s right to choose, and as such, most viable, and yet, they are still ordered to comply. women are sent home, obligated to go through Legislation specific to the morning-after pill with their pregnancy, or forced to check into varies by region; for example, Lombardy, another hospital and go through the whole Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Lazio still allow process all over again, with no guarantee of a women to acquire emergency contraceptive desired outcome. Many women find themselves within roughly 24 hours. But many wonder caught in this painful cycle, and many cannot if the changing tides in Umbria are a sign for even afford to go to such measures, as they what’s to come in other provinces. cannot take time off work, be away from their To faciliate this conversation, we’ll be met families, or afford out-of-pocket services (Italy by two healthcare advocates, 55-year-old does have universal health care; however, Stefania Depersio and 40-year-old Silvia elective termination procedures are often not Menichini. Stefania’s knowledge of this topic covered). In Italy, a fetus can technically be is extensive: First and foremost, she is a aborted up to 7 weeks—2 less than most other Sociologist Consultant with the Italian Center European nations—but critics say that all of of Sexology, focusing primarily on sexual

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

29 this newly introduced red tape is merely a ploy of “protecting” women. But the pro-choice to prevent women from accessing care before community does not buy into this logic. In the legal timeframe expires. their view, it’s merely an attempt to spin the dialogue and distract from what it really is: a A woman’s right to choose has long been malicious power grab void of science and civil a source of fiery debate in Italy, where the liberty. During our conversation, we’ll hear omnipresent influence of the Vatican seems from Stefania and Silvia for about 20 minutes to infiltrate every aspect of life. The Catholic before opening up the dialogue to a 40-minute Church and “pro-life” community has always Q&A. Take this opportunity to ask any questions regarded any form of termination—even within you have, such as how Stefania feels about the the first trimester—as murder. In fact, during state of sex education in Italy or what Silvia a May 2019 conference, Pope Francis equated it believes the future holds for reproductive to “contracting a hitman to solve a problem,” rights, in light of recent developments. even in cases where the fetus is fatally ill or bears clear signs of pathological disorders. This afternoon, the rest of the day is free Despite the unyielding views of the supreme for your own discoveries—ask your Trip pontiff, most of Italy’s population—nearly Experience Leader for recommendations. Or, 70%—does not wish to turn back the clock you may wish to join the optional Umbrian on progress. In countries around the world folk music tour. Those joining the tour will that offer such services, studies (and history) depart around 4pm by private motorcoach for demonstrate that eliminating safe, lawful a 20-minute drive to Spello, an ancient town procedures does not put an end to pregnancy located in east central Umbria. Upon arrival, termination. Quite the contrary: it only we’ll meet Massimo, a local musician, who will means that women will be forced to resort accompany us on a discovery walk of Spello to clandestine, back-alley arrangements, with our Trip Experience Leader. Settled in endangering not only the baby’s life, but their ancient times by the Umbri people, Spello own. Furthermore, “pro-choice” advocates became a Roman colony in the 1st century argue that they, too, aim to reduce the number BC. Constantine the Great once dubbed it, of abortions—however, evidence provided “Flavia Constans,” according to a document by notable organizations like the World preserved in the local communal palace. Our Health Organization clearly indicate that you walk will take us through the old walled town mitigate this need by increasing sex education and offer sweeping views of Perugia, situated and providing safe, legal treatment in an at the bottom of the ridge. The highlight for environment where women can feel supported many will be a visit to La Cappella Baglioni, a and access information. chapel renowned for its early 16th-century Renaissance frescoes. We’ll conclude our Abortion was legalized in Italy in 1978, with the walk at Massimo’s home around 5:30pm, majority of citizens in support of its passing, where we’ll meet his family and the rest of and the morning-after pill was only introduced the musicians. Then, over some appetizers in 2000. Today, the majority of women and and wine, we’ll enjoy about an hour-long overall population still support the legality of performance of traditional Umbrian folk tunes. these services, but they face increasing threats Unification came relatively late in Italy, which from the pro-life movement, as well as—and is why you’ll hear notes of Arabic, European, perhaps most of all—from Lega Nord, who and Celtic influences in these melodic pieces. continues to defend Law 194 on the grounds Often featuring instruments such as the flute

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

30 and accordion, Umbria’s musical tradition runs Morning: Around 9am, we’ll gather in the deep, as the region is the site of many music lobby and head to the bus. Around 9:15am, we’ll festivals. When the performance concludes at board our bus and depart on a 45-minute ride around 7pm, Massimo will join us again for to Pettino, an Umbrian mountain village in the a 15-minute walk to a local restaurant where heart of the Apennines. we’ll all have dinner together. We’ll be back at Traditional Italian ways of life have endured our hotel in Spoleto at about 9pm. for generations in these mountain villages, Dinner: On your own this evening if you do not and locals here still grow crops, tend sheep, join the optional tour. Ask your Trip Experience and gather truffles and mushrooms from the leader for some local dishes to try. You may surrounding natural birch forests. When we choose to seek out pasta alla norcina, a popular arrive around 10am, we’ll be welcomed into the Umbrian meal featuring strangozzi pasta, home of a local resident for a short coffee and pork sausage, rich cream sauce, and likely tea break, where we’ll get acquainted with the local mushrooms. Those on the optional tour local hunters. will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Spello Around 10:30am, we’ll split up into even around 7:15pm, featuring dishes like bruschetta smaller groups and set off on a 15-minute drive with Umbrian olive oil, and of course, plenty of aboard 4-wheel-drive vehicles to the woods. wine to go around. Once we arrive, we’ll meet a local shepherd Evening: You’re free to explore Spoleto by who will give us a glimpse into his daily life night. You might choose to gather with your wrangling sheep in the mountains. fellow travelers at the hotel or a local bar for a Then, we’ll embark on our search for truffles nightcap. Those who joined the optional tour alongside local hunters and their dogs, who will will return to the hotel around 9pm. guide us in this intricate hunting process. We’ll journey into the woods on foot and discover Day 13 Spoleto • Truffle hunting if the truffle-hunting skills of the dogs can experience uncover any of the precious fungus, perhaps • Destination: Spoleto tasting some along the way. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Our discoveries here wrap up around 11:30am, • Accommodations: Hotel Clitunno or similar at which point our small group will return to Activity Note: Some groups will stay in Trevi, the village, arriving at the shepherd’s home for instead of Spoleto, for Days 11-13. Except for a picnic lunch. minor variations in timing, travelers who stay Lunch: Around 11:45am with the shepherd over in Trevi for these three nights will enjoy the conversation and local specialties, including same activities as travelers staying in Spoleto. eggs and truffles sprinkled with fresh pecorino. Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning Afternoon: We’ll say arrivederci to our host at 7am, featuring a spread of Italian and around 1pm and head back to Spoleto by bus. American options. When we arrive around 1:45pm, you’ll have the remainder of the day free to do as you’d like—ask your Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. You might join your Trip Experience Leader on an optional discovery

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

31 walk, or even take advantage of a shuttle that Lunch: We’ll stop to enjoy lunch at La Casetta will bring you to and from nearby historic Rossa around 12:15pm. This local eatery is run Assisi, perhaps best known as the birthplace of by volunteers who live in the neighborhood. St. Francis. Founded in 2001, it has provided a platform for a number of political, social, and cultural At about 6:45pm, we’ll walk 15 minutes to a initiatives. It also serves as a communal local restaurant. space, where residents can use the popular Dinner: Around 7pm at a local restaurant, wood-burning oven, children can come play, featuring traditional cuisine. and educational tutorials can be given, such as baking or photography workshops. Evening: You’re free to explore Spoleto by night. You might choose to gather with your Afternoon: At about 1:45pm, we’ll drive 20 fellow travelers at the hotel or a local bar for a minutes to our hotel in Rome. Depending nightcap. on where we stay, our hotel may feature a restaurant, bar, and lounge at the hotel, along Day 14 Umbria • Transfer to Rome • Local with air-conditioned rooms, each with minibar, satellite TV, and private bath with hair dryer. interaction at La Casetta Rossa After check in, we’ll have around 3.5 hours of • Destination: Rome free time this afternoon to explore on our own. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Perhaps you may venture out to admire the • Accommodations: Hotel Savoy or similar iconic Colosseum in all its ancient splendor.

Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at Around 6:15pm, we’ll meet for a Farewell Drink 6:30am, featuring a selection of Italian and at the hotel bar before taking a 5-minute walk American dishes. to a local restaurant for dinner.

Morning: At around 8:30am, we’ll check out of Dinner: Around 7pm, we’ll toast to our our hotel and bid farewell to Umbria and begin memories of our Italy and Tuscany travel our 2-hour overland transfer to Rome by bus, experiences during a Farewell Dinner at a local stopping along the way for lunch and to stretch restaurant. our legs. Evening: We’ll arrive back at out hotel after a Upon arrival around 11am, we’ll meet our 5-minute walk at 8:15pm, after which we will local guide, Fabio, and begin a 1-hour walking enjoy a free evening to explore Rome, or refresh tour through the Garbatella district, an urban in our rooms before our journey home. zone home to about 45,000 people. While we walk, we’ll learn how this area was originally Day 15 Rome • Return to U.S. or begin intended as a workers’ residential quarter, post-trip extension but in the 1920s, fascists allocated the area for people who had been displaced by construction • Included Meals: Breakfast work in the city. Over the decades, Garbatella Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at slowly evolved into a vibrant, desirable 7am, featuring a spread of Italian and American neighborhood, and throughout our discoveries, specialties. we’ll have a chance to meet some of the local residents who call it home.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

32 Morning: Depending on your flight Rome: Ancient Sites & Hidden City Gems or arrangements, you will transfer to the airport New! Highlights of the Côte d’Azur extension will sometime this morning to embark on your either remain in the city or transfer to Nice. flight home to the U.S. Those taking the

END YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSION 4 nights in Rome: Ancient Sites & Hidden City Gems

Day 1 Hike the Appian Way • Explore Day 3 Rome • Optional Rome’s Great Rome’s Catacombs Beauty tour Day 2 Explore the Coliseum & Day 4 Rome Roman Forum Day 5 Rome • Return to U.S.

OR 6 nights in Highlights of the Côte d’Azur

Day 1 Fly to Nice • Explore Antibes Day 4 Visit Èze Village • Explore Monaco Day 2 Explore Nice Day 5 Explore Cannes • Visit Saint Honorat Island Day 3 Beach hike • Explore Villefranche-sur-Mer • Explore Villa Day 6 Provençal vineyard and winery visit Ephrussi de Rothschild Day 7 Return to U.S.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

33 OPTIONAL TOURS

During your trip you will be able to book optional tours directly with your Trip Experience Leader. He or she will ask you to confirm the payment for these tours by filling out a payment form. Optional tours can only be purchased with a credit or debit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. We also accept Visa and MasterCard debit cards, but it must be a debit card that allows you to sign for purchases.

In order to correctly process these charges, there can be a delay of 2-3 months from the date of your return for the charges to be posted to your account. Therefore we ask that you use a card that will not expire in the 2-3 months following your return.

Please note: Optional tour prices are listed in U.S. dollar estimates determined at the time of publication and are subject to change. Optional tours may vary.

Pitigliano & Sovana Our discoveries will conclude in the musician’s (Day 10 $150 per person) home, where we’ll revel in the mellifluous sounds of traditional Umbrian folk tunes. Then, Jews began settling in Pitigliano in the 15th we’ll enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant. century, and the population increased when they sought refuge here after being expelled from the Papal State in Rome during the counter-reformation persecutions. During World War II, all the town’s Jews escaped the Nazis with the aid of their mostly Catholic neighbors, a rare feat in that era. A walking tour will reveal Pitigliano’s rich Jewish heritage. After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll then set off for the ancient Etruscan necropolis of Sovana, where we’ll hike through the woods of this ancient burial site.

Umbrian Folk Music (Day 12 $110 per person)

Venture to Spello, an ancient town located in east central Umbria, where your experience begins with a guided walk led by a local musician and your Trip Experience Leader. This walk will take you through the old walled town, with a stop at renowned chapel La Cappella Baglioni, and offer sweeping views of Perugia, situated at the bottom of the ridge.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

34 PRE-TRIP History and Culinary Delights of Bologna & Parma, Italy

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 3 nights in Bologna at » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip the Hotel Porta San Mamolo or similar and Experience Leader 3 nights in Parma at the Grand Hotel de la » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and Ville or similar luggage porters » 11 meals—6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, » All transfers and 2 dinners » 8 small group activities

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Bologna beckons travelers with its red-brick palazzi and culinary treasures … and Parma is home to cobbled lanes and similar rich traditions of food and wine. Explore them both and discover true gems of northern Italy.

Day 1 Depart U.S. of amenities such as an ATM or market, while also enjoying the scenery of Bologna’s historic, Depart the U.S. today on your international red-roofed buildings. flight to Bologna. Later, at around 6pm, join your fellow travelers Day 2 Arrive in Bologna, Italy and Trip Experience Leader at the hotel for a Welcome Drink and briefing. During this • Destination: Bolgona briefing, we’ll review our itinerary in more • Accommodations: Hotel Porta San Mamolo detail (including any changes that may need or similar to occur). Our Trip Experience Leader will Afternoon: Upon arrival in Bologna, an O.A.T. also discuss logistics, safety and emergency representative will help you transfer to your procedures, and answer any questions we may centrally located hotel via a 20-minute bus have. This is your first chance to get to know ride. You’ll check in between around 1pm and each other before your adventure begins. 4pm, followed by time to relax and settle in. Dinner: On your own beginning at around 7pm. Depending on where we stay, hotel amenities Feel free to ask your Trip Experience Leader may include a coffee shop/café, and bar/lounge. for the best place around your hotel to sample Typical rooms may feature air-conditioning, authentic Italian cuisine. a minibar, safe, wireless Internet, satellite TV, and private bath with hair dryer. You also have Evening: At leisure. Perhaps you’ll visit a bar the option to join your Trip Experience Leader for a few sips of your favorite Italian libation. for an orientation walk of the surrounding area Or, head to one of Bologna’s many cafes and around 5:30pm, where we will note the location listen to some live jazz music.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

35 Freedom To Explore: During your three days in restaurants, FICO is part farmers market, part Bologna, you have the freedom to explore this grocery store, part gathering place for locals enchanting city on your own during your free and tourists alike. From traditional red wine time. Below are a few recommended options for blends, to fresh pastas and homemade gelato, independent explorations: Italy’s culinary prowess is at your fingertips here. No matter when you go, FICO is always • Gain perspective on the importance of the bustling, and has been described as a carnival Catholic faith in Italy—and its representation for foodies. Let the colors and aromas of through art—at the Compianto sul Cristo Italian food and libations wash over you, and Morto: Located inside Santa Maria della Vita be sure to bring your appetite! Church, you’ll find a collection of detailed statues depicting the moments after Christ’s • How to get there: An approximate crucifixion. These statues are known for 20-minute taxi ride, around $27 USD one the hyper-realistic expressions of sorrow way. on each individual face, as figures like • Hours: 10am-11pm, Sunday-Friday; 10am- Mary Magdalene surround Jesus’ body in 12am, Saturday. unadulterated grief. Italians and visitors alike • Cost: Free. come here to pray, reflect, and admire the life-size figures. Day 3 Explore Bologna • How to get there: An approximate 12-min- • Destination: Bologna ute walk. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner • Hours: 10am-7pm, Tuesday & Sunday. • Accommodations: Hotel Porta San Mamolo • Cost: About $4 USD. or similar • Discover a city known for the arts and, of Breakfast: Included at the hotel from around course, its cars on the Discover Modena 7am to 9am, with a host of regional options tour. Just a few miles from Bologna, Modena available. is known as the hub of the Ferrari business, Morning: After breakfast, we’ll depart from our which you’ll get to visit on this tour. Plus, hotel for our guided walking tour of Bologna, tour legendary opera singer Luciano a city noted for its medieval towers and long, Pavarotti’s house, and even pop into some columned porticoes. We’ll take in some of this local spots to sample traditional balsamic grand architecture as we explore the city center vinegar for which the city is famous. Perhaps this morning, accompanied by a local guide, on the most unique sight in the city is the MuSa a tour that will span about two hours. We’ll also museum, Italy’s first museum dedicated to visit the University of Bologna. Dating back to salami and other charcuterie meats. 1088, it enjoys the distinction as the first higher • How to get there: An approximate learning institute of the Western world. The 20-minute taxi ride, around $16 USD one university’s students—from Italy and around way. the globe—bring a healthy dose of culture and • Hours: Tours reserved in advance. energy to the ancient city, and you will have the • Cost: About $66 USD. opportunity to observe what college life is like • Eat your way through the world’s largest food in Italy. park, FICO Eataly: From locally produced foods, to live cooking demonstrations and

