admin December 7th, 2012

May 5 – 12, 2013? AND May 12 – 19, 2013

8 Days ~ Group Size: 6

Price: $2,700.00??? - OR -

Sierra

5 Days (day 1 through day 5 below)

Price: $2,100.00

San Francisco, Yosemite, and Carmel, a Strong Dose of Beautiful CA

Some history, some pampering, and regaining of perspective in magnificent Yosemite.? Enrichment, exercise, fresh air, shopping, that is what this trip is designed to do.? I have guided this trip and loved it so much, that I couldn’t wait to offer it again.? Of course, it certainly helped that my guests were awesome and so we had nothing but fun.

Day 1 – We will meet up at our pretty boutique hotel in San Francisco, and from this point on you can relax and leave this trip to me. Everything will be taken care of so you can relax and enjoy California. We will spend this first day exploring this beautiful “City by the Bay”. Beginning with a drive across the Golden Gate to look back and admire this sparkling city, we will wander a bit in the BEST Chinatown in the U.S.

Because of the Gold Rush, c. 1845, a world wide migration took place, with thousand and thousands of people arriving into San Francisco Bay, by the ship load, everyday, eager to get to the gold fields. Many of these were from China, and they, in particular, have left a stamp on California forever. Hence, San Fransisco’s Chinatown, the best in the U.S.! Following a wander through Chinatown, a visit to a fortune cookie factory and extraordinary views, of the city in all directions, we will have a delicious dinner and? enjoy the lights.

Day 2 – We will leave the bustling Bay Area and drive to the slower paced heart of the California Gold Rush, Sonora.? Nestled in the foothills of the mighty Sierra Nevada Mountains, we will spend two days between relaxing professional massage treatments, and tasting some of the best wines produced in California.?After checking into the Historic Gunn House, we will drive to the adorable town of Murphy?s, where the main street is about four blocks long, lined on both sides with fun shops and oodles of tasting rooms.? We know these tasting rooms well, and are wine club members of a few, so we will introduce you to some of the winemakers and let you choose your favorites.? The last time I guided this trip, my east coast guests purchased cases of wine to be shipped home. They told me how they enjoyed opening and sniffing those California wines out east.? A nice souvenir. Early dinner in Murphy’s.

Day 3: ?Leave it to AHA to discover relaxing spa treatments in an historical building built in 1895.? Built after the gold rush, this classic western boomtown style building with its wooden sidewalks, was the very necessary Mundorf Hardware store with the Mundorf family living above. They would probably be shocked to know that within the rooms where they raised their children, today, soft music and candle light beckon clients into the quiet, warm and relaxing treatment rooms. Our? treatments will be divided between a one hour body massage that is designed by you, and another glorious hour-long European facial. Whether you prefer a Swedish, sports, or lighter aromatherapy massage, it will be tailored to your achieving an all over ?wet noodle? experience. I have spoken at length with, and experienced first hand these professionals, and they understand completely what my goal is for each of you traveling with me on this trip. Pampered excellence and a long lingering memory of travel with Art History Alive.

I will provide in a very private picnic lunch, at the Gunn House, so you need not feel rushed, but can linger in your newly relaxed state of mind.? The balance of this day can be spent shopping in Sonora, napping, whatever you feel like. Dinner in Sonora.

Day 4:? After breakfast, I will drive you into Yosemite National Park, stopping along the way at scenic views that will take your breath away.? After a picnic lunch, and a walk around Yosemite Village so that you can get your bearings, we will check into our beautiful rooms at the unique Ahwahnee Hotel.?? This historic hotel, built in 1927, and like no other in its massive grandeur, still cannot compete with the drama and majesty of Yosemite Valley. You will feel your life slip into perspective as we quietly walk the pathways of Yosemite with its enormous granite cliffs surrounding us and as its magnificent waterfalls crash; all outside troubles and pressures seem to morph back into perspective where they should be.? Now, we are on Yosemite time.? All my life I have been visiting this natural cathedral and always have the same response to it.? It makes me quiet, thoughtful and enormously thankful.? If you have been before, maybe it is time to go again, if this will be your first time, brace yourself for a powerful experience.

?Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.? John Muir

Day 5: After breakfast in the Ahwahnee dining room, we will take a wonderful open air bus tour of the valley, before driving back to the coast.? This evening will be spent in Santa Cruz overlooking the Beach Boardwalk and Municipal Wharf.? Breakfast surrounded by enormous mountains to dinner overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this is California.

Day 6 and 7: This morning we will make the short drive down U.S. Coast Highway 1, to Carmel, where we will spend the next two days.? This quaint village is so picturesque in every way, you will never want to leave.? Art galleries, shops of every kind, a style of architecture that can only be described as “Snow Whitesque”.? Those of you who have been there, know exactly what I am talking about.? One of the prettiest California missions is in Carmel too, with its beautiful old mission garden.

