ABRUZZO AND AMALFI WITH SERGIO
A CULINARY JOURNEY
JULY 6 – 19, 2012
Sergio Maragni invites you to travel
with a very special group to experience the culinary delights of his birthplace
– Abruzzo and one of his other favorite area’s – the Amalfi Coast. This small
group, not to exceed 15 travelers - will
discover the most beautiful places of Abruzzo and Amalfi, try its home products
and get to know each area while having the opportunity to prepare the local
cuisine.
This
culinary expedition will include round-trip air from Pittsburgh, all ground
transportation by deluxe motor coach, 1 night accommodation in Rome, 5 nights
accommodations in Abruzzo, 5 nights accommodations on Amalfi Coast and 1 night
accommodations at the Rome Airport; breakfast daily, 10 lunches, and 11
dinners. Sightseeing as per the
itinerary, culinary lessons by Sergio, taxes on all included services and
travel insurance.
The cost for this
tour is $4,595.00 per person, double occupancy.
Note: This
trip is based on a minimum of 15 travelers. If the minimum number of travelers
is not reached but at least 10 passengers are under deposit, tour operator
reserves the right to add an additional $200 per person small group
charge. In addition, pricing is based on
2011 rates. Once 2012 rates are
available, adjustment may be made to the total cost.
CONDITIONS
AND TERMS
These
conditions incorporate the basis upon which Vacation Station Travel accepts
bookings, as agreed to by you the client.
We recommend that these conditions be carefully studied prior to sending
this deposit.
PAYMENT
SCHEDULE: $750.00 non-refundable deposit by September 15, 2011
Final
balance due by April 30, 2012
Note:
Payment accepted by check only
CANCELLATIONS:
In the event of cancellation for
a reason not covered by the included Travel Insurance, which must be received
in writing and on business days during regular business hours. The following charges will be applied:
Up
to 61 days prior to departure deposit
is non-refundable
From
60-45 days prior to departure 50%
penalty
From
44 days prior to departure 100%
penalty
REFUNDS:
No refunds will be allowed for any unused
services or portions of the tour.
Refunds will not be made in the event of no-shows or trip interruption.
PARTICIPATION: Should the minimum number of tour
participants not be reached, the right is reserved to increase the tour cost
accordingly or all monies received will be returned to tour participants.
NOT INCLUDED: Our rates do not include items of a personal
nature such as wine (except for what is included), laundry or valet service,
optional excursions, passport fees, on-board gratuities and gratuities to tour
guides and drivers.
NOTE: Handicap
accessibility cannot be guaranteed in Europe.
ITINERARY
Friday
July 6, 2012 Depart Pittsburgh for Rome Italy
Saturday
July 7, 2012 Arrive Rome this
Morning. Group will be met by Tour
manager and driver. Depart airport for a
full-day of sightseeing in Rome. Light Lunch “ il Grillo Parlante”. Highlight today will be a late afternoon
Visit to The Vatican Museums. Check in
at the Hotel Scheppers and enjoy a Welcome to Rome Dinner at a local
Restaurant.
Sunday
July 8, 2012 This morning,
continue with sightseeing of Rome. Departing for the drive to Abruzzo and
during the transfer Light Lunch Arriving in Abruzzo in and Check In and accommodations at Colle Moro
. Dinner and overnight stay.
Monday
July 9, 2012 Today will be
the first Culinary Session for ½ of the group – balance of group for sightseeing.Breakfast in hotel and departure for the
sightseers is after breakfast, with the first stop to be Civitella del Tronto, which is
dominated by one of the biggest fortresses in Europe and situated in an
especially panoramic position. The city is laid out at the foot of the fortress
and has kept its 17th century urban design. Light lunch will follow, along with a guided tasting at a
nearby countryside wine cellar known to produce some of the better
Abruzzo DOC wines. The afternoon will be spent in the costal town
of Atri, which dates from
the Renaissance and boasts such attractions as the Cathedral of Assunta;
Palazzo Acquaviva, home to the dukes that governed Atri from the 12th to the
17th century; the town Theatre; and the Church of the Agostiniani, which
provides a view across the sea to the peaks of the Gran Sasso. Return in
late afternoon on a route that crosses the Calanchi Nature Reserve, to enjoy
the evening meal prepared by your fellow tour
participants dinner and overnight stay.