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

36 Lunch: Beginning at around 11:30am, we’ll Those taking the optional tour will board a bus linger in Bologna’s city center for a quick for a 15-minute ride to the local train station, lunch on our own. Feel free to ask your Trip where we’ll take a 1-hour train ride to the city, Experience Leader for the best places to find arriving a little before 10am. Upon arrival, we’ll unique pasta dishes or a rich glass of wine. embark on a 2.5-hour guided tour of the city led by a local, beginning at Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Afternoon: At around noon, we’ll regroup for a built in the fifth century as a Gothic baptistery, visit to a tortellini-making workshop, followed and continuing to the 1,400-year-old Basilica by an afternoon at leisure starting at around di San Vitale. The Basilica hosts a unique 1pm. Perhaps you’ll visit San Petronio Basilica, series of mosaics representing scenes from one of the largest basilicas in the world, or the the Old Testament, as well as depictions of the magnificent hilltop Sanctuary of the Madonna Byzantine emperor Justinian. The centuries-old di San Luca. Or, visit Piazza Santo Stefano, structure served as the inspiration for the where you can stroll through the elegant Hagia Sophia, built just a few years later in porticoes that surround the square. Constantinople (now Istanbul). Dinner: Around 7:30pm, enjoy a Welcome Lunch: On your own for those spending the day Dinner with your fellow travelers and Trip in Bologna, and included at a local restaurant Experience Leader at a local restaurant. around 12:30pm for those on the optional tour Evening: Upon arrival back at the hotel around in Ravenna. 9:15pm, enjoy an evening at leisure. Perhaps Afternoon: If you opted for a free day in stop by a local café for a cup of bold coffee or a Bologna, you may choose to seek out the spot of gelato. 16th-century Neptune’s Fountain, an iconic city site. Those on the optional tour will take a Day 4 Bologna • Optional Ravenna’s 30-minute walk to visit the Tomba di Dante, Magnificent Mosaics excursion where the famous Italian poet Dante Algheri is • Destination: Bologna buried, around 2pm. After spending some time • Included Meals: Breakfast at the monument and nearby San Francesco Church, our group will walk a few minutes to • Accommodations: Hotel Porta San Mamolo a mosaic workshop, arriving at around 3pm, or similar where we’ll get an intimate perspective on this Breakfast: At our hotel beginning around 7am, storied art form at the hand of local artisans. featuring a spread of regional specialties. At 3:30pm, the optional tour group will have Morning: Today, you will have the option to around an hour to spend as they wish in spend a free day exploring Bologna, or join Ravenna before boarding the train back to us on an optional tour: Ravenna’s Magnificent Bologna around 4:30pm. We’ll arrive back in Mosaics. This full-day adventure brings us Bologna around 6pm and take a 30-minute bus to the town of Ravenna, seat of the Western ride back to our hotel. Roman Empire in the fifth century and later the westernmost outpost of the Byzantine Empire. Dinner: On your own in Bologna, ask your Ravenna is recognized by UNESCO as a World Trip Experience Leader for restaurant Heritage Site for its complex of early Christian recommendations. mosaics and monuments.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

37 Evening: Free to spend as you wish. You might complimentary wireless Internet, satellite wander down to the Piazza Maggiore to grab a TV, and private bath. You will have about drink and do some people watching. 4 hours to settle into your room or explore your new surroundings as you wish, perhaps Day 5 Transfer to Parma taking a preliminary stroll to admire the city’s Romanesque architecture. • Destination: Parma • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch We’ll reconvene at about 6:30pm for a 1-hour • Accommodations: Grand Hotel de la Ville orientation walk led by our Trip Experience or similar Leader, noting where ATMs, markets and other useful amenities are located around the Breakfast: On our bus at 7am, featuring a hotel. After, we’ll walk a few minutes to a local boxed meal. restaurant for dinner. Morning: We depart on our journey to Parma Dinner: In a local restaurant around 6:30pm, around 7am this morning, with a few stops featuring local specialties. along the way to get a taste of the region’s rich culinary tradition. Around 8am, our bus Evening: Free to spend as your wish. Ask your will stop at the Istituto Spallanzani, where Trip Experience Leader for evening activity fragrant Parmesan cheese is made, to learn recommendations. about the cheese-making process from one of Freedom To Explore: During your three days the artisans there and taste some for ourselves. in Parma, you have the freedom to explore this Then, we’ll depart around 10:30am for the enchanting city on your own during your free next stop on our gastronomic adventure: time. Below are a few recommended options for Acetaia Villa Bianca. We’ll arrive here around independent explorations: 10:45am and learn about the balsamic vinegar that is produced here from a vinegar maker. • Take a peek into the past at the Farnese We’ll learn the tradition behind the fine, aged Theater and Museum: Located on the first condiment—produced in nearby Modena floor of the Palazzo della Pilotta, this theater and the surrounding areas since the Middle conjures up visions of the opulent court life of Ages—and its importance to the people in this the Farnese Dukes. The theater was destroyed region. The word balsamico stems from the by bombs in 1944, but still boats some prime Latin “balsam-like,” meaning it has curative examples of 17th-century architecture. Be powers. We will then taste the many varieties of sure to keep a lookout for the world’s oldest this sweet, yet strong, staple of Italian cuisine permanent proscenium arch, located within before enjoying lunch. this very theater. Lunch: At the villa around 12:15pm, featuring • How to get there: A 10-minute cab ride, specialties popular in the region. about $13 USD. • Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8:30am-7pm; Afternoon: Around 1:15pm, we’ll continue the Sunday, 1pm-7pm. last leg of our drive to Parma, arriving at our • Cost: Free. hotel there around 2:15pm. Depending on where Explore Parma’s musical heritage at the we stay, our hotel may feature a restaurant, • Arturo Toscanini House Museum: Learn two bars, and a fitness center. Typical rooms about the unique life and legacy of Parma’s may feature air-conditioning, a minibar, own Arturo Toscanini at this museum

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

38 situated in the house the conductor was born staircase. Then, we’ll move on to locations in 1867. Conducting his first major perfor- such as the Teatro Regio, a sprawling, historic mance at age 19, Toscanini’s career skyrock- opera house, and Piazza Duomo, where we will eted soon after, culminating in his conducting explore the cathedral and baptistery. a performance of Puccini’s La Boheme. Around 11am, we’ll stop for a lambrusco and • How to get there: A 30-minute walk. malvasia tasting, sampling various varietals • Hours: 9am-7pm, daily. of the red and white wines. We’ll continue our • Cost: Free. walk at 11:30am, wandering down the Via del • Discover medical history at the Antica Duomo and ending our tour back at the Piazza Farmacia: This pharmacy was founded in Garibaldi at 12:30pm. 1652 by the Congregation of Charity, a group Lunch: On your own, ask your Trip Experience composed of presbyters and laity, designated Leader for recommendations, or seek out a to produce drugs to help the sick and poor for quaint bakery or local restaurant. free. This is one of the first ever examples of citizen welfare in Italy, with its influence seen Afternoon: Enjoy your afternoon as you later in the establishment of the National wish. Perhaps you may pay a visit to the health Service. Now, the historic pharmacy Arturo Toscanini House Museum to learn of has been converted into an art and perfor- the successful Parma-born musician’s life mance space, where visitors can admire work and legacy. from Italian artists or catch a show. Dinner: At 6:30pm at a local restaurant, • How to get there: An 18-minute walk. featuring the fresh cuisine of Parma. • Hours: 11am-1pm, 4pm-8pm, Saturday & Sunday. Evening: Free for your own discoveries after we • Cost: Free. return to the hotel at 9pm. You might seek out some late-night gelato in this culinary city. Day 6 Explore Parma • Destination: Parma Day 7 Parma • Po River Experience • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner • Destination: Parma • Accommodations: Grand Hotel de la Ville • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch or similar • Accommodations: Grand Hotel de la Ville Breakfast: At the hotel beginning at 7am, or similar featuring a spread of regional specialties. Activity Note: Our Po River cruise is weather Morning: Around 9:15am, we’ll depart our dependent. When river conditions are not hotel for a 3-hour walking tour along the quaint suitable for a boat ride (including departures streets of Parma, during which we’ll learn in March, November, and December), the river about the local traditions of cuisine, art, and cruise portion of our day will be replaced by a architecture. We will meet our local guide at visit to the medieval village of Soragna, where 9:30am at the Piazza Garibaldi and kick off our we’ll visit the local synagogue. We will still tour with a visit to the Palazzo della Pilotta, visit a local producer of culatello Parma ham, a historic building complex that has seen the while the picnic lunch at Giarola Island will be influence of several architects and boasts replaced by a light lunch at a local venue. notable features such as Italy’s first “imperial”

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

39 Breakfast: At our hotel beginning at 7am, Morning: Today, we bid ciao to Parma and featuring local specialties. make our way to Lucca by bus, departing around 9am. We’ll travel through the Lunigiana Morning: Around 8:45am, we’ll depart by bus valley and the Apennine Mountains, enjoying for Polesine Parmense to embark on a cruise scenery of verdant rolling hills and winding along the Po River. Arriving around 9:45am, rivers along the way. Along the way, we’ll stop we’ll have 15 minutes to stretch our legs and in Pontremoli around 10:45am, a medieval town board our boat before our cruise begins at 10am. in the Lunigiana valley dominated by a restored We’ll float by rustic towns and miles of scenic hilltop castle. We’ll enjoy a 15-minute walking countryside, stopping for nature hikes and tour of its compact town squares led by a local riverbank exploration along the way. Around guide, followed by 1 hour of free time to explore 12:30pm, we’ll stop at Giarola Island, where we the medieval streets on your own. We’ll then will be greeted by some local fisherman. drive 15 minutes to visit with a local testaroli Lunch: In a hut with the fisherman on Giarola maker, and learn about this unusual regional Island around 1pm, sampling regional fare pasta made from egg-free dough, arriving here while learning about their daily lives along the around 12:30pm. flowing Po. Lunch: We’ll enjoy some of this unique pasta Afternoon: We’ll say ciao to Giarola Island for lunch in the maker’s workshop around 1pm. around 2:30pm, continuing to explore the Afternoon: We’ll embark our bus again on our area by ship until we dock back in Polesine journey to Lucca at about 2:45pm. Once we around 3pm. At about 3:15pm, we’ll take a arrive at approximately 4:30pm, we’ll check 10-minute drive to Zibello, a tiny town famous into our hotel and expand our Italy and Tuscany for their ham. Here, we’ll visit a salumificio travel experience by joining travelers on our that produces traditional culatello Parma ham, Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian perhaps getting the chance to sample the local Heartland adventure. delicacy. We’ll get back on the road around 3:45pm, arriving at our hotel at 4:30pm.

Dinner: On your own this evening. Perhaps you may seek out a dish featuring the regional Borgatoro mushroom.

Evening: Free to spend as you wish. You might choose to further explore Parma by night, or refresh in your room before joining the base trip tomorrow.

Day 8 Transfer to Lucca • Travel through the Apennines • Join main trip • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: At the hotel beginning at 7am, featuring Italian and American dishes.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

40 OPTIONAL TOUR

Ravenna’s Magnificent Mosaics (Day 4 $140 per person) Explore the town of Ravenna, seat of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century and later the westernmost outpost of the Byzantine Empire. Ravenna is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its pristine variety of early Christian mosaics and monuments. We take a walking tour, beginning at Sant’Apollinare, built in the fifth century as a Gothic baptistery, and continuing to the 1,400-year-old Basilica di San Vitale. The Basilica hosts a unique series of mosaics representing scenes from the Old Testament, as well as depictions of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. The centuries-old structure served as the inspiration for the Hagia Sophia, built just a few years later in Constantinople (now Istanbul). We’ll have lunch at a restaurant in the ancient city, after which we’ll stop by Dante’s Tomb and visit a mosaic workshop.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

41 PRE-TRIP Sardinia: Jewel of the Mediterranean & Trove of Ancient History

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 6 nights in Cagliari at » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip the Hotel Regina Margherita or similar Experience Leader » 12 meals—6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Dinner) luggage porters » 8 small group activities » All transfers

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Come explore one of Italy’s least-known treasures: Sardinia, a Mediterranean island with white-sand beaches, more sheep than people, and a prehistoric legacy that continues to shape life today. Our base for discovery is Cagliari, Sardinia’s capital and largest city, where elegant Roman palazzi vie with towering palm trees and locals whizzing by on vespas. From Cagliari we’ll explore the island’s natural side with visits to waterfalls, botanical gardens, and a protected wetland where waterfowl abound; we’ll also venture into small, tucked-away towns and ancient archaeological sites to get a glimpse of what island life is (and was) truly like. And throughout, we’ll meet the people of Sardinia, breaking bread with them during a Home-Hosted Dinner and an agriturismo lunch, for a taste of la dolce vita.

Day 1 Depart U.S. Enjoy the freedom to explore for the remainder of the day. You also have the option to join your Depart the U.S. today on your international Trip Experience Leader for an orientation walk flight to Cagliari, Sardinia. of the surrounding area, during which we will note the location of amenities such as an ATM, Day 2 Arrive Cagliari, Sardinia market, or recommended restaurants. • Destination: Cagliari Dinner: On your own beginning at around 7pm. • Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita Feel free to ask your Trip Experience Leader or similar for the best place around your hotel to sample Afternoon: Upon arrival in Cagliari, Sardinia, authentic Sardinian cuisine. an O.A.T. representative will help you transfer Evening: At leisure. Perhaps you’ll visit a bar to your centrally located hotel. Depending on for a few sips of your favorite Italian libation. where we stay, hotel amenities may include a bistro-style restaurant and bar. Your room may feature complimentary wireless Internet, a flat-screen TV, and minibar.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

42 Day 3 Explore Cagliari • Visit Su Nuraxi Perhaps you’ll seek one of the most popular di Barumini preparations, which features the contrast of artichokes and tender, stewed meat. • Destination: Cagliari • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Afternoon: Following lunch, enjoy exploring • Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita on your own. During this time, you might like or similar to treat your palate to some of Italy’s most prestigious wines at the Sardinia Wine Cellars. Breakfast: At the hotel. Then, at about 3pm, our group will depart Morning: After breakfast, we’ll depart for Barumini, a tiny stone village situated from our hotel for our guided walking tour near Sardinia’s largest and best-known of Cagliari. Considered perhaps the most prehistoric site: Su Nuraxi di Barumini. The authentically Italian city in Sardinia, Cagliari Nuragic civilization endured from the 18th is an elegant mix of Roman remnants marked century BCE until the Roman colonization in by ancient ruins and contemporary culture 238 BCE. No written records of this culture reflected in trendy shops and eateries. We’ll were ever discovered; however, sites like Su make our way through the historic city center, Nuraxi di Barumini offer historians a glimpse stopping in the Castello district to admire into this ancient world. This UNESCO-listed Cagliari’s iconic citadel that once housed defensive structure dates back to the Bronze Sardinian royalty. Perched on a hill, the city Age and features circular towers in the form center provides breathtaking panoramic views of truncated cones. The complex was later as well as an impressive array of museums. extended and reinforced in the first half of Throughout our discoveries, we’ll stop at the 1st millennium, and today, it serves as the notable landmarks such as the San Benedetto most well-preserved example of prehistoric Market, the 13th-century Cagliari Cathedral architecture. Upon arrival, we’ll be joined by a (seat of the archbishop), as well as the local guide who will introduce us to the Nuragic 14th-century Pisan towers. civilization and show us around the site, We’ll conclude our city tour with a visit to the followed by free time to explore on our own. local botanical garden, which houses more than Later, we’ll depart for our hotel, with a stop 2,000 species of flora. Opened in 1866, this along the way at a local restaurant. twelve-acre garden features plants primarily of Mediterranean origin. Perhaps the most Dinner: We’ll stop at a local restaurant for a impressive features of the garden are the Welcome Dinner, featuring regional cuisine. approximately 60 species of palms, as well as Evening: Upon arrival back at the hotel, enjoy various archaeological relics dating back to the free time to make independent discoveries. Roman period. Perhaps stop by a local café for a cup of bold Lunch: We’ll linger in Cagliari’s city center coffee or a spot of gelato. for a quick lunch on our own. Feel free to ask your Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. In addition to seafood, Sardinia is known for its variety of lamb dishes.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

43 Day 4 Optional Monte Arcosu tour • Lunch: On your own for those who do not join Home-Hosted Dinner the optional tour. For those who do journey to Monte Arcosu, lunch will either be served picnic • Destination: Cagliari style (weather permitting), or we’ll dine at a • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner restaurant. • Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita or similar Afternoon: After lunch, travelers who remain in Cagliari will have the afternoon to explore Breakfast: At the hotel. on their own. Those in Monte Arcosu will Morning: Today you’ll have the freedom to have free time to discover the nature reserve make your own discoveries. Perhaps you’ll independently. Perhaps you’ll take another venture down to the marina, and stroll along short hike or sit down and simply observe the the breezy promenades. Or maybe you’ll enjoy a pristine surroundings. Check with your Trip relaxing day at Calamosca Beach, located in the Experience Leader for activity suggestions and south of Cagliari. hike recommendations, if you’d like.

Alternatively, you may wish to join our optional Travelers on the optional tour will then depart tour to Monte Arcosu, a protected oasis for the hotel, where our small group will have spanning nearly 8,900 acres. This forested area a couple hours free to explore on their own or features holm oak, cork oak, strawberry trees, rest from the hike. myrtle, and a slew of other perennial plants Later, our group will reconvene and depart for as far as the eye can see. A variety of animals the home of a local family. inhabit Monte Arcosu as well, including the regal Sardinian deer and the elusive red fox. Dinner: We will break into smaller groups of This land once operated as a private game no more than 5 and get a taste of Sardinian reserve, until nearly all the animals were driven cuisine and a deeper understanding of the out by poachers. In 1985, the World Wildlife culture during a Home-Hosted Dinner. We’ll Fund lobbied to register Monte Arcosu as a enter a local home to join a family at their protected area, and today, it remains one of dinner table and see how they go through their the largest reserves in Italy. Aside from its daily lives—where they live, what they cook, biodiversity, Monte Arcosu is epitomized by how they eat, and how they feel about their its truncated cone-shaped mountain and steep homeland. Your host family might hail from a main valleys, which punctuate the dense, variety of different backgrounds, from farmer, virgin forest. to fisher, to teacher.