Day 8: From Carmel we will deliver our new friends, either home, or to their airports and returning flights.

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Physical Level: Moderate

Price includes: All hotels, all meals and house wines, massage treatments, ground transportation, museum and park admissions.

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admin February 8th, 2012

Yosemite Falls Reflected

Spring is waterfall season in Yosemite, when the snowmelt comes rushing over rock walls and races 3,000 feet straight down in a powerful ribbon to crash on the rocks below. Juxtaposed against the power and strength of water is the delicate wildflower season, a gorgeous time to be in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

AHA’s Gold Rush, Wines, and Yosemite, April 19 ? 26, 2012, is a great 8-day getaway?from San Francisco to Carmel-by-the-Sea, with Yosemite as the ?jewel in the crown.? However, we are offering our guests the choice of an abbreviated version as well. For those who just can’t get away for a full 8 days but long to get up into the hills and stay in Yosemite, AHA is offering a 5-day, 4-night version. This “Sierra” version, April 19 – 23, 2012, will begin in San Francisco, followed by 2 days in Sonora, including a massage and facial, Murphy’s wine tasting, and, of course, Yosemite?and the Ahwahnee.

I love this area, know it quite well, and enjoy sharing it. The links will take you to details and pricing.

Days 1 ? 5: (Sierra) We will begin this trip at sea level in San Francisco, with all its culture and color, and then meander on to?spend two days in the heart of the Gold Rush area in Sonora. While here, our guests will enjoy a European body massage and facial by leading professionals in the area. We will then go wine tasting in the adorable little town of Murphys, and finally make our way into Yosemite National Park, arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth. After checking in to the historic and very majestic Ahwahnee Hotel, we will explore the park and picnic along the way, just soaking in Yosemite.

Days 6 and 7: We will come full circle as the final two days of this itinerary find us back on the California coast in beautiful Carmel-by-the-Sea. Quaint as can be, with its storybook architecture, we will wander the streets, share some delicious meals, the fresh salt air, and prepare to return to life.

To sign up for Gold Rush, Wines, and Yosemite or Sierra, click here.

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admin January 31st, 2012

Dinner For AHA, Rome

AHA and I will be in Rome three times in 2012. Links to the trip descriptions are below this post. Enjoy Part 2 of ROMA.

I came to Italy for the art, history, ancient architecture, scenic beauty, food, wine, hill towns, landscapes, and, loving it all, I return for Rome.

Why does one place reach out and hug you, and others simply don?t?? No one really knows, but really, who cares? It just happens. When it does, however, it is very personal and very intimate.?For some, it?s a sandy- beached island, a mountain perch, an almost silent lake, the sidewalks of Paris, Vienna, or strolling the Giant Sequoias.?But when it happens, you know it.

After about 48 hours in Rome,?I felt a sense of sinking into it, a yearning to get lost in it. Not in the great sites necessarily. Suddenly the Colosseum and the Forum jumped into the back seat. I wanted to be on a back street in a nondescript neighborhood. I didn?t want to stand out; in fact, quite the opposite. I wanted to blend in, fit, and melt into Rome.

Frances Mayes feels about Tuscany as I do about Rome.? She describes it this way: ??The place took hold of me and shaped me in its image.?? Exactly.

?I wanted an aperture,? she writes elsewhere, ?an opportunity to merge with something limitless. Something that takes you out of yourself also restores

Dinner With Our Roman Friends

you to yourself with a greater freedom.? And finally, ?I wanted an aperture, an opportunity to merge with something limitless.?

This last quote touches on what many travelers who fall in love with a place often recount: ?I felt like I was home.??I love the way Rome swoops me out of myself, fills me to the brim, and returns a wiser, more humbled me. And often, when wandering its tangled web of streets, I feel very small as the enormity of all that Rome has been, is, and will be, surrounds me. How could I not want a repeat of that thrill ride?

Through the ages, Rome has gathered many, many lovers, of which I am but one. When I arrive, we have such a joyous reunion. Rome is all decked out and gives me her full attention.?Below are some thoughts by a few of her other lovers:

Living History In Rome

Barbara Gruzzuti Harrison (1934-2002) – “I am happy here; when I or others have bruised my life, I close my eyes against the hurt and think of Rome: as possibility and hope. . . The world is lovable when the world is Rome. . . For the rest of my life I will love Rome and think better of my life having known Rome.”

Johann Goethe (1749-1832) – In Rome you learn to. . . . “See with an eye that can feel, feel with a hand that can see.”

