Tim Holtz

Cost

• $5528.00 | per person

Jim West

October 28 - 30, 2013

If you are interested in continuing your jouney after our Tuscany tour, join us for an additional tour of Rome. The cost of the Rome add-on is $1370.00 per person.

Take advantage of our payment plan!

We offer a low monthly payment plan to make it easy to book the scrapbooking vacation of your dreams! To take advantage of this and to make your reservations you can call us toll free at 877-887-1188 or make your reservations online.

For additional questions regarding airfare, transfers, insurance, pre-night packages and cabin categories, please call our toll-free number or use our convenient form.

Package Includes

• Round-trip airfare from New York
• First Class hotel accommodations
• Private motor coach & driver
• Most meals

• All taxes
• All transfers
• Special events
• Sightseeing as listed in the itinerary

Tuscany Itinerary

Tim Holtz Artful Adventures begins with an overnight flight from New York to TUSCANY. Please check in 3-4 hours before our departure time. During our flight this evening, dinner will be served onboard the plane. D

This morning a breakfast snack will be served onboard the plane before we arrive in Tuscany. Upon arrival at the airport, we will collect our luggage and meet our bus driver who will take us to our awaiting motor coach. We will then travel to our hotel, the GRAND HOTEL LA PACE, located in the heart of the charming resort town of MONTECATINI TERME. This will be our home for the next eight nights. Later in the afternoon we will meet in the lobby of our hotel and Jim West will take us on a leisurely stroll through the streets of the town, and you’ll learn what makes this place one of the most attractive resort spa towns in all of Italy. Tonight we will enjoy a “welcome dinner” at our hotel and everyone will have an opportunity to meet Tim Holtz and learn more about this exciting adventure. B, D

This morning, following a delicious breakfast, we will enjoy our first 3 hour session of our master class with Tim! When class finishes midday, there will be time for lunch on your own before we board our bus and drive to the town of PISA, where there will be time to photograph the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Later in the afternoon, we will return to our hotel and enjoy the remainder of the evening on our own. There are all kinds of wonderful little Italian bistros and restaurants that will offer a lovely opportunity to enjoy an inexpensive, but fabulous dinner. Tonight, you may opt to take a stroll in the central part of the town and finish your day with some homemade gelato! B

This morning, after a hearty breakfast, we will drive through the picturesque landscape of Tuscany to the hillside town of SAN GIMIGNANO, famous for its ceramics. Here we have free time to shop in one of the many shops along the main thoroughfare, visit the beautiful basilica, have a gelato in the charming piazza and enjoy the views of the Tuscany Valley. We will all meet and board our coach midday, for a short drive to visit a typical family owned winery - the SAN DONATO WINERY. Here we will have a unique opportunity to learn how Tuscan wines are produced in this region. A light lunch will be served at the winery, along with wine tasting, and our afternoon will be filled with great fun and good cheer. We will return to our hotel later in the afternoon, and the remainder of the evening is at your leisure. B, L

This morning following breakfast, we will drive to the historic town of SIENA. Here we will visit the Church of Santa Dominico, which houses relics of St. Catherine. We will then stroll through the narrow streets, from piazza to piazza until we arrive at the famous Piazza del Campo, site of the biannual Palio, Siena’s spectacular medieval-style horse race. This race is so popular, that the horses actually walk into a church with the rider, prior to the race, and are blessed inside the church! There will be plenty of time to have lunch on our own and shop in some of the very special shops. We will leave Siena later in the afternoon and return to our hotel. Tonight, we will enjoy a delicious dinner together at our hotel, followed by an evening 2 hour session of our continued master class with Tim. B, D

This morning following a leisurely breakfast, we will visit to the IL POGGIO WINERY for an authentic TUSCANY COOKING LESSON. Our instructor is an Italian grandpa who is a retired executive chef. This is a hands-on class, and we’ll each learn how to make homemade pasta, different sauces, sample homemade crostini, and learn the recipe to make the popular Italian drink, Limoncello. Following our cooking lesson, we’ll walk into the vineyard and learn about wine making and olive oil production. This is followed by wine tasting and a delicious five course lunch! We will return (stagger) back to our hotel later in the afternoon, where the remainder of the evening is free for you to enjoy at your leisure. B, L