Upon arrival at the reserve, we’ll meet a local We’re afforded this special privilege by our guide and embark on a hike of about 3 miles. small group size; by dining in groups of no Keep your eye out during our walk for more more than 5, we’re given the chance to enter than twenty species of orchids, as well as the local homes and connect on a one-to-one wild mushrooms that grow in abundance here. level, and to even share a little with our hosts Your local guide can speak to the varieties we about who we are and what has brought us to encounter. Sardinia. This will be a great opportunity to ask them about life in Cagliari, any customs they practice, and more.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

44 Evening: Upon arrival back at the hotel, the Dinner: On your own. Sardinia has a long balance of the day is free to explore. tradition of consuming snails. Perhaps you’ll care to sample this delicacy simmering in a Day 5 Mitza Fanebas Waterfalls • Explore spicy tomato sauce or sautéed with oil, garlic, Grotte Is Zuddas parsley, and breadcrumbs. • Destination: Cagliari Evening: Free for your own discoveries. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Check with your Trip Experience Leader for • Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita suggestions. or similar Day 6 Optional Wild nature & ancient Breakfast: At the hotel. culture of Sardinia tour Morning: This morning we’ll journey to • Destination: Cagliari the quaint town of Mitza Fanebas, nestled • Included Meals: Breakfast within a vast woodland, mountain range, and • Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita archaeological complex. Here, we’ll embark on or similar a hike to a succession of natural waterfalls, as well as ramparts of a nearby Nuragic village. Breakfast: At the hotel. We’ll then continue on to Grotte Is Zuddas, Morning: Travelers have the option to either a limestone cave system featuring unique explore on their own today, or join an optional formations of stalactites and helictites. Located tour featuring the wild nature and ancient nearly 800 feet below sea level, we’ll journey culture of Sardinia. Those who remain in into caves dating back 530 million years and Cagliari are free to consult with their Trip extending more than one mile long. As we Experience Leader for activity ideas. navigate, we’ll learn about the formation of this system and also have a chance to Optional tour participants depart this morning observe ancient fossils, like tracks from the for an approximately one-mile hike along Nora now-extinct rodent, prolagus sardus. A local Beach. Enjoy breathtaking views of the bay, guide will help us identify these fossils, as well situated between two promontories, as well as provide commentary from cave to cave. as the impressive backdrop of various Roman ruins. We’ll stop briefly to admire one of these Following our discoveries, we’ll transfer to a ruins, the Romanesque church of Sant’Efisio, local agriturismo for lunch. which was traditionally known as the place of Lunch: At a local agriturismo, featuring fresh, the saint’s martyrdom. local ingredients and regional dishes. We’ll then continue on another 1.5 miles, Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll depart for the where we’ll find the distinctive Spanish hotel. The remainder of the day is free to Tower, referred to locally as Del Coltellazzo. explore. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for This early 16th-century structure was once activity ideas. a defense tower and formerly equipped with four cannons. We’ll also explore the nearby archaeological park featuring a slew of artifacts that chronicle the history of Nora, beginning in the 4th century BC. From Phoenician times to Punic rule and modern day, a local guide will

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

45 provide background and history surrounding Upon arrival back at the hotel, our group will our myriad discoveries. Excavations of these have time to make independent discoveries. archaeological treasures began around Perhaps you’ll grab a drink with fellow 1889, when a coastal storm revealed a travelers before making your way to a local Phoenician-Punic cemetery and temple. Since establishment for dinner. that time, scientists have uncovered priceless Dinner: On your own. Check with your Trip clues into Sardinia’s complex and ancient past. Experience Leader for ideas. Seafood lovers After navigating the site with a local guide, may want to try octopus at some point during enjoy some free time to explore, before their time on the island, which is traditionally departing for the village of Pula. Home to prepared with garlic, parsley, olive oil around 8,000 inhabitants, Pula was established and lemon. during the middle ages and further developed Evening: Free to explore independently. in the 18th century. The town boasts traditional Your Trip Experience Leader can provide architecture constructed of ladiri, raw earth suggestions. bricks commonly found throughout Sardinia. Upon arrival in Pula, we’ll first make our way to a local restaurant. Day 7 Explore Molentargius-Saline Regional Park Lunch: On your own for those who choose not • Destination: Cagliari to join the optional tour. Perhaps you’ll seek out culurgiones, pasta dumplings made from • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner semolina flour. Travelers on the optional tour • Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita will dine at a local restaurant in Pula. Pula is or similar an agricultural center; therefore, we can look Breakfast: At the hotel. forward to dishes comprised of fresh, local ingredients. Morning: We’ll begin our day with an excursion to Molentargius-Saline Regional Afternoon: Following lunch, travelers who Park, a protected wetland extending over an remain in Cagliari are free to explore on their area of about 4,000 acres. This land contains own. Those who join the optional tour will then both freshwater and saltwater reservoirs embark on a discovery walk around Pula, led by divided by a plain called arenas (meaning our Trip Experience Leader. Pula is sandwiched “sands”). Molentargius translates to “donkey between the sea and low-lying mountains, handlers,” a reference to when the land providing plenty of opportunities for soaking operated as a salt mine and donkeys acted as up idyllic views of the landscape. Throughout couriers of the prized mineral. our walk, you’ll have time to meet locals, inquire about Pulian culture, and enjoy ample Beginning in 1850, the land was set aside time to appreciate this historic town. After for preservation and public use. Today, it is the walk, you can explore Pula on your own. home to more than two hundred species of Check with your Trip Experience Leader for birds—which account for one quarter of all suggestions. European fowl. During our visit, we’ll venture out with a naturalist guide on foot to spot some of these avian creatures, such as the slender-billed gull, flamingo, purple heron, little egret, marsh harrier, purple swamphen,

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

46 and black-winged stilt. We’ll also witness a Evening: Free to explore independently, or rest diversity of flora, including endemic species before your travels tomorrow. like limonium dubium and limonium glomeratum.

After our walk, we’ll then observe the area Day 8 Fly to Florence • Transfer to Lucca • by boat, providing a unique vantage point Join main trip for waterfowl that may be hard to spot. • Destination: Lucca We’ll also enjoy different—but equally • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch breathtaking—views of the landscape as we Breakfast: At the hotel. cruise along the shoreline. The park actually borders one of Italy’s largest beaches, Poetto, Morning: After breakfast, we’ll depart for the which extends about 5 miles. We’ll also airport, where we’ll board a flight to Florence. have a chance to spot the Sella del Diavolo, Upon arrival, we’ll transfer to Pistoia for lunch. a saddle-shaped promontory with a story: Legend has it the devil carved the profile of his Lunch: At a local restaurant in Pistoia, saddle into the rock after being expelled from featuring regional cuisine. paradise, hence its name meaning “the devil’s Afternoon: Pistoia is a medieval town that saddle.” sits at the base of the Apennines and offers Following our discoveries, we’ll have free time quintessential Tuscan charms. Like most to stretch our legs and explore on our own Italian communities, the beating heart of the before walking to a local restaurant. town is its main square, Piazza del Duomo, which offers atmospheric architecture and an Lunch: At a local restaurant, featuring assortment of local activities. We’ll spend a regional cuisine. short time discovering Pistoia on foot with a local guide, before taking time to explore on our Afternoon: We’ll depart for the hotel, where own. Check with your local guide for activity we’ll have the remainder of the afternoon suggestions, or perhaps you’d simply prefer to free. Check with your Trip Experience Leader observe activities and mingle with locals in the for ideas. main square. Dinner: We’ll gather for a Farewell Dinner at a Later, we’ll depart for our final destination local trattoria, featuring regional cuisine. of Lucca, where we’ll join travelers on our Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian Heartland adventure.

OPTIONAL TOURS

Monte Arcosu Hike strawberry trees, and myrtle that blanket the (Day 4 $190 per person) area. We’ll also keep an eye out for animals such Join our optional tour to Monte Arcosu, a as the Sardinian deer and red fox. Following our protected oasis spanning nearly 8,900 acres. hike, we’ll either enjoy a picnic lunch (weather First, we’ll take a guided hike through the forest, careful to notice the holm oak, cork oak,

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

47 permitting) or venture to a local restaurant. We’ll then conclude our time at Monte Arcosu with free time to explore on our own.

Wild Nature & Ancient Culture of Sardinia (Day 6 $185 per person) Begin your discoveries with a hike along Nora Beach, a pristine coastal area and archaeological site featuring various pre-Roman and Roman ruins, such as the Romanesque church of Sant’Efisio and the distinctive Spanish Tower. From Phoenician times to Punic rule and modern day, a local guide will provide background and history surrounding the ancient artifacts before us. After some free time to explore, we’ll then depart for the village of Pula, a town dating back to the medieval ages. Here, we’ll observe traditional building materials like ladiri, raw earth bricks commonly found throughout Sardinia. We’ll then take a break from our exploration to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Pula, which also happens to be an agricultural hub. Following lunch, we’ll then embark on a discovery walk around Pula, led by our Trip Experience Leader. Pula is located between the sea and low-lying mountains, providing plenty of opportunities to soak up idyllic views of the lyrical landscape.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

48 POST-TRIP Rome: Ancient Sites & Hidden City Gems

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 4 nights in Rome at » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip the Kolbe Hotel or similar Experience Leader » 8 meals—4 breakfasts, 2 lunches, » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and and 2 dinners luggage porters » 5 small group activities » All transfers

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

From atop the ancient Roman walls to the martyred saints buried in catacombs far beneath the city, Rome delights on many levels. Discover the rich, unparalleled history of the Eternal City, along with the vibrant culture of the modern Italian capital.

Day 1 Hike the Appian Way • Explore Lunch: Included at a local restaurant around Rome’s Catacombs 1pm, featuring regional specialties.

• Destination: Rome Afternoon: You have the afternoon free. Your • Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner Trip Experience Leader will invite you to join • Accommodations: Kolbe Hotel Rome him or her in a 1 hour and 15-minute discovery or similar walk through various districts of the Old City to seek out some of Rome’s lesser known Morning: We’ll take a two-mile hike along landmarks beginning a little after 2pm. Or, you Rome’s ancient Appian Way beginning at about may wish to strike out on your own, perhaps 10am. Originally constructed in the fourth to take a leisurely stroll by Circus Maximus. century BC, this was the widest and longest Once the largest stadium in ancient Rome, road of its time, and we’ll walk along its chariot races were held here for almost a well-preserved 2,000-year-old cobblestones. millennium. Those who joined on the discovery Then, we’ll visit the ancient catacombs that walk will then take a 10-minute walk to a local lie beneath the city. These ancient burial restaurant. places, many of which feature elaborate tunnel Dinner: Around 7:30pm in a local restaurant, systems, contain frescoes and sculptures as featuring Roman dishes. remarkable as the history of the catacombs themselves: Many believe this is where Evening: You have the freedom to enjoy your persecuted Christians were secretly buried. evening as you wish. perhaps you might venture We’ll end our excursion at a local restaurant. to the iconic Trevi Fountain to admire it lit up at night.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

49 Freedom To Explore: During your four days neither accepted his “modern” artistic style, in Rome, you have the freedom to explore this featuring realistic figures and a dark, moody bustling city on your own during your free color palette with striking light sources. time. Below are a few recommended options for • How to get there: A 25-minute taxi ride, independent explorations: about $33.50 USD. • Get starstruck at Rome’s Non-Catholic • Hours: 10am-1pm, daily. cemetery: This cemetery is the final resting • Cost: About $22.50 per person USD. place for many famous individuals, possibly containing the highest number in the world. Day 2 Explore the Coliseum & You can view the graves of literary greats Roman Forum such as Percy Shelley and John Keats, as • Destination: Rome well as myriad artists, scholars, and Antonio • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Gramsci, a founding father of the European • Accommodations: Kolbe Hotel Rome Communist movement. After visiting the or similar cemetery’s notable residents, you may choose Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel to visit nearby Testaccio Market for lunch. featuring Italian and American options, • How to get there: A 15-minute cab ride, beginning at 7am. about $22 USD one way. • Hours: 9am-4pm, daily. Morning: We begin exploring the Eternal City • Cost: About $3.50 USD. around 9am with a 2-mile hike through the ruins of the Roman Forum and the Coliseum. A • Explore picturesque Castel Gandolfo: Named local guide will help bring this ancient history one of the most beautiful small towns in to life for us. Hinting at its former glory, the Italy, this quaint area is best known as where Coliseum remains the greatest architectural the pope resides in the summer months. vestige from Imperial Rome. It was here in this The town is located just 15 miles south massive structure, capable of holding 80,000 of Rome, tucked away in the Alban Hills people, that the fabled and bloody gladiatorial and overlooking Lake Albano. Along with combats took place. In the Middle Ages, the admiring the summer residences from the structure was used as a fortress and later 17th century that dot the lake’s shore, you can sustained damage from several earthquakes. also witness the Stadio Olimpico, which was Then, we’ll walk around 15-minutes to the used for the rowing events during the Rome Roman Forum. Olympics in 1960. • How to get there: A 20-minute cab ride, The ancient Roman Forum was Rome’s political about $28 USD. and commercial center when the city was at • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a weelk. the height of its power. It was constructed • Cost: Free. over some 900 years with various emperors adding and extending temples, monuments, • See Rome in an artistic light during a and buildings. Here, the emperors, Roman Carvaggio’s artworks tour: Beginning at the senators, and consuls met to plan and pass laws St. Mary’s of the People Church, this 3-hour that governed Rome—and it remains one of tour delves deep into the life and legacy of the the most powerful monuments to the grandeur “master of light.” Carvaggio spent much of of ancient Rome. You will view the Basilica his life rejecting the law and the church, for Aemilia (the site of the great meeting hall) and

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

50 the Curia (the Senate house), as well as other its booksellers, inns, small shops, and colorful historic sites. We’ll then take a 10-minute walk morning markets (except Sundays). It is a lively to lunch. spot by day and night.

Lunch: At a restaurant in downtown Rome Or, perhaps you’ll join our optional walking around 1pm, featuring regional Italian cuisine. tour featuring some of Rome’s great beauty and hidden treasures. Around 8:30am, you will Afternoon: Free for you to make your own set out from the hotel on a 30-minute walk to discoveries, beginning around 2:30pm. You Piazza del Quirinale to meet a local guide. You’ll might consider a stroll through the Tridente, spend the morning visiting Trevi Fountain; one of Rome’s most lively and picturesque the underground archaeological site of La Città neighborhoods. You can also explore one dell’Acqua (“The City of Water”); the Pantheon, of Rome’s most impressive squares, Piazza ancient Rome’s best preserved building; and del Popolo, the plaza centered by the Piazza Navona, the gorgeous square centered 120-foot-tall obelisk brought by Augustus from by Bernini’s ornate fountain, Fontana dei ancient Egypt. Quattro Fiumi. This tour will conclude around Dinner: On your own. Perhaps you’ll seek noon, at which point travelers may return to out cacio e pepe, the classic Roman dish made the hotel or remain in the square to continue from thick spaghetti in a cheese-and-black exploring. pepper sauce. Lunch: On your own. If they are in season, Evening: Free. Complement your morning’s you might like to try out carciofi alla romana, discoveries with a nighttime stroll through the Roman-style crispy artichokes. Italian capital to see some of the city’s iconic Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries. Ask structures lit up at night. your Trip Experience Leader for ideas on how to spend an ideal afternoon in the Eternal City. Day 3 Rome • Optional Rome’s Great Beauty tour Dinner: On your own, whenever you’d like. Perhaps you’ll venture to the Jewish quarter to • Destination: Rome sample another take on classic Italian fare. • Included Meals: Breakfast • Accommodations: Kolbe Hotel Rome Evening: Continue exploring Rome on your or similar own, or catch up with your fellow travelers over a nightcap in the hotel bar. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel featuring Italian and American options, Day 4 Rome beginning at 7am. • Destination: Rome Morning: Today, enjoy more time to explore • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Rome at your own pace. You might stroll along • Accommodations: Kolbe Hotel Rome Via del Corso, an almost mile-long stretch or similar of palaces and shops, or spend time in the beautiful gardens of the Villa Borghese. Or stroll Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel the Campo dei Fiori and explore the piazza with featuring Italian and American options, beginning at 7am.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

51 Morning: Enjoy the day to make your own Dinner: At a local restaurant in the Jewish discoveries in Rome. Perhaps you’ll decide quarter around 7pm. During this Farewell to tour the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Dinner, toast your discoveries in Rome and Chapel. Started in 1506 by Pope Julius II, the the memories you made during your Italy and Vatican Museums contain one of the finest Tuscany travel experience. art collections in the world. Although it’s Evening: There’s time for one more gelato impossible to see all of the vast collection, before bed. Not ready to leave Rome? Consider you can find many of the priceless treasures making a visit to the Trevi Fountain—rumor acquired by the church over centuries. has it that if you throw a coin in the fountain, Following the grand corridors of the museum, you are guaranteed to return to the city. continue to the awe-inspiring Sistine Chapel, which contains the world’s most famous frescoes on its ceiling and one of its walls. Day 5 Rome • Return to U.S. Inside, you can admire Michelangelo’s most • Included Meals: Breakfast famous and dramatic masterpieces, including Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel The Creation and The Last Judgment, both featuring Italian and American options, of which have been recently restored to fully beginning at 7am. reveal their majestic glory. Morning: Depending on your individual Lunch: On your own, whenever you’d like. flight itinerary, you will check out of the hotel Pizza and pasta options abound in this sometime this morning and take an up to culinary capital. 1.5-hour-long transfer to the airport for your Afternoon: Continue making your own flight home. discoveries in Rome. Around 6:45pm, we’ll reconvene in the hotel lobby and set out on a 15-minute walk to the Jewish quarter to reach our dinner destination.

OPTIONAL TOUR

Rome’s Great Beauty Roman mansion and a Hadrian-era cistern (Day 3 $95 per person) that was part of an aqueduct supplying This half-day walking tour highlighting the water to ancient Rome. Then, we’ll stop at great beauty of Rome’s hidden treasures begins Gelateria Della Palma for a refreshing gelato at Piazza del Quirinale, a square situated atop or a cappuccino, before visiting the Pantheon, the highest of Rome’s seven hills where the ancient Rome’s best preserved building, which Presidential Palace is located. From there, was completed during the reign of Hadrian. we’ll stroll down to the Trevi Fountain to toss Our final destination is Piazza Navona, the a coin into the famed landmark before heading gorgeous square whose centerpiece is Bernini’s to La Città dell’Acqua (“The City of Water”). Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, an ornate fountain Located underneath the nearby Trevi Cinema, with representations of the rivers Nile, Ganges, the archaeological site is home to a 4th-century Danube, and Plate. Travelers may then return

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

52 to the hotel or remain in the square for lunch on their own before the rest of the day at leisure in Rome.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

53 POST-TRIP Highlights of the Côte d’Azur

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 6 nights in Nice at a » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip centrally located hotel Experience Leader » 11 meals—6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and and 2 dinners luggage porters » 9 small group activities » All transfers

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

From its fashionable seaside promenades to its famously sunny beaches, experience the treasures of the French Riviera, with the region’s largest city and unofficial capital of Nice as your base for discovery. First, explore the quaint town of Antibes, which Monet admired for its picturesque landscapes. Then spend a full day exploring colorful Nice before embarking on a beach hike to the beautiful harbor town of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Step back in time in medieval Eze Village; take an excursion to iconic Monaco, and contrast the hustle and bustle of Cannes with the serenity of Saint-Honorat Island. Cap off your discoveries with a wine tasting in the countryside, and toast to the magic found along France’s stunning southeast coast.