Henry James (1843-1916) – At nineteen years old, “I went reeling and moaning thro’ the streets, in a fever of enjoyment.”? Fifty years later – “No one who has ever loved Rome, as Rome could be loved in youth, wants to stop loving her.”

H. V. Morton (1892-1979) – “I looked down with gratitude upon the city where I had learnt many things; but one does not say goodbye to Rome.”

Judith Testa – (During my first visit) . . .”A strange energy surged through me, a passion for the place which has never faded but only increased with each subsequent visit.? Whenever I return to Rome, I experience that same anticipation, energy, and excitement.”

Jim Quist – “I love Rome simply because it’s Italian.”

AHA and I will be in Rome three times in 2012. Funny, even after twenty years, just writing those words, “I will be in Rome”, puts a smile on my face and pulls at my heart.? I would love to share it with you.

Musica in Tuscany: July 12 ? 18, 2012, includes two days in Rome.

Rome and Tuscany: September 30 ? October 8, 2012, includes four full days in Rome.

Roma Amor: Rome Is Love Spelled Backward: October 10 ? 17, 2012, is a full week in Rome guided by Judith Testa, PhD, author of the book by the same name, and myself. A daring duo of like-minded pilgrims are we.

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admin January 18th, 2012

Ghosts of the Caesars, Evening, Roman Forum

There is an Italian expression, ?Roma, non basta una vita,? which means that for Rome, a lifetime is not enough life to really know her.

Not even close. But knowing Rome would be the destination and getting to know her, the journey. I never want my journey to end. I love this city with all my heart.

Why is it that of all of the wonderful places I have visited in my traveling life, Rome, above all others, gripped me, holds me, and haunts me?

I have wrestled with this question for twenty years. Friends do not understand why I keep returning when there is so much more ?out there? to see. They ask if I will guide a trip to Greece or Hong Kong. I smile, as I think about those amazing places and say, ?Maybe, someday.? But in my head I am saying, ?I don’t want to. I want to go back to Rome.? There is still, after countless visits, so much of Rome that I long to understand, be familiar with, and appreciate.

Maybe it can be explained this way. When I buy a car, I think it through, wrangle, and weigh every aspect and option, and by the time my decision is made, I am in love with it and drive it for years.?I’ve sort of sunk my teeth into it, very unlike the car buyer who enjoys flipping cars every couple of years. That is the kind of traveler that I have become as well. I am determined to catch the spirit of a place and sink my teeth in.? When I am not traveling I am reading, highlighting, margin noting, and learning more deeply about Rome. ? A list of destinations to see in this world and tick off could not be more unappealing to me.

However, it hasn’t always been that way.?In 1989, I was traveling around Europe with my list in hand, happily visiting Switzerland, Paris, Florence, all beautiful and stimulating, tick, tick, tick. Not sinking my teeth into any of them.?But then we arrived in Rome, and everything changed. Only this time, I was blindsided as I felt Rome sink her teeth into me! How?

One thing I am sure of is that there is more than one answer to this question. In Part 2 of ROME: Life Is Not Long Enough To Know All Of Rome, I will

My Happy Place

discuss a few, and maybe you will feel your reaction to a special place being described.

As a guest with Art History Alive, my intense passion for Rome and its living history, will be my gift to you. Travelers will have three opportunities to visit and get to know Rome with AHA in 2012.

Musica in Tuscany: July 12 ? 18, 2012, includes two days in Rome.

Rome and Tuscany: September 30 ? October 8, 2012, includes four full days in Rome.

Roma Amor: Rome Is Love Spelled Backward: October 10 ? 17, 2012, is a full week in Rome guided by Judith Testa, PhD, author of the book by the same name, and myself. A daring duo of like-minded pilgrims are we.

In Part Two of ROMA, I will also share news on a few of the fantastically characteristic boutique hotels that AHA now reserves for its guests?a converted cloister, quiet and tucked away, an 11^th-century tower, with one room on each of its five floors, and a pretty guest house gem on a quiet street near the Tiber River?all unique, pristine, and located in the historic center of this amazing city. I have visited each and every one of these hotels, plus many others that did not make the AHA list of preferred properties. Only the best for AHA guests?that is my promise.

Come experience Rome as part of a small group of other intellectually curious travelers. We would love to have you.

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admin October 24th, 2011

Two Hidden Restaurants, Tuscany

After our last research trip to Italy, I wrote a post entitled, “Wonderful Discoveries and Dismal Disappointments.”? Not so this time?it was all good!