Today following a delicious breakfast, we will meet our guide Ellen and we will all travel along the coast to one of the most picturesque places in all of Italy, the extraordinary CINQUE TERRE. This tour begins with a drive to the northwest area of Tuscany, where we will pass the famous Carrara Marble quarries, made famous by Michelangelo, who obtained his marble from this location. Upon our arrival at the Cinque Terre, our first of three stops will be a visit to the town of RIOMAGGIORE. Here we will walk around, shop and stroll through the inviting streets for a short while before we board a train that will take us to our next stop, the town of VERNAZZA. There will be plenty of time to enjoy lunch on our own and shop in the very special boutique shops. We will continue our journey to the last of the small towns we will visit, and take the train to our final stop, MONTEROSSO. Again, we will have time for more photographs, a nice gelato perhaps, and walking around at our leisure. In the later part of the afternoon we will board the train and ride to the town of La Spezia. Here we will meet our coach and driver who will take us back to our hotel. Tonight, dinner is served at our hotel. B, D

This morning, following breakfast we will enjoy our final 2 hour session of our master class with Tim. Midmorning, we will leave our hotel and drive to the famous VERRAZZANO CASTLE in the CHIANTI REGION. As we travel through this area, we will find landscapes and scenery that are picture postcards, as we go from the Tuscany region to Chianti. Upon our arrival at the castle, we will enjoy a guided tour and then feast on a delicious five course lunch, complete with a variety of wines from this extraordinary winery. It is truly a glorious afternoon that will no doubt find a permanent place in our hearts. We will return to our hotel where the remainder of the evening is at your leisure. B, L

Today, following an early breakfast, we will journey to the “Cradle of the Italian Renaissance,” the beautiful city of FLORENCE. Upon our arrival, we will drive to the Piazza Michelangelo, where we will have an opportunity to take photographs of the city. This piazza will give us some shots of Florence below, where we will see the River Arno, the famous Ponte Vecchio and many of the landmark sights. We will then travel into the central part of the city, where we will meet our local expert guide Christina, who will take us on a leisurely walking tour, enlightening us with many highlights of the city’s priceless treasures. We will start outside the famous Academy Gallery, which houses Michelangelo’s monumental figure of David, and then proceed to Piazza del Duomo, the center of religious life in medieval Florence. Here we’ll see the impressive Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Baptistery, where we will view the masterfully crafted bronze doors. We make our way from piazza to piazza, and pass special boutique shops that will beckon us to step inside. We will finally arrive at the Church of Santa Croce, burial place of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli. This will be our meeting place later in the day. We will give everyone an opportunity for free time in Florence for lunch on your own, shopping in the markets and wonderful stores, and visit the spectacular art museums. Later in the afternoon, we will drive back to our hotel. Tonight a special “farewell dinner” will be served at our hotel, as we bring our Tuscany Expedition to a close. B, D

This morning we will pack our luggage and depart for the airport for your flight back to New York. During our flight, lunch and a snack will be served on board the airplane. B, L, Snack

Rome Itinerary

For those who are adding the ROME package onto your tour, following breakfast, we will enjoy a three hour drive south to the Eternal City. Upon our arrival, we will meet our guide Antonio, and participate in a PANORAMIC TOUR OF ROME, driving past the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Circus Maximus, the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, Santa Maria Marjorie and drive on the famous Via Veneto and in Republic Square. We will also visit the Trevi Fountain, where we will throw our coins in the fountain, assuring our return back to Italy. Later in the afternoon, we will check into our first class hotel, and settle in. Tonight we will enjoy dinner and reminisce about our day. B, D

This morning, following breakfast, we will go to the VATICAN CITY. Here we will meet Antonio once again, who will provide for us an informative guided tour of the Vatican Museum, Vatican Garden, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. In the early afternoon we will travel to the famous TIVOLI GARDENS & FOUNTAINS, located outside the city. Without doubt, this is some of the most beautiful landscaping in a private residence in all of Italy, if not the world. These gardens and fountains are located at the famous Villa D’Este, one of the special estates built hundreds of years ago, commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este. There will be time for taking photographs and leisurely walking through the grounds. If you love incredible landscaping, you don’t want to miss this spectacular place. We will return to our hotel later in the afternoon. B

Today is completely free for you to enjoy at your leisure. You may opt to visit the Spanish Steps, walk through the Coliseum and Forum, stroll through some of the great piazzas in the city - the Piazza Novona, Piazza Republica or the Pantheon area, shop in some of the very special boutique shops on Via Nationale or just sleep in and relax at our hotel. Tonight we will enjoy a “farewell dinner” and bring our Italy Adventure to a close. B, D

This morning we will check out of our hotel and drive to the Rome Airport for our flight back to the New York. During our flight, lunch and a snack will be served on board the airplane. B, L, Snack