to PISA: Along the September 9-16, 2022

575 Pierce Street, Suite 604 • San Francisco, CA 94117 • (415) 626-5678 [email protected] https://venture-out.com The following is our planned itinerary, which is being published well over a year in advance. We reserve the right to modify some of the details of this program.

Day 1 — Friday, September 9, 2022 — Arrival in Genoa Upon arrival in Genoa (by plane or train) make your way to our group hotel where we’ll gather in the early evening for a welcome drink before heading out for the first of many delicious meals!

Welcome Drink, Dinner Overnight in Genoa

NOTE: Please see the Arrival & Departure Logistics further on. Also, if you would like to arrive in Genoa a day early we can set you up with an additional night at our group hotel.

Day 2 — Genoa Our day will be spent on foot exploring the fascinating center of Genoa. It’s said that this is ’s largest historical city center, so be ready for some walking! — possibly adding up to three miles all together throughout the day.

Genoa (Genova in Italian) is the capital of the region, a narrow crescent-shaped strip on the Mediterranean Sea that stretches from the French border near Nice down to Tuscany and hemmed in by coastal mountains. Italy’s busiest port today, Genoa has evolved over the centuries from when it was a mighty maritime power and one of the wealthiest cities of Renaissance Europe with extensive colonies. Fascinatingly eclectic the city appears a bit rough-and-tumble today at first glance, but it has been gentrifying, and many consider it to be an underrated gem when digging below the surface, filled with architectural delights and a sense of “real Italy.”

The old town is a intriguing jumble — a tangle of twisting alleyways called caruggi, majestic old palaces, shabby apartment buildings, artisanal retail shops, churches, graffiti, laundry hung out of windows, monuments, and maybe even prostitutes. We’ll absorb all of this as well as the sprawling Mercato Orientale,

2 Genoa’s boisterous indoor food market that evokes days past when ships brought back commodities from far-flung reaches. Along the Strada Nuova, considered one of the most beautiful streets in Italy, we’ll admire a few sumptuous Renaissance palaces that are now notable museums or municipal offices decorated with sculpted facades, stucco work, and medallions.

Breakfast, Lunch Overnight in Genoa

Day 3 — Portofino Promontory Leaving Genoa this morning we proceed down the Riviera di Levante (Shore of the Rising Sun), a ruggedly beautiful coastline hugged by mountains that plunge into the aquamarine sea. Charles Dickens believed that “there is nothing in Italy more beautiful to me than the coast-road between Genoa and Spezzia.” Think — northern Italy version.

First stop is the cute little fishing port of Camogli with its pastel-hued houses. They were originally all painted different colors so that the fishermen would recognize their houses from sea. From here we board a boat (not a private service) that will circumnavigate the gorgeous Portofino Promontory, most of which is only accessible by hiking or boat. From the water we’ll get a good shot of San Fruttuoso, a medieval abbey, and its surrounding hamlet.

Our boat then continues to the internationally famed, chic resort town of Portofino. Too pretty for its own good, some might say. And certainly not off the tourist circuit. But it’s one of those “must-do” stops when in the area. The glitzy town is flooded with wealthy visitors, film celebrities of today and decades past, fancy boats (some with masts taller than the town’s buildings), upscale boutiques, quite spendy hotels, and so forth. (But you might also see laundry hanging out to dry, kids kicking a soccer ball around, neighbors from their windows gossiping across the alley.) We’ll stroll around this charming town, taking in its perfect miniature harbor protected from behind by steep green hills dominated by cypress- and olive-clad slopes.

3 To round out the day the boat will drop us at yet another lovely little seaside town, Santa Margherita Ligure, imbued with old-world charm, chic but not flashy, making it more appealing to some than Portofino. Nicknamed “the port of Milan,” (it’s popular with well-heeled Milanese) the town is set by a lush bay surrounded by exotic plants.