We planned this trip as a working vacation with concentration on three of our favorite spots in Italy.?We stayed in each for five days, determined to stay long enough to unpack, settle in, and catch the spirit of the place, which is just what we did.
With five days on the edge of Lake Como, five more at Castello di Proceno in southern-most Tuscany, and five more in our favorite, Rome, we had a wonderful and relaxing time as we explored historic villas and their gardens, rediscovered beautiful hill towns, and visited favorite places that still? move us. We ate in dozens of delicious restaurants, and had tours of some of the most beautiful, historic, and hidden hotels ever.
Before I go any further, I must thank our researcher, Maggie McKenny-Harris, for the list of hotels and restaurants that she painstakingly compiled after, what must ave been, hours and hours of research and interviews.?After trying just two of her suggestions, I knew that I was armed with something very, very valuable indeed. Maggie had us in places I would never have found on my own?quaint, characteristic, historic, family-owned, and always, always lovely. Our guests will be so very thrilled with the amazing hotels and incredible restaurants that have now been added to the AHA list. After a little bounce on the beds, I touch the sheets and pillows, I am all over the bathrooms, into the breakfast rooms, and up on the rooftops. After each new find, we toasted Maggie, and I can’t wait to return to these places myself.? Thank you, Maggie, for finding these beautiful little boutique, out-of-the-way spots that our guests will love.
I will post again soon on our lazy time on the edge of Lago di Como, and, for those who will travel there with us, what you have to look forward to.?I will follow with a post on Tuscany, our castle, and the upcoming Music Festival trip July 12 ? 18, 2012, and the Tuscany Rome trip September 30-October 8, 2012, and finish the series with a post on what is in store for our travelers to Rome, both in September and Rome, October 10-17, 2012.

If you are curious as to what we found by following the primitive signs in the photo above, it was no big deal, just lunch in an Etruscan cave, circa 700 BC! Everything tastes better in a place like this, and welcome to cultural immersion. Thank you, Maggie!

Until we are there again, it is nice to be home, but I can still feel those warm cobblestones under my feet.
Cynthia

Lunch in an Etruscan cave, circa 700 BC

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admin August 30th, 2011

Chinatown, San Francisco

April 19 – 26, 2012 ~ 8 Days ~ Group Size: 6

Price: $2,700.00??? - OR -

Sierra, April 19 – 23, 2012 ~ 5 Days (day 1 through day 5 below)

Price: $2,100.00

San Francisco, Yosemite, and Carmel, a Strong Dose of Beautiful CA

Some history, some pampering, and regaining of perspective in magnificent Yosemite.? Enrichment, exercise, fresh air, shopping, that is what this trip is designed to do.? I guided this trip in 2011 and loved it so much, that I couldn’t wait to offer it again.? Of course, it certainly helped that my guests were awesome and so we had nothing but fun.? This is a great itinerary!

Day 1 – Following your arrival into San Francisco, we will spend the day exploring this beautiful “City by the Bay”.? The Chinese, arriving into San Francisco by the thousands at the onset of the Gold Rush, have made a tremendous impact on this state and especially San Fransisco and the Gold Rush towns.? Fascinating!? Following Chinatown, a fortune cookie factory and extraordinary views in all directions, we will have a delicious dinner and? enjoy the lights of this pretty city before collapsing for the night.

Day 2 – We will leave the bustling Bay Area and drive to the slower paced heart of the California Gold Rush, Sonora.? Nestled in the foothills of the mighty Sierra Nevada Mountains, we will spend two days between relaxing professional spa treatments, and tasting some of the best wines produced in California.?After checking into the Historic Gunn House, we will drive to the adorable town of Murphy?s , CA.? Here the main street is about four blocks long, lined on both sides with fun shops and oodles of tasting rooms.? We know these well and are wine club members of a few, so we will introduce you to some of the winemakers and let you choose your favorites.? The last time I took this trip, my east coast guests? became wine club members as well, and now receive regular shipments from Murphy?s, a nice reminder of their time there.? Early dinner in Murphy’s.

Living History in Sonora, CA

Day 3: ?Leave it to AHA to discover relaxing spa treatments in an historical building built in 1895.? Built after the gold rush, this classic western boomtown style building with its wooden sidewalks, was the very necessary Mundorf Hardware store with the Mundorf family living above. They would probably be shocked to know that within the rooms where they raised their children, today, soft music and candle light beckon clients into the quiet, warm and relaxing treatment rooms. Our spa treatments will be divided between a one hour body massage that is designed by you, and another glorious hour-long European facial. Whether you prefer a Swedish, sports, or lighter aromatherapy massage, it will be tailored to your achieving an all over ?wet noodle? experience. I have spoken at length with, and experienced first hand these professionals, and they understand completely what my goal is for each of you traveling with me on this trip. Pampered excellence and a long lingering memory of travel with Art History Alive.

We will sneak in a very private picnic lunch, at the Gunn House, so you need not feel rushed, but can linger in your newly relaxed state of mind.? The balance of this day can be spent shopping in Sonora, napping, whatever you feel like.