Day 1 Fly to Nice • Explore Antibes from light blue waters to cream-colored buildings with blush pink flowers in their • Destination: Nice shuttered windows. The pastel hues and • Included Meals: Lunch winding, narrow streets of the town center • Accommodations: Hotel in Nice or similar inspired Claude Monet himself. Morning: Head to the airport by motorcoach On our walk this morning, we’ll make our way after breakfast early this morning and along the pier, interacting with local fishermen embark on your flight from Rome to Nice, an on the way. Then, we’ll stop at the bustling approximate hour and fifteen-minute journey. Marche Provencal, a colorful indoor market Upon arrival, take a short motorcoach ride where vendors sell fresh produce, herbs and to the historic town of Antibes, where we’ll spices, fruit, and even plants. Take in the sights, embark on a discovery walk with our Trip sounds, and smells of the market and chat with Experience Leader. locals perusing the stalls. You may even get to French writer Victor Hugo once described sample onion cake, a local delicacy. Antibes as a place where “everything shines, Lunch: At a local restaurant. everything blossoms, everything sings.” Situated between Nice and Cannes along the French Riviera, the town is perhaps best known for the array of colors that dot its every corner,

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

54 Afternoon: Explore Antibes at leisure. Perhaps and modern France, encapsulating the charm you’ll tour the Picasso Museum, which features of both. As you ride, you’ll witness highlights of hundreds of works by the artist and chronicles the city, including a stop at the verdant garden his stay in Antibes in 1944, or take a walk along of Cimiez that surrounds the monastery of the the harbor sprinkled with colorful boats. same name.

After about an hour of free time, we’ll head to our hotel by motorcoach. Depending on Then, enjoy a walking tour of Nice’s colorful where we stay, our centrally located Nice hotel Old Town, perusing the sights lining its cobbled will feature a comfortable bar and lounge. streets. Here we’ll stroll the famous Cours Air-conditioned rooms typically include a Saleya flower market, where, in addition to satellite TV, minibar, coffee- and tea-making vibrant flora, you’ll find baked goods, fresh facilities, and private bath. fruits and vegetables, and much more. While Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience here, you might take some time to chat with Leader would be happy to provide suggestions locals to get a glimpse of what daily life is like for the best local fare. in the city. We’ll also stop at a local eatery to try Nice’s signature snack, socca (chickpea Evening: At leisure. Perhaps take a nighttime pancake); and at the magnificent 16th-century stroll of Nice or enjoy a night cap at the bar. Cathedral Sainte Reparate for a look at its impressive baroque architecture. The church Day 2 Explore Nice was built in honor of Saint Reparata, Nice’s • Destination: Nice patron saint. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Our discoveries wrap up at the renowned Marc • Accommodations: Hotel in Nice or similar Chagall National Museum. This museum houses Breakfast: At the hotel. the largest collection of Jewish-French artist Marc Chagall’s work, including hundreds of Morning: After breakfast, our Trip Experience paintings, drawings, and pastels. Perhaps most Leader will lead a half-hour Welcome Briefing, impressive is the entire room dedicated to at which point you can ask any questions you Chagall’s twelve large paintings that chronicle may have about the days ahead. the first two books of the Old Testament.

Then, we’ll meet our local guide for today’s Lunch: On your own. Feel free to ask your day-long tour of Nice and board our Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. motorcoach. An insightful discussion on France Perhaps you’ll try pissaladière (a kind of onion Today with this local expert sets the stage for pizza speciality in the region) and top it off with our discoveries here. some refreshing ice cream.

We’ll start with an approximate half-hour Afternoon: The afternoon is yours to enjoy city panoramic tour of Nice. Once referred to by on your own. You might visit the public gardens the Greeks as Nike for their goddess of Victory, situated at the peak of Castle Hill, from which Nice is renowned for the soft light that has you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Cote captured the hearts of artists for centuries. A d’Azur. Or admire the onion domes and colorful seaside marvel, medieval town, and trendy city façade of the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox all at once, Nice straddles the line of ancient Cathedral.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

55 Dinner: Savor a Welcome Dinner at a local Afternoon: After lunch, a fifteen-minute restaurant with your fellow travelers. motorcoach drive takes us to Ville Ephrussi de Rothschild, one of the most impressive villas Evening: Return to the hotel after dinner for of the French Riviera. Here we’ll meet a local some time at leisure. Rest up after the full day expert who will give us a glimpse into the of discoveries or take a sunset seaside stroll. fascinating history of the grounds.

Day 3 Beach hike • Explore Known for its unique pink hues, the villa was Villefranche-sur-Mer • Explore Villa commissioned by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Ephrussi de Rothschild Rothschild and built by a team of 40 architects between 1905 and 1912. There are nine gardens • Destination: Nice on the premises, each with a different theme. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner The residence is also known for its water • Accommodations: Hotel in Nice or similar fountains, which shoot out dancing streams Breakfast: At the hotel. of water to classical music every 20 minutes. A museum is also housed in the villa, featuring a Morning: Our motorcoach brings us on a wide array of pieces from Béatrice’s personal half-hour drive to the start of our morning collection. hike. This hike along the beach, led by our Trip Experience Leader, will last about an hour. Take After the guided tour, take about an hour to in the salty breeze and crystalline waters as we explore the gardens at your leisure. Then, head make our way to this morning’s destination: back to the hotel via motorcoach. Villefrance-sur-Mer. Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Upon arrival, we’ll meet up with a local guide Evening: Continue exploring Nice by night. who will take us through this picturesque Perhaps stop by a local café for an evening cup harbor town on an approximate 90-minute of coffee or tea. tour. Make your way through the winding Rue Obscure, an ancient street dating back to Day 4 Visit Èze Village • Explore Monaco the 13th century which once functioned as a pathway for French soldiers to more smoothly • Destination: Nice navigate the bustle of the town. Then, head • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch to the Church of St. Michael, known for its • Accommodations: Hotel in Nice or similar pastel hues and architecture calling back to Breakfast: At the hotel with French and 17th-century Italian styles. American options. After our guided tour wraps up, you’ll have Morning: We’ll depart by private motorcoach about an hour to discover this quaint town and begin today’s discoveries with a visit to the at your own pace. Perhaps you’ll explore the Alpine village of Èze. medieval citadel, which features three art museums inside, including the Volti Museum Perched high above the Mediterranean, Èze is known for its collection of over a hundred one of the best-preserved medieval villages sculptures. in the Maritime Alps (Alpes-Maritimes, in French)—with one of the best views as well. Lunch: On your own. Ask your Trip Experience Situated at an altitude of 1,312 feet, the village Leader for suggestions.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

56 can only be accessed through a 14th-century Dinner: On your own in Nice. Perhaps you’ll fortified gate which opens into an ancient try its namesake salade Niçoise—a filling town filled with a labyrinth of winding streets, salad tossed with mesclun, tomatoes, radish, red-tiled roofs, winding stairs, and old stone onion, black olives, hard boiled eggs, tuna, and archways. In what were once stone barns, anchovies and served with olive oil. visitors can now find art and craft workshops. Evening: On your own in Nice—ask your Trip We’ll explore this village frozen in time with Experience Leader for recommendations. our Trip Experience Leader, including a visit to one of these artisans’ workshops. Day 5 Explore Cannes • Visit Saint We’ll also have ample free time to discover Honorat Island more of Èze at your own pace. Perhaps you’ll • Destination: Nice climb to visit the castle ruins and admire the exotic plants that cling to its walls. Cacti, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch succulents, and other tropical plants from all • Accommodations: Hotel in Nice or similar over the world flourish in the craggy terrain Breakfast: At the hotel with French and of this magical little town overlooking the American options. turquoise sea. Morning: We’ll depart by private motorcoach Lunch: In a local restaurant in Èze. this morning for seaside Cannes. Famous for its international film festival, Cannes has also Afternoon: We bid adieu to Èze and depart earned the reputation as a destination for the via private motorcoach to the Principality of rich and famous. Monaco—an independent sovereign state located between the foot of the Southern Alps Upon arrival, we’ll embark on a discovery walk and the Mediterranean. with our Trip Experience Leader, beginning at Le Suquet, the historic quarter from which Along with our Trip Experience Leader, we’ll the town emerged in the first century BC spend the afternoon here in glamorous Monaco, when the Ligurians founded the town on this where the Grimaldis have ruled since 1297. promontory. We’ll also admire the painted We’ll pay a visit to the gardens and ground floor walls that are part of the town’s cinematic of the stunning Villa Rothschild. Then, we’ll heritage. These frescoes depict images of iconic explore the old town of Monaco on a discovery movie stars like Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn walk together. You’ll also have plenty of free Monroe. And, right next to the Palais des time to uncover the many jewels of the city on Festivals and its legendary red-carpeted steps, your own, such as the 19th-century Monaco is the Chemin des Etoiles where we’ll see the Cathedral, final resting-place of the Princess hand casts of film legends such as Sophia Loren of Monaco, Grace Kelly, or Monte Carlo and its and Meryl Streep. most famous square, Place du Casino, home of the legendary Grand Casino. You may also want Later, we’ll join some locals in a game of to seek out a glimpse of the Grand Prix Motor Petanque at their club. Akin to horseshoes, Race circuit. players of this local pastime aim to get hollow metal balls as close to a wooden ball as possible We’ll drive back to Nice later this afternoon, without stepping outside of a marked circle. with the balance of the day on your own.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

57 Afterwards, you’ll have some free time to set Day 6 Provençal vineyard and winery visit off into the city on your own, perhaps strolling • Destination: Nice through the quieter Old Port or exploring an • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch outdoor flower market. Or, you may wander down La Croisette, the waterfront boulevard • Accommodations: Hotel in Nice or similar known for its picturesque beaches, restaurants, Breakfast: At the hotel with French and cafes, and boutiques. American options.

Then we’ll board the public ferry bound for Morning: Today we’ll drive to the Provençal Saint Honorat Island. Located just a few countryside for a visit to a local vineyard minutes from the hustle and bustle of Cannes, and winery. Upon arrival, we’ll be met by the Saint Honorat offers visitors a tranquil spot owner who will lead us on a stroll through the where natural beauty and spirituality meet. vineyard, pointing out the different varietals The monks of Lérins have dwelled in their along the way. monastery here since the Middle Ages and continue to welcome guests to this quiet After our walk, we’ll head into the main house island—whether it be for a religious retreat or to help prepare a light lunch together. simply a day trip. We’ll join our Trip Experience Lunch: At the winery, accompanied by a tasting Leader on a discovery walk, learning about of the vineyard’s wines. the island’s rich history along the way—such as the legend that the island has always been Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll have some free a place for worship, dating back to ancient time to explore the winery further, before Roman times when the island was dedicated to heading back to Nice via private motorcoach. Neptune, god of the sea. The rest of the day is free for you to see any part of Nice you may have missed or want to revisit. Lunch: We’ll enjoy lunch on the island at a local Perhaps you’ll stroll the Promenade des Anglais restaurant. and admire the ocean on one side of you and Afternoon: After lunch, you’ll have some Nice’s finest hotels, restaurants, and shops on free time to continue to explore the island on the other. Or you might visit one of the city’s your own. Then we’ll catch a ferry back to the many museums, including the Marc Chagall mainland where we’ll climb aboard our private Museum, featuring work from the great artist’s motorcoach and drive back to Nice. The rest of long and storied career. the day is on your own. Dinner: On your own in Nice. You may wish to Dinner: On your own. You may want to sample tuck into another dish Nice is known for—la Raviolis Niçois, pasta stuffed with braised Daube Niçoise. A hearty meal, Daube Niçoise beef, chopped chard, and a dry cheese such as features slow cooked beef cooked in red wine Parmesan. with onion, carrots, and herbs.

Evening: On your own in Nice to spend Evening: On your own—you may want to finish as you wish. packing and turn in early before your flight home tomorrow.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

58 Day 7 Return to U.S. • Included Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast: At the hotel featuring French and American options.

Morning: Depending on your flight time, we’ll transfer from the hotel to the airport by private motorcoach for our return home.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

59 Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic RISK-FREE BOOKING POLICY: RESERVE WITH CONFIDENCE—NOW THROUGH 12/31/21 Beauty in the Italian Heartland We will waive any change fees if you transfer to another departure date for any reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure. 2023 Dates & Prices See details at www.oattravel.com/riskfree-booking.

MAY M A R M A R APR APR MAY 1-10; 14-31; JULY- DEPART FROM 8, 21 24 1-14 18-29 SEPTEMBER JUNE AUGUST OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

New York $ 3595 $3995 $4495 $4895 $5395 $5695 $5195 $5095 $4795 $4395

Boston, Chicago, Dallas, $ 3695 $ 4095 $ 4595 $ 4995 $ 5495 $ 5795 $ 5295 $ 5195 $ 4895 $ 4495 Newark

Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Miami, $ 3795 $ 4195 $ 4695 $ 5095 $ 5595 $ 5895 $ 5395 $ 5295 $ 4995 $ 4595 Philadelphia, Washington, DC

Denver, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, $ 3895 $4295 $4795 $5195 $5695 $5995 $5495 $5395 $5095 $4695 San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa

Minneapolis, Portland $ 3995 $ 4395 $ 4895 $ 5295 $ 5795 $ 6095 $ 5595 $ 5495 $ 5195 $ 4795

Additional departure cities are available. Upgrade to Business Class may be available for the international portion of your flight. Call for details.

APR 18-29; JULY- MAY-JUNE; MAR 8, 21 MAR 24 APR 1-14 AUGUST S E P T E M B E R O C T O B E R N O V E M B E R D E C E M B E R Without international airfare $2595 $2995 $3495 $3895 $4395 $4095 $3795 $3395

BTA2023

Prices are per person. Airfare prices include government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. All prices and availability are effective as of the date of this publication, and are subject to change without notice. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our website: www.oattravel.com/tc. Every effort has been made to produce this information accurately. We reserve the right to correct errors.

For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.oattravel.com/bta2023pricing

SAVE UP TO 10% WITH FREE SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS SHARE YOUR LOVE OF TRAVEL OUR GOOD BUY PLAN We offer FREE Single Supplements on all New travelers you refer will instantly save The earlier you reserve your departure of our adventures and pre- and post-trip $100, and you’ll earn increasing rewards— and pay in full, the more you’ll save—up extensions. up to a FREE trip! to 10%—plus, you’ll lock in your price. Each departure has limited solo space For details, visit www.oattravel.com/va For details, visit www.oattravel.com/gbd available—call today to reserve.

Publication Date 5/10/21

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/bta2023

60 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Your Passport • Must be in good condition

• Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S.

• Must have the required number of blank pages (details below)

• The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable

Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport

Recommended Blank Pages Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this vacation.

• Main trip: You will need 3 blank passport pages.

• Pre-trip extension to Cagliari: No additional passport pages needed.

• Pre-trip extension to Bologna: No additional passport pages needed.

• Post-trip extension to Rome: No additional passport pages needed.

• Post-trip extension to Nice, France: You will need an additional passport page.

No Visas Required Travelers with a U.S. passport do not need any visas for this adventure, including the optional trip extensions.

Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www.pvsinternational.org.

61 Traveling With a Minor? Some governments may require certain documentation for minors to enter and depart the country or to obtain a visa (if applicable). For further detail on the required documentation, please contact your local embassy or consulate.

Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals.

If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip.

Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents.

62 RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH

Is This Adventure Right for You? Please review the information below prior to departing on this adventure. We reserve the right for our Trip Experience Leaders to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their condition would adversely affect the health, safety, or enjoyment of themselves or of other travelers.

PACING • 4 locations in 14 days with one 1-night stay

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Not appropriate for travelers using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids

• You must be able to walk 3-5 miles unassisted and participate in 6-8 hours of physical activities each day

• Agility and balance are required when boarding 4-wheel drive vehicles. Some vehicles are high off the ground and you will be required to step into them unassisted

• We reserve the right for Trip Experience Leaders to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience

CLIMATE • Daytime temperatures range from 35-95°F with high levels of humidity, especially from May to September

• Tuscany and Umbria share a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and warm, rainy winters, with occasional snowfall

• Strong winds occur in March and October-December

TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION • Travel and hike on some rugged paths, rolling hills, and many cobblestoned streets on foot, as well as over bumpy, narrow rural roads by bus

• Travel by 19-passenger coach

FLIGHT INFORMATION • Travel time will be 11-18 hours with at least one connection of 2-3 hours

ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES • Hotel rooms are smaller than those in the U.S.

63 Steps to Take Before Your Trip Before you leave on this adventure, we recommend the following:

• Check with the CDC for their recommendations for the countries you’ll be visiting. You can contact them online at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel or by phone at 1-800-232-4636.

• Have a medical checkup with your doctor at least 6 weeks before your trip.

• Pick up any necessary medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.

• Have a dental and/or eye checkup. (Recommended, but less urgent)

Vaccines Required

COVID-19 Overseas Adventure Travel requires that all travelers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are able provide proof of their vaccination upon arrival at their destination. A full vaccination is defined as having been inoculated at least 14 days prior to departure by an approved vaccine. This requirement is not contingent on the countries the tour visits, but a strict company policy due to the nature of the pandemic.

Medication Suggestions • An antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness

Traveling with Medications • Pack medications in your carry-on bag to avoid loss and to have them handy.

• Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers for a quicker security screen at the airport and a better experience if you get stopped by customs while overseas.

• Bring copies of your prescriptions, written using the generic drug name rather than a brand name to be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications.

We recommend checking with the State Department for medication restrictions by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel- Country-Information-Pages.html. (Pick the country and then follow the links to “Local Laws & Special Circumstances”; if you don’t see any medications specifically mentioned, then you can presume major U.S. brands should be OK).