Then we re-join our bus and head to our hotel in Portovenere where we stay for three nights. Portovenere sits at the tip of the rocky promontory that separates the from the Gulf of Poets.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight in Portovenere

Day 4 — Cinque Terre The Cinque Terre (Five Lands) — a UNESCO World Heritage site — is a string of five little charming villages along the coast tucked into very steep mountainsides and all interconnected with stunning hiking paths. It’s popular with hikers who come here to spend two or three days doing these trails. We won’t be hiking, but we’ll explore a couple of the villages today using a boat (private service) to get us from town to town, then walking through (and up through!) the towns. (Note: Our hotel base, Portovenere, is not one of the Cinque Terre villages but has the nicest accommodation option.) The Cinque Terre are originally fishing, wine production, and olive oil making towns, but tourism has become now a major economic influence.

Today’s plan is to see , which we think is one the prettiest of the Cinque Terre towns. It’s a near-vertical cluster of houses that rise up from the harbor one atop the other. The main street was once a river criss-crossed by little bridges. We’ll have time to explore the town and its steeply terraced vineyards, but also on the program is a fun session where we learn to make what is perhaps Liguria’s most prominent culinary claim to fame: real Ligurian pesto! — accompanied by a light lunch and heavy laughter.

We'll also navigate up the coast to , another contender for prettiest village in the Cinque Terre. Colorful houses around the harbor; a ruined castle atop

4 a rocky promontory that juts into the sea; a lively waterside piazza; boutiques and gelato shops; only 500 residents — you get the picture.

Later we return by boat to our home base in Portovenere, enjoying the stunning coastal scenery en route, maybe catching some dolphin action if we’re lucky.

Breakfast, Light Lunch Overnight in Portovenere

Day 5 — Gulf of Poets / / Winery / Sarzana This morning our boat ride (private service) will introduce us to the so-called “Gulf of Poets” where such notables as Lord Byron, the Shelleys (Percy Bysshe and Mary), D.H. Lawrence, and others lived or spent time in the 19th and early 20th centuries. We’ll pass by some of the gulf’s little islands, mussel farms, and the village of Tellaro, disembarking in charming Lerici. Its beautiful historic center is towered over by a huge, well-preserved castle that today is a museum, and there are nice views across the gulf back towards Portovenere. After a short stroll in town our bus will collect us for the ride to the Lunigiana, a region between Liguria and Tuscany famous for its impressive castles and its wonderful wine that grows on its smooth hills. Here we’ll visit a family-run wine cellar situated in a beautiful setting. Our time here will include an explanation of their production process and a tasting of several wines accompanied by some delicious local foods.

Afterwards we’ll see a bit of Sarzana, an attractive little town with a Medici fortress and a beautiful historic center with narrow streets, cozy little shops, antique dealers, and cafes. Its main street follows the old Via Francigena, which ran from Canterbury to and was an important pilgrimage and trade route. You might like to partake of one of the local treats, spungata — puff pastry cake stuffed with jam, dried fruit, pine nuts, almonds, raisins, and spices.

We return by bus to Portovenere for our final evening here.

Breakfast, Winery Lunch Overnight in Portovenere

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Day 6 — Pietrasanta / Pisa / Lucca Today we head south into the Tuscany region where our first stop is Pietrasanta, just inland from the Versilian Coast and known for its vibrant arts culture and its jewel of a historical town center. This refined art town is dotted with tiny art galleries, workshops, and fashion boutiques. In the early 16th century the pope put the nearby Carrara quarries at the disposal of Michaelangelo, who came here to source marble for many projects over the years. Artists continue to work here, including sculptor Fernando Botero, some of whose work is on display in the town. The main piazza doubles as an outdoor gallery for sculptures and other generally large works of art.

After lunch we continue to Pisa — made famous, of course, by its “Leaning Tower,” but worthwhile for the entire Romanesque complex of which the tower is but a part. The 11th-century Duomo (cathedral) with its striking green and cream marble led the way for Romanesque churches throughout Tuscany. One highlight inside is the extraordinary octagonal pulpit sculpted from Carrara marble by Giovanni Pisano, son of Nicola Pisano, who was instrumental in the adjacent cupcake-looking Baptistery’s stunning hexagonal pulpit. This father-and-son team holds pride of place among sculptors of the period. The iconic Leaning Tower is officially the cathedral’s bell tower. It took almost 200 years to build and was already leaning when unveiled in 1372.