Day 4:? After breakfast we will drive into Yosemite National Park, stopping along the way at scenic views that will take your breath away.? After our picnic lunch, and a walk around Yosemite Village so that you can get your bearings, we will check into our beautiful rooms at the unique Ahwahnee Hotel.?? This historic hotel, built in 1926, and like no other in its massive grandeur, still cannot compete with the drama and majesty of Yosemite Valley. You will feel your life slip into perspective as we quietly walk the pathways of Yosemite with its enormous granite cliffs surrounding us and as its magnificent waterfalls crash; all outside troubles and pressures seem to morph back into perspective where they should be.? Now we are on Yosemite time.? All my life I have been visiting this natural cathedral and always have the same response to it.? It makes me quiet, thoughtful and enormously thankful.? If you have been before, maybe it is time to go again, if this will be your first time, brace yourself for a powerful experience.

?Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.? John Muir

Storybook Architecture, Carmel

Day 5: After breakfast in the Ahwahnee dining room, we will enjoy the park for the better part of the day before driving back to the coast.? This evening will be spent in Santa Cruz overlooking Beach Boardwalk and Municipal Wharf.? Breakfast surrounded by enormous mountains to dinner overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this is California.

Day 6 and 7: This morning we will make the short drive down the coast highway to Carmel, where we will spend the next two days.? This quaint village is so picturesque in every way, you will never want to leave.? Art galleries, shops, jewelery, a style of architecture that can only be described as “Snow Whitesque”.? Those of you who have been there, know exactly what I am talking about.? One of the prettiest California missions is in Carmel too, with its beautiful old mission garden.

Day 8: From Carmel we will drive to San Fransisco and flights home.

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Physical Level: Moderate

Art History Alive will offer these seven destinations in 2012! Great places to visit, more interesting things to learn, and very small groups. Over the next few weeks I will post on each tour individually to include a more detailed description, and a list of recommended reading and movies that will allow you to front load your travel experience.

California Wildflowers

You will notice that we have included one itinerary that includes my absolute favorite places in California.? If Europe is not on your radar screen for this year, consider touring the best that California has to offer.? I am a fifth generation Californian and would love to show you around.? I think that you will agree, this is wonderful line up and I sincerely hope that you will share it with your friends and family.

We are very happy to announce:

• Early booking benefits
• Alumni discounts
• Refundable deposits

The NEW money saving opportunities are on the Specials and Discounts Page. These trips can fill up fast so early booking is important and saves you money.

All trips include: Hotels, all meals and house wines, (well, you don?t have to have wine with breakfast) ground transportation, museum admissions, and travel insurance.

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admin August 30th, 2011

May 22 – 28, 2012 ~ 7 Days ~ Group Size: 6

Price: $3,100.00

AHA is so pleased to have Gillian Seely on board to guide this deeply cultural adventure to her loved Sardegna.? An effervescent and bright young woman who loves AHA as I do, whomever travels with her to Italy will have a wonderful and rich time.? I will be joining this trip, my first to Sardegna, so am looking forward to learning all about this island right along side of you.

Why Sardegna?? By Gillian Seely

In 2006, I went with a friend to the French island of Corsica for a long weekend. ?It was stunning, peaceful, and vibrant in a bizarre and serene way that is unique to the Mediterranean, but it was missing something. ?Admittedly an Italophile, I wasn?t really satisfied. ??I want my seafood mixed in with al dente linguine?, and ?Why aren?t people yelling at each other in heated conversation over dinner?? I whined (in my head, of course). ?The island immediately to the south beckoned. ?I wanted to go to Sardegna?to see the same kind of island, but, in my mind, the improved version. ?Improved simply by virtue of having been inhabited by the fiery and beautiful Italians with whom I am so obsessed. ?We didn?t have time.

In the summer of 2010, several years after moving stateside, I did go back to the Mediterranean, and finally, to Sardegna. ?It exceeded my expectations, and now I have been honored with the opportunity to lead an Art History Alive trip to this incredible and unforgettable island.

What can you expect to experience on an AHA trip to Sardegna? ?Without paraphrasing the itinerary, here?s a look at the cultural highlights that make this one of my favorite destinations:
The Language: ?Lingua Sarda?, ?Sardu?, or ?Limba Sarda?. ?A beautiful and musical language that is Italian in essence, but is completely different– as any Italian will readily admit. ?The language is said to ?feature archaic phonetic features when compared to other Romance languages?. ?It is believed to have been influenced by Illyrian, Etruscan, and even the Basque language. ??The root of ?sard? is said to have come from the ?Sherden?, one of the so-called ?Peoples of the Sea?. ?I?m not a linguist, but it is noticeably different from the Italian I have studied, and for me, listening to Sardu makes me feel like I?m eavesdropping on something ancient and mysterious.

