New Tauck tour explores ‘The Heart of Italy’
Tauck is introducing a new in-depth, eight-day itinerary for 2013 that explores Italy’s three most iconic cities, Venice, Florence and Rome. “The Heart of Italy: Venezia, Firenze & Roma”is part of Tauck’s Culturious collection of immersive, small-group journeys for active, boomer-aged travellers. “Our Culturious journeys are crafted specifically for inquisitive, culturally curious travellers, and it’s hard to imagine a more perfect trio of classic, culturally-rich Italian cities than Venice, Florence and Rome,”said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. “Whether it’s food, art, history or religious significance, these cities have it all.”The itinerary begins with a two-night stay in Venice, where Tauck guests will visit a glassblower’s studio for a hands-on demonstration and later enjoy an exclusive lunch with a contessa inside her private palazzo. A high-speed train ride to Florence precedes a three-night stay in the city, where Tauck guests will learn about classical art restoration at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, and enjoy a private piano recital with concert pianist Gregorio Nardi in his home. Guests will also travel outside of Florence to nearby Chianti Rufina, where they’ll enjoy a wine and olive oil tasting followed by dinner in the hilltop castle fortress that houses the wine cellars of the Frescobaldi family, 30th-generation vintners whose list of past clients includes Michelangelo and Henry VIII. A second high-speed train journey brings Tauck’s guests to Rome, where “The Heart of Italy”concludes with a two-night stay at the Residenza Di Ripetta, a former Baroque convent. In Vatican City, Tauck guests will enjoy an exclusive, after-hours tour of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums, including access to rooms in the Museums that are seldom open to the public. Guests will also travel to Rome’s Trastevere neighbourhood to tour its historic, fourth-century Basilica di Santa Maria, and participate in a hands-on cooking class with a local chef. “The Heart of Italy”is priced from $4,390 p.p., double occupancy, plus air, and the itinerary is virtually all-inclusive. (http://www.tauck.com)