Tuesday
July 10, 2012 Breakfast in hotel and departure for a
visit to the ancient city of Sulmona,
where the poet Ovidio was born; Confetti (sugared almonds) originated; and the
noteworthy sites include the Cathedral of San Panfilo, the Palazzo
Tirabassi and a medieval aqueduct. Light
lunch will be available, along with a cheese manufacturing tour and
tasting, at either a country house or local restaurant. Crossing the panoramic
Gole del Sagittario, we'll next arrive at Lake Scanno, and the town of Scanno, which has a long tradition in
goldsmith art, which is kept alive by craftsmen that continue to produce the
jewels of Abruzzo tradition. After a visit to one of the oldest workshops in
the town, we'll continue on to the Valle del Pescara, stopping at the
Romanesque Church of Santa Maria di Arabona
then returning to Colle Moro for dinner and overnight
stay.
Wednesday
July 11, 2012 Second culinary
session, group from first day - Sightseeing in Abruzzo. Depart for Lanciano, famous during
the Roman times for its fairs which attracted merchants from all over the Mediterranean.
Sites to be visited include the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Ponte, built on a
bridge; the shop-filled old part of Lanciano, which dates from the 13th
century; the 14th century Church of Santa Maria Maggiore; the Montanare Towers;
and the Church of San Francesco. Light
Lunch will be on the “Trabocco”
the trabocchi ancient fishing nets still used in this part of the
Mediterranean. The afternoon includes a drive along the Costa dei Trabocchi, a coastline
under UNESCO's protection, and a stop in Venere to visit to the 13th
century Abbey of San Giovanni, which was built on a pagan temple
foundation. Return to Colle Moro for the meal prepared by our fellow travellers
dinner and overnight stay.
Thursday
July 12, 2012
Breakfast and
departure for the National Park of the Gran Sasso where we will follow the road
leading up to Campo Imperatore, a vast plateau longer than 26 km and larger
than 10 km, the hight of which is 1600 metres; this was thought of as a magical
spot by the Emperor Federico II(who gave it its name) and was made famous by
the western film of Sergio Leone and by the cycle of Trinità that where filmed
here. We continue to one of the most characteristic village inside Abruzzo: Santo Stefano di Sessanio which still
preserves all the aspects of a fortified medieval suburb and was owned by the
Granducato of Toscana from 500 to 700. Outpost for the merchants of Florence woods, situated right under the
postures of Campo Imperatore. Lunch in a typical
restaurant in Barisciano. After lunch,
departure for the Piana di Navelli,
the area that produces yellow saffron from L’Aquila, crossed by a tratturo magno(cattle track), one of the
most beautiful and fascinating areas in the region, rich in outstanding
historical and artistic works of art and spectacular panoramic views. We will
soon reach the archaeological site of Peltuinum, an important roman city that
controlled all tractos and business on the road and reached 70.000 inhabitants
before that an earthquake, in the III century became the beginning of its
decline. Next a visit to the XIII century Abbey
of
Santa
Maria di Bominaco (splendidy emerged in a contest of
territorial and landscapes of the plateau
of Navelli). The church is a masterpiece of medieval architecture which
harmonizes the benedettini elements with the roman elements.The oratory was
completely frescoed in the second half of the 13th century and
represents an excellent moment both unity and division between medieval and
renaissance art. In the evening return to Colle Moro, dinner and overnight
stay.
Friday
July 13, 2012 Farewell to
Abruzzo and drive to Amalfi Coast. Light Lunch during the transfer Overnight in
Villa Central Park
Saturday
July 14, 2012 Today will be the
second culinary session for ½ of the group – balance of group for sightseeing.
Breakfast and departure to Salerno. In medieval times Salerno was the
world capital of medicine, the monastery of the Benedictine monks who
probably founded its medieval school,offered the best instruction then
available. One of the most famous medicals texts of that time was the “Regimen
Sanitas Salerni” written here in Latin and translated into almost every
European language. Light Lunch and visit from a factory where they are making Mozarrella di
Bufala To the east of Salerno, after the
headlands of Pontecagnano, Battipaglia and Eboli, is Paestum. One of the
most important archaeological sites in the country. Here you will see some of
the best preserved Greeks ruins, architecture and monuments, such as the
Temple of Poseidon (Neptune) and the Basilica dating from the 6th
Century. In the evening return to Villa Central Park, dinner and overnight
stay.