Sardinian ?Music Bread?

The Food: Expect to taste authentically-regional island cuisine that comes straight from the sea and the land?really! ?You?ll find very few gimmicky ?spaghetti Bolognese? set menus here. ?Save for a few major grocery chains that import from the continent, the island heavily utilizes its own resources– from seafood to locally-grown produce, and grapes that make unique and flavorful wines. ?And the locals are very proud of this point, as you might imagine. ?Some delicacies of the island include ?pane carasu? or ?music bread?, a flat, tortilla-like accompaniment to many main courses; and ?fregula?, a pasta of Moorish origin that resembles couscous. ?Everything is unique and flavorful!

The Music: Cantu a Tenore is an ancient form of polyphonic ?throat singing? that has put the island on the map, musically. ?According to some historians, the practice of singing in this style dates back to the Nuragic civilization (we?ll learn all about them on this trip). ?Some speculate that the deeply-primitive and almost Moorish sounds were intended to mimic the sounds of the sheep. ?The Nuragic people were shepherds.

Nuraghe Dwelling

The Sites: We will see the Nuraghe dwellings, and the Domus de Janas (literally, ?houses of the fairies?). ?These are strange, prehistoric, beehive-like structures, believed to have been inhabited by the semi-nomadic Sardegnan people. ?We will also see the breathtaking Grotto di Nettuno (Neptune?s Grotto), a massive system of coastal caverns filled with intense geological features. ?This is one of the most visually-appealing stalactite caves in Europe, and the approach by boat is dramatic to say the least.

Coast of Sardinia

The Beaches: White sands, blue water with excellent visibility, and countless opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming in refreshing waters. ?Sure, this isn?t the main thrust of the trip, but these beaches are to die for.

Tempted yet? ?Sardegna isn?t for everyone. ?It does not offer bustling urban nightlife, well-managed museums, high-end shopping districts, or high-profile Roman ruins. ?It can be challenging to get around, the residents are uncommonly conservative, and tourism is relatively new to the island. ?It is, however, a wonderful place for an authentic Mediterranean adventure and deeply cultural experience. ? Think of Sardegna as Italy?s unruly, wild, but stunningly-beautiful cousin.

D.H. Lawrence said it best:

?Sardinia, which is like nowhere. Sardinia, which has no history, no date, no race, no offering. Let it be Sardinia. They say neither Romans nor Phoenicians, Greeks nor Arabs ever subdued Sardinia. It lies out- side; outside the circuit of civilisation. Like the Basque lands. Sure enough, it is Italian now, with its railways and its motor-omnibuses. But there is an uncaptured Sardinia still. It lies within the net of this European civilisation, but it isn’t landed yet?Let it be Sardinia.?

Flag of Sardegna

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admin August 30th, 2011

Our Castle, Castello di Proceno

July 12 – 18, 2012 ~ 7 Days ~ Group Size: 6

Price was: $3,300.00? New price: $2,900.00 Save $400.00

A Castle Courtyard Concert, Hill Towns, and Rome.

In July of 2012, AHA will offer its first summer tour.? How could we pass up the opportunity to share with our guests The Annual Convivio in Musica, held in the courtyard of the castle that we have been sharing with you for fifteen years?? Well, we couldn’t!? So, in July, a very small group of six will travel with me to Tuscany and? Castello di Proceno, where we will check in a few days before the festival and get acclimated to our beautiful castle and surroundings.? We will stay for four days which happily, is long enough to unpack.

On the day of the festival, people from as far away as Florence, to the North, and Rome, to the South, will arrive, well dressed and anticipating the music about to be enjoyed.? The acoustics of the courtyard are perfect, as it is surrounded by tall stone walls, which double as a screen for the beautiful art that is projected upon them during the concert.? Immersed in the music and art of Italy, for an afternoon we will be transported to another time and place.

Following the concert, all of the guests gather to enjoy a buffet of Tuscan delights.? Beginning with

A Tuscan Salami Buffet

champagne, we will dine on country salami, sausage of boar, a variety of freshly prepared crostini, local cheeses and so much more.? Cecilia, owner of the castle, whose recipes we will enjoy is quite famous in the area for her cooking classes.? I have taken a few and the food was glorious.

During the balance of our four day stay at the castle, we will explore some hill towns, prepare a meal together and all around relax.? Our last two days we will be spent in gorgeous Rome, where during that time we will take a stroll that will lead you from The Spanish Steps, to the Trevi Fountain, in front of? The Pantheon, and into romantic Piazza Navona, with its gorgeous Fountain of The Four Rivers.? This is a stroll you will never forget.

Should any of you like to extend an extra day, it can be arranged.? With an additional day in Rome, we could include The Coliseum, The Forum, and St. Peter’s Basilica, and of course, several more great lingering meals.

