Unique Experiences

This Experience Includes:

• 2-night stay in a superior room at the Hotel Ponte Sisto, Rome
• 5-night stay in a classic room at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa (Barga, Lucca)
• Daily breakfast for 2
• Private cooking class, lunch, wine cellar and olive oil mill tour and tasting for 2 at Fattoria Colleverde (Lucca)
• Spa treatment at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa
• Round-trip coach class airfare for 2 from the 48 contiguous U.S. to Rome, Italy
• Booking & concierge service

Gourmets and wine buffs descend on this hidden Tuscan Valley to enjoy local specialties. The Garfagnana Valley is famous for its prosciutto, pork, pecorino cheese and honey. Fortunately, the area also boasts beautiful areas for walking, hiking and biking, so you can work up an appetite in between meals.

Pisa, Florence and Cinque Terra are reachable by car or train – day trips not to be missed. Cinque Terra, a 5-mile stretch of a breathtaking beautiful rocky coast at the border of Tuscany and Liguria, was declared a National Park in 1999 and has been protected by UNESCO as a unique natural environment since 1997. Walk along the winding paths overlooking enchanting beaches and bays, and admire the hundreds of miles of walls and terraces built by man to cultivate vineyards that cling steeply to the cliffs, making this region a true masterpiece where the work of man and natural beauty found an ideal balance.

Hotel Ponte Sisto, Rome
Enjoy a 2-night stay in a superior double room (one queen bed or two twin beds) including daily buffet breakfast for two, subject to availability. Guest rooms overlook either the charming courtyard or the garden of the historic Palazzo Spada. The 4-star Hotel Ponte Sisto is a gorgeously renovated palazzo and just steps from Trastevere and Campo de' Fiori. Located in the heart of Rome on a quiet downtown street, you are within walking distance to the Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Via Giulia and the Trastevere district. A wonderful choice of trattorias awaits just across the Ponte Sisto in Trastevere.

For your convenience, you may wish to split your stay so you have one night at the beginning of your trip and one night at the end in Rome.

Renaissance® Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa (Barga, Lucca)
Enjoy a 5-night stay in a standard room (maximum occupancy of two) including daily breakfast for two and a 160 Euro spa credit ($200 U.S. dollars at the time of publication; the value in dollars is strictly a result of the currency exchange on the date the trip is booked, not time of visit).

This recently renovated luxury Tuscan resort is perched high atop a hill within a 1500 acre estate inside the greenest land of Tuscany, the Serchio Valley, and is surrounded by views of snowcapped mountains, lush parkland and charming villages.

Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and unwind in this invigorating and tranquil setting. With tennis courts, health club, soccer fields and swimming pools, you may want to spend several days just relaxing at the resort. The charming medieval village of Barga is a small hill town in the valley region known as the Garfagnana. Bordering the Apuane Alps, Barga is considered one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Tuscany.

NOTE: Tuscany is 200 miles north of Rome, approximately 4 hours by car or 3 hours by train.

Culinary Extravaganza “La Cucina Italiana”, Fattoria Colleverde (Lucca)
Enjoy a private cooking class, lunch, tour of the wine cellar and olive oil mill and tasting for two at Fattoria Colleverde, an organic/biodynamic vineyard producing some of the most distinctive wines and olive oil in Tuscany. Owners Francesca and Piero welcome you to Fattoria, where you will cook with Chef Rodolfo as he shares the secrets of Tuscan cuisine with you -- everything from how to make fresh homemade pasta to the use of aromatic herbs and spices, from baking bread to preparing main courses using seasonal meats and vegetables.

Located in the beautiful rolling hills just minutes from the medieval walled city of Lucca, Fattoria Colleverde is a half-hour drive from Pisa and an hour drive from Florence and Cinque Terre. Beautiful vineyards and olive groves lie within a wide, south-facing valley. This natural amphitheater of terraces creates an extremely well-balanced and unique agricultural ecosystem that produces flavors that are full and rich.

Available April through early November (Monday through Friday). (During winter months, an alternate culinary experience or cooking class at the Renaissance can be arranged for you.)

Airfare
This package includes round-trip coach class service for two from any major metropolitan airport in the 48 contiguous United States to Rome, Italy, subject to availability.

Airfare must be booked within one year from the date of purchase. Airfare taxes and a $25 per person processing fee are the responsibility of the purchaser. Blackout dates: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s weeks.

Business and First Class upgrades are available at the time of booking for an additional fee. Use of frequent flyer miles for upgrades is dependent on specific ticket restrictions as determined by the airline’s frequent flyer program.

Booking & Concierge Service
A team of seasoned travel professionals who will help you redeem your experience. All travel related details and reservations are handled for every part of your experience. Operating as a full-service travel agency, assisting with extra hotel nights, airfare upgrades, and additional guests. This service also provides you with an established network of onsite contacts who can help you book additional experiences, activities and tours.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Must be booked a minimum of 60 days in advance. Reservations are subject to availability and hotel may be substituted for comparable or better property. Certificates cannot be replaced if lost, stolen or destroyed. All purchases are non-refundable. Packages cannot be resold. Ground transportation is not included.