TEMBER 17-24, 2016

From the moment you arrive, Italy invites you to awaken all your senses to the pleasures of a beautiful life. Through

morning gatherings and afternoon excursions, Donna Huling and Fernand Poulin will guide an intimate group of ten travelers to a deeper awareness and exploration of the tastes, sights, smells and sounds of the Tuscan culture. Food, wine, ancient places and new horizons, along with the warm company of fellow travelers will be yours on a journey that is both a holiday and a homecoming.

Our day-by-day adventures

Day 1:23rd September

Our arrival day! Your group will be picked up from Pisa airport or Lucca Station in the late afternoon. We will arrive, unpack, and settle into our beautiful 500 year old farmhouse, Casa Fiori. Later, we will meet our fellow travelers over wine and a sumptuous meal prepared by our personal chef for the week, Karolina. We will start making our own Limoncello that night (using a secret recipe) that will be ready to drink at our farewell dinner

Day 2:24th September

A day to ease into the rhythm of Italy, beginning with Karolina’s wonderful breakfast and the first of our “provocative conversations”, followed by an (optional) massage or a yoga class on the hillside overlooking the vineyard. Additional (optional) massage sessions are available after lunch, or you can swim, nap, or hike to the hilltop for fantastic views and photo’s. Later in the afternoon, Karolina will offer a cooking class guaranteed to bring out your ‘inner Italian chef” as you help to prepare our evening meal. Our first full day ends with drumming and dancing beneath the Tuscan stars!

Click to see more of Casa Fiori.

September 23-30, 2018

Day 3:25th September

After breakfast, we make a short drive the ancient walled city of Lucca where you make the day your own as you wander with new friends or stroll independently. Be sure to shop and eat in the Roman amphitheater, then walk (or bike) the famous Renaissance walls that encircle the city and offer a stunning perspective. For a relaxing moment, visit Romanesque style churches, or savor wine in a 2,000-year-old cavern. Then search out shops for cheese, chocolate, kitchen items, linens, leather, or jewelry, before rejoining your fellow travelers for a meal to remember at Antica Osteria. Click to see more about Lucca.

Day 4:26th September

After yesterday’s full experience of Lucca, we begin the day easily with breakfast and another of our “provocative conversations” (or group meditations), followed by a relaxing time to talk with friends, stroll the grounds, or simply enjoy the Tuscan grandeur all around you. After lunch, we make the short drive to the beautiful village of Barga and the famous bridge Ponte del Diavolo Located between Lucca and the Garfagnana. Barga has been called one of the “most beautiful villages” in all of Tuscany and offers wonderful food, shopping, and works by local artisans. A drive back to Casa Fiori brings our day to a close as we arrive home to another feast by Karolina, followed by more drumming and dancing. Click to see more about Ponte del Diavolo and Barga.

Day 5:27th September

Florence!!! We have an early breakfast before boarding the train for an entire day in Italy’s most

celebrated city! We will spend this magical day wandering the streets that gave birth to the Renaissance and became home to masterpieces of art and architecture. You may choose (optional) to see Michelangelo’s “David,” explore the Uffizi Gallery, the Boboli Gardens, ancient cathedrals, and world class shopping before lunching and browsing the shops of Piazza Santo Spirito. We meet at the end of the day to share food, wine and stories of our day before boarding the train back to Casa Fiori. Click here to see more about Florence.

Day 6:28th September We begin the day with breakfast and another of our “provocative conversations” (or group meditations), followed by a relaxing time to talk with friends, stroll the grounds, or simply enjoy the beauty of Casa Fiori.

After lunch, we make the short drive to Colle Verde Vineyards. You will be astounded at the breathtakingly beautiful vineyards and olive groves that lie within a wide, south-facing valley dropping from 300 to 100 meters above sea level. We will stroll the vineyards, as we learn the history and culture of a true wine-making family, before sampling (and purchasing) their renowned wine and olive oil. We return to Casa Fiori to learn the secrets of pizza making from a true master who will help us each make our own masterpiece in the wood-fired pizza oven! Click here to see more about Colle Verde Vineyards.

Day 7:29th September

A day to make your own! Either a restful day at Casa Fiori, or a half-day trip back to Lucca (almost no one can resist a final visit to this very special city), followed by the pinnacle of our culinary adventure – a 5 course Italian Gala prepared by the inimitable Karolina, capped off with a departing toast of our very own Limoncello created on the night we arrived!

Day 8:30th September

The day of our departure (until the next time). A perfect ending to a magical week as we say goodbye, ready to bring the sights, sounds, tastes, aroma’s, and feelings of Tuscany home with us in our hearts.

Cost: The total cost of the trip is $2,545.00. If paid by credit card, there is an additional $100.00 processing fee, making the total $2,645.00 Application and Deposit: Please attach a short email of application (a few paragraphs telling us about yourself and what draws you to the trip) and send to Dhuling@aol.com or FPoulin51@gmail.com. After selection, there is a $1500.00 non-refundable deposit due to hold your space. 50% of the balance is due on April 1, 2015, with the remaining balance due on July 1, 2015. Cancellation Policy: Should you need to withdraw for any reason after May 15, 2015, we retain 15% of the remaining balance (in addition to the deposit). Included in the cost of your workshop in Tuscany:

x Accommodations x All excursions x All activities x Airport transfers and local transportation including day trips to Lucca, Florence, Colle Verde Vineyards, Barga

and the bridge Ponte del Diavolo. x All breakfasts lunches and dinners (excluding two lunches)

Excludes:

x Flights to and from Pisa x Massages x Lunch on your own in Lucca, Florence,

About Casa Fiori Your home Casa Fiori is situated on a small hill called Capella, alongside the 16th century church of Saint Lorenzo. It offers beautiful views of the Valley and the city of Lucca. It’s ideally positioned for a number of interesting excursions, including to the towns of Lucca, Volterra, Pisa and Cinque Terre. The 400-year-old stone house is surrounded by 150 acres of olive vineyards and colorful gardens. The house itself is divided into several sections, to offer places to work individually or as part of a group. You can paint, read a book from our home library, or simply enjoy the landscapes. The house is arranged over four levels and features seven comfortable double rooms with in-suite bathrooms. It is adapted to meet all of your modern needs, boasting air conditioning and Wi-Fi. The house also offers a stunning infinity swimming pool with a spacious relaxation area to relax and soak up Tuscany’s beautiful Italian sun. The heart of the house is our dining room with a beautiful teak table and wood burning fireplace, that makes it perfect for celebrating every meal. For your comfort, we have two kitchens; one adapted for cooking lessons, and one situated in the garden. The garden kitchen offers incredible views of the valley as well as a shady pergola where you can enjoy dinner and a glass of wine. Here’ you’ll also find a wood-fired pizza oven, where our pizza chef will teach you to make your own personalized pizzas.