Gelato in Rome: Grapefruit, Cantalope and Green Apple

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admin August 30th, 2011

Beautiful Nurnburg, Germany

?CASTLES, CATHEDRALS AND A CONCENTRATION CAMP

This beautiful 8 day itinerary is available for purchase as your own personal tour. Call for price and travel at your convenience.

On this trip, we will stop at various points along the fabled Romantic Road of Germany.? We will begin at the northern end of the road, in the medieval city of Wurzburg, which is situated along the Main River and was once an important stop along the Spice Road.? In fact, the name Wurzburg means ?Spice City?, and the influence of this mercantile history upon the region is felt in the quaint marketplaces and cobbled streets. We will visit the Wurzburg Residenz, a large and elaborate Rococo palace that is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its accompanying gardens.? We will enjoy a white wine tasting at the city?s stately wine cellar (northern Bavaria, known as Franconia, boasts some of the world?s best white wines). Still in Wurzburg, we will go to a medieval fortress on a hill that overlooks the city and explore its grounds and the nearby monastery, staying at the beautiful Hotel Maritim on the Main River through rolling vineyard country.

Wuerzburg Residenz

Moving south, we will enjoy some time in Rothenburg, a world-famous medieval fortress town in northern Bavaria, renowned for its city walls (which can be traversed, and from which you can see the rolling hills for miles around), and for its quaint central square, historical artisan shops, and restaurants?this is a great place for picking up Bavarian souvenirs skillfully made from wood and glass.

Later we will visit Nurnberg, seeing the beautiful central square of the city.? We will explore the Toy Museum (Nurnberg is known for its toy manufacturing, ?particularly around Christmas time), and visiting the Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgel?nde (Germans aren?t known for linguistic brevity), a somber, but enlightening World War II museum at the site of the Nazi Party?s rallying grounds.

Fairytale Castle, Neuschwanstein

Moving south from Nurnberg, we will visit Munich?site of the world-famous Hofbrauhaus, and the Marienplatz?home of the dancing glockenspiel.? There will be an optional excursion from Munich to the nearby site of the Dachau concentration camp. While this excursion isn?t for everybody, a trip to the site gives unparalleled insight into the lives and deaths of the millions of prisoners who fell victim to the Nazi mentality, and provides a good way to come to terms with the contrasts between the Germany of then and of now.

Leaving Munich, we will visit Neuschwanstein Castle?the ?Cindarella Castle? that has come to be a symbol of Bavaria.? Nestled at the foot of the German Alps, a tour of this massive ?and iconic castle lets you learn about ?Mad King Ludwig? and soak up some regional history.

Our last stop will be in Garmisch Partenkirchen, a stunning mountain town on the Austrian border, and at the end of the Romantic Road.? GAP, as it?s

Munich, Germany

known by locals, is a high-end ski resort in the winter, and a quaint place for hiking and Bavarian-style outdoor activities in the summer.? The views in GAP alone make it perhaps the most beautiful part of the trip. ?The trip will end here, and direct trains to Munich run every hour from the GAP station, making airport access very convenient, or alternative transportation can easily be arranged.

This trip will give you an appreciation of the culture of Germany, and specifically of Bavaria.? We will eat delicious and hearty German cuisine, travel along the high-speed and world-famous autobahns, see the stunning countryside, and learn all about the culture of Germany in the middle ages, during the European Renaissance, and World War II…and, importantly, we will come to love and understand the Germany of today!

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admin August 30th, 2011

Evening in the Roman Forum

ITALY ? ROME AND TUSCANY: A Colosseum and a Castle
SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 8, 2012 ~ 9 DAYS ~ GROUP SIZE: 6 – 8
Price was: $3,900.00? Price now: $3,400

Savings: $500.00

NOTE: Below is a good example of just what travel is like with ART HISTORY ALIVE. If you find that this post does not pique your interest, then you may not be a good fit for AHA, but if you begin reading and find yourself wanting to read and learn more, it is ten times better when we are there.? Cynthia

Eventually, all roads should lead to the awesome city of Rome at least once in a lifetime. Jim and I have traveled far and wide in this world, but since our discovery of Italy in 1987, we return every chance we get. And in all of that little boot, Rome has the strongest draw for us.? Cumulatively, we have spent over 4 months in that city, and still we keep going back. Of everywhere we have been, Rome holds for us the richest and most stimulating bounty of art, history, architecture (which is an art), and culture, hands down.? And the people . . . . . . . !

