arthisto January 25th, 2011

Our Home in Tuscany, Castello di Proceno

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CAPTURING TUSCANY AND SORRENTO

SEPTEMBER 26 – October 3, 2011 ~ 8 DAYS ~ GROUP SIZE: 6
PRICE PER PERSON: $3,800.00

This is an AHA first, combining two drastically different yet incredibly picturesque areas of Italy.  Your opportunity to get to know the rugged Amalfi Coast and the soft hills of Tuscany, their art, history and as part of a small group of just six.

Tuscany, the land of cobblestoned hill towns, delicious food and wine, and Etruscan history.  Our landing spot will be the tiny hill town of Proceno, in southern Tuscany, and our rooms at Castello di Proceno.

This castle/fortress was built in the 11th century, is perched high up on a rocky spur, and has been creatively redesigned into several beautiful apartments. This is my favorite place 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. The views, in all directions are dreamlike, no, actually they are “calendar-like”. 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.

Some of the must-sees in this area include, the cathedral of Sovana, that took so long to build, it actually spans two architectural periods, hundreds of years apart.  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 and totally unique.

WW II Bullet Holes, Cathedral, Pienza

Then there is 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, taste and photograph. Brunellos come from these hills, as does a most delicious soft, not salty, pecorino cheese.

Civita di Bagnoregio

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 outcrop , built entirely of that same rock, 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, your camera, and a hefty appetite are a must for Civita di Bagnoregio.

Saying our goodbyes to Tuscany we will hop the speedy Eurostar to Naples, and onto gorgeous Sorrento. We will stay in Sorrento, at the beautiful Hotel Antiche Mura.  Sorrento, is built high above the Mediterranean on a flat plateau, here you can walk to the edge and look straight

From The Top Of Capri

down the cliff into the warm, see-through water. Here, where centuries ago pirates marauded, we will wander the alleyways, visit Pompeii, and Capri, capturing its spirit.  With all of the fresh seafood, pastas, crispy white wines and frosty limoncello that you can take in, within a picturesque fishing village and with Mt. Vesuvius as a back drop to photograph, you will ask yourself, “Can it get any better than this?” Nope!

Which will be your favorite? Cobblestoned Tuscany, with its full o’flavor wines and where you met the locals and stayed in a castle, or the warm seafront terraces and fishing villages of the Amalfi Coast? These will be ongoing comparisons that may never have a definitive conclusion. As for me, after 20 years of loving these places, I could say it’s like comparing apples and oranges, but it’s not, it’s cobblestones and lemons.

Physical level: Moderate

In General:

AHA is 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 two itineraries that include my absolute favorite places in California.  I hope that some of you will consider touring the best that California has to offer.  I am a fifth generation Californian and would love to show you around.

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, and museum admissions.

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arthisto April 16th, 2010

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Cobblestoned Tuscany

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I am thrilled to be able to bring down the price of our Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast itinerary, September 14 – 21, 2010.  Original price $5,000.00, new price $4,400.00. Nice!

Because of the strength of the dollar to the Euro I have been able to re-calculate the price of this awesome trip!

The strength of the dollar seems to be a positive indicator that the economy is coming back bit by bit. Coupled with the great price of airline tickets, and the fact that guests are signing up for AHA travel in 2010 and 2011, after a very quiet 2009, are further signs.  Let’s hope the trend continues.

What is “AHA Style”?  AHA is true to its name, Art History Alive, and each itinerary focuses on it, wherever we are.  Lightly educational in nature and full of cultural detail, from music to cuisine, from architecture to the greatest artwork ever, this is AHA Style.  Add to that micro-group size for fun and flexibility and you truly do have a “travel style”.  Ah Ha!

Our September 2010, Tuscany and The Amalfi Coast trip, the first time we have offered this particular combination, the cobblestoned hilltowns of Tuscany, and the seaside of Italy.  You’ve got to admit that this is a wonderful contrast.  If  you are unfamiliar with these areas, take my word for it, it is a killer combo and then, sign up!  Hearty Tuscan food, complimented by mouth watering country wines, juxtaposed against the fresh, light sea food of the seaside, while dining al fresco (outside) enjoying crispy white local wines.  Paleeeeeeze!  All the while surrounded by  the incredible Etruscan civilization of Tuscany, surprisingly in sync with American ideals, and the very same ideals that the early Romans stole for their own, plus harrowing tales of the marauding Pirate history of the Southern Coast.  Brain fed, tummy fed.  Hm m m m, can it get any better?  Not for me.

