Italian Connection walking tours and Ciclismo Classico bicycling vacations have joined forces to offer you two idyllic ways to travel through Sicily, while enjoying a discount of $100 per person.

Walking in Sicily:
The Splendors of Sicily walking tour Oct 24-30, 2011 explores the beautiful countryside and coastal pathways in eastern Sicily, and includes guided visits to archeological sites and a private Sicilian puppet show. Join Italian Connection’s founder Anita Iaconangelo as she gives you an insider tour in the area she calls home, and see for yourself why this tour won National Geographic Traveler’s award of “50 Tours of a Lifetime”.  

Space is limited to just 2 more travelers, so book today to receive your $100 per person discount.

Call 1-800-462-7911
E-mail: info@italian-connection.com

Visit the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento on our Splendors of Sicily walking tour

Cycling in Sicily:
If you prefer to tour Sicily by bike, we highly recommend our friends at Ciclismo Classico, the experts at bicycling vacations.  Cycle through eastern Sicily as well as the lovely Aeolian islands on their La Bella Sicilia Est  bicycling tour Sept 27-Oct 5 or Oct 22-30, 2011.  Enjoy turquoise seas and the Mt. Etna volcano on this fabulous tour. Space is limited so book today!

Call: 1-800-866-7314
info@ciclismoclassico.com
Mention code ICsicily to receive a discount of $100 per person.

(Discounts cannot be combined with other offers and are not retroactive.  Offer is valid for a limited number of participants on a first come first served basis.)

Read more about Sicily:

Best Hotel Breakfast in Sicily

History of a Sicilian Biscuit

Images from Splendors of Sicily walking tour

The Tre Cime – Three Peaks - di Lavaredo, are some of the most photographed mountains of the Dolomites, and the surrounding walking trails offer beautiful hikes.  However, since this spectacular area is served by a good road and offers some easy walks, it can get packed with hikers.  Here’s how to enjoy this walk without the crowds along a medium difficulty trail with great views. 

Start early in the day before the crowds arrive, and you’ll be done your hike before the frequent afternoon thunderstorms.  Avoid Sundays, when the Tre Cime di Lavaredo area is overrun, though the people watching is astonishing: loud families with wild kids, super-fit climbers, pudgy walkers gasping for air, young Italian couples in tight jeans and high heels, and hoards of nuns in hiking boots.  All rather amusing but hardly peaceful.

Once you have found a parking place in the vast parking area (and paid the 20 euro per car toll/entrance fee) you can stop for a coffee at the Rifugio Auronzo before setting off on this loop walk around the 3 Cime di Lavaredo.

Walk to the end of the lower parking areas, and take the #105 trail (this overlaps with part of the Alta Via #4, one of the Dolomites High Routes long distance trails).  Follow this trail all the way to the Rifugio Lavaredo, which will take about 2-1/2 hours.  If you start early in the day (by 9.30 am), you will see almost no one on this trail and can enjoy the scenery in blissful solitude. Note the wildflowers, especially the yellow alpine poppies that favor this rugged rocky terrain. There is some steep up and down along the trail, but if done slowly, it is not difficult.  Along the way, you will pass some tiny lakes surrounded by wild rhododendron, and a malga, an alpine dairy farm, which may be serving cool glasses of fresh milk. 

The Rifugio Lavaredo is at an intersection of several trails, so it is often chaotic with wild-haired climbers and sweaty hikers.  Welcome back to civilization. At least you can enjoy a pit stop and refuel with Dolomitic portions of chocolate cake and apple strudel.  

You now follow the main wide trail #101 with breathtaking views and a bit of a climb up to the small pass that offers the best views of the 3 Cime as well as alpine climbers on the north face.  (Above you there is a narrow trail from a WW I battlefield, where there is a via ferrata, a trail equipped with fixed cables, but you keep to the main walking trail).  You’ll get to the Rifugio Lavaredo in about 90 minutes, which is a good place for lunch.  A hearty plate of polenta with goulash spiced with juniper berries is a traditonal food in this part of Italy and will taste oh-so-good.   

After the Rifugio Lavaredo you will no doubt find lots of walkers, but it hardly matters at this point because you have had such a great walk.  It takes another 20-30 minutes to reach the parking area of the Rifugio Auronzo where you started.  You will have seen an impressive number of Dolomite peaks along the way- the Cristallo, Sorapiss, Croda Rossa – as well as the beautiful blue lake of Misurina.  Now you know why this is one of the most spectacular walks in the Dolomites, if not all of  Italy!

My previous posts about the Dolomites include Gourmet Dining in Rifugi and a Via Ferrata Hike with Christopher Buckley on video.

We are based in Cortina when we do this walk on our Wildlflowers in the Dolomites walking tour, where we stay in the historic Hotel Ancora in downtown Cortina, or if you want to be utterly pampered in a luxurious spa hotel, the Hotel Cristallo Palace a few kilometers up the hill with a shuttle service into town. E-mail us as we often have specially discounted hotel rates at the Cristallo for individual travelers.

