Paula's Tour Talk

Save $400 on The Best of Tuscany Tour

 Join us this fall for 10 glorious days in Tuscany.

With a lovely boutique hotel in Florence as our base (unpack once and settle in), you'll experience the treasures of Tuscany during the best time of year.

Highlights of the October 3-12th tour include:

• Michelangelo's David
• Botticelli, Da Vinci, and the masterpieces of the Renaissance
• Evening Art Talks with wine
• Hands-on cooking class in a villa
• Secret Shopping Tour
• A day in Tuscany mini-bus tour with stops in Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggione with a special lunch and wine-tasting at an agriturismo farm

Watch this video for more highlights.

Unlike other tours, you will enjoy a truly authentic experience in Florence and Tuscany at a relaxed pace.

And, all the experiences on the itinerary-- day trips, museums, most meals,and even the cooking class are included in the price of the tour--no hidden costs or extra charges.

All our tours are limited to 12 women, so you get a private tour experience with the fun and camaraderie of a small group.

See the full itinerary at The Best of Tuscany: October 3-12, 2010  and learn how you can save $400.00 if you act fast.

Spring 2010: Tuscan Treasures

I can't wait to board the plane that will take me to Milan for Living La Dolce Vita tour to Milan, Lake Como and Venice in a little over a month. But I'm also excited about the next trip after that.

 Tuscan Treasures: April 18-27, 2009 is a fabulous tour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, too.

This tour is going to be filmed by Carol Carini, videographer and owner of Billabong Studios and Billabong TV. You won't even know she is filming and the raw footage will be turned into a series of half hour segments for a food and travel pilot.

The potential exposure for you and your business is huge!

And there's more. Sandra Levitin, owner of the online magazine Kalon Women will be joining us, and several other high-powered savvy women are checking their calendars and hoping to come along, too.

Because of the filming and the networking, our accountant tells us that this tour could be partially tax deductible for business owners.  How's that for a bonus?

Tuscan Treasures is a 10 day tour, based in this beautiful hotel in Florence. Unpack once and relax. 

We'll fully explore this amazing Renaissance gem and its art treasures--with plenty of time for shopping and exploring too.

We'll also enjoy a hands-on cooking class in a villa outside the city, day trip to Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and tiny Montereggione, and much more.

Spring is a lovely time to visit Tuscany: the weather is mild, flowers are blooming, and menus feature fresh spring specialties like Pasta Primavera.

If you've been dreaming of Italy and would like to see it in the company of savvy, interesting women, this tour is for you.

I'd love to have you join us and be part of the filming, too.

This tour is strictly limited to 12 tour members, and I expect it to fill up fast.

Avoid disappointment and sign up now for this unique combination of pleasure and business.

You can see the full itinerary and all the details here.

Off to Italy

I'm leaving this afternoon and heading to London for a few days with friends--and a visit to the National Gallery where there's more Italian Renaissance art than any place outside of Italy. And then, I'll be in Florence to meet the members of the fall Tastes of Tuscany tour.

It's going to be a great trip! We'll go to the Uffizi museum and San Marco Monastery (where Fra Angelico painted a fresco on each monk's cell wall). We'll see the David and the magnificent Medici chapel in the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi. And much much more.

We'll take day trips to Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, Fiesole, and Stia (where we'll take a hike in the Tuscan hills and search for wild mushrooms and then enjoy a lunch made by my friend and talented cook, Martha). We might even get to visit Lucca.  Of course, we'll feast on delicious fall specialties like gnocchi in cream sauce, risotto, and pasta with truffles. And shopping....

Can you tell I am ready to go?

I won't be able to post from Italy, but did you know that you can access ALL my previous posts? There are almost three years worth of articles. Just click on a category (on the right) and find all the articles on that topic (some are filed under more than one category). Check out the recipes, or books, or articles about Italian art.

I'll be back in November and posting regularly again. Ciao! Paula

Announcing the Spring 2009 Tours

We are so pleased to announce three tours for Spring 2009.

There's the Tastes of Tuscany (April 26- May 7, 2009), an in-depth tour of this famous region with a special focus on food and wine. We'll make our base in Florence and visit Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and Fiesole. Of course, we'll have plenty of time to see the Renaissance treasures of Florence, too. This tour also includes a hands-on cooking class in a lovely villa in the Tuscan countryside, and our Secret Shopping Tour.