We finish by arriving in lovely Lucca, where we spend the final two nights of the main tour.

Breakfast, Lunch Overnight Lucca

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Day 7 — Lucca It seems that Lucca endears itself to everyone who visits. It’s the perfect size to explore on foot, with its handsome piazzas, beautiful churches, and noble buildings all surrounded by perfectly intact Renaissance-era walls. Lucca’s cuisine leans largely on hearty country fare, drawing from the nearby rugged Garfagnana mountains, and prized olive oil. If you’re familiar with faro, an ancient grain, it features prominently here — something like spelt.

Our walking tour of Lucca will unfold through the city’s medieval streets, past soaring towers, elegant shops, antique stalls, an abundance of beautiful churches with magnificent works of art, through light-filled piazzas (one on the site of an ancient Roman arena), and past the birthplace of legendary composer Giacomo Puccini.

In your free time you might enjoy strolling some of the tree-lined footpath atop the city’s walls, which stand 40 feet high and form a 2½-mile ring in total, looking down on the historic center, botanical gardens, and other sights.

This evening is our farewell dinner.

Breakfast, Dinner Overnight Lucca

Day 8 – Friday, September 16, 2022 — Departure or begin 3-night extension to and environs

Please see Arrival & Departure logistics for your onward travel options.

Breakfast

7 ACCOMMODATIONS The following are the hotels that we plan to use for the tour at the time of publishing this itinerary. We reserve the right to make changes to the accommodations.

Genoa – 2 nights In the heart of the city, ideally situated for our walking tour of Genoa, this 4-star Art Nouveau-era hotel dating from 1905 has been renovated while respecting its past with antique furnishings, fixtures, and art sprinkled throughout. The elegant dining room, one of the city’s better restaurants, also serves as the breakfast space. Over the years the hotel has hosted numerous famous personages from the worlds of film, dance, art, literature, politics, and royalty. The story has been told that a scene in Hitchcock’s Vertigo was inspired by the hotel’s dramatic elliptical staircase. 130 guest rooms.

Portovenere – 3 nights Our selected 5-star hotel (the only 5-star in the region) is located on the most panoramic point of Portovenere, directly overlooking the sea and where the Cinque Terre meets the Gulf of Poets. In the 17th century the structure was home to a Franciscan monastery. After careful renovations with special attention to maintaining the original architectural features, revisiting them in a modern way to provide guests with maximum comfort, the hotel has reopened its doors with its new design and understated elegance. Enjoy a drink on the terrace overlooking the sea, castle, and Palmaria island. The beautiful restaurant serves a refined cuisine blending traditional and

8 contemporary. There are 48 guest rooms, all of which are a little bit different one from the other due to the building’s age.

Lucca – 2 nights We’ve selected a refined design hotel in the heart of the charming historic center of Lucca. A three-year skillful renovation in 2017 converted this 13th-century building into a comfortable 4-star boutique hotel done up in a contemporary style. A unique combination of tradition, technology, and design has come together while maintaining the old-world style of the building such as the wooden beams, brick walls, stone inserts, and other historical details. The furnishings, selected with fine taste, offer a range of unique products made by the greatest names in Italian design and among the best local artisans. Weather permitting you can take breakfast in the pretty piazza fronting the hotel. Enjoy a drink in the bar or courtyard with relaxing background music. Guest rooms look out onto city streets, over the rooftops, or into the interior courtyard. There are 17 guest rooms, all of which are a little bit different one from the other due to the building’s age.

TOUR COST and IMPORTANT TRIP DETAILS $4,295 per person (with 14-15 participants) $4,495 per person (with 10-13 participants) $4,695 per person (with 6-9 participants)

Tour pricing is based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $895

A note about tier pricing: There are certain fixed costs involved with operating a trip of this nature regardless of the number of participants who have signed up. With a smaller number of group members, the fixed costs (per person) are higher. In order to cover those fixed costs for a smaller-sized group, we prefer to charge a bit extra in order to ensure that the trip can run rather than have to cancel a trip due to a low number of sign-ups

9 Costs are based on double occupancy of a room. If you are traveling solo and wish to share a room, we will match you with a roommate if one is available. Otherwise, the single supplement fee will apply.

