Water Trails of 4 days guided rafting and kayaking tour October 11-14th, 2018

ATWS 2018 Montecatini Terme Pre-Summit Adventure

www.s-capetravel.eu The water side of Tuscany: kayaking, SUP and rafting Waterways and coastal routes have always been fundamental for expansion and development in . before the existence of many roads, these allowed commercial exchanges, cultural connections, food and water for emerging civilizations. Go with the flow on this 4-day cultural waterways trip : Kayak and SUP on Lake Levane in the Bandella Val d’Inferno (Hell Valley) nature reserve, and visit an olive mill and the beautiful medieval village “Borgo” of Loro Ciufenna. Get a different perspective of as you float on the Arno river, gliding gently on a raft, passing under the Ponte Vecchio, then visit the city’s pulsing heart and climb to its summit for a birds’ eye view. Learn about the ancient Etruscans and their flourishing maritime commercial routes at the Necropolis of archaeological site, in the bay of Baratti. End the trip Kayaking along the promontory of to Cala Moresca. A complete water experience, under the expert guidance of a freshwater ecologists and licensed kayaking guides.

www.s-capetravel.e2u Dates: October 11th - 14th TRIP Duration: 4 days SUMMARY Group size: 4-12 participants Difficulty: 3 out of 5

Dates Meals Technical info Arrive in Montecatini Terme, Day 1 briefing and Feldenkrais method class. dinner - 11th Oct. Overnight in Montecatini

Transfer to Ponte del Romito, kayaking (SOT) breakfast Day 2 Km 7 and SUP on Levane lake. Afternoon visit to an picnic lunch 12th Oct. 3 hrs. olive oil mill, the village of Loro Ciufenna and dinner at hotel the Romanesque church Pieve di Groppina. Overnight in Reggello area

Transfer to Florence. Float on inflatable rafts on the Arno River through the centre of breakfast Day 3 Florence passing under the Ponte Vecchio. lunch in Florence Km 2 13th Oct. Guided tour of Florence. Afternoon transfer to Central Market 1.5 hrs. the Tyrrhenian coast and visit the Etruscan pizza-dinner Archeological site of Baratti and Populonia. Overnight in Baratti

Kayak and SUP from the small port of Baratti to Day 4 breakfast Km 9 Cala Moresca circumnavigating the Piombino 14th Oct. picnic lunch 5 hrs. Promontory. Transfer to Montecatini.

HIGHLIGHTS . Kayaking and SUP on Levane Lake and Bandella Val d’Inferno (Hell Valley) reserve, populated by many birds and anphibians . The medieval village of Loro Ciufenna, listen among the “Borghi più belli d’Italia” most beautiufl hamlets of Italy . Florence from the water: an unusual perspective . Baratti bay, a unique mix of history, culture and nature

3 Day 1 Arrival in Montecatini

The trip begins in Montecatini Terme, an 18th century Spa town famous for the healing properties of its drinking waters, which acquire beneficial mineral-salts on their way to the surface. In the afternoon, we gather for a short briefing and then a Feldenkrais class that will help you stretch, relax and prepare for the trip. Strolling through town and parks of the 18th century Spa town of Montecatini we reach the old funicular tram that goes to Montecatini Alto, an ancient hamlet where we have dinner.

OVERNIGHT MONTECATINI

Day 2 SUP & Kayaking in the Bandella Val d’Inferno reserve

Our adventure begins with a transfer to Ponte del Romito and the shores of the Levane Lake, part of the Bandella Val d’Inferno (Hell Valley) nature reserve. Its calm waters seem to contradict the name of the reserve, but legend has it that a local ferryman was the inspiration for Dante’s Caronte that carried him and Virgilio into Hell! The lake is a real oasis populated by many birds and amphibians and offers a choice of water activities: try your hand and balance on a SUP (stand up paddle) or take a sit on top kayak to enjoy the lush surroundings. After a picnic on the lakeshores we head inland to visit Loro Ciufenna, a beautiful medieval hamlet listed among the “Borghi più belli d’Italia” one of Italy’s most beautiful villages. We also visit an olive oil mill as this, together with chestnuts and Zolfini beans, are the main productions of the area.

OVERNIGHT REGGELLO

4 Day 3 Exploring Florence from below and above Today we head to Florence, jewel of the Renaissance. At the beach on Lungarno Serristori, we board inflatable rafts and gently float on the river, admiring the imposing palaces including that of the Uffizi Gallery, National library and Ponte Vecchio, the old bridge lined with jewellers. Disembarking at the Santa Rosa weir, we continue our exploration on foot stopping for lunch at the Central market and a guided tour of Florence that includes a climb to the top of the cathedral. In the afternoon, a 2- hour drive takes us to the Bay of Baratti, where we visit the Populonia archeological park: an open-air museum that includes a significant part of the ancient town of Populonia, a unique Etruscan settlement built directly on the sea. OVERNIGHT BAY OF BARATTI

Day 4 Etruscan treasures along the Piombino promontory Today go to the small port of Baratti where we board the sit on top kayaks and SUP and circumnavigate the beautiful rocky promontory of Piombino, only a few miles away from the island of Elba. We stop for picnic lunch at one of the small coves and end the day in Cala Moresca. Should sea conditions not allow for us to kayak and SUP we will walk on the coastal trail over the promontory from Baratti to Calamoresca (10 km, 4hrs). In the late afternoon, we return to Montecatini.