Then there's the Artful Tour of Florence & Venice (May 10-21, 2009), perfect for art lovers who want to really understand what they're seeing. This tour includes a day trip to Siena and San Gimignano as well as 3 days in magical Venice. You'll love floating along the canals in a gondola and hearing a Vivaldi concert in a beautiful former church. This tour also includes a hands-on cooking class in a Tuscan villa, and fantastic shopping.

Finally, we are delighted to be partnering with master coach and best-selling author Caterina Rando in offering 2 one-week tours of Living La Dolce Vita featuring Caterina's Uplift Your Life Program. Choose either May 24-31 or May 31-June 7, 2009. We'll begin and end in Italy's fashion capital, Milan, spend a few relaxing days in Varenna--that's a photo of our hotel-- on Lake Como (with a day trip to fabulous Bellagio), and 2 days in Venice. During three afternoons, you'll learn new skills and strategies for living your best life in the exciting Uplift Your Life Program. This is a very special and unique tour and...it may be tax deductible, so check with your accountant.

Speaking of money, we've worked hard to keep our prices down, and in fact are offering the Tastes of Tuscany and Artful Tours at 2008 prices. Don't let stories about the euro keep you from living your dream. The exchange rate really matters if you're an importer/exporter, but for travelers the difference in the last few years is generally about $150 for a two week stay.

Prices aren't likely to go down anytime soon and may very well continue to rise. The gloomy newspaper reports have had an effect on tourism though, and the good news is that the crowds are smaller and many shops and restaurants are offering discounts and bargains. It's actually a great time to visit Italy!

Finally, we're offering an Early Bird Special for those who sign-up with a deposit for any of the spring tours by October 31, 2008. You'll save $200.00 on your Final Payment. That's $200.00 you can use to buy a gorgeous leather bag or two!

We do expect these tours to fill quickly, so don't delay! Find full information at Time of Your Life Tour News.

Video Interview

I recently did an interview with Zita Gustin on Billabong TV (an internet video channel) about Time of Your Life Tours. This was done live with no rehearsal and, well, it's a bit unsettling (no, horrifying) to see myself this way. Nonetheless, I had a great time making it and thought you all might enjoy seeing and learning more about me and the tours. Take a look and let me know what you think. Interview on Biz Talk with Zita: Part One and Part Two.  

One Last Masterpiece

Ciao da Milano! We had such a wonderful time in magical Venice. The time seemed to evaporate and now we are back in Milan. Tomorrow is our last day before flying home.

Way back in January I was able to reserve some of the last available tickets for viewing Leonardo's Last Supper tomorrow. I am thrilled to be able to show it to my client (who, of course, is also now my friend!).

After centuries of damage, neglect, and disastrous attempts at restoration, this masterpiece of Western art underwent a 21 year  major restoration and reopened to the public in 1999. Now the former monastery refectory is a sealed, climate-controlled room, and all visits must be booked ahead. You are only allowed a maximum of 15 minutes to view it.

I've been studying this fascinating work for quite a while and I can't wait to see it 'in person'. When I get back I'll be sharing some of what I've learned.

It's been a great trip and I wish it weren't ending. I never get tired of the most beautiful country in the world, and am always anxious to come back. Of course, it will be good to see my family and my little dog, too.

I have lots of new ideas for articles and art talks when I get home. More soon.

Ciao!

I am flying to London tomorrow to spend a few days with my dear friend Jennifer, author of several great cookbooks, including Small Bites. I will visit the reconstructed Globe Theatre and  the National Gallery, which has the finest collection of Italian Renaissance paintings outside of Italy. It's home to one of my favorite works, Crivelli's beautiful and symbolic Annunciation with St. Emidius.

I also hope to catch a ride on the London Eye, the gigantic ferris wheel built to celebrate the millennium in 2000. (Some people love roller coasters, and some of us adore ferris wheels...).

Then, I will be going on to Milan, where I am meeting a private client for whom I've designed a special two week tour. In addition to Milan at the beginning and end of the tour, we'll visit lovely Varenna in Lake Como, Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, and Venice. I am hoping for slightly warmer weather than the chilly temperatures in the 50's of recent days.

Although it's a little tricky composing on European computers--the keyboard is configured differently, I will try to post some short articles as we go.

Do take a few minutes and check out the National Gallery website, which has great features, including virtual tours of the collections.

