NEW!
Princely
Courts and Epicurean Pleasures:
Insider's Northern Italy
October
3-15, 2011
The
glittering Renaissance courts of the Visconti-Sforza,
Gonzaga and Farnese families - and of the Prince Bishop
of Trent and the Doge of Venice - resonate today in the
art and architectural treasures, renowned cuisine, and
artisanal food products of northern Italy's vibrant "art
cities": Milano, Parma, Mantova, Trento—and
Venezia!
This
singular journey of discovery - which is a perfect complement
to our popular "Lake Como to Venice" tour -
promises to be a veritable "moveable feast"
for both the eye and the palate!
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Duomo (Cathedral) di Milano at sunset
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Our
specially designed small group tour will reveal the most
outstanding medieval and Renaissance treasures of the
Po Valley and the foothills of the Dolomites
by way of a unique itinerary that is the result of meticulous
planning based on three decades of living and working
in northern Italy—and nurturing friendships and invaluable
professional resources. If you wish to experience the
richness of Italian culture in lesser visited places,
as well as an amazing variety of countryside, then be
sure to join us this October, under what should be ideal
weather conditions, for a travel experience that will
"knock your socks off" with unexpected surprises
and hidden treasures. Some will be revealed during private
visits that you could not experience on your own.
Three
nights in each hotel "base" will assure an
unrushed journey, and our hotels in Milano, Mantova,
Trento and Venezia are all superbly located for
individual pursuits as well as group excursions to Cremona,
Parma, Sabbioneta, a private castle in the region
of Trentino, and along the Mincio River.
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| Private
castle in the Trentino |
Palazzo
Ducale - Mantova
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bbbFontana - Trento |
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So
many Friends of Travel designs comment on the excellence
of our dining experiences together!
During our many years of exploring the towns and countryside
of northern Italy we have discovered many
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Parma
wonderful
trattorie and ristoranti where genuine examples
of the regional cuisines of Lombardia, Emilia,
Trentino and Veneto can be enjoyed.
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mm
And,
of course, from Milano to Venezia, autumn is the best season
in which to find many special ingredients - such as fresh
wild porcini mushrooms - that play such an important
role in each cucina regionale. |
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Crowning
our unusual travel adventure will be three luxurious nights
in the Serenissima - Venice - Italy's most
unusual city, if you've been there before! Here, too, we'll
go off the beaten path in search
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of Venezia's hidden jewels, and we will be
privy to the glittering basilica of the Doges, dedicated
to St. Mark-after hours and with special lighting
of its treasures. Like the rest of the trip, our Venice
sojourn will be planned carefully to satisfy both first-time
visitors and those who are returning-thanks to the pre-tour
questionnaire that Travel Designs always sends out well
before a trip to ascertain your interests. We hope
you will be able to join us on this unique travel experience!
Note:
The tour will begin in Milan on Monday after-noon,
October 3rd, and will conclude in Venice after
breakfast on the morning of Saturday, October 15th. Detailed
tour information will be mailed at the end of March. To
reserve your space(s) now, please send a completely
refundable preliminary "save-a-space" deposit
of $100 per person to Travel Designs and indicate that it
is for the "Princely Courts" tour.
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