Staying Healthy on Your Trip Jet Lag Tips

• Start your trip well-rested.

• Begin a gradual transition to your new time zone before you leave or switch to your destination time zone when you get on the plane.

64 • Attempt to sleep and eat according to the new schedule.

• Avoid heavy eating and drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages right before–and during– your flight.

• Drink plenty of water and/or fruit juice while flying

• Stretch your legs, neck, and back periodically while seated on the plane.

• After arrival, avoid the temptation to nap.

• Don’t push yourself to see a lot on your first day.

• Try to stay awake your first day until after dinner.

Allergies

If you have any serious allergies or dietary restrictions, we advise you to notify us at least 30 days prior to your departure. Please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814, and we will communicate them to our regional office. Every effort will be made to accommodate you.

Water • Tap water in the region is safe to drink, but is processed differently than in the U.S. so it can still upset your stomach or feel “heavy”. If so, we suggest drinking bottle water instead.

• Bottled water is readily available and inexpensive. (Bottled water is not included in the price of your tour.)

• When in doubt about the water, salads, or ice, just ask the restaurant or your Trip Experience Leader.

• It is OK to brush your teeth or wash fruit with tap water.

Food • The food in Italy and France shouldn’t cause any health problems—salads, fruit, and dairy products are all fine.

• Be careful with food that has been cooked and left to go cold, which might happen in some self-service places.

65 MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES

Top Three Tips • Carry a mix of different types of payments, such as local currency, an ATM card, and a credit card.

• Traveler’s checks are not recommended. They can be difficult to exchange and the commission fee for cashing them is quite high. It’s more practical to view them as a last resort in the event of a special situation.

• You will not be able to pay with U.S. dollars on this trip; you will need euros instead.

Local Currency For current exchange rates, please refer to an online converter tool like www.xe.com/ currencyconverter, your bank, or the financial section of your newspaper.

Euro Countries The euro is the official currency in many member countries of the European Union. Unless otherwise listed, the countries you will be visiting will use the euro. Euro banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros

• Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents; 1 and 2 euros

How to Exchange Money If you want to exchange money before your trip, you can usually do so through your bank or at an exchange office. Your departure airport in the U.S., a travel agent, or an AAA office are also possible outlets. Or you can wait and change money on the trip instead—but it might be helpful to arrive with some local currency in case you run into a bank holiday or an “out of order” ATM.

On your trip, the easiest way to obtain local currency is to withdraw funds from a local ATM. The ATM will give you local money and your bank at home will convert that into U.S. dollars.

You may be able to exchange cash at some hotels, large post offices, and money exchange offices, however they do not typically offer good exchange rates and can be difficult to find. To exchange cash, you’ll usually need your passport and bills in good condition (not worn, torn, or dirty). New bills (post 2004) are best.

Please note that many banks in Europe will only exchange money for their own customers. Never exchange money on the street. All exchange methods involve fees, which may be built into the conversion rate; ask beforehand.

66 ATMs When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$10 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

Italy: ATMs are available throughout large cities and small towns in Italy.

France: ATMs can be found throughout large cities and small towns in France.

Credit & Debit Cards Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring one or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry). We also suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) if possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the Discover card is accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other brands will work at a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc.

Italy: Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Italy. Occasionally a small “Mom and Pop” restaurant will be cash only, and street vendors or taxis usually are cash only, but most other businesses will take cards.

France: Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in France. For small purchases or markets, you may need cash instead.

Chip Cards Many countries have adopted a new type of credit card that has an embedded computer chip. These cards are inserted into the reader instead of swiped. The card owner then authorizes the purchase using a PIN instead of signing.

This new technology is only now gaining traction in the U.S., so occasionally there are machines in other countries that can’t read U.S. cards. Or the machine can read the card, but asks for a PIN. This doesn’t happen often, and is nothing to worry about. You can usually resolve the situation by asking the cashier to let you sign. (If you don’t speak the language, just mime signing on your hand.) If you are not able to sign for a purchase, such as at an automated ticket booth, you can use another form of payment, such as a debit card that has a PIN.

67 Notify Card Providers of Upcoming Travel Many credit card companies and banks have fraud alert departments that will freeze your card if they see suspicious charges—such as charges or withdrawals from another country. To avoid an accidental security block, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company and/or bank you will be using your cards abroad. You can do this by calling their customer service number a week or two before your departure. Some banks or credit card companies will also let you do this online.

You should also double-check what phone number you could call if you have a problem with a card while you are abroad. Don’t assume you can use the 1-800 number printed on the back of your card—most 1 800 numbers don’t work outside of the U.S.!

Tipping Guidelines Of course, whether you tip, and how much, is always at your own discretion. But for those of you who have asked for tipping suggestions, we offer these guidelines.

• O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader: It is customary to express a personal “thank you” to your Trip Experience Leader at the end of your trip. As a guideline, many travelers give $8-$12 USD (or equivalent in local currency) per person for each day their Trip Experience Leader is with them. Please note that these tips can only be in cash. If you are taking any of the optional extensions, your Trip Experience Leader during the extension(s) may not be the same as the one on your main trip.

• Housekeeping staff at hotels: The equivalent in euros of $1-2 per room, per night

• Waiters: Your Trip Experience Leader will tip waiters for included meals. If you are dining on your own, tipping is often included in the price; look for the words servizio incluso in the menu or bill. If tipping is not included, a tip of 5% to 10% is customary. In addition, you may see the word coperto on your bill. This is not a tip, but more of a cover charge for the use of the table.

• Public Restrooms: Many public restrooms in Italy are manned by cleaning staff. It is customary to leave a small tip for them—about EUR .50 per person. Some restrooms are pay-toilets; you pay the staff at the entrance to the restroom or drop the appropriate coin into the slot on the stall door. Prices range from EUR .50 to EUR 2.00 per single use. Many restaurants, cafes, and shops have pay-toilets or expect you to make a purchase before using the facilities.

• Included in Your Trip Price: Gratuities are included for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters on your main trip, extensions, and all optional tours.

Please note: For your convenience, tips to O.A.T. staff can be paid in U.S. dollars or local currency. Please do not use personal or traveler’s checks for tips.

68 AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH

Land Only Travelers & Personalized Air Quick Definitions

• Land Only: You will be booking your own international flights. Airport transfers are not included.

• Air-Inclusive: You booked international air with us. Airport transfers are included as long as you didn’t customize your trip’s dates (see next bullet).

• Personalized Air: You booked international air with us, and have customized it in some way. If you have customized your trip’s dates to arrive early, stay longer, or stop on your own in a connecting city, airport transfers will NOT be included. You must also arrange your own accommodations for any additional nights. For your convenience, a preliminary list of your included hotels is available on your My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount under “My Reservations”.

Airport Transfers Can Be Purchased For eligible flights, airport transfers may be purchased separately as an optional add-on, subject to availability. To be eligible, your flight(s) must meet the following requirements:

• You must fly into or fly home from the same airport as O.A.T. travelers who purchased included airfare.

• Your flight(s) must arrive/depart on the same day that the group arrives or departs.

Airport transfers can be purchased up to 45 days prior to your departure; they are not available for purchase onsite. To learn more, or purchase airport transfers, please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814.

If you don’t meet the requirements above, you’ll need to make your own transfer arrangements. We suggest the Rome to Rio website as a handy resource: www.rome2rio.com.

Optional Tours Optional tours are additional add-on tours that allow you to personalize your adventure by tailoring it to your tastes and needs. And if you decide not to join an optional tour? Then you’ll have free time to relax or explore on your own—it’s about options, not obligations.

What You Need to Know • All optional tours are subject to change and availability.

69 • Optional tours that are reserved with your Trip Experience Leader can be paid for using credit/debit cards only. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover credit cards; we can also take MasterCard or Visa debit cards as long as the card allows you to sign for purchases. (You won’t be able to enter a PIN.)

• To ensure that you are charged in U.S. dollars, your payment will be processed by our U.S. headquarters in Boston. This process can take up to three months, so we ask that you only use a card that will still be valid three months after your trip is over. The charge may appear on your credit card statement as being from Boston, MA or may be labeled as “OPT Boston”.

• Your Trip Experience Leader will give you details on the optional tours while you’re on the trip. But if you’d like to look over descriptions of them earlier, you can do so at any time by referring to your Day-to-Day Itinerary (available online by signing into My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount).

Communicating with Home from Abroad

Cell Phones If you want to use your cell phone on the trip, check with your phone provider to see if your phone and service will work outside of the U.S. It may turn out to be cheaper to rent an international phone or buy a SIM card onsite. If you want to use a local SIM, just make certain your phone can accept one.

Calling Apps Another option is to use a smartphone app like Skype or FaceTime. These services are usually less expensive than making a traditional call, but you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection and the calls may count towards your phone plan’s data allowance. Many smartphones—and some tablets or laptops—come with one of these apps pre-installed or you can download them for free from the appropriate apps store.

Calling Cards and 1-800 Numbers When calling the U.S. from a foreign country, a prepaid calling card can be useful because it circumvents unexpected charges from the hotel. Calling cards purchased locally are typically the best (less expensive, more likely to work with the local phones, etc.).

One reminder: Do not call U.S. 1-800 numbers outside the continental United States. This can result in costly long distance fees, since 1-800 numbers do not work outside the country.

Internet Most hotels in Italy have Internet services available, some for free, some for an hourly charge. Sometimes the charge depends on your location—for example, there may be complimentary WiFi service in a common area, like the lobby or reception, but the WiFi in the guest rooms is a paid

70 service. Most hotels will also offer a limited number of computers in the lobby or business center for guests to use. So you can either bring your own device during the trip and use WiFi where it is available, or leave your device at home and rely on hotel computers.

How to Call Overseas When calling overseas from the U.S., dial 011 for international exchange, then the country code (indicated by a plus sign: +), and then the number. Note that foreign phone numbers may not have the same number of digits as U.S. numbers; even within a country the number of digits can vary depending on the city and if the phone is a land line or cell phone.

Italy: +39 France: +33

71 PACKING: WHAT TO BRING & LUGGAGE LIMITS

Luggage Limits

MAIN TRIP LIMITS

Pieces per person One checked bag and one carry-on per person.

Weight restrictions Varies by airline. The current standard is 50 lbs for checked bags and 15 lbs for carry-ons.

Size Restrictions Varies by airline. Measured in linear inches (length+width+depth). Generally, 62 linear inches is the checked bag limit; carry-on limit is 45 linear inches.

Luggage Type A sturdy, fabric-sided suitcase with built-in wheels and lockable zippers is recommended.

TRIP EXTENSION(S) LIMITS

Same as main trip.

REMARKS/SUGGESTIONS

Luggage rules: Luggage rules and limits are set by governmental and airline policy. Enforcement of the rules may include spot checks or may be inconsistent. However one thing is the same across the board: If you are found to have oversized or overweight luggage, you will be subject to additional fees, to be assessed by—and paid to—the airline in question.

Don’t Forget: • These luggage limits may change. If the airline(s) notify us of any changes, we will include an update in your Final Documents booklet.

• It’s a good idea to reconfirm baggage restrictions and fees directly with the airline a week or so prior to departure. For your convenience, we maintain a list of the toll-free numbers for the most common airlines on our website in the FAQ section.

• Baggage fees are not included in your trip price; they are payable directly to the airlines.

72 Your Luggage • Checked Luggage: One duffel bag or soft-sided suitcase. Look for one with heavy nylon fabric, wrap-around handles, built-in wheels, and a heavy duty lockable zipper. Please do not bring a rigid (plastic shell) suitcase.

• Carry-on Bag: You are allowed one carry-on bag per person. We suggest a tote or small backpack that can be used as both a carry-on bag for your flight and to carry your daily necessities—water bottle, camera, etc—during your daily activities.

• Locks: For flights that originate in the U.S., you can either use a TSA-approved lock or leave your luggage unlocked. Outside of the U.S. we strongly recommend locking your luggage as a theft-prevention measure.

Clothing Suggestions: Functional Tips As you will experience a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions, we suggest several layers of clothing. If you like to hand-wash your clothes, look for fabrics that will dry out overnight. You can buy clothing designed especially for travel, with features like wrinkle- resistant fabric or built-in sun protection.

• Footwear: You’ll be on your feet a lot during the trip, and walking over some rough and slippery surfaces. The soles of your shoes should offer good traction. Sturdy and comfortable walking shoes with arch support are suggested.

• Light rain gear is recommended. Regardless of when you travel, rainfall is a possibility. While it may not rain on your trip, we suggest you bring a waterproof shell or coat, preferably with a hood. This might be a better choice than a folding umbrella, which is usually less effective in wind. (Plus it can be tricky to try to hold onto an umbrella and take photos at the same time.)

• Layers are key. We suggest wearing layers, so you can adjust to warmer and cooler conditions as needed. Even in winter, temperatures are moderate, but you should plan to bring some warm layers.

• Bring water gear. We suggest bringing a bathing suit as certain hotels will have pools. Also, bring a pair of shoes or sandals that you don’t mind getting wet. These will be useful for when we go rafting.

Style Hints Dress on our trip is functional and casual. You might want to bring one slightly dressier outfit for dining on your own at a nice restaurant, or for the Welcome and Farewell Dinners, but that is totally up to you.

73 Suggested Packing Lists We have included suggestions from Trip Experience Leaders and former travelers to help you pack. These lists are only jumping-off points—they offer recommendations based on experience, but not requirements. You may also want to consult the “Climate” chapter of this handbook.

And don’t forget a reusable water bottle—you’ll need it to take advantage of any refills we offer as we are working to eliminate single-use plastic bottles on all of our trips.

Recommended Clothing ‰Shirts: A mixture of short and long-sleeved shirts to layer, in a breathable fabric ‰Trousers, jeans, or skirts ‰Shoes and socks: Sturdy and comfortable walking shoes with arch support are suggested. Bring at least a couple pairs of medium- to heavy-weight socks for hiking

‰Light rain jacket/windbreaker with hood ‰Sleepwear and underwear ‰Swimsuit for hotel pools

Seasonal Clothing Spring & Fall Departures ‰Light tops, pants, and cotton sweaters for daytime ‰Long-sleeve shirts, long pants, and a heavy sweater or fleece for evenings ‰Rain gear and/or umbrella

Summer Departures ‰Short-sleeve tops ‰Lightweight pants or shorts ‰Cotton or linen skirts or sundresses ‰Sweater or light layers for cool evenings

Winter Departures ‰Warm pants and socks ‰Long-sleeved tops

74 ‰Fleece or wool sweater, for layering ‰Warm coat

Essential Items ‰Daily essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush or comb, shaving items, deodorant, etc.

‰Spare eyeglasses/contact lenses and your prescription (consider a neck strap for rafting) ‰Sunglasses with a neck strap ‰Sunscreen ‰Insect repellent ‰Moisturizer and sun-blocking lip balm ‰Compact umbrella ‰Wide-brim sun hat with chin strap ‰Pocket-size tissues ‰Water bottle ‰Moist towelettes and/or anti-bacterial “water-free” hand cleanser ‰Photocopies of passport, air ticket, credit cards, prescriptions for your medicines ‰Camera gear with extra batteries or battery charger ‰Electrical transformer & plug adapters

Medicines ‰Your own prescription medicines ‰Travel first aid kit: Band-Aids, headache and pain relief, laxatives and anti-diarrhea tablets, something for upset stomach, cold remedy, moleskin foot pads, anti-biotic cream, or allergy medication.

‰An antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness

75 Optional Gear ‰Travel alarm ‰Folding walking staff, sold in most camping stores (preferably rubber-tipped) ‰Reading materials ‰Travel journal/note pad ‰Phrase book ‰Home address book ‰Hand-wash laundry soap (Woolite) clothespins/travel clothesline/stopper ‰Pocket calculator for exchange rate ‰Washcloth ‰Travel-size hair dryer: Many hotels will provide hair dryers, but not all. If a hair dryer is essential to you, consider a travel-size version.

Home-Hosted Visits Many of our adventures feature a visit with a local family, often as part of the A Day in the Life experience. It is customary, though not necessary, to return your hosts’ generosity with a small gift. If you do bring a gift, we recommend that you bring something the whole family can enjoy, or something that represents your region, state, or hometown. Get creative and keep it small—peach jelly from Georgia, maple sugar candy from New England, orange blossom soap from California; something that can be used or used up is best. When choosing a gift, be certain to consider the local culture as well. For example, we do not recommend alcohol in Muslim countries because it is forbidden in Islam, and your hosts may be religious. Not all O.A.T. adventures include a Home-Hosted Visit; please check your final itinerary before you depart.

Electricity Abroad When traveling overseas, the voltage is usually different and the plugs might not be the same shape.

Voltage Electricity at hotels in Italy is 220 volts. In the U.S. it is 110 volts. Most of the things a traveler will want to plug in—battery chargers, MP3 players, tablets or computers—can run off both 110 and 220-240. But you should check the item or the owner’s guide first to confirm this before you plug it in. Plugging a 110V U.S. appliance into 220/240V 50/60Hz service will ruin the motor. If you

76 have something that needs 110 volts—like a shaver or a hairdryer—you can bring a transformer to change the current. (But transformers tend to burn out, so it might be better to leave whatever it is at home.)

Plugs The shape of plugs will vary from country to country, and sometimes even within a country depending on when that building was built. To plug something from the U.S. into a local socket you’ll need an adapter that fits between the plug and the socket. Although you are only traveling in one country on this trip, it may be easier to purchase an all-in-one, universal adapter/ converter combo. Versatile and lightweight, these can usually be found at your local electronics goods or hardware stores. Sometimes you can buy them at large retailers too, like Target or Walmart. If you forget to bring an adapter, you might also find them for sale at the airport when you arrive at your destination.

Different plug shapes are named by letters of the alphabet. Standard U.S. plugs are Type A and Type B. Here is the list of plugs for the countries on this trip:

Italy: C, L, or F

France: C

Type C Type F Type L

Availability Barring the occasional and unpredictable power outage, electricity is as readily available on this adventure as it is in the U.S.

