YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE® Tuscany & Umbria: Rustic Beauty in the Italian Heartland 2021 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, At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Tuscany & Umbria itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these: 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. So we keep our groups small, with only 8-16 travelers (average 13) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can. To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests. So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Tuscany & Umbria adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, 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. For more inspiration, you can watch videos and slideshows from travelers like you at www.oattravel. com/traveler-moments. You can also share some of your own favorite moments by uploading your travel videos and slideshows directly onto the trip-specific pages of our website. 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 Grand Circle Foundation...............................................................6 The Leader in Solo Travel ..................................................................7 TUSCANY & UMBRIA: RUSTIC BEAUTY ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: IN THE ITALIAN HEARTLAND CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Your Adventure at a Glance: Culture & Points to Know ................. 63 Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Religious Festivals in Italy . 63 and What’s Included .......................8 Dressing for Churches ................... 64 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ..........9 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping & Optional Tours .......................... 30 More ................................... 66 Pre-Trip Extension ....................... 31 Post-Trip Extension ...................... 38 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Dates & Prices ........................... 42 Italy . 68 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 68 Historical Overview of Italy ............... 69 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. 43 RESOURCES No Visas Required ....................... 43 Suggested Reading ...................... 71 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ......... 45 Suggested Film & Video .................. 72 Vaccines Required ..................... .. 46 Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Guidelines....................... 48 Tipping Guidelines....................... 50 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 51 Optional Tours .......................... 51 Communicating with Home from Abroad . 52 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . 54 Suggested Packing Lists .................. 56 Electricity Abroad ....................... 58 Climate & Average Temperatures .......... 60 O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures.......................................................... 76 Notes.................................................................................. 77 Map ................................................................................... 79 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. ÖƑŋũŶĞāķŋóÖķƪÖƑŋũŭùŽũĢłė'ÖƘĢłŶĞādĢĕāĢłāŶŶĢłŋ̇RŶÖķƘ NŽłŶĕŋũŶũŽƨāŭÖķŋłėŭĢùāŶĞāķŋóÖķŭĢłÖł­ĿðũĢÖł ĿŋŽłŶÖĢłƑĢķķÖėā 4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY Enriching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Tuscany & Umbria adventure. GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) A DAY IN THE LIFE VISIT Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like GCF was established in 1992 to help change to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s people’s lives in the world where we live, find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an work, and travel. To date, we have pledged or exclusive, immersive experience that places donated $200 million worldwide. you in the heart of a community where you’ll meet various people where they live, work, By investing in the places we explore— and play; visit the neighborhood school; lend a including local schools, cooperatives, or arts hand with daily chores; and break bread with centers—we hope to give locals the skills and our hosts. confidence they need to become leaders of their generation and preserve their heritage This adventure includes A Day in the Life in the for many years to come. Chianti Valley on a family-owned goat farm, where we’ll learn to make homemade cheese, CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS and then venture to a nearby winery to sample Every culture has its joys and achievements, world-class Chianti varieties. Plus, we’ll and we celebrate them all. But every place immerse ourselves in an Umbrian mountain also has its challenges, and to gloss over them village during another A Day in the Life visit, would not do justice to those whose stories hunting for truffles alongside the locals. need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who deserves more than a sugar-coated version of HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds lead frank discussions on controversial issues, engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the and introduce you to people whose stories will things that can happen across a kitchen table, expand your understanding. so we’ll break into groups of 4-5 to join a local family in their home for a snack or a meal. For example, we’ll learn