Our new 3-hour chocolate-making class in Umbria is available at a 25% savings – enjoy a discount, lots of fun and plenty of chocolate – what could be better? 

Our  chocolate making class will take place near Perugia, Umbria, right next door to the Perugina chocolate factory, creators of the Bacio, the Italian chocolate kiss.  The new school is designed so that each student has their own well-equipped workspace for this hands-on lesson, and plenty of chocolate to play with. 

Our chocolate making lesson in Italy will be dedicated to making cioccolatini, little gift chocolates that make friends faster than Facebook. As you learn the tricks of handling chocolate like a professional, you will be encouraged to personalize your chocolates with your own creative flair. 

Anita (that’s me) will be with the class to translate the Italian chocolate master’s instructions, as well as get hands-on messy. Since I love dark chocolate -milk chocolate is simply not chocolate to me – my focus will be on making the darkest cioccolatini.  I promise to share. 

This chocolate making class is complimentary for our Umbria Walking & Cooking Tour participants.  Non-tour participants can join this 1-day chocolate making  lesson at the cost of $100 per person (75 euro) -that’s a savings of 25% over our introductory price.  

Includes a 3-hour lesson under the tutelage of an Italian chocolate master, translation services, plenty of chocolate for your creations, apron (with your chocolate fingerprints) and anything leftover that you don’t manage to eat.
 
Details:  Sunday, June 13th, 10.00 am at Perugina in the San Sisto district on the outskirts of Perugia, Umbria.  This special 3-hour chocolate making workshop has just 10 spaces available.  For reservations, please call 1-800-462-7911 or register here: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2v11oej10d64f76 

Other dates are available in fall and spring for a 1-day chocolate making workshop.  E-mail us with your preferred dates: info@italian-connection.com

Each student has their own workspace at our chocolate-making school

My favorite place for a summer walking tour is the Dolomites, and now you can enjoy idyllic hikes, breathtaking wildflowers, and great food with these 3 special offers:

Luxury Perks Offer
Stay in our signature luxurious 4 & 5-star hotels (including the Relais & Chateaux Rosa Alpina and historic Hotel Ancora in Cortina) plus enjoy these complimentary perks:

Wildflowers in the Dolomites, July 7-13:
Enjoy a complimentary dinner at the 2-star Michelin restaurant St. Hubertus with a 5-course tasting menu.

Cortina Dolomites High Routes, July 13-17:
Pamper yourself with a spacious suite upgrade for all 4 nights.

Book both tours and receive an additional 2-night suite upgrade and a discount of $100 per person. 

Simply Italian Offer
Stay in simpler hotels and welcoming B&B, but enjoy all the same great meals & activities of our signature luxury tour.
Wildflowers in the Dolomites -Save $500 per person

Cortina Dolomites High Routes -Save $250 per person

Book both tours and enjoy an additional discount of $100 per person, for a total savings of $850 per person.

Only 2 rooms available for these offers: Call today- 1-800-462-7911

Solo Traveler Offer

No single supplement for our Wildflowers in the Dolomites walking tour (save $725) or Cortina Dolomites High Routes hike (save $530).

Book both tours and in addition you’ll receive a complimentary pre-tour hotel night in Bolzano. Offer limited to 2 single rooms per tour. 
Call today to book your Dolomites walking tour: 1-800-462-7911

For day-by-day itineraries of our Dolomites walking tours, click:

Wildflowers in the Dolomites  – July 7-13, a walking tour in 3 valleys

Dolomites High Routes - July 13-17, a walking tour from Cortina

More News from the Dolomites of Italy:

We’ve been organizing walking tours in the Dolomites for 18 years, and the New York Times recently discovered some of our favorite dining spots and hotels (Rifugio Averau and Hotel Ancora), except we go without the snow!  Read the NYT’s winter in the Dolomites article.

The long-awaited article about our Dolomites tour by Christopher Buckley is due to be published in ForbesLife in September, 2010. We’ll keep you posted.  In the meantime, see Christopher talking about his Italian Connection tour on video-he took the exciting via ferrata option, which I wrote about in this previous post.

Anita Iaconangelo, founder of Italian Connection, we’ll be leading both of the Dolomites tours.  She knows the walking & hiking trails of the Dolomites almost as well as she knows the best pastry shops.  Don’t miss out on the most spectacular mountains in Europe -the Dolomites are now a UNESCO protected area. 

Call to book your Dolomites walking tour:

Toll free USA & Canada: 800-462 7911 

Telephone Canada:  780-438-5712

Italy: (39) 0932 231 816

We’ve added a chocolate making lesson to our Walking & Cooking in Umbria tour June 8-13th.  There is just one room left on this fabulous tour, which includes a special offer with great perks.  

If you don’t manage to snag that last room, join us for a 1-day chocolate making class. 