Tour Cost Includes: • Accommodations for 7 nights in carefully selected 4- and 5-star properties • Abundant breakfast each morning in the hotels • Lunch every day (except the arrival and departure days) • Welcome and farewell dinners plus one other dinner • Mineral water and limited regional wines with group meals • Welcome drink • Entrance fees for all sights mentioned in the itinerary • Licensed private tour guides for all locations mentioned in the itinerary • Pesto making session • Guided winery visit with tasting • Ground transportation in private comfortable buses • Three days with boat transportation of which two days are private • Venture Out tour escort accompanying the group throughout the trip

Tour Cost Does Not Include: • Airfare • Four dinners • Gratuities for drivers, porters, and restaurant staff • Additional hotel nights pre- or post-tour that may be desired or required by flight schedules or other factors • Airport or train station transfers at the beginning and end of the tour • Travel insurance • Passports and other expenses of a personal nature such as minibar charges, laundry, telephone calls, etc.

Currency Exchange Rates: Our costs to operate this tour are tied directly and entirely to the exchange rate between the Euro and the Dollar. Over the past few years the value of the U.S. dollar has fluctuated in quite a volatile manner against the Euro. We reserve the right to alter the trip pricing indicated here should there be a significant fluctuation of the dollar. Please read the Terms & Conditions that accompany the Trip Enrollment Form.

10 FACTORS TO CONSIDER The cities and towns that we visit have to be explored on foot. We cannot drive through them on our bus (even on a smaller bus) as the roads in the city centers are from medieval days. In general, adding it all up, you should be comfortable walking a total of about 2-3 miles each day (but not all at once) and standing while visiting many of the sights. Occasionally there are places to take a seat. Please check with us if you have any concerns in this area.

Additionally, please note that the Cinque Terre villages are built into steep mountainsides, which means walking uphill in the towns from where we disembark our boat. We will also encounter steps in some places in these towns.

Our one full day in Genoa will be done on foot, and all together we might clock in at around three miles.

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE LOGISTICS Arrival By Plane: At the time of publishing this brochure Genoa’s airport (GOA) is served by nonstop flights coming in from Rome, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt. Please note, however, that our itinerary is being published during “pandemic times,” so the currently published flight schedules are greatly reduced. By the time this tour happens in September 2022 there are likely to be more flight options. Still, there have rarely ever been nonstop flights from the U.S. directly to Genoa, so a connection somewhere in Europe will probably be necessary.

Arrival By Train: Italy has an extensive network of high-speed trains, and Genoa is well connected to Milan, Rome, Florence, , etc.

Sample train travel times to Genoa from: Milan – 1½ - 2 hours Florence – 3½ hours Rome – 4-5 hours

11 Departure By Plane: Unless you are doing the extension the tour ends in Lucca. The closest airport is Pisa (PSA), which is about 20 miles from Lucca. We recommend a taxi from the hotel. At the time of writing Pisa’s airport is served by nonstop flights departing to Rome, Frankfurt, and London, from where you can connect onward. Please note, however, that our itinerary is being published during “pandemic times,” so the currently published flight schedules are greatly reduced. By the time this tour happens in September 2022 there are likely to be more flight options.

Lucca is also connected via rail to all points in Italy.

Sample train travel times from Lucca to: Rome – 3½ hours Milan – 3½ - 4 hours Florence – 1½ hours

CAVEAT While as accurate as possible at the time of printing, this itinerary should be considered an approximate indication of the schedule and scope of activities, trip routing, and meals, rather than an inflexible schedule of events; it is subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control. We reserve the right to maintain flexibility in order to take advantage of unforeseen opportunities. This trip is subject to the Limitation of Liability and all the Terms and Conditions as detailed in the Trip Enrollment Form.

To realize the maximum enjoyment from your Venture Out trip, we encourage participants to have flexibility, a sense of humor, curiosity and enthusiasm about new people and places, and an openness to the unexpected. With a spirit of adventure and positive attitude, we’re sure you will have a very special travel experience. If you are uncertain about the level of comfort, difficulty, or any of the activities described in this itinerary, please email us or call Venture Out at 415-626- 5678 to discuss your concerns.

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