“We move according to our perceived self-image.” (M. Feldenkrais)

The Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education uses gentle movement and directed attention to help people learn more effective ways of living the life they want. By increasing sensitivity and awareness, the Feldenkrais Method assists you to live your life more fully, efficiently, and comfortably. You can increase your ease and range of motion, improve your flexibility and coordination, and rediscover your innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement.

5 About S-Cape Travel

S-cape Travel is an Adventure Holiday specialist with over 20 years’ experience operating unique FIT and small groups in Italy and the Mediterranean. Our local offices in Italy, France, Spain, Greece and the Netherlands personally designs walking, cycling, cultural and food & wine tours. We have a vast selection of self-guided adventures and guided tailor-made experiences and our programs feature gourmet food, hand-picked accommodations, stunning natural areas interspersed with jaw roping culture

Local adventurists and hosts

Sebastian Schweizer, certified rafting guide, SUP instructor and lifeguard Sebastian embodies the perfect connection between sports, love for nature and outdoor life: keen on swim- trekking, packrafting, kayaking, mountain-biking, skiing, snowshoeing, foot-biking and hiking, he graduated in forest engineering as a PhD in freshwater ecology. While studying he also became a certified rafting guide, SUP instructor and lifeguard (yes, he has a life, too). He is convinced that connecting sports, culture, history and environment is crucial to get other people to know the wonders of Tuscany from a different perspective.

6 Accommodation In this tour, we use a mix of Agriturismo and 4-star hotels. All properties have private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, Wi-Fi, heating and hairdryers.

Montecatini - Hotel Boston 4* 11 Oct. Montecatini - Hotel Da Vinci 4*

12 Oct. Meleto Valdarno, Villa Barberino 4*

13 Oct. Baratti, Poggio all'Agnello Resort 4*

7 Prices sharing twin single room per person Euro 1.190,00 Euro 1.280,00

Included Not Included . 2 nights in 4* hotel and 1 night in a . Flights and public transport to/from country resort the event and when not specified . 3 picnics . Travel insurance . 3 dinners including wine, water and coffee . Admissions and entrance fees not . Return cable car to Montecatini Alto specified . Tips and gratuities for guides and . SOT - Sit on top Kayaks and SUP -stand up drivers paddle at Levane lake, Bandella reserve . Personal expenses such as drinks, including all material phone calls, laundry, transfers etc... . Soft rafting on Arno River Arno, Florence . Any item not specifically mentioned including all material in the programme . SOT Kayaking and SUP around Piombino promontory including all material . 2 English speaking kayaking guides . Feldenkrais Method lesson . Guided walking tour of Florence + entrance fee to the Duomo (Cathedral) . Guided walking tour of Populonia archaeological park + entrance fee . Olive oil mill visit and oil tasting . All people and luggage transfers day 2 - 4 . Hotel City taxes.

8 Gear List . Day pack . 1 Carry-on sized bag (15km) . Comfortable layered clothing for walking (not jeans) . Rain/waterproof jacket & pants . Fleece/insulating jacket . comfortable walking shoes and an extra pair of shoes or sandles that can get wet . A change of clothes each day (you might get wet during the excursions) . Water bottle . Sunscreen / sunglasses . Any personal items/medication you need . Camera, phone and charger

. Clearly mark all your belongings with your name. . Keep hydrated, take extra water if the weather is particularly hot. Weather We recommend checking the weather forecast before arrival so you pack accordingly. The climate in Tuscany is generally mild with differences depending on the geography of the region. In October, the weather is variable with warm sunny days and colder wet days coming in the form of heavy rain. Temperature can vary between 9°C & 22°C

How to get to Montecatini The best airports to fly into are Pisa or Florence. Local transport from/to these airports is affordable and frequent. . From Florence airport, take the airport shuttle to Santa Maria Novella then the train to Montecatini Centro. . From Pisa airport, take the peoplemover train to Pisa Centrale then the train to Montecatini Centrale. . For updated information on train times and connections, visit www.trenitalia.com. Payment Conditions . Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure via bank transfer or credit card.

9 Cancellation conditions . Cancellations must be made in writing and the following fees apply. . Should you need to cancel, you can transfer your reservation to a colleague. . Name changes can be made up to 21 days before arrival but confirmation will depend on hotel's availability.

Cancellation penalties . More than 90 days before departure no cancellation fee . 89 to 61 days: 5% of the tour price is held as cancellation fee . 60 to 31 days: 15% of the tour price is held as cancellation fee . 30 to 21 days: 35% of the tour price is held as cancellation fee. . 20 to 14 days: 50% of the tour price is held as cancellation fee . 13 to 8 days: 75% of the tour price is held as cancellation fee . 7 and less days before departure: 100% of the tour price is held as cancellation fee.

10 Dream all night, Travel all day

S-cape Travel Italy Via dei Giraldi, 8R, 50122 Firenze, Italy Phone +39 055 2345334- Fax +39 055 2469163 [email protected] www.s-capetravel.eu

Foto Credits to:

S-Cape Travel ATTA/Josiah Holwick Meleto Val d'Arno, Villa Barberino Baratti, Poggio all'Agnello Resort T-Rafting