2008 Tours:
Tour
Description | What's
Included | Itinerary |
About
the Artist | More
Information
Poetic Tuscany
Photography Tour Itinerary
Watch for new dates!
begins and ends in Florence
Day 0: Depart USA
Remember, you'll arrive in Europe the day after you depart
the USA. You may want to consider arriving a day or two
prior to the tour, or stay a day or two at the end of
the tour to enjoy more time on your own in the area,
or to visit another region.
Day 1 Saturday: Welcome to Panzano in Chianti
You'll be greeted at Florence Airport or Train Station
by our friendly Dream Italia concierge to get acquainted
and drive by private coach along the winding Chianti
roads to Panzano in Chianti, about 18 miles south of
Florence, to our elegant, country villa. Perched at the
top of the famed Conca d'Oro (Golden Basin) valley, a
natural amphitheater planted with vines and olive trees,
you can enjoy the vista over the rolling Chianti hills.
It is an easy 5 minute walk to the heart of the medieval
village of Panzano. Time to unpack and settle in. Tonight
we will enjoy a welcome dinner together.
Walking: light Meals
Provided: D
Day 2 Sunday: San Gimignano & Castellina
We go first to the celebrated, towered village, San Gimignano,
for free time to explore this charming town on your own.
San Gimignano is renowned for its medieval towers, 14
of the original 72 remain. We will visit a nearby farm
for a light lunch and tasting of their special vernaccia
white wine. After lunch we will proceed to the quaint
village of Castellina in Chianti, for an introduction
to acclaimed photographer, Andrea Rontini, in his gallery.
Here, he would like to meet you and show you his photographs.
He will briefly discuss some of his techniques. Following
the visit to his gallery, you will have free time to
stroll around the village of Castellina in Chianti, shop
or have dinner at leisure.
Walking: light to moderate Meals
Provided: B,L
Day 3 Monday: Val d'Arbia & Val d'Orcia Field
Trip with the Artist
Today will be our first full day workshop. Our in-the-field
workshops are designed to begin early (7 AM departure)
and end late (7 PM return) so that we can take advantage
of the morning and evening light. Mr. Rontini will meet
us at our villa for an early start, and accompany us on
the drive by private coach to the lovely Arbia and Orcia
Valleys south of Siena. Here in the famous Crete Senesi,
the landscape changes to the sun washed images of a painting,
with cypress trees dotting the landscape. We will stop
along the way for photography opportunities and guidance
from Mr. Rontini. Lunch in a local trattoria. After lunch
we continue exploring this area with further insights from
the Artist. Dinner at the villa prepared by the cooking
class.
Walking: moderate Meals
Provided: B,L,D
For Non-Students: Today's field trip
will be heavily based on taking photographs and will involve
time spent in the countryside, away from city centers.
You can feel free to remain at the villa today and relax,
or take a walk around Panzano or along one of the nearby
country roads. We have organized a very special Tuscan
cooking class for you this afternoon, right in your own
villa. Your chef/instructor is a former restaurant owner
and known as one of the best chefs in the region. Your
class will be lively and hands-on, and the dinner you all
prepare will be enjoyed by everyone in the group upon the
return of the field trip students.
Walking: light Meals
Provided: B,D
Day 4 Tuesday: Chianti Villages Field Trip with
the Artist
We will leave early in the morning (7 AM) to take advantage
of the morning light. With the Artist on board with us,
we will spend the day traveling through the Chianti countryside,
stopping at medieval villages and hamlets along the way.
Lunch in Volpaia, where we will have more photo opportunities
of this beautifully preserved hamlet that is home to a
famous wine producing family. The landscape in the Chianti
is typified by a tapestry of immaculately laid out vineyards
and olive groves on gently rolling hills sprinkled with
enchanting medieval hilltop towns. Return 7 PM for dinner
at your leisure in one of the trattorias in Panzano.
Walking: moderate Meals
Provided: B,L
For Non-Students: Today is a wonderful
day for you to join us on the field trip as we will travel
through the countryside and stop in the little Chianti
villages. There will be the chance for you to explore in
the villages while the students are working with the Artist.
Walking: moderate Meals
Provided: B,L
Day 5 Wednesday: Casentino Field Trip with the
Artist
The Artist will meet us again at 7 AM for our final full
day in the field, to the area near Casentino. This area
near Arezzo is some of the least traveled and most picturesque
countryside of Tuscany. This enclave is typified by wild
hills, high mountains, remote abbeys and ancient forests.
Lunch in a Franciscan Abbey. We will return slightly earlier
this evening to set up your laptops in the villa, where
we'll have a critique of your photos by the Artist. Following
that, we will have a special goodbye dinner with the Artist.
Walking: moderate Meals
Provided: B,L,D
For Non-Students: Today's photography
field trip will be heavily based on taking photographs
and will involve time spent in the countryside, away from
city centers. You can feel free to remain at the villa
today and relax, or take a walk around Panzano or along
one of the nearby country roads. We have organized a half-day
guided hike through the vineyards and olive groves with
a nature specialist today, with a stop for a wine tasting
along the way. We will all rendezvous tonight by 6 or 7
PM at the villa so that we can all go together for a special
dinner with the Artist.
Walking: moderate to strenuous Meals
Provided: B,D
Day 6 Thursday: Florence -Lab Visit with the Artist
This morning we will visit the art capital of Europe, Florence,
and have free time in the morning for shopping, visiting
museums, wandering through Florence's maze of narrow
streets or you may want to visit the Boboli Gardens for
a walk through this exquisite Italian garden. We highly
recommend visiting the Mercato Centrale, for a colorful
and vast array of greengrocers, butchers, and fishmongers,
and the numerous cafés and trattorias where Florentines
gather. Students will rendezvous after lunch for a 2
hour visit to the Artist's lab in Florence where he will
instruct you on the printing process and techniques he
uses. Non-Students may continue to enjoy Florence.
Walking: moderate Meals
Provided: B,D
Day 7 Friday: Medieval Siena & Monteriggioni
This morning we will drive to the picturesque medieval
town of Siena. One of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany,
Siena is home to the famous Il Palio, a summertime horse
race ridden in medieval costume for hundreds of years.
You will have the morning at leisure to make your own
discoveries. Among the brick buildings sits the gleaming
white gothic cathedral which is well worth a visit inside
to view its rich artwork and the incomparable Library.
Or climb the tower in the main piazza for unparalleled
360° views over the Piazza del Campo and the maze
of burnt sienna colored buildings. Lunch at leisure in
one of Siena's many trattorias. From here it is a short
ride to the fortified village of Monteriggioni, key fortress
in the 300 year long civil war between Florence and Siena.
It is remarkable that the medieval walls of the village
remain almost entirely intact today. Tonight we will
celebrate with a farewell dinner with your tour guide
at a popular local restaurant.
Walking: moderate Meals
Provided: B,D
Day 8 Saturday: Arrivederci!
After breakfast we will return by private coach to Florence
Airport or Train Station. We'll say goodbye to our guides
and our new travel mates.
Meals Provided: B
Tour Ends
Itinerary Changes:
Itinerary specifics subject to change due to weather, holidays,
special events and circumstances beyond our control.
We reserve the right to alter the itinerary since tour
arrangements are made up to a year in advance, and unforeseen
circumstances that mandate change may arise. Itinerary
changes are made to improve the tour and your experience
Your tour guides:
 Elizabeth |
 |
 Elena |
|
 Giovanni |
|
 Niccola |
2008 Tours:
Tour
Description | What's
Included | Itinerary | About
the Artist | More
Information