77 CLIMATE & AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

Lucca, Italy: The coast and valleys near Lucca usually have warm summers, with highs in the 80s. July and August are generally the hottest months, while June and September offer warm weather without being too hot. April, May, and October have sunny days but the chances of rain are higher. Winter offers many sunny, mild days but nights are cool.

Bologna, Italy: The city is located in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, away from the coast and close to the Apennines Mountains. As a result, temperatures are generally cooler in Bologna then in other parts of Italy. It still can be warm—summer highs are usually in the 80s, and can spike into the 90s—but winter can be very chilly, with lows below freezing; snow is common. April, May, September, and October are all moderate months, with highs usually staying in the 60s and 70s. Rainfall is possible any time of year, but is most common in the spring and fall.

Sardinia, Italy: Sardinia has a Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and hot summers. Winter temperatures typically range from lows in the 40s to highs in the high-50s to low-60s while average summer highs may reach into the high-80s or low-90s. The island of Sardinia enjoys a coastal breeze which is especially strong from October through April.

Rome, Italy: The city of Rome has a climate similar to that of Tuscany, with temperatures averaging in the 40s and 50s during peak winter months, and the 60s and 70s in spring and autumn. Winter rains can be heavy, but periods of sunshine are also common. Summer can be very hot and humid with average temperatures ranging from 65-85 degrees, but potentially reaching into the 90s, especially during July-August.

Nice, France (Côte d’Azur): As a rule, the Provence and Riviera regions of France have much more sunshine, higher temperatures, and longer spells of consistent weather than the north. The towns situated on the Côte d’Azur have a Mediterranean climate: hot dry summers, warm wet winters— except that the winters can also be chilly at night and in the early morning. The middle of the day is often clear and brilliant. The rain, when it comes, generally goes away again quite soon. But it can also rain buckets, seemingly all of a sudden. Another local weather feature is wind. Some breezes are gentle and soothing, but there is a variety of fiercer winds as well. The most famous is the mistral, which comes tearing down from the north out of a clear sky and generally blows for several days at a time, especially during spring. Note on summer weather: Temperatures can be rather hot in the summer, so if you are traveling in this season, be sure to take clothes that will breathe.

Tuscany and Umbria: The weather is considerably milder year-round in Italy than in the north and central United States, but with differences depending on the geography of each area. In Tuscany and Umbria, the coast and valleys (Lucca) usually have hotter summers than the hills or mountains (Trevi, Pettino). April, May, and October have sunny days but the chances of rain are higher. Winter offers many sunny, mild days but nights are cold, particularly in hilly regions. July and August are generally the hottest months, while June and September offer warm weather without being too hot.

78 Bologna and Parma: Both cities are in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, away from the coast and close to the Apennines Mountains. As a result, temperatures are generally cooler in Bologna and Parma then in Tuscany and Umbria. It still can be warm—summer highs are usually in the 80s, and can spike into the 90s—but winter can be very chilly, with lows below freezing; snow is common. April, May, September, and October are all moderate months, with highs usually staying in the 60s and 70s. Rainfall is possible any time of year, but is most common in the spring and fall.

Winter Departures If you are traveling during the winter, please be aware that the weather in Italy can be somewhat volatile at this time of year, though it’s still relatively mild compared to that of the rest of the world. Moreover, while “off-season” travel may involve stints of inclement weather, it rewards you with the chance to explore Italy’s museums, piazzas, and ruin sites at a time when they are wonderfully free of the summer tourist crowds. Just remember to bring layers, especially if you are taking the Bologna and Parma extension, as both snow and heavy fog are common in this region.

Climate Averages & Online Forecast The following charts reflect the average climate as opposed to exact weather conditions. This means they serve only as general indicators of what can reasonably be expected. An extreme heat wave or cold snap could fall outside these ranges. As your departure approaches, we encourage you to go online to www.oattravel.com/myaccount for your 10-day forecast.

79 Average Daily High/Low Temperatures (°F), Humidity & Monthly Rainfall

MONTH LUCCA, ITALY CHIANTI REGION, ITALY

Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (avg) (inches) Humidity (avg) (inches) JAN 53 to 36 -- 2.4 45 to 38 78 2.5 FEB 55 to 37 -- 1.9 46 to 38 77 2.7 MAR 60 to 41 -- 2.3 51 to 41 74 2.8 APR 64 to 46 -- 3.3 56 to 45 75 2.8 MAY 73 to 53 -- 2.3 64 to 52 75 3.1 JUN 80 to 59 -- 1.5 71 to 59 73 2.2 JUL 86 to 64 -- 1.0 78 to 64 69 1.8 AUG 86 to 65 -- 2.3 77 to 64 72 2.4 SEP 78 to 59 -- 4.9 71 to 59 75 3.1 OCT 70 to 53 -- 5.9 63 to 53 80 3.5 NOV 60 to 45 -- 5.6 52 to 44 81 3.8 DEC 53 to 39 -- 3.4 46 to 39 80 2.7

MONTH PIENZA, ITALY BOLOGNA, ITALY

Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (avg) (inches) JAN 55 to 37 -- 1.3 41 to 29 83 1.7 FEB 57 to 37 -- 1.3 47 to 33 78 1.8 MAR 61 to 41 -- 1.4 56 to 39 70 2.4 APR 65 to 44 -- 1.8 64 to 46 71 2.6 MAY 75 to 52 -- 1.4 73 to 53 69 2.6 JUN 82 to 58 -- 1.5 80 to 60 68 2.1 JUL 88 to 63 -- 0.8 86 to 65 65 1.7 AUG 88 to 65 -- 1.0 85 to 64 66 2.3 SEP 80 to 58 -- 3.9 78 to 59 69 2.4 OCT 72 to 53 -- 2.5 66 to 50 76 2.8 NOV 62 to 45 -- 4.5 52 to 40 84 3.2 DEC 55 to 39 -- 3.2 43 to 32 84 2.4

80 MONTH CAGLIARI, ITALY (SARDINIA) ROME, ITALY

Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 58 to 42 91 to 70 1.8 55 to 39 86 to 67 9 FEB 59 to 43 90 to 67 2.2 57 to 40 86 to 66 8 MAR 61 to 45 90 to 66 1.7 60 to 42 87 to 68 8 APR 65 to 48 89 to 65 1.5 64 to 47 87 to 69 7 MAY 72 to 54 89 to 62 0.9 72 to 53 85 to 68 4 JUN 80 to 61 87 to 56 0.4 78 to 60 83 to 68 2 JUL 85 to 66 86 to 56 0.1 84 to 65 82 to 69 2 AUG 86 to 66 87 to 58 0.3 84 to 65 84 to 68 3 SEP 80 to 63 90 to 63 1.2 79 to 60 87 to 68 5 OCT 73 to 57 92 to 67 2.2 72 to 54 88 to 70 7 NOV 65 to 49 91 to 70 2.2 63 to 47 87 to 70 10 DEC 59 to 44 91 to 71 2.2 57 to 41 86 to 69 9

MONTH NICE, FRANCE

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 56 to 42 67 to 65 8 FEB 56 to 43 69 to 63 6 MAR 59 to 46 70 to 66 7 APR 63 to 50 75 to 69 11 MAY 69 to 57 76 to 71 9 JUN 76 to 64 74 to 70 6 JUL 81 to 69 72 to 70 4 AUG 82 to 69 72 to 70 6 SEP 76 to 63 76 to 70 8 OCT 70 to 57 76 to 69 10 NOV 62 to 49 72 to 66 10 DEC 57 to 43 68 to 65 9

81 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE

O.A.T. Trip Experience Leaders: A World of Difference During your adventure you’ll be accompanied by one of our local, expert Trip Experience Leaders. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure. As locals of the regions you’ll explore with them, our Trip Experience Leaders provide the kind of firsthand knowledge and insight that make local history, culture, and wildlife come alive. Coupled with their unbridled enthusiasm, caring personalities, and ability to bring diverse groups of travelers together, our Trip Experience Leaders ensure that your experience with O.A.T. is one you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Italian Culture Encompassing landscapes as varied as the snow-capped mountains of the Alps to the sunbaked vineyards of Sicily, it stands to reason that Italian culture would vary by region. But there are also many cultural influences shared by Italians everywhere, of course. And two of them are food and family. Italians place a great importance on la famiglia, and extended family members gather regularly for meals and celebrations. Lots of businesses in Italy are both family owned and family run, especially the numerous trattorias and enotecas (wine bars). And never underestimate an Italian’s love of food. Many recipes are passed down through generations and they are deeply proud of their cuisine—just as they are of their country.

The Tuscan experience is bound together through its legendary landscapes, world-renowned art, and cucina contadina (farmer’s kitchen). Tuscany’s timeless vistas are truly postcard material— from grape-laden vines blanketing its rolling hills to honey-hued medieval villages perched along the hillsides. Then, there’s the art. The Etruscans and Romans left their mark with fabled sites and monuments, such as the necropolis of Populonia and the Roman Theatre in Fiesole. But it was during the Middle Ages where Florentine art really began to flourish. From sculptors like Nicola Pisano, Giovanni Pisano, and Arnolfo di Cambio to painters like Cimabue and Giotto, Tuscany was the pinnacle of artistic grandeur in Italy. Michelangelo, one of the greatest Tuscan artists, actually argued that his talent and skills were due to the “lightness” of Tuscan air. Today, these masterpieces are safeguarded in churches and museums throughout the region.

Tuscany is a gastronomic paradise, where residents spend most of their time thinking about, discussing, and consuming the fruits of their fertile land (understandably so). Tuscans show an enormous amount of pride in the quality and taste of their food and wine. From handmade pastas at a family-run pastificio tradizionale to locally produced wines in Chianti, Montalcino, and Montefalco, simple and honest flavors are the mark of central Italy’s medieval villages and terraced countryside.

Religious Festivals in Italy As a deeply Catholic country, Italy celebrates many religious festivals. But the two biggest are Christmas and Easter. Christmas is celebrated much as in the U.S. but with some key differences. For example, the unofficial start of the Christmas season is the Day of the Immaculate Conception

82 (December 8) and the end is Epiphany (January 6); the focal point of decoration is usually an elaborate nativity scene rather than a Christmas tree; and the festive meal often features fish and seafood rather than a turkey, ham, or other meat. Special foods like panettone cake or certain pastas may also be served at this time of year. Also different from the U.S. is when presents are opened—depending on what part of Italy you are from, it could be on Saint Lucia’s Day (December 13), Christmas Day (December 25), or Epiphany, when a good witch called la befana brings candy to children—but only if you were good last year.

The other big festival is Easter, which is on a lunar schedule, and thus changes dates each year (although it usually falls in February or March). The kick off for the Easter season is Lent, a six-week period of penitence when practicing Catholics “give up” something they enjoy as a way of showing devotion. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, when many Italians will go to church to receive a cross made of ashes on their forehead, which they will then wear for the rest of the day.

Note that Carnival—which is meant to blow off steam before the seriousness—comes before Lent, but is not considered a religious festival. Instead it usually involves street parties, costumes, music, masks, eating, drinking, and crowds. (Venice in particular gets very crowded.)

Lent ends during Settimana Santa (Holy Week). This runs the week before Easter, and includes the Monday after. Smaller shops or family-run restaurants may be closed during this week or on special hours. But larger or famous sites generally stay open as normal except on Easter Sunday or the Monday after. If you have your heart set on a specific attraction, we suggest you check their holiday schedule in advance to avoid disappointment. Religious places of interest, such as historic chapels/churches, will often have special services that you are welcome to attend—even if you are not Catholic. Note that the Vatican celebrations in particular are very popular and will likely need some advance planning or involve waiting in some very long lines.

Dressing for Churches Most churches in Italy have a dress code, whether overly stated or not. Typically all they are looking for is shorts/skirts to the knee and covered shoulders. If you’ll be traveling during warm weather months and want to go sleeveless or wear a tank top, then we suggest that you throw a light sweater, cover-up, or shawl into your daypack. That way you’ll have it on hand if you want to pop into a church. In our experience, the dress code is enforced the most in the Vatican/Sistine Chapel and in Rome, but it could come up in any church.

Taking Photographs The etiquette of photographing most people in Europe is about the same as it would be on the streets of your hometown. You need permission to take a close-up, but not for a crowd scene. Consent is especially important if you want to take a photo of a child or minor—ask their parent for permission first. To get a great portrait, show interest in your subject and try to have a bit of social interaction to put them at ease. Then use sign language to inquire if a picture is OK.

83 Safety & Security As you travel, exercise the same caution and awareness that you would in a large American city. Don’t be overly nervous or suspicious, but keep your eyes open. If you are venturing out after dark, go with one or two other people.

Carry a one-day supply of cash in your pocket. Carry most of your money, and your passport, in a travel pouch or money belt under your shirt. Replenish your pocket supply when you are in a safe and quiet place, or in our vehicle. Don’t leave valuables unattended in your hotel room. Most hotels will offer use of a hotel safe at the front desk or an electronic in-room safe (for which you can set your own personal number). Please utilize them.

Pickpockets may create a sudden distraction. In any sort of puzzling street situation, try to keep one hand on your wallet or money belt. If an encounter with a local turns out to be long and complicated and involves money or your valuables, be very careful. Con artists sometimes target travelers.

Hotel Courtesy Italian hotels do not allow food and beverages to be taken from their breakfast rooms, nor is it courteous to eat or drink food or beverages purchased elsewhere in hotel common rooms. In conformity with municipal laws to promote urban decorum, hotels do not allow hanging laundry on room balconies. Travel clotheslines, used in your bathroom, are a more private and effective solution.

Italian Cuisine Italy may have been unified as a nation in 1861, but its cuisine is another story—and a glorious one at that. Here, gastronomy has always been a matter of regionalism and seasonality. So in Milan (in the rice-growing Lombardy region), your dinner is more likely to include a delicious risotto (a creamy rice dish) than spaghetti, which would be a typical first course in sunny southern Campania. The country is divided up in to 20 distinct regions, each with its own specialties. The good news is that there is certainly culinary overlap, and since Italians are famously passionate about food, you can enjoy many beloved regional dishes all over Italy. The bad news? There is no bad news. . . . Nearly every meal in Italy is cause for joy.

Here’s more good news: not every meal in Italy is cause to loosen your belt. The Italian diet is heavy on vegetables (such as tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, and beans), and the olive oil that is an Italian staple is low in saturated fats. Though eggs, dairy, and meats are consumed regularly, the portions are much smaller than here in the States.

The structure of a typical Italian meal is designed to stimulate your appetite, and promote moderation—along with variety. So it will begin with an apertivo, a glass of sparkling prosecco or spumante, perhaps with olives or nuts to nibble on. Next come the antipasti, an array of hot and cold appetizers that are largely plant-based. This may be crudo (raw vegetables) with various cheeses and salumi (cold cuts such as prosciutto and salami). Try fritto misto, a lightly fried seafood

84 mix, usually with calamari, shrimp, and fish such as sardines or anchovies. Polpette are savory, seasoned meatballs. They’re bite-sized and eaten on their own—not swimming in a giant bowl of red sauce and pasta. That’s an Italian-American invention.

The first course, called primo, comes next. Here is where you may enjoy your carbohydrates: perhaps a small dish of polenta, a dense cornmeal porridge, or a bowl of soup such as minestrone, or stracciatella, a spinach egg-drop soup. This course is also when you will enjoy the beloved pasta. There are more than 350 types and four times that many names for them, based on the region. For example, bigoli (a thick spaghetti) is popular in the Veneto; cheese- or meat filled tortellini rings are from Emilia-Romagna; fregola are tiny pasta cubes from Sardinia; and orecchiette (or, ‘little ears’) are from Puglia. The shape of the pasta is chosen based on the sauce it’s meant to hold.

The main course is called il secondo. This is usually a small, simply prepared dish of chicken, meat, or fish. Perhaps it will be saltimbocca alla Romana, a cutlet of chicken or veal topped with prosciutto, cheese and sage; tagliata di Manzo (herb-rubbed rib eye); grilled, garlicky shrimp scampi; or osso buco, braised veal shanks crusted with a citrus zest mixture called gremolata. This may be accompanied by a course of contorno, or vegetables. They are usually fresh, flavorful and simply prepared, designed to highlight (not dominate) the meal.

Your meal will conclude with a dolce (sweet) such as the famous tiramisu, a layered confection of sponge cake, mascarpone cheese, coffee and liqueur. In Lombardy, it might be the crumbly almond cake called sbrisolona. In the Naples area, perhaps sfogliatelle, flaky layers of puff pastry filled with luscious cheese and citrus. Or Sicily’s gift to sweets lovers, tubes of crispy cannolli filled with creamy ricotta and perhaps pistachios, candied fruit or chocolate. Dolci may be served with coffee or an alcoholic digestivo such as herbal amaro or limoncello. It is meant to aid your digestion of a memorable meal, one that will certainly have been toast-worthy.

French Cuisine It would be an understatement to say the French have an appreciation for fine food. They have a reverence for it, and it shows in the quality of French cuisine, which was designated by UNESCO as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. You certainly don’t need to dine at a Michelin- starred restaurant to experience the best of French cuisine. A visit to just about any local marché (open-air market), pâtisserie (pastry shop), boulangerie (bakery), café, bistro, or brasserie may well be as memorable an outing as visiting the famed monuments and museums.

Classical French dishes formed the basis of what we once called haute cuisine. But some of these dishes were regional in origin. Fortunately, because there is such widespread regard for gastronomy, regional dishes may appear on menus far from home, especially in large cities.

Few dishes are more universally loved than French onion soup (soupe á l’oignon), a sweet and savory broth of caramelized onions, beef stock, and sherry with a crust of grilled Comté or Gruyère cheese. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, workers at Paris’ famous outdoor food market, Les Halles, would often huddle around steaming cauldrons of onion soup. But then some local restaurateurs added the gratinée of bubbling cheese atop a crouton, and a classic was born.

85 Coq au vin is a specialty of Burgundy, made with chicken braised with red Burgundy wine, lardons, mushrooms, and garlic. But there are also delicious regional variations such as coq au Riesling or coq au Champagne. Another Burgundian classic is boeuf bourguignon, mixing succulent beef with red wine, onions, mushrooms, and lardons. In Bordeaux a traditional beef dish is entrecôte á la Bordelaise, a rib eye steak cooked in a red wine sauce with bone marrow.