Stretch your brain, and tantalize your taste buds.  With this price reduction, the savings just about cover the price of your round trip ticket to Italy!

The Top of Capri

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arthisto December 12th, 2009

Lago di Como

“My commitment to cultural immersion travel is strong. That is why I insist on research trips.  I continue seeking out sites, smells, and tastes that will envelope and enrich my AHA guests.  This is a different kind of travel, a more personal approach, with a focus on a deeper understanding of a culture other than our own.”  -Cynthia Quist

Wonderful discoveries and some dismal disappointments.  That sums up three weeks of pretty intense research in Italy for Jim and I.  We worked hard, ate a lot, and took notes on everything.  One difficult night, the only consolation that we had, as we laid awake in our two tiny twin beds in a HOT, stuffy room with a party going on outside our windows, was the knowledge that you, our guests, would never have to experience this.  On the other hand, in Sorrento, where we had booked for just two nights, everything was so perfect that we longed to extend our stay.

Our itinerary: Paris 3 days, Lake Como 3 days, Tuscany 6 days, Rome 5 days, Sorrento 2 days.

We covered a large part of that little boot, (and sometimes felt as though we had been kicked by it).  The good news is that our guests benefit from the good and the ill.  Based on our pages of notes we will create a beautiful and delicious new Italian Itinerary for 2011.  It will be a Northern Italian trip to include The Lakes region, Florence, and Northern Tuscany.  If you are interested in the new itinerary, keep your eye on this blog.

But for the present, if you are interested in a, post-battle report on our three week sojourn, here you go.

Paris Bakery

Paris: Hotel Pas du Calais remains a favorite, with its warm and welcoming staff, pretty rooms, delicious breakfast, and a perfect location on the Left Bank.

We will be adding the beautiful town and immense cathedral of Chartres to our Paris itinerary in the future.  A beautiful day trip from Paris.  We discovered new parts of Versailles to explore, and some that we weren’t supposed to be in.  Oops!

The food in Paris was a dismal disappointment, and it shouldn’t ever be that way.  We ate at all types of eateries, and found the bistros and brasseries to be most dependable.  The two star Micheline, with it’s fish foam, will surly appeal to some, but I think I lost weight in Paris.  Our favorite brasserie, is as delicious as ever and I wouldn’t miss eating there for anything.  However, the day we left Paris we felt we were fleeing the land of butter, cream, and Bordeaux wines, and were in a hurry to arrive in the land of tomatoes, olive oil, and brunello.

Lakeside lunch at the San Giorgio

Lake Como: The four star Grand Hotel Imperiale was a bit of a disappointment.  But the very peaceful Hotel San Giorgio was adorable and is calling to me this very minute.  Located on the lake with a large gently rolling lawn, dotted with lawn furniture and easing down to the lapping edge of the lake, is the place for me.  Not trying to be something it is not, it exudes character, delicious food, and a lakeside walk into the little town of Lenno.  From here you can catch a boat to other pretty towns on the banks of the lake, never having to get into a car.  All of this with the snow capped Swiss Alps looming above you.  This place was magic and I will be sure that my guests have enough time here to really let down.

We landed on four wonderful restaurants here.  The garden and terrace restaurant at the San Giorgio, where Jim swears he had the best pizza of his life and I had a beautifully presented caprese salad.  After lunch it was all we could do not to drop into one of the hotel lounges for a nap.  If we had been guests of the San Giorgio, that is exactly what we would have done, but instead we walked to Lenno and did some exploring.  Darling!