• Why did Michelangelo sign only one piece of art and which one was it?
• Why is the almost 2000 year-old Pantheon in such perfect condition when buildings in the Forum of the same age are rubble?
• Why is St. Peter’s Basilica the most popular church in Rome, and the world, when Rome’s St. John Lateran was the first Christian church to be built?
• Where is the white travertine exterior that once covered the Colosseum walls?
• Where are the gilded bronze tiles that once covered the roof of the Pantheon?
• What did the terms Middle Ages and Dark Ages describe?

On warm evenings we will sit in outside caf?s on cobblestone alleys and watch the most interesting people in the world stroll by. We will shop, rest and overall, catch the Spirit of Rome which, you will want to take home with you.

Next it is off to the hills of Tuscany in our spacious, panoramic-windowed van toward the tiny hill town of Proceno, in southern Tuscany. However, on our way, we will drive up a hill to soaring Orvieto for a delicious lunch and the first of many an awe inspiring wander. No one actually knows the age of Orvieto, however we do know that around 750 B.C. the Etruscans thrived here, inheriting it from their Iron and Bronze Age ancestors. How exciting it is to visit a city that has survived for thousands of years, with its bustle interrupted only once, in the 14th century, by the Black Plague.? We will meander at our own pace through Orvieto‘s crown jewel, her Cathedral, with its brightly colored mosaic facade. Built over a mere 300 years, it holds precious art that I love to visit and share.

Forty minutes deeper into beautiful Tuscany and we will arrive at Castello di Proceno. This castle/fortress was built in the 11th century and has been creatively redesigned into several beautiful apartments. This is my favorite landing spot in all of Tuscany.

Once we check in and relax a bit, we will take a walk around town so that you can get your bearings. It isn’t difficult as it is tiny, but the views, in all directions are dreamlike, no, actually they are “calendarlike“. I will introduce you to Pucci and Giovanni, the owners of the castle, Roberto the grocer, where you can buy anything from locally made salami, to bedroom slippers, and Gianfranco, of Trattoria da Gianfranco. The castle will be our home for the next four days as we explore more picturesque hill towns and savor some of the most delicious food and wine you will have ever tasted.

On the list of must sees, in these first four days, are the cathedral of Sovana, that took so long to build that it actually spans two architectural periods. So, as we sit in the back of the church you will see that two of its three aisles are Romanesque and the third is Gothic. Amazing! The hill town hamlet of Pienza that was, luckily for us, caught in a time warp. During the first half of the 1400′s, Pope Pius II, responsible for the revitalization and redesigning of his beloved hometown, was called away to raise troops for a crusade to the Holy Land. He left a Papal Bull, in beautiful Latin, that stated nothing should be touched until his return. Unfortunately, in 1465 he died while away, and Pienza dutifully has left everything just as it was. Because of this, a visit to Pienza gives us a real time snapshot of Tuscan life in the 1400′s. Pienza was miraculously spared during World War II bombing raids, however the machine gun holes in the exterior side wall of the cathedral are a reminder of what happened here when both Germans and Americans took turns occupying Pienza and the surrounding towns. This is a fascinating area with lots to explore, learn and taste. Brunellos come from this region, as does a most delicious soft, not salty, pecorino cheese.

And who can be in this area and not visit the most haunting of all hill towns, Civita di Bagnoregio?

Not me! Civita sits a top a rock spur, built entirely of rock taken from the spur, it appears to be something organic that simply grew out of the mountain. However, because of earthquakes over the centuries much of the spur and city have dropped away, leaving Civita sitting like a diamond nestled in a round solitaire setting. There is one approach to the city, a walking bridge that spans the gorge that encircles Civita.

Often, in the morning, the city is engulfed in clouds or fog and it appears that the bridge leads to no where. Sometimes the fog fills just the gorge with Civita above as if floating in the sky. This is like nothing else you would have seen up to this point, and you will remember it always. Comfortable walking shoes, a camera, and a hefty appetite are a must for Civita da Bagnoregio.

Following our explorations of Tuscany we will say good bye to our castle and new friends, and head for Rome and flights home.

Physical Level: Moderate

Art History Alive will offer seven destinations in 2012! Great places to visit, more interesting things to learn, and very small groups. Over the next few weeks I will post a list of recommended reading and movies, destination specific, that will allow you to front load your travel experience.

You will notice that we have added an itinerary that includes my absolute favorite places in California.? If Europe is not on

your radar screen for this year, consider touring the best that California has to offer.? I am a fifth generation Californian and would love to show you around.? I think that you will agree, this is wonderful line up and I sincerely hope that you will share it with your friends and family.

We are very happy to announce:

• Early booking benefits
• Alumni discounts
• Refundable deposits

The NEW money saving opportunities are on the Specials and Discounts Page. These trips can fill up fast so early booking is important and saves you money.

All trips include: Hotels, all meals and house wines, (well, you don’t have to have wine with breakfast) ground transportation, museum admissions, and travel insurance.

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