Charles de Gaulle once quipped “How can you govern a nation that has 246 varieties of cheese?” It was an understatement. There are actually more than 1,000. Try some salty Roquefort, a mild Comté, a pungent raclette (melted cheese dish), a nutty Emmental, or a rich, triple creme Brillat- Savarin with a vein of black truffle through the middle. Some of France’s best cheese comes from dairy-rich Normandy, the home of Camembert, Livarot, Neufchâtel, and Morbier. They all pair famously with other Norman specialties such as cider and calvados, a delicious apple brandy.

While Paris may be a moveable feast, the capital of French gastronomy is Lyon, thanks to its central location amidst some of France’s richest agricultural regions. Try the classic fonds d’artichauts aux foie gras, made by melting foie gras over crisp artichoke hearts. Quenelles are football-shaped dumplings made with pike, served with tomato sauce, béchamel, or the famous Nantua sauce made with crayfish, carrots, celery and cognac. In the Loire Valley, sample Anjou pears, all kinds of freshwater fish, or fouaces—puffy turnovers stuffed with different fillings such as rillettes (a pork paté) or goat’s cheese.

In the south, Provencal cooking relies on intensely flavored, sun-ripened vegetables, fresh seafood, olive oil and herbs. For a starter, try tapenade, a paste of olives, garlic, capers and lemon served with toast points. Pissaladière is a flatbread topped with caramelized onions, garlic, and anchovies. Bouillabaisse is a seafood soup made from fish and shellfish cooked in a broth of onions, tomatoes, saffron, and herbs. For the main course, try cassoulet, a stew of white beans, pork, duck confit, and bacon.

In the French Basque country, try the prized jambon de Bayonne ham; or marmitako, a stew of tuna, potatoes, onions peppers, and tomatoes. For dessert, there’s gâteau Basque, a shortbread filled with either black cherry jam, or an almond or vanilla cream. The icing on the cake is not icing at all, but the fact that no matter what you eat in France, there will be an exquisite wine to pair with it. Bon appetit!

Alsace is where French joie de vivre meets Germany’s cozy gemutlichkeit, and both of these traits are reflected in the Alsatian cuisine that awaits you. Farm-to-table fare was a tradition here long before its current vogue. Look for seasonal, locally grown produce (such as the famous white asparagus, a springtime favorite), farm-raised animals, and wild fish and game.

The signature dish of Alsace is choucroute garni, which means “garnished sour cabbage” but is much more. Here, silvery strands of sauerkraut are braised with herbs and caramelized onions in Riesling. The “garnishes” are cuts of bacon, sausage, and smoked pork. Baeckeoffe is a hearty casserole named for the Alsatian term for “baker’s oven.” Housewives would gather meat and vegetable scraps in an earthenware dish, and bring it to the local baker, who’d seal the lid with a strip of dough and leave it in his oven to be collected the next day. Today, it’s made at home but with the same pork, beef, lamb, and potatoes, simmered for hours in white wine.

86 Another iconic dish is flammekueche (or in French, tarte flambée), a chewy flatbread smothered with fromage blanc (a tangy fresh cheese), crème fraîche or sour cream, slivered onions, and crispy lardons of bacon. (It is also popular in Germany’s Baden and Palatinate regions.) Once upon a time flammekueche was considered peasant fare. Today it is as ubiquitous as pizza, but it may also grace upscale menus, perhaps topped with shrimp, scallops, lobster, duck, or that Alsatian specialty, foie gras.

Coq au Riesling is an intensely flavorful dish of chicken braised in white Riesling wine, accented with lardons of bacon and button mushrooms, and enriched with a silky touch of crème fraîche. Coq au Riesling is typically served with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.

Alsatians love cheese and the local favorite may be munster, a small, creamy cheese made with unpasteurized milk, often dusted with cumin. Also popular is bibeleskaes, a cream cheese seasoned with garlic, onion, parsley, and sometimes, bacon. Smear some of this on a fresh-baked bretzel, a chewy Alsatian pretzel. You’ll find them in bakeries, bars and special bretzelleries. They come salted or unsalted, immersed in emmental or munster cheese, flecked with bacon, drizzled with chocolate, or wrapped around a steamy, snappy knack sausage, so-named for the sound it makes when you bite into it. But it can also be enjoyed with a simple dusting of sugar.

More sugary treats will tempt you in Alsace’s many patisseries. When you are done sampling the beautiful éclairs, tartes, and madeleines, upgrade to the king of Alsatian desserts: kougelhopf. This moist cake is made from a brioche-type dough with dried fruits and nuts, and is baked in a special round fluted pan. If you visit around Christmas, you’ll find plenty of bredele, small cakes baked in many shapes and flavors such as anise, lemon, and ginger.

You will have plenty to toast during your journey. Of course you will want to raise a glass of dry Riesling or other white wine. But Alsace is also the main beer-producing region of France, thanks to Strasbourg’s many breweries. Or for something different, try kirsch, an eau-de-vie made from elderberries, cherries, strawberries, or whatever fruit is locally available.

Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping & More There may be scheduled visits to local shops during your adventure. There is no requirement to make a purchase during these stops, and any purchase made is a direct transaction with the shop in question, subject to the vendor’s terms of purchase. O.A.T. is not responsible for purchases you make on your trip or for the shipment of your purchases.

Returns If you discover an issue with an item, you should contact the vendor directly and expect that any resolution will take longer than it would in the U.S. We recommend that you keep a copy of all your receipts, invoices, or contracts, along with the shop’s contact information. Keep in mind, local practice may vary from U.S. standards, so don’t assume that you have a certain number of days after the purchase to speak up or that you are guaranteed a refund.

87 Crafts & Souvenirs

Italy Whether it refers to high fashion or Maserati automobiles, “Made in Italy” has become synonymous with style and quality craftsmanship. Among the most popular buys are leather goods, silk ties, knitwear, gold jewelry, ceramics, straw goods and other handicrafts, small cabinets, and jewelry boxes. Each region in Italy has its specialties. Although you may not visit all of these regions on this trip, we understand that a lot of our travelers may also be traveling independently so we’ve included information for all of the regions that our itineraries visit in Italy:

• Rome: Designer fashions, silks, artwork, religious items, leather goods of all kinds, quality sunglasses.

• Sorrento: Coral, cameos, embroidered blouses, tarsia (intricate inlaid wood marquetry), and Capodimonte ceramics.

• Venice: glassware, lace, velvet and damask, Carnival masks, silver products, and silks.

• Tuscany and Umbria: Both regions are known for their high-quality handicrafts such as alabaster, handmade paper, terracotta, and pottery. Leather goods of all kinds—purses, shoes, gloves, belts, etc.—are a popular buy, especially in cities like Florence and Lucca. (For the best quality, and for leather that is truly made in Italy, buy in a shop and not from street vendors.) Pesto in jars make a nice “taste of Italy” souvenir; so too can bottles of local wine, such as Brunello or one of the Super Tuscan vintages, or a bottle of olive oil.

• Bologna & Parma: Both cities are known for their contributions to cuisine, so foodstuffs are popular souvenirs. You can bring back processed foods such as balsamic vinegar, fruit jams or fruit mustard (la mostarda di frutta), and hard cheeses like parmesan. Cheeses should be vacuum sealed if you plan to bring them back to the U.S.

• Sicily: Popular items in Sicily include antiques, ceramics, jewelry, lace, almond pastries (such as marzipan), or local olive oil.

• Sardinia: Sardinia is known for its unique jewelry, specifically wedding rings. However, you’ll find an assortment of options in many shapes and materials.

You’ll also see many different items made from olive wood or Carrara marble; just remember that any marble items you purchase should be put into your checked luggage for the flight home. (If you put them in your carry-on, they may be confiscated by security as “weapons”.)

Value Added Tax: In Italy, a Value Added Tax is levied on most articles, services, and meals, and ranges from 17% to 33%. Depending on how much you spend on certain goods in specially marked Tax Free Shopping stores, you may be eligible for a partial refund of this tax. Ask the shopkeeper, salesperson, or our local staff for details. Be sure to save all receipts and the special Global Tax Refund forms for Customs, as receipts alone are not enough.

88 France Perfumes, fashion, jewelry, art, glass, china, and wine—these are just a few of the many goods for which France is famous. Each region has its own specialties, but you can often then for sale in other parts of the country. If time is short, try checking out a big department store, like Galeries Lafayette or Printemps. Or look for the Prisunic and Monoprix chains, which have lower prices and are more for everyday shopping (sort of like the French version of Target).

• Paris: Fashion, art, antiques, perfume, food and wine—really, you can buy just about anything in Paris.

• Normandy: Look for salted caramels, rich cheeses, apple pastries, hard cider, and calvados apple brandy. Items with images of the Bayeux Tapestry are popular, as are anything with Joan of Arc (who spent her last days in Rouen). Lastly, World War II and D-Day are remembered in books, images, slogans, and more throughout the region.

• Provence: Typical products include fragrant lavender sachets and beauty products, olive oil, tapenade spread, rosé wines, and herbes de provence. The region is also known for its rustic pottery and anything with cicadas, as they are the unofficial mascot of Provence. And don’t forget the table linens and handbags in brightly-colored fabrics known as indienne patterns—the most sought-after (and expensive) are by Souleiado.

• The Rivera: Designer names dominate the French Riviera, but there are also plenty of local products too, especially at the colorful open-air markets.

• Bordeaux and the Southwest: The Bordeaux region is so famous for its wines that they are known all over the world just by the name of the region. In addition to wine, France’s southwest is also known for its fine foods, like foie gras, Toulouse sausages, and croquants (similar to biscotti). Lastly, Occitan crosses (also called Languedoc crosses) are symbolic of the region, as are items with artwork by Impressionist painter Toulouse-Lautrec.

Value-Added Tax: The French value-added tax (VAT) is typically 19.6% and can be as high as 33.33% on luxury articles. Depending on how much you spend on certain goods, you may be eligible for a partial refund of this tax. Ask the shopkeeper or salesperson at the time of purchase. Be sure to save all receipts for Customs. (Generally, you have to spend over 175€ at the same shop, on the same day, and have filled out a special form for this process.) Note that our ships do not have VAT forms.

U.S. Customs Regulations & Shipping Charges For all things related to U.S. Customs, the ultimate authority is the U.S. Bureau of Customs & Border Protection. Their website, www.cbp.gov has the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Or you can call them at 1-877-227-5511.

The top three points to know are:

• At time of writing, your personal duty-free allowance is $800 for items brought with you. Items totaling more than $800 are subject to duty fees.

89 • Items shipped home are always subject to duty when received in the U.S. Even when the shop has offered to include shipping and duties in the price, this typically means shipping to the nearest customs facility and payment of the export duties—not door-to-door shipping or payment of the import duties. All additional duties or shipping charges would be your responsibility. Unless an item is small enough to send by parcel service (like FedEx), chances are you will need to arrange shipping or pick-up once the item is in the U.S. and will need to pay customs duties.

• It is illegal to import products made from endangered animal species. U.S. Customs & Border Protection will seize these items, as well as most furs, coral, tortoise shell, reptile skins, feathers, plants, and items made from animal skins.

90 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY

Italy

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 116,348 square miles

• Capital: Rome

• Languages: Italian is the official language; German, French, and Slovene are also spoken in towns near the borders of Austria, France, and Slovenia.

• Ethnicity: Italian, with small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian- and Greek-Italians in the south

• Location: Italy is bordered by France, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, the Ligurian Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Adriatic Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

• Geography: Italy lies in southern Europe and includes the Mediterranean islands of Siciliy, Sardinia, and several other small islands. The region of Tuscany is a blend of rugged hills, fertile valleys, and long stretches of sandy beaches that curve along the west coast of central Italy and fringe the pine-forested coastal plain of the Maremma. Sicily enjoys mountains in the north and east, a vast central plateau, and a fertile coastline dotted with sea-level resort towns.

• Population: 60,317,116 (estimate)

• Religions: Christian 80% (overwhelming Roman Catholic), Atheists and Agnostics 20%, Muslims estimated at less than 2%

• Time Zone: Italy is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is noon in Rome. Daylight Saving Time begins the last weekend in March and ends the last weekend in October.

91 National Holidays: Italy

In addition to the holidays listed below, Italy 05/01 Labor Day celebrates a number of national holidays that 06/02 Republic Day follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling during these 08/15 Assumption of Mary holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/ holidays. 11/01 All Saints’ Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 12/08 Feast of the Immaculate Conception

01/06 Epiphany 12/25 Christmas Day

04/25 Liberation Day 12/26 St. Stephen’s Day

Italy: A Brief History Italy proudly wears the mantle of Rome, the polity from which so much of Italy’s historical, cultural, and religious heritage has derived. But even though the Romans were the first to unify the peninsula, they were not the first to dominate it. That honor goes to the Etruscans, whose empire, Etruria, reached its zenith in the 7th century BC. It was centered between the Arno and Tiber rivers, mostly in Tuscany. The Etruscans were famers, miners, seafarers and warriors, but they were riven by factionalism and in 509 BC, their last king was tossed out by Ligurian-Latin nobles in the small town of Rome. Tired of monarchs, they created the first Roman Republic.

Etruscan culture disappeared by the 2nd century AD, but the Romans were quick to appropriate many aspects of the Greek culture that had taken root in southern Italy and Sicily, where there were Hellenic colonies called “Magna Graecia.” As the colonies were absorbed, so were Greek religion, architecture, and the basic tenets of democracy. During the 1st century BC, Julius Caesar defeated Gaul, making Rome the ruler of the entire Mediterranean world. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 B.C., his nephew Octavian, later called Augustus, became Rome’s first official emperor. The capital became an architectural showcase, and new territories stretched across Europe into Asia Minor, existing under a “Pax Romana” that brought prosperity and stability.

Pax Romana declined in the 3rd century A.D. thanks to inept and corrupt emperors, and attacks by outside barbarians. Rome eventually embraced Christianity in 313 under Constantine I, who established an eastern capital in Constantinople. But splitting the Rome into western (Roman) and eastern (Byzantine) halves did not halt the empire’s demise. The eastern Roman empire fell in 476, and though the Byzantine half survived, it never regained the full might of Rome. In 800, Italy was briefly reunited under Charlemagne, but soon disintegrated into squabbling kingdoms.

Italian culture peaked during the 15th and 16th-century Renaissance. The independent city-states formed a delicate balance of power, with ruling families (such as the Sforzas, Borgias, and the Medicis) funding a golden age of art, invention, and intellectual activity that produced some of the greatest figures of Western civilization—Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante Alighieri, Brunelleschi, Galileo, and others. It did not, however, stop the rival families from fighting.

92 By the 19th century, many Italians believed that they could function as a single nation, a belief spearheaded by the general Giuseppe Garibaldi. Independence was declared in 1861, and by 1870, the nation was consolidated under King Victor Emmanuel II. Italy was ruled as a monarchy and joined the Allies in World War I. But the 1920s ushered in a dark era as Benito Mussolini organized discontented Italians into the Fascist Party to “rescue Italy from Bolshevism.” What he delivered was a totalitarian state. Mussolini joined with Hitler and fought the Allies during World War II, during which 400,000 people were killed, hundreds of thousands were left homeless, and the economy was ruined. In 1945, Mussolini was captured and killed by partisans.

Italy was again declared a republic in 1946, but remained seriously divided during the postwar era by political extremes. Governments rose and fell, and in the 1970s, a series of terrorist acts by the left-wing Red Brigades threatened stability. By the early 1980s, the terrorists had been suppressed, but public discontent spilled into the 1990s as inflation and ongoing scandals involving public officials and the Mafia altered Italian politics. Parties dissolved, new ones formed, and new alliances emerged. This led to the election of media mogul Silvio Berlusconi as Prime Minister in 1994. But within a year, Berlusconi was forced to resign. He ran again in 2001 and was reelected, setting up a pattern that repeated for more than a decade: Berlusconi has been Prime Minster three separate times between 1994–2011, and continues to remain a political force despite having been convicted of tax fraud.

The current Prime Minister, independent Giuseppe Conte, was elected in 2018 and heads up a populist coalition. Among his accomplishments have been the introduction of a national guaranteed minimum income, the nationalization of several companies, stricter immigration policies, and the western world’s first national lockdown in response to COVID-19.

France

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 248,573 square miles

• Capital: Paris

• Language: French

• Location: France is a large country, two and a half times as big as Great Britain, extending for some 600 miles from north to south and from east to west. It has coastlines on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Its southern land border is Spain; to the north are Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany; to the east are Switzerland and Italy.

• Geography: Except for extreme northern France, which is part of the Flanders plain, the country may be described as four river basins and a plateau. Three of the streams flow west—the Seine into the English Channel, the Loire into the Atlantic, and the Garonne into the Bay of Biscay. The Rhône flows south into the Mediterranean. For about 100 miles, the Rhine is France’s eastern border. In the Alps, near the Italian and Swiss borders, is Europe’s highest point—Mont Blanc, at 15,781 feet.

• Population: 66,836,154

93 • Religion: Roman Catholic 63-66%, Muslim 7-9%, Jewish .5-.75%, Buddhist .5-.75%, other .5-1.0%, none 23-28%

• Time Zone: France is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is noon in Paris. Daylight Saving Time begins the last weekend in March and ends the last weekend in October.

National Holidays: France

In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/08 World War II Victory Day France celebrates a number of national 07/14 Bastille Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter and Whit Monday. To find out if you 08/15 Assumption of Mary will be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 11/01 All Saints’ Day

01/01 New Year´s Day 11/11 Armistice Day

05/01 Labor Day 12/25 Christmas Day

France: A Brief History That the French do things with flair has been borne out by history. Even their most famous prehistoric treasure, the 17,000-year old cave paintings of Lascaux, are a dazzling work of art. The rest of French history is just as dazzling, colored by events and ideas that have impacted all of humanity, far beyond the borders of this hexagon-shaped crucible of culture.

