sample itinerary

1 Visit www.VaFeltre.com to Book your Tour today! Call us at 571.239.3889

VAFELTRE TOURS LLC Small Group Travel Tours to Northern Italy www.VaFeltre.com | email: [email protected] Tel: 571.239.3889 | 703.209.0669

ITINERARY SAMPLE

9 DAY 8 NIGHTS

ITALIAN ADVENTURE TOUR 2014/2015

INCLUDED: B: BREAKFASTS L: LUNCH D: DINNERS


What better way to enjoy the holidays, than to join us in Northern Italy? The

mountain communities boast an array of culinary delights: pastas, stews, and roasts, which are sure to warm not only your stomach, but also your heart and soul. Time passes more slowly here. You have the opportunity to absorb the natural surroundings and enjoy your vacation, instead of letting everything rush by. Italy is famous for its food and wine, but we want to help you discover “why”.

DAY ONE Arrive in Venice or Feltre

We will provide transportation from Venice, Marco Polo Airport, or from the train station in Feltre. Please notify us during the booking process so that we can plan logistics. Once in Feltre, we will check-in to the hotel. We will enjoy our first dinner together as a group in the evening. (D)


The City of Feltre (…. History)

Lovely Renaissance town in the mountains Feltre is a good example of a Renaissance city from the 16th century. Emperor Maximilian completely destroyed the city in 1510 with his troops. The immediate repair by the Venetians in the style of that time still allows a good insight into the structures of a real renaissance city. Feltre itself was inhabited in Roman times and was rebuilt in the Middle Ages on the small hill in order to have a better defensive position against potential attackers. Like the rest of the province of Belluno it came under Venetian rule in 1404.

DAY TWO Discover Feltre and the Region…

This morning, we will guide you through the walls of this ancient city and discover its beauty. After a brief introduction, we will give you passes to visit the museums of Feltre: Carlo Rizzarda and the Vescovo. We will meet together for lunch. In the afternoon, feel free to relax around town, or join us for a drive around the surrounding area. For dinner, we will enjoy antipasto in a cozy osteria, and dinner at a restaurant within the walls of Feltre. (B,L,D)


DAY THREE San Martino di Castrozza

After breakfast, we will drive to San Martino di Castrozza (A mountain resort in the Primiero valley in the Trentino province in Italy). Along the way the road winds over mountains and through valley. We will ride the funivia (cable car) to the top of the Tognola mountain. Lunch will be at the restaurant on the mountaintop.

** During Winter: There is an option to ski while we are here. Please contact us for further details!** In the afternoon, we will drive further into the mountains, and enjoy a typical Tyrolean meal. (B,L,D)


DAY FOUR Day Trip to Padova

We will board the train in the morning and journey to Padova. After a guided tour of this wonderful city, you will have free time to explore the great Scrovegni Chapel with its priceless frescoes by Giotto, as well as the basilica of St. Anthony of Padova (known simply as Il Santo). (B,L,D)

A city with two distinct faces yet one heart. A city with two distinct faces yet one heart: Padua, both a living religious monument and centre of revolutionary scientific learning, embodies many of the virtues of Veneto: arts, history and nature are in fact integral part of its essence.


Its centre fuses the architecture and relics of its illustrious past with the lively university which has always nourished the town: the squares and alleyways, and brightly-coloured fruit and vegetable stalls in the shadow of the Palazzo della Ragione endow it with an aura of eternal presence. Holidays in Padua are a joyful plunge into this picturesque and elegant atmosphere. Padua is also known as the city of the 'Saint with no name', the 'field without grass' and the 'café with no doors': because the Basilica of S. Anthony, that has for 800 years been calling the faithful, is usually called simply 'The Saint', the Prato della Valle, Europe’s largest square after Moscow’s Red Square, is almost bare of grass, and once the famous Caffè Pedrocchi had no doors! When you spend your holiday in Padua you will notice that the city holds in a discrete and almost unaffected way many unique and exclusive aspects, which are nonetheless proudly displayed to the tourist: for those wanting to plan their holidays in Padua many surprises are on offer. From Giotto to Mantegna, Donatello to Galileo, Padua has been host to the greatest artists and scientists of the ages, making it a temple to knowledge. The surrounding area of this most 'learned city' is also rich in culture: the countryside still resounds with the sonnets of Petrarch, the Middle Ages breathes through the noble walls, and the aristocratic villas and their rich cultural history lay sparkling in the landscape.


DAY FIVE Posagno, Bassano del Grappa

This morning we will drive to Posagno for a visit to the home of Antonio Canova. Canova was known best for his sculptures, but his home has an impressive collection of some of his other works of art. Canova even built a replica of the Pantheon on his land, that is still the central church of Posagno today.

Next, we head to the city of Bassano del Grappa. Bassano is well known for its ceramics, and of course, for its grappa, a liqueur made from the skin of the grapes. We will learn a little about WWI, since Bassano was a pivotal point in the war, and then visit a grappa factory to learn about this interesting way of distilling liquor. Dinner will be at an agriturismo in the area. (B,L,D)


DAY SIX Discovering Prosecco

This morning, after checking-out of our hotel, we will wind through the mountains until we reach the town of Valdobbiadine. This is the official growing region for Prosecco DOCG. We will enjoy lunch at one of the villas designed by Palladio (also from the region).

In the afternoon, we will visit a few cantinas so that you can compare varieties of Prosecco for yourself! In this area, the people are still deeply connected with the land. We will enjoy dinner at an agriturismo where the owners prepare their menus based around their own produce. Our hotel tonight will be in a suburb of Venice. (B,L,D)


DAY SEVEN City of Bolzano & Trento

We head to Bolzano, an enviable picture not only just of hillside but also of vineyards contributing its urban architecture; You'll get to meet OTZI, Europe's oldest known natural human mummy, explore the city before heading to Trento, home to one of the most impressive castles in the region which has aunique name, "Castello del Buonconsiglio" Castle of the GoodAdvice. Guided tour of the castle, guided tour of the city of Trento and plenty of time for shopping and sightseeing. (B,L,D)


DAY EIGHT Treviso & Venice

Today we will drive to Treviso, one of the largest cities in the Region of Veneto. After a guided walking tour of the city, you will have time to explore and find lunch on your own. In the afternoon, we will head to Venice. What better way to arrive than by boat? We will enjoy a private boat tour of Venice, and then you will have a chance to find dinner on your own in this magical city! (B)


DAY NINE Visit Venice

This morning we will have a guided walking tour of Venice, to further explore what we couldn’t see by boat. You will have time for shopping, lunch, and to explore the city on your own. We will meet together in the evening for our final dinner together at a restaurant that has been run by the same Venetian family for generations. (B,D)

sample itinerary

Documents