Travel with Joyce James to Italy in 2010

Come join us on our first Italian Idyll Tour;
20 September To 02 October, 2010 – A unique trip for Knitters & Friends!

Note: Extra nights before and after our tour can be arranged, as well as
flights from your home city to Italy.

Our tour will include historic towns, talented craftspeople, local yarn shops and markets, a cooking lesson, olive groves, vineyards........and much, much more! The custom-designed itinerary will centre in Venice, the small towns of Tuscany, ending in the Tuscan capital of Florence.

With an emphasis on textiles, we’ll travel in the countryside to take in the stunning Italian scenery, centuries-old architecture and treasured art, as evidenced by the different eras of civilization: Etruscan, Roman, Renaissance. We’ll stay in specially selected accommodation, all centrally located in each locale. This will not be a rushed visit as we’ll be staying for a number of nights in each area.

Below is a preliminary draft of our itinerary to give you an idea of this wonderful tour. The tour size will be limited—don’t miss out!

20 Sept/Monday:
Arrival Venice. Check in at our four-star hotel, which is centrally located and within easy walking distance of the many attractions of this marvellous city. The hotel is close to the vaporetto (water bus) stops.

We’ll meet in the late afternoon for a welcome reception to chat with your fellow travellers before our evening dinner. Time to talk about the plans for our memorable Italian Idyll Tour.

21 Sept/Tuesday:
Morning at your leisure. Enjoy a special buffet Italian breakfast in the courtyard of the hotel.

Afternoon walking tour with our English-speaking Italian guide. There will be time to wander the wonderful streets on your own and perhaps take a vaporetto ride on the Grand Canal.

Dinner in a nearby restaurant — an opportunity to enjoy Venetian specialities and typical Italian dishes and of course, accompanied by Italian wines.

As a suggestion in the evening, perhaps attend a concert featuring Italian composers like Vivaldi. No better place to hear the Four Seasons performed by talented young musicians.

22 Sept/Wednesday:
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll take a vaporetto and visit two special islands: Murano and Burano. Murano is the centre of glassblowing and was established as such in the 13th Century. This came about so that any problems with fire could be more easily contained, and to ensure the secrets of their techniques would be safeguarded.

We’ll meet a glassblower and you will have a chance to see her creating firsthand. We’ll also visit the Museo dell’Arte Vetraria to see the largest collection of Venetian glass in existence.

Burano is known as the lace-making island. Although the number of lace makers has greatly decreased and most lace making is done elsewhere, you will have the opportunity to watch several talented lace makers at work. We’ll also visit the lace museum on the island, known to Italians as the Museo del Merletto.

We’ll also visit the small Museo de Fortuny, with its textile displays. You may wish to see the art collection of Peggy Guggenheim or take a vaporetto across the lagoon to Venice’s beach island, the Lido.

23 Sept/Thursday:
Before leaving Venice, you’ll have time for you to wander the unique streets one more time. The Rialto fish market is open in the early morning, where you can watch the locals examine and purchase the day’s catch.

After checking out from the hotel, our private coach will head southwards to Tuscany and our stay in the medieval village of Anghiari.

En route we’ll stop in Ravenna, known as the mosaic city, a well-deserved designation because of the stunning collection of early Christian mosaics. It is the location of eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. From the 5th to 8th centuries, Ravenna was the western capital of the Roman Empire. There will be time to view some of the priceless mosaics.

Our accommodation in Anghiari will be in a selection of privately owned, historic apartments, all located in the centre of the village and equipped with modern conveniences. After getting settled into your unit, we’ll meet for ‘la cena’ (evening dinner) at a small restaurant where the meal is proudly prepared and served by the owners.

Our guides in Anghiari will be two expatriates — one Canadian and the other American — who have made their homes in Italy for years. They love the country and speak fluent Italian. They are well acquainted with the areas that have been especially selected to interest our group.

24 Sept/Friday:
Our first visit this morning will be to the firm of La Tessitura Bussati, established 170 years ago. It is a business of proud weavers, owned by members of the Busatti/Sassolini families. Their pledge is: “never disown the origins, the taste and the quality”. The company has stayed true to this pledge and we’ll be privileged to see their textile factory and the 19th century British looms. No doubt you’ll wish to visit their shop with a stunning array of beautifully woven items.

Your afternoon can be spent visiting numerous small stores in the village-- a treat as there are many artisan shops and workshops of antique and furniture restorers. The village is set high on a hill overlooking the wonderful views of the beautiful Tiber Valley.

Dinner will be in another small, local restaurant.

25 Sept/Saturday:
Today we’ll go to the nearby village of Sansepolcro to meet a lace maker, and a tapestry weaver in the mountains of La Verna. We’ll also visit a centre where many different types of olive oils are sold. You’ll have a chance to learn about and to taste the subtle differences in flavours and decide on your favourite.

On our return to Anghiari, there will be time to relax, to sit and knit in the piazza with an espresso and just enjoy the passing scene.

26 Sept/Sunday:
Our treat today is a visit to the local market with our guide to shop for fruit, vegetables and meat. This will be followed by a private cooking lesson of Tuscan specialities,  including an appetizer, pasta and main course, followed by dessert. You can help with preparations or just sit back and watch with a glass of wine. After the culinary activities, we’ll then enjoy this meal of traditional dishes and of course, local wines.

27 Sept/Monday:
Today we’ll have a full-day excursion to the villages of Siena and Assisi in nearby Umbria, which has a tradition of embroidery. We’ll also stop at Sant’Anatolia di Narco and visit the museum of hemp for a weaving class.

28 Sept/Tuesday:
After breakfast, we’ll leave Anghiari to travel northwards to Florence. We’ll have a full-day excursion en route. Highlights of our day: visits to the Chianti Cashmere Farm and  San Gimignano. There will be time to shop for yarn and enjoy the distinctive architecture and charm of these areas.

We’ll check into our centrally-located hotel in the afternoon and then go for another Tuscan meal in the evening.

29 Sept/Wednesday:
Our English-speaking Italian guide will meet us at the hotel in the early afternoon for a walking tour of the architectural treasures of this fascinating city: the Galleria dell’Accademia (which houses Michelangelo’s sculpture ‘David’); the Pitti Palace; the Baptistry of St. John with its incredible bronze doors depicting Old Testament Scenes; the Duomo, stunning on its own but of special interest to knitters, with the coat of arms of the Wool Guild, which are on a plaque designed by della Robbia in the 1400’s.

30 Sept/Thursday:
This is a free day to walk and visit the yarn shops in Florence. A map and list of the stores will be supplied by your tour escort, plus a translation of some knitting-related terms you may need.

Shopping in Florence isn’t just for yarn as there are many distinctive stores featuring high-quality designs. It’s fun just to ‘window shop’ -- maybe buy an intricate, hand carved cameo as a memento of your trip.

After an active day, you’ll enjoy our evening meal when you can compare purchases and experiences with your fellow tour members.

01 Oct/Friday:
Before leaving the Florence area, we’ll visit the Prato Textile Museum to gain an appreciation of the importance of textiles to the wealth of the area and see their collection of old looms. The Prato is Italy’s largest centre for the study, conservation and exhibition of historic and contemporary textiles.

The rest of the day is on your own to further visit the sites of this unique city. Be sure to walk across the Ponte Vecchio and photograph the views of the city on both sides of the Arno River.

In the evening we’ll have a final dinner to exchange memories of our travels and to relive those many special moments.

02 Oct/Saturday:
Our tour ends after breakfast at the hotel. Arrivederci!

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