And, if you're dreaming of Italy, we still have some places left on our fall tours: The Tastes of Tuscany and An Artful Tour of Florence and Venice.

Ciao!

Fall 2008 Tours

I am thrilled to announce that Time of Your Life Tours is offering two fabulous tours this fall:
An Artful Tour of Florence & Venice and also our newest itinerary,Tastes of Tuscany.  Both are fully inclusive 14 day land tours designed especially for women.

The Artful Tour of Florence & Venice  is our signature tour that includes all kinds of extras like a ride in a Venetian gondola, an evening Vivaldi concert, and of course, great shopping. This tour focuses on the art, history and culture of two of the best loved cities in Italy. You'll spend lots of time in Florence and Venice, and visit Siena and  San Gimignano, too.

The Tastes of Tuscany Tour is our in-depth exploration of the art, history, and cuisine of Italy's most famous region--all from our base in Florence. You'll see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Siena's magnificent cathedral, the  medieval towers of San Gimignano,  the charming hill town of Fiesole, and much more. This tour also includes two days of hands-on cooking classes at a wonderful villa outside Florence where you'll learn to make a variety of traditional Tuscan specialties, including hand-made pastas. You'll also be treated to our Secret Shopping Tour.

We take a civilized, unhurried approach to travel so you get a chance to fully experience all the treasures and pleasures of beautiful Italy.

Our tours are great for girlfriend getaways, book club tours, and for special birthday celebrations. At Time of Your Life Tours we take care of everything so you can relax and enjoy every minute of your trip for the time of your life.

Home From Italy & Ready to Return

It was perfect-- warm sunny weather every day, delicious food and wine, fantastic shopping, spectacular art, and a terrific group of women--there they are on the left, in the gardens of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi .

Our launch of An Artful Tour of Florence and Venice couldn't have been more delightful.

We learned a few things too. We learned that women really are hungry for interesting information about the amazing art they see on the tour.  We learned that what we've been calling "small group tours" are actually "private customized tours." We learned that women LOVE to shop in the tiny specialty stores, in the open-air markets like the one pictured here,and in the unique artisan shops in Florence and Venice.

We learned that we truly love sharing the joys of Italy.

Teresa and I are already looking forward to our next tour in the spring. It's good to be home, but we can't wait to get back to la bella Italia.

In the next few days, I'll be back to writing a couple of articles a week as usual, and I'll post some more photos from the tour. In the meantime, I am keeping my fingers crossed that my luggage finds it way home to me....

 

Tour News

Teresa and I can't wait to welcome the fabulous women on Time of Your Life Tours' fall trip.  We'll be greeting them at our lovely hotel in Florence in less than a month. They've all received packing suggestions and other tips to make the tour the time of their lives and the excitement is mounting.

Soon we'll be sharing the pleasures and treasures of Italy. The glorious David, my favorite Botticellis, fall pasta dishes with truffles and wild mushrooms, a glass of Prosecco in a cafe on Piazza San Marco in Venice, the Grand Canal by moonlight, fall colors in the Tuscan countryside, real cappuchino and espresso, great shopping....it's all waiting. I wish we were leaving tomorrow.

Teresa and I always take a few days before and after a tour to do some scouting and to prepare future itineraries. This time we are thrilled to be checking out a cooking class that meets in a villa outside Florence. I think we've finally found the perfect class for our tour members and if all goes well, we will be offering a one-day hands-on cooking class as a free time option for our April 2008 tour.

We're also hoping to get to Montecatini Terme, one of the world's most deluxe spa towns, to see if we can arrange for our tour members to get some real pampering in April.  It's a tough job, but someone has to check things out!

Like autumn, spring is an enchanting time to visit Italy. We've had lots of inquiries about the April tour and a few spots (there are only 15 total) are already filled. One woman was able to use frequent flyer miles for her flight, and if that's your plan, you need to act quickly.

If you're thinking of joining us, please don't delay. We had to turn away some very disappointed women who wished to join our October tour at the last minute.

You'll find all the details at An Artful Tour of Florence and Venice, April 2008 and, of course, we are happy to answer any questions. Just send us an email  at info@timeofyourlifetours.net (include your phone number if you'd like us to call). We'd love to have you join us for the trip of your dreams.

Now I think I'll go and sort through my clothes for the trip and practice with my new camera...Ciao.