Details and FAQ’s – Tuscany September 2022 Trip!
What does the Trip Cost Cover?
- Your Room for 6 nights including Breakfast
- Courtesy Shuttle to and from Florence to our destination town
- Welcome dinner the first night, dinner will also be served at our cooking class! On other nights you will be on your town in town with lots of options
- Cooking class 😉
- Wine tasting afternoon with lunch served.
- Private transport to Lucca for the Antique Market (or shopping and sightseeing if you don’t like antiques)
- Idea sharing sessions and some creative sessions can be scheduled and will be shared in advance.
- Tour of the town by local artist
What to expect:
Italy is such an iconic place and we all have ideas of what it will be like for us. Tuscany is very picturesque, has many beautiful villages, pathways and scenic roads to enjoy. It is one of the most gorgeous places in the world, but there are hills, cobblestone streets, uneven paths and weather that can be unpredictable. Things will be different than they are at home. The Internet is slow, the food is different, they speak a different language and they don’t have the same lifestyle that we do. They are happy to put things off until tomorrow “a domani”. I often use the phrase “hurry up and wait” when taking groups to Europe. It is not an “on-demand” culture, embrace the pace!
- It is important that all participants are mobile and can manage walking up hills, along cobblestone streets and manage steps. There is a LOT of walking in Tuscany, a lot of it uphill. Good news? You’ll lose weight no matter what you eat!
- This is not a 5-star trip! We will be staying in places that were once old homes. There are no elevators, all the rooms are different and typically European “hotel” rooms are very small. Room choice will be given first-come-first-served based on receipt of deposit. Having said that, everywhere we stay has great common space that you can use at any time, we don’t do much more than sleep in our rooms! How can you go wrong? You’ll be in Tuscany!
Logistical Questions:
- What airport should I fly into?
Pisa or Florence airports are the closest airports to our retreat; the shuttle bus will pick up in Florence at Noon on the day the retreat begins. You can fly into any airport in Italy and just take a train to Florence that morning to get picked up also. Please take possible flight or train delays into account.
- What time should I arrive?
You should be in Florence by Noon (near the train station) on the Retreat Start Date. That means you need to give yourself time to get into Florence or be there the night before. I
HIGHLY suggest that you plan to arrive in Italy a day or two earlier so you can get used to the time change and be ready to go on our start date.
We recommend that you schedule your flight to arrive a day ahead of the retreat and then make plans to see the sights or catch up on sleep.
REMEMBER that when you are booking your flight to Italy, it is an overnight flight from most places so you have to realize the day you schedule your flight is NOT the day you arrive.
When needing to arrive on Wednesday, you need to book your flight to leave on Tuesday and arrive on Wednesday (+1 will show up on the flight details) Do NOT book your flight until you have heard from us that the trip is a go and your space is secured.
TIP: There are many hotels near the airport/train station in Florence that you can walk to the center of town. This is the easiest and most convenient way if you are staying a night or two ahead of the retreat. I am happy to recommend hotels!
Who will I be rooming with?
Each room will accommodate 2 people with individual beds. If you would like to have your own private room that is also possible, there is just a price difference and limited availability so please let me know as soon as possible when you sign up.
Please also let me know whom you would like to room with and I will make every effort to make that happen. There will be plenty of time together to get to know everyone and I am confident you will take away not only great memories from this week but lifelong friends as well!
Why is the trip deposit non-refundable?
There is well over a year’s worth of time and planning that goes into making these events successful. There is a nonrefundable deposit at the time of sign up to make sure those signing up are serious about securing their place, this deposit is used immediately to secure our lodging, shuttles, etc. The event venue, hotels, excursions, and classes are planned well in advance and do have specific deadlines and/or policies and therefore are not refundable after a certain point. (Similar to Airbnb) We understand that things come up and something may happen to prevent you from attending. For this reason, we also REQUIRE trip insurance.
What should I pack?
PACK LIGHTLY!! You will be “lugging” your luggage up and down stairs, down cobblestone streets and all over the place. If you can get it all in a carry on bag, BRAVO! Neither of our hotels has elevators so make SURE you can manage your bag. We are in a mountain town so the dress can is fairly casual. Down vests or jackets should it be cool enough and comfortable walking shoes are imperative. You’d be surprised how a scarf can spice up any outfit!! Beds and pillows in Europe may not be what we are used to. If you have a favorite pillow, you may want to bring it providing it fits in your bag. Make sure you carry on a change of clothes, basic toiletries and any medication you may take. Luggage does get lost. It will find us eventually, but at least you will have your basic essentials with you. There is a laundromat nearby!
Important Note:
This trip requires a minimum number of 10 participants. Pricing is based on a “full” trip. If less people apply, the price could go up OR you would have a chance to cancel.