In 2009 we offer groups more opportunities. Rather than decide, in advance, what tour will run at a certain time, we will offer most of our tours for any time frame of the year. Once two or more participants have selected a particular tour, we will begin offering that tour at the timeslot set with the first bidders. Our tours range from 12 to 15 days in country. Day one begins with our first day in Italy. The final day is departure day from the group. The tour size is generally 8 travelers but we can accommodate more or less depending on the requests of the participants. We move from place to place in our own 9-passenger van. In all cases, you have your private escort for the duration of the trip.

 Below find a listing of the current opportunities available with Gina’s Italy. All tours can be modified for a custom group. Other areas in Italy are also possible. All one needs to do is ask. Buon Viaggio!

For additional information on these or other tours, contact Gina at: info@ginasitaly.com

Experience Italy
With this tour we begin in Rome for a few days of sightseeing. Walk the Julius walk and visit the Vatican. Enjoy a glimpse of what was and why the empire was great. After Rome, we meander through the countryside of Lazio or Umbria. We visit a winery, eat delicious food, and visit sites of Roman, Medieval and Etruscan interest while enjoying the small towns of real Italy. Our final stop is Florence the bustling home to the Renaissance. Enjoy the best of Michelangelo, the Medici’s, and artisans in the borgo district. Make new friends and take home lots of memories. This is a fabulous trip for a first timer.

Northern Skies
This tour is a new addition to our line-up. We take in northern Italy beginning in Venice the unrivaled city of pylons and bridges. We visit the glass shops; Saint Mark’s Basilica and use the water bus system. Better yet we take the time to explore the little walkways and calle away from the day crowds. We find hidden corners with big treasures. From Venice we proceed to surrounding country spots in the Veneto region. It is in this area we find castles of the Romeo and Juliet era. We taste the light white wines that accompany the fish and light meats of the North. Our memorable finale comes at one of the many lakes in the Lombardy--Piemonte regions. We will take a ride on the lake, take in a winery or two and see life as the Italians spend it.

Touch Italy
Touch Italy begins in Florence. We learn first hand what the Renaissance was for Europe. After our days of museums indoor and out, we drive to a small Renaissance town in Emilia Romagna. Now we live like the locals because we stay at an apartment. A weekly market will give us the flavor of everyday life in Italy. Short visits to the supermarket consisting of three isles will furnish our daily bread. Daily stops include towns in Northern Italy as Ravenna, Padova and Modena. Enjoy the land of Balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano cheese. Yes this is the region of the eaters.
Anyone for cheese and wine?

Walk And Dina all’italiana
Walk & Dine has been a favorite of many travelers. Imagine the excitement of visiting a winery and dining with the owner/vintner? We spend our time in the country side of Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. Besides the good food we take the time to visit the historical areas of the Romans, the fascinating Etruscans and walk through medieval villages. Our daily jaunts will allow time to shop, sit at a caffe’ or sit an aperitivo.  For those who are lucky enough to plan this trip at the end of May can include a medieval festival. Did you know “enology” is a degree in Italy? Students attend a full program dedicated to the harmony and blending of grapes Alla Salute!

Celebrate Italy
Celebrate Italy is typically a late May tour or the first days in June. In Italy the best of the festivals occur the last Sunday of May. With this tour we can attend a crossbow event, a horse race or even the “ceri” race of Gubbio run by the teenage boys. The tour is planned around the event of choice. The possibilities are numerous. All promise a fine experience filed with culture and great memories. We join in the excitement by taking part in the pre-festival dinners, when possible, watch the parades and enjoy the success of the winners and celebrate with the locals.

Sicily: A Looming Legacy
Sicily is a land of enchantment. Its position is in the center of the Mediterranean which meant it was the intersection of many cultures and civilizations. The island attracted navigators from the East. Plato wrote that people flocked to its coasts “like frogs around a pond”. Not than any of us are frogs, but we are captivated by this place. From the Greeks, Mycenaens, Phoenicians, Carthaginians to the indigenous Sicani, Siculi and Elimi the island is a myriad of wealth in architecture, history, culture and food. Temples abound on the western shore. Salt fields can be visited near Trapani. Wineries produce wines to accompany the indigenous foods. Due to Sicily’s location, this tour is an option year round. Weather is always mild in this temperate area of the Mediterranean.

Adventures in Tuscany
This tour offers adventures galore in the popular region of Tuscany. Spend several days at a villa from which we make daily trips to small villages, attend weekly markets, take time to visit the capital town of Florence, taste some delicious wines outside the Chianti district. Along the way, enjoy the local pecorino cheese, the delectable product made from sheep’s milk. Two other stops will take us to the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and to the area south of Siena. What’s not to love? When there is an opportunity for a cooking class or wine tasting it will be on the schedule. If you prefer not to cook, your job is to eat.

Grand Tour
The Grand Tour is perfect for any first timer. We spend most of our days in the three best known art centers of Italy, that is, Rome, Florence and Venice. Of course, we visit the must see sites and museums, indoor or out. Plus in true Gina’s Italy fashion, we visit local artisans, talk to shop owners, sing with the chefs, and find the tucked away corners of these bustling towns. This tour includes first class train travel.
The 15-day itinerary organizes day trips to the countryside and away from the bustle of crowds.

Should Italy be calling to you for the first time or for a return visit, hopefully you will think of Gina’s Italy as your source. All tours are planned with a private escort. For the independent traveler we can offer you a consulting service for hotels, suggestions and local guides. It is not too early to consider your 2009 plans. Just pick your trip and time of year and you are halfway there. EVVIVA!

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this Bollettino. We had lots to share. Feel free to share this Bollettino or other Flash Bollettino by forwarding them to friends or family. Gather your own travel group and customize your trip. To sign up for a Bollettino write: Il Bollettino. Should you prefer not to receive a future Bollettino please send an email: Remove.

Until next time - “alla prossima”,
Gina