Sunday
July 15, 2012 Breakfast and
departure The “Amalfi Drive” is
said to be the most spectacular in Europe and from Sorrento, the winding cliff
top road offers breathtaking panoramic views at every turn. Each spot is a
world of it own, a fantastic world that which dazzles the imagination and
inspires unforgettable impressions. We make a stop just above Positano, yet another splendid jewel of this coastline, which boasts
picturesque pink and white villas perched dramatically on the steeps hillside.
Then on the Amalfi, which gives
it the name to the whole coast on which it lies. Once a thriving Marine Republic, powerful and
prosperous and now a thriving holiday resort. The unmistakeable cluster of
white tightly packed houses rising up the hillside is dominated by the
beautiful Cathedral which stands superbly on the top of the great flight of
steps leading up from the main square. Visit to the winery and tasting of the Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo wines,
all complemented with cheese and local ham Housed in the magnificent
Cathedral are remains of the Patron Saint of Amalfi and also Scotland – Saint
Andrew. From Amalfi we visit Ravello which nestles eleven hundred feet
above the sea in the mountainside. We visit the Villa Rufolo which gave the
musician Richard Wagner the inspiration to create some of his most famous
works. As a result of this, the gardens of the villa are the venue for the
Wagner Festival which take place each summer. No shorts and covered shoulders
for Cathedral in Amalfi. In the evening return to Villa Central
Park, dinner and overnight stay.
Monday
July 16, 2012 Today will be the
second culinary session for the other ½ of group, balance for
sightseeing.Breakfast and departure to Naples
was founded in 600 BC by the Greeks and the Romans took over in 320 BC. Naples
is rife in history with buildings churches and monuments dating back centuries.
Only just over an hour from Sorrento, it makes an interesting day out. On our
tour, you will be able to visit the National Museum which is one of the best
archaeological museums in the world. Most of the treasures from Pompeii and
Herculaneum have been transferred to this museum for safe keeping. There
is also a priceless collection or paintings and bronze works. Time for Lunch.
After visiting the museum, you will also be guided around the city which as you
will see is a hive of activity! You will see the Royal Palace, the Piazza
Plebiscito, the Piazza Municipio with its huge medieval castle the “Maschio
Angioino” and the San Carlo Opera House.
Lunch with a typical Pizza
Napoletana. After we will visit Mount Vesuvius dominates the Bay of Naples. It
is the only active volcano on the mainland of Europe. The slopes were once
covered with vineyards and woods and provided an innocent looking
backdrop for the bustling towns of Pompei and Herculaneum below. The coach will
take you within 1.000 metres of the top of Vesuvius and from here you can walk
to the very top and admire the splendid panoramic view across the bay. From the
blackened crater rises a single plume of smoke, a reminder that the volcano is
only sleeping for now…In the evening return to Villa Central Park, dinner and
overnight stay.
Tuesday
July 17, 2012 Breakfast and
departure to Capri. First you will visit the fabulous villa of Dr. Axel
Munthe, a Swedish doctor who’s best selling book “Story of S. Michele” tells of
his time on Capri. Admire colourful gardens of Augustus overlooking the famed
Faraglioni Rocks and Marina Piccola where Gracie fields once lived. Lunch in a typical Fish restaurant. In the Afternoon visit
from The Blue Grotto
has been known since the Roman times, and Emperor
Tiberius chose it as his own personal nymphaeum (Roman
monumental fountain, translator's note) (the statues of pagan gods found on the
bottom of the cave date back to the Roman times),
later on almost nothing was known of the grotto, also because the fishermen of
the island believed it to be haunted by evil spirits. In the evening
return to Villa Central Park, dinner and overnight stay.
Wednesday
July 18, 2012 Farewell to
Amalfi Coast, stop in Pompeii for tour before continuing on to Rome Airport.
Our guide will take you slowly through some of the ancient streets of Pompeii where you can see Baths, Forums and Villas built by prosperous
Roman in the years 80 BC. Marvel at the fabulously preserved Frescos which adorned the walls and floors of the
Villas. Even if your interests do not lie in history, this is an archaeological
site that you cannot be failed to be impressed by. Farewell dinner this evening
in seaside restaurant in Civitevecchia
Thursday
July 19, 2012 Flight back to
USA
Please give Vacation Station Travel
a call with your questions and to make a reservation. Please complete the following reservation
form and return at your earliest convenience.
Please keep in mind that there is limited availability for this tour.
I hope you will be travelling with me as we depart on July 6, 2012
Sergio
ABRUZZO AND AMALFI
WITH SERGIO
A CULINARY JOURNEY
JULY 6 – 19, 2012
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