When the Celts arrived in Gaul in the 5th century BC, it was already occupied by Iberians, Ligurians, and Greeks, who established the oldest city in France, Massilia (Marseille). It was a major port with temples, theaters, an agora, and a flourishing wine trade. The city had forged an alliance with Rome by the time Julius Caesar conquered Gaul in 57-52 B.C. Julius often gets credit for founding Lutetia (Paris), but the Gallic Parisii tribe had already established a settlement there on the banks of the Seine. The Romans erected their own magnificent cities whose ruins still stand in Arles, Nimes, Vienne, Lyon, and beyond.

During the 5th century AD, the Franks invaded and converted to Christianity under Clovis I. A national spirit emerged when Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD. Though his reign left an indelible imprint, French national history is considered to begin in 987, when Hugh Capet centralized the monarchy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, trade prospered, guilds were founded, and cathedrals were built. But the 14th century brought the Hundred Years War with England (1337-1453), whose Norman kings held vast estates in France. The English were expelled and as in the days of Charlemagne, the throne held a powerful mystique, this time with the aid of Joan of Arc, whose divine voices urged her to lead France to victory at Orleans in 1429 and to champion Charles VII as king.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, France moved closer towards absolute monarchy, best exemplified by Louis XIV, whose reign was unequaled for its autocracy—and magnificent style. From Versailles, he presided over a gloriously gilded France—so resplendent that it earned him

94 the title of “the Sun King.” Ironically, the very splendor of the French monarchy precipitated its downfall, for it was exorbitant to maintain. That burden fell to the peasants and middle class, as nobles and the clergy were exempt from the taxes. That ended with the French Revolution in 1789. King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were guillotined, the monarchy was abolished, and the new (but short-lived) First Republic was established.

The ensuing chaos led to the rise of Napoleon, who became emperor in 1804 and built an empire across nearly all of Europe. Though Napoleon was a dictator, his Napoleonic codes brought unprecedented legal rights and civil liberties to his domains, in many places ending feudalism. With his fall in 1814, the monarchy was restored. France’s Third Republic was founded in 1870, during which the groundbreaking Impressionist school of painting emerged, as well as the Modernist movement. From 1914-18, France fought with the Allies in World War I, prevailing but suffering devastating losses. Between wars, France nourished major intellectual movements: Constructivism, Dadaism, Surrealism, and Existentialism.

In 1940, France was invaded by Germany who set up a puppet government in Vichy under Marshal Philippe Petain. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Allies landed in Normandy and went on to liberate Paris in August. A provisional government was set up under General Charles de Gaulle. He remained France’s most influential statesman of the 20th (or perhaps any other) century, becoming president in 1958 until his resignation in 1969. Post-war France saw the break-up of its remaining colonial outposts. The country was one of the leaders in the founding of the European Union (1993) and the Eurozone (1999).

More recently France, like its European neighbors, had to contend with the fallout of the 2008 global economic crisis. Unemployment, immigration, structuring the post-Brexit EU, and climate change are some of the issues France must address with its historic resourcefulness—and characteristic flair.

95 RESOURCES

Suggested Reading

Tuscany The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen (Fiction) An estranged daughter seeks to uncover her family’s past when she discovers an unopened letter written by her father after his passing. The narrative jumps between the father in World War II and the daughter in the 1970s.

Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy by Frances Mayes (Memoir/Travel Narrative) The true-life story of a wealthy American who falls in love with a dilapidated farmhouse in Tuscany and vows to restore it. Unlike the movie, the book focuses a lot on daily life and the renovations process, rather than romance.

Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King (History) What goes into the making of an architectural masterpiece? This book uncovers the behind-the-scenes story of the first dome to be built in Europe since ancient Rome.

The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall by Christopher Hibbert (History) Portrays the Medici’s personal lives and political squabbles, and captures the workings of Renaissance city-state politics.

A Culinary Traveller in Tuscany: Exploring and Eating off the Beaten Track by Beth Elon (Food) Combining travel and food, this book is half guidebook (where to eat in small towns throughout Tuscany) and half cookbook (recipes from those small towns).

General Italy The Italians by Luigi Barzini (1964, Social Commentary) This definitive guide to the Italian national character and way of life, written by the renowned journalist and politician, still rings true today.

La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind by Beppe Severgnini (2007, Nonfiction/Humor) An Italian columnist and best-selling author journeys through his homeland while providing hilarious observations at the beautiful face Italy shows to the world, and the chaotic, garrulous, and often contradictory impulses that lie behind it.

The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi (2008, Non Fiction) A remarkable true story by best-selling author Douglas Preston who, with Italian investigative journalist Mario Spezi, try to track down the identity of a serial killer known as the Monster of Florence.

History by Elsa Morante (1974, Fiction) A half-Jewish, Roman mother tries to survive in WWII Rome with her two sons. Though the main characters are fictional, each chapter opens with an factual account of real events that happened when the action takes place.

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard (History) World-renowned classics expert Mary Beard gives an excellent, if somewhat dense, background on the world of ancient Rome.

96 I, Claudius by Robert Graves (Historical Fiction) An engaging fictionalized look at the life of Emperor Claudius, who survived the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula. The book is the basis for the acclaimed PBS series of the same name.

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (Literature) Set during the Italian campaign of World War I, this classic novel tells the story of a romance between an American ambulance driver and an English nurse.

It Happened in Italy by Elizabeth Bettina (Memoir/History) Recounts true stories about how regular Italians defied the SS and hid or protected their Jewish neighbors during the Holocaust— and the author’s story in how she found out about this slice of Italian history

France The Seine: The River That Made Paris by Elaine Sciolino (2020, Nonfiction) Sciolino traces the history, route, and impact of the Seine River through the stories of its people—a riverbank bookseller, the Seine police, a houseboat owner, fishermen, and film directors, to name a few. She also includes a touching chapter on the 2019 Notre Dame fire, which was put out with water pumped from the river.

Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik (2001, Travel Essays) A self-described “comic-sentimental essayist,” Gopnik spent the years from 1995 to 2000 in Paris writing the “Paris Journals” for the New Yorker. Collected here are his most charming, insightful, heartfelt, and humorous dispatches on the Parisian people, culture, food, economy, and lifestyle.

A Brief History of France by Cecil Jenkins (2017, History) Exactly what the title promises: A compact overview of the history of France. Look for the 2017 edition, which was updated to include more recent events.

My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme (2007, Memoir) Memoir of the famous chef’s first, formative stay in France in 1949. Child describes herself as a “rather loud and unserious Californian,” without a word of French. She enrolled at the Cordon Bleu and toiled with increasing zeal and competence. With the bestselling Mastering the Art of French Cooking, she revolutionized the American idea of cooking. This memoir recalls gorgeous meals in bygone Parisian restaurants, and reveals the personality and some of the secret arts of a culinary genius.

The Miracle of Dunkirk: The True Story of Operation Dynamo by Walter Lord (2017, History) A well-written and comprehensive account of the British evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940 with the help of the French. The author has been praised for his ability to weave the personal stories of the survivors—who he interviewed in great depth—into the overall narrative of how events unfolded.

Suggested Film & Video

Italy Life Is Beautiful (1997) Roberto Benigni is the lead actor and director of this heart-wrenching comedy/drama about a Jewish Italian bookshop owner in Mussolini’s Italy who tries to shield his son from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. Italian with English subtitles.

97 La Strada (1954, Drama) Iconic Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini directed this tale of a waif named Gelsomina (played by his wife, Giulietta Masina) who is sold into the employ of Zampano (played by Anthony Quinn), a brutal strongman in a traveling circus. Italian with English subtitles.

The Bicycle Thief (1948, Drama) As it follows a man desperate to retrieve the stolen bicycle that is crucial to his family’s survival, Vittorio De Sica’s film subtly examines the human condition, society, family, justice, and anguish in the poverty of post-World War II Italy. Simple and powerful, many consider it one of the greatest films of all time. Italian with English subtitles.

1900 (1976, Drama) Bernardo Bertolucci’s epic history follows the lives of two friends (one a peasant, the other a land-owner) born on the same day in Italy. Their lives unfold with vivid cinematography and lush imagery of the beautiful countryside. The movie jumps forward, to the end of World War 1, and follows their story until 1945. The original version clocks in at well over five hours (the longest commercially released film ever), but it always fascinates and never bores. Italian with English subtitles.

Ciao, Professore! (1994, Comedy) The great Italian screenwriter and director Lina Wertmuller (Seven Beauties, Swept Away, and many more cult classics) helmed this “fish out of water” comedy about an elementary school teacher from northern Italy who is mistakenly sent to a poor town in the Naples region of southern Italy. Italian with English subtitles.

Tea with Mussolini (1999, Drama) A semi-autobiographical account of Zeffirelli’s life in World War II Italy. Luca, Zeffirelli’s character, is raised in Florence by his absent father’s secretary among a group of British and American women, who must deal with the rise of fascism, the dangers of resistance, and weather dictatorial custody and betrayal.

Big Night (1996, Comedy/Drama) This brilliant little gem is about the volatile relationship between two brothers and their failing Italian restaurant in late-1950s America—a time when “authentic” Italian dining was often a recipe for disaster. Primo (played by Tony Shalhoub) is the uncompromising chef. Secondo (his younger brother played by Stanley Tucci), runs the dining room. Sparks fly as they prepare a feast of a lifetime during one special “big night” to try to save the business. The soundtrack in wonderful too, featuring Louis Prima lots more ‘50s-era Italian- American artists.

Summertime (1955, Drama/Romance) A lonely spinster comes to Venice, falls under its spell, and surprisingly finds herself falling in love with an unlikely suitor. Katherine Hepburn is the leading lady, but Venice itself is the star of this beautifully filmed, David Lean chestnut.

The Merchant of Venice (2004, Drama) Al Pacino gives us one of the most masterful portrayals on stage or screen of Shakespeare’s tragic moneylender, Shylock. He receives strong support from Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes, and Venice itself, where much of the production was filmed. The city looks so enticing, it’s a wonder that Pacino did not chew up the scenery.

98 The Wings of the Dove (1997, Drama) With no economic prospects, Edwardian lovers Kate and Merton are unable to marry, but then a prospect shows up in the form of a dying American heiress. Her only wish? To see Venice and fall in love. A plot is hatched, with all the psychological nuances you would expect in this sumptuous film version of the Henry James novel.

The Tourist (2010, Thriller) Beautiful Elise (Angelina Jolie) has a mysterious off-screen lover, Pearce, who has fled England and is wanted by both Scotland Yard and the mob. He tells Elise to entrap an unwitting tourist (Johnny Depp), who will be mistaken for Pearce (who is rumored to have altered his appearance), and arrested in his place. This convoluted caper plays out beautifully in Venice’s mysterious alleys, romantic canals, and opulent palaces.

Don’t Look Now (1973, Drama) Grieving the death of their daughter, a Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie come to Venice seeking solace. Instead, they are plunged into a hallucinatory world where the supernatural seems to pervade every atmospheric inch of Venice. An eerie, erotic thriller from director Nicholas Roeg, based on a Daphne du Maurier novella.

Amarcord (1973, Drama/Comedy) This semi-auto-biographical masterpiece, whose title means “I remember,” is director Federico Fellini’s loving and fantastical homage to his 1930s boyhood in the Adriatic coastal town of Rimini. Ribald, exaggerated, filled with hilarious characters and infused with warmth, it won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film.

The Life Ahead (2020, Drama) At 86, Sophia Loren makes her first screen appearance in ten years in this Netflix original, filmed in Puglia. And it’s a stunner. She plays Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor who takes in the children of local sex workers. A neighbor asks her to care for Momo, a Senegalese refugee whose delinquency may be too much for Rosa, whose own tormented past is catching up to her.

The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964, Biblical Drama) Considered a classic of world cinema, this story of Jesus’ life was shot in neo-realist style in the ancient rockbound city of Matera, which director Pier Paolo Pasolini found to be more authentic in feel than Galilee itself.

Two Women (1960, Drama) Sophia Loren won her first Oscar for this gripping portrayal of a Roman mother trying to protect her daughter from the ravages of World War II. Directed by Vittorio de Sica and based on the acclaimed book by Alberto Moravia.

Rome (2005-07, Television Series) This multiple Emmy-winner from HBO deftly weaves the stories of fictional and real characters (Julius Caesar, Octavian, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, etc.) during Rome’s 1st century BC transition from a republic to an empire. Outstanding production values and a stellar cast.

Roman Holiday (1953, Romantic Comedy) A runaway princess (Audrey Hepburn) sheds her royal persona to experience Rome as the Romans do, with reporter Gregory Peck as her guide. Between the leads and the glorious Roman locations, it’s hard to know where to feast your eyes.

La Dolce Vita (1960, Comedy) The “sweet life” is anything but for Marcello (Mastroianni), a dissipated gossip reporter with whom we spend seven debauched and disjointed nights in mid- century Rome. Considered one of Fellini’s masterpieces. Italian with English subtitles.

99 Rome, Open City (1945, Docu-Drama) Roberto Rosellini’s landmark, neo-realist film is as remarkable for its content (the story of a real-life priest and the Roman Resistance fighters he helped) as for the hardships faced while making it during the actual Nazi occupation.

France Midnight in Paris (2011, Comedy) Screenwriter Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) escapes his romantic troubles by roaming the streets of Paris at night, where he is miraculously (and hilariously) transported back to 1920s Paris, where Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dali, F. Scott Fitzgerald and the entire “Lost Generation” await him.

Summer (also released as The Green Ray, 1986, Comedy) Set in and around Biarritz and Bayonne, this confection from French master Eric Roehmer follows a young woman who is forced to re- evaluate herself when her summer vacation plans go awry.

Loving Vincent (2017, Biography) Van Gogh’s paintings come to life in this remarkable, animated film created by 125 artists, who hand-painted each of the film’s 65,000 frames in the style of Vincent van Gogh. The plot follows the efforts of a postmaster’s son to solve the mystery of van Gogh’s life and death in Auvers-sur-Oise.

Saving Private Ryan (1998, Drama). Probably the best (and most riveting) depiction of the Normandy D-Day landings and their aftermath. It won Steven Spielberg an Oscar for Best Director.

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982, Drama) Set in the Pyrenees, this epic tells the true story of a man who returns to his village after the Hundred Years War, and resumes his family life. But the man who calls himself Martin Guerre (Gerard Depardieu) is not who he seems to be.

Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962, Drama) See why director Agnes Varda deserves her rightful title as the godmother of the French New Wave. This film follows a young singer’s afternoon as she awaits the results of a biopsy. We trail her to cafes and shops, to an assignation with her lover, and across the cityscapes of Paris of the 1960s, which is vividly captured.

Chocolat (2000, Drama/Comedy) In this warm and beautifully filmed romance, a lovely chocolatier (Juliet Binoche) falls in love with a handsome gypsy (Johnny Depp), disrupting life in a prim riverside village. Many scenes were filmed in the Dordogne region.

Au revoir, les enfants (1987, Drama) In this heartbreaking, autobiographical film, director Louis Malle recalls the winter of 1943-44, when the priest of his boarding school introduced three new students who turned out to be Jewish children he was attempting to hide. The main character, Julien, forms a close bond with one of the Jewish boys, until their friendship is cut short by a betrayal.

Amelie (2001, Romantic Comedy) This quirky gem tells the heartwarming story of a shy waitress in Paris who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better, while struggling with her own isolation. The award-winning film is a whimsical depiction of everyday life, sure to capture the hearts of its viewers time and time again.

100 Useful Websites

Overseas Adventure Travel World Weather www.oattravel.com www.intellicast.com www.weather.com Overseas Adventure Travel Store www.wunderground.com www.oatshop.com Basic Travel Phrases (80 languages) Overseas Adventure Travel Frequently www.travlang.com/languages Asked Questions www.oattravel.com/faq Packing Tips www.travelite.org International Health Information/CDC (Centers for Disease Control) U.S. Customs & Border Protection http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel www.cbp.gov/travel

Electricity & Plugs Transportation Security www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/ Administration (TSA) plugs-and-sockets www.tsa.gov

Foreign Exchange Rates National Passport Information Center www.xe.com/currencyconverter www.travel.state.gov www.oanda.com/converter/classic Holidays Worldwide ATM Locators www.timeanddate.com/holidays www.mastercard.com/atm www.visa.com/atmlocator

101 Notes

102 Notes

103 Notes

104 Notes

105 Notes

106

a

e

S Y Miles

To/From U.S. Internal flight Land route n

From Rome From

L

a 020 i ITALY

s Ancient City of Rome r Monaco e (Optional Tour) Rome’s Great Beauty Rome’s Fountain) Trevi (incl. Rome b Villefranche-sur-Mer

A i t u n

A g r i

Tibe

T Nice L

District

E

C

N Y I A R Cannes F Trastevere POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS VATICAN Spoleto Trevi a i L r b Spello Perugia

m Rome iber

o U T L. Trasimeno

n A

(Optional Tour)

a

i

c

l

u

p

e t

T n

o a M L. di Bolsena e y S I n a n i n e a h

Siena r Chianti Valley Sovana & Sovana

Pitigliano r y Florence c T (Optional Tour)

s ea Adriatic S

u

o Sea

ITALY

n

Tour) r A Y Ravenna (Optional T Tyrrhenian L o P Cagliari Bologna Nora & Pula A (Optional Tour) To Florence To T

Lucca I Lucca Su Nuraxi Carrara Corsica FRANCE n di Barumini Lunigiana Valley ia n e (Optional Tour) Parma rh a SARDINIA PRE-TRIP EXTENSIONS r e y S Monte Arcosu Res. Monte Carrara T Marina di

107 YOUR TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADER

Your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader is an insider who lives in the destinations you are exploring. They are not just knowledgeable, but personable and personal—eager to understand your own interests, and happy to share their own. This makes all the diff erence between just visiting a place, and experiencing its true spirit.

For your Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian Heartland adventure, your Trip Experience Leaders have earned an overall “Excellence” rating of 97% in post-trip surveys completed by our travelers.

The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled

CONNECT WITH US: 1-800-955-1925 | www.oattravel.com

Please recycle and give back 5 Traveler 06/2021 to the world108 we travel.