Our chocolate making class will take place near Perugia, Umbria, right next door to the Perugina chocolate factory, creators of the Bacio, the Italian chocolate kiss.  The new school is designed so that each student has their own well-equipped workspace for this hands-on lesson, and plenty of chocolate to play with.

Our chocolate making lesson in Italy will be dedicated to making cioccolatini, little gift chocolates that make friends faster than Facebook. As you learn the tricks of handling chocolate like a professional, you will be encouraged to personalize your chocolates with your own creative flair.

Anita (that’s me) will be with the class to translate the Italian chocolate master’s instructions, as well as get hands-on messy. Since I love dark chocolate -milk chocolate is simply not chocolate to me – my focus will be on making the darkest cioccolatini.  I promise to share.

This chocolate making class is complimentary for our Umbria Walking & Cooking Tour participants.  Non-tour participants can join the chocolate making  lesson at the cost of $125 per person. 

Includes a 3-hour lesson under the tutelage of an Italian chocolate master, translation services, plenty of chocolate for your creations, apron (with your chocolate fingerprints) and anything leftover that you don’t manage to eat.
 
Details:  Sunday, June 13th, 10.00 am at Perugina in the San Sisto district on the outskirts of Perugia, Umbria.  This special 3-hour chocolate making workshop is limited to 14 students.  For reservations, please call 1-800-462-7911 or email for availability. 

Each student has their own workspace at our chocolate-making school

Most state-run museums and archeological sites in Italy offer free entrance during Culture Week, April 16-25, 2010, which the sharp-eyed will note, is actually 10 days long.   The Settimana della Cultura is an annual event, and is typically a favorite time for school field trips, which means that sites can be crowded with kids who could care less about where they are, just as long as it is not their regular classroom.  Due to volcanic ash, many flights have been cancelled, so if you are already in Italy, you will enjoy free museums with far less crowds than normal. 

In addition, there are sites not normally open to the public that can be visited on specific days during Culture Week.  For more information visit the Italian website, then click on the map of Italy to choose the region and find special events.

Located between the towns of Montepulciano and Pienza in southern Tuscany, the Podere Dionora is a luxurious 6-room boutique hotel set in the midst of 100 acres of peaceful countryside with outstanding views.  It offers the services of a top luxury hotel with the warmth and intimacy of a private Tuscan villa.  The rooms offer a combination of classic Tuscan design with fine linens and  luxurious  bathrooms while the extensive gardens feature a stunning new pool with views stretching across the Val d’Orcia.  Perhaps the best part of the Podere Dionora is the warm welcoming service that makes any stay extraordinary.  I have personally stayed at the Podere Dionora on many occasions, and from the moment I walked in the front door, it felt as welcoming as a second home, while fulfilling that heady desire to experience living in a luxurious fully-staffed Tuscan villa.   If only it were forever!

Italian Connection has been a loyal partner of Podere Dionora since it first opened 12 years ago, and we stay here on our Tuscany Hilltowns walking tour.  We are now able to offer exclusive savings and complimentary perks to independent travelers:

• 20% off regular room rates, any time, with no minimum stay.
• Complimentary bottle of Dionora’s Rosso DOC wine
• Free room upgrade upon arrival (based on availability)

Special Italian Connection rates at the Dionora can only be booked directly through the hotel.   When inquiring about availability on their website,  under “Requests” please specify the discount code “IC20-Anita” to receive 20% off the Dionora’s rack rates. 

Podere Dionora has long been a favorite on our Tuscany Hilltowns tour as well as for private groups of family & friends, who rent all the rooms for the wonderful experience of staying in a fully-staffed villa in one of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany with spectacular walking.   Podere Dionora is the kind of place that invites you to leave your worries behind. You can just kick back and relax at the gorgeous pool, or hire a private guide and driver for a day exploring the beautiful Tuscan hill towns, or wine tasting at nearby wineries.  The Dionora is in a strategic position for visiting many towns in Tuscany and Umbria, and dining in excellent restaurants with authentic Tuscan cuisine. We can organize a private tour for 2 or more people, with the Podere Dionora as your base. Call 780-438-5712 to discuss your tour.

Save $100 per person and enjoy a complimentary Rome airport transfer on Italian Connection’s walking & cooking tour in Umbria,  June 8-14, 2010.

New for 2010, this walking & cooking in Umbria tour includes a stay at the top-rated Palazzetta del Vescovo, a lovely country inn near the hill town of Todi.  You’ll be welcomed by the owners, Stefano and Paola, whose warm hospitality will make you feel immediately at home.  Plus, Paola is a great cook and Stefano is a sommelier, so we’ll learn all about the culinary delights of Umbria, too.  Join in a cooking lesson in the kitchen with Paola and learn about Umbria’s fine wines with Stefano in between glorious countryside walks and visits to Umbria’s magnificent hill towns.

Discount offer is valid for just 2 couples, so call 1-800-462-7911 today.

Click for a complete day-to-day itinerary.

Get in the mood for cooking in Umbria with a farro soup recipe.