Another wonderful discovery was Trattoria Del Fagiano (guinea fowl), high up above the lake, each course in this great place was perfect.  Maria Louisa and Enza run the front, and you better clean your plate or you are going to hear about it.  Wilma is in

The Fagiano Crew

the kitchen with Chef Gabriele, who masterminds the absolutely delicious country Italian fare, and Mr. Giorgio (Wilma’s husband) runs the bar and makes the oh so important espressos.  I cannot wait to share Trattoria Del Fagiano with AHA travelers!  The Italian menu was daunting so Maria Luisa took over.  If you are interested, below is a description of what she decided we were going to enjoy at this eatery.
Antipasti: Paper thin prosciutto with shaved parmigiano cheese, sauteed mushrooms, bruschetta topped with bacon, braseola with melted mozzarella, drizzled with vinegar.  At that point, and I know that you know this feeling, I was pretty much done.  Oh no, no, no.  Primi piatti – house twisted pasta with a sauce of  light tomato and ground fagiano, plus the lightest crepe ever, oozing a bechamel sauce, rolled then sliced very thinly, smothered in fresh tomatoes and baked in the oven.  OK, now its not funny.  Remember those elastic waisted pants I bought before departure, yeah well, you can imagine where I am going with this when Maria Louisa arrives at our table with a wild boar stew served over country polenta.  Yeah, not to filling.  But hey, I told myself I was doing it all for you, the reader and traveler, it was my responsibility, right?  Jim looked across the table at me and gasped something rather negative about our food in Paris . . . .

Prosciutto on melon

A departure from the country food is the Imperialino. Very, very beautiful terrace dining, lakeside.  Service was impeccable and yet friendly, and the food was absolutely wonderful.  I just have to mention my antipasti.  I ordered Prosciutto and melon and that is what I received but the presentation was amazing.  Thin slices of cantaloupe covered the bottom of my huge plate, but someone had taken the thin prosciutto and fashioned it delicately into the shape of a rose in full bloom sitting on top.  I will look forward to sharing this quiet, elegant restaurant with guests.

And finally, La Locanda.  This place you have to experience to believe.  Located on the only island on Lake Como, we arrived by boat to a very famous, yet casual six course lunch, under a tree on the terrace.  Please!!!!  It just could not have been more perfect.  This became a must for all of the AHA trips to the Lake Como area.  Take a look at their website.  Too fun!

From Lago Di Como we headed south to Pienza, located in the heart of Tuscany for the next six days, stopping for lunch in Cremona.  Cremona is the town where Stradivari lived and created his perfect violins, now on display, and I have wanted to visit for many years.  It was not a disappointment.

Abbey of Saint Antimo, Tuscany

Tuscany:  Staying in a beautifully redesigned farmhouse on top of a hill, we relished traveling through the area at a very leisurely pace.  The high points were the 12th century Abby of Saint Antimo, where the resident Gregorian monks chant . . . .  stunning.  The beef steak restaurant, Osteria Acquacheto, so good we went twice, the town of Montepulciano, and the perfect Renaissance town of Pienza.  There were some disappointments that taught us where not to go as well.  Restaurants that are full and bustling, but without an Italian in the place.  We were in Italy, right?  Or were we in Germany or England?  Several got scratched off of our list, and that is a good thing.

Rome: Continues to amaze us and we have been visiting annually for over 20 years, with guests and on our own.  Exploration of some sites we’d not seen before proved fruitful.  The hillside town of Tivoli, just outside of Rome, with its two enormous villas will make a great addition to a week long itinerary in Rome.  This would be a day trip, out of the bustling city to visit the ancient Roman Villa Adriana, lunch and then visit the Villa ‘d’Este c. 1565.  Both have gorgeous gardens, gushing fountains, and views of Rome.  A super way to spend an easy day, I loved it there. We were disappointed with a restaurant that we have been enjoying for years, because it decided to go up market.  So, whereas their pizza and pastas were wonderful, they have been replaced with items like parmigiano mousse served with middle eastern flat bread.  What?  I am in Italy, right?  Too bad.  But, the Enoteca (wine bar) near the bottom of the Spanish Steps, and Ciampini, at the top, were just as great as ever!

Home with patio, c.79 AD - Herculaneum

Sorrento: This has become a favorite.  Perhaps the fact that  beautiful Hotel Antiche Mura pampers us is part of the reason we keep returning? Perhaps that, as well as the aqua waters lapping on the shore, the slower pace, the pirate history, the fresh seafood and icy white wines, and the limoncello?   Yeah, that’s probably it.  In Sorrento it is easy for me to wrap my guests up in history and culture.  It is a place to let down, slow down, and just be.  A must for AHA clients.

This trip we visited Herculaneum (in Italian, Ercolano) for the first time.  A seaside city destroyed by the same volcanic eruption that flattened Pompeii, in 79 AD, but smaller and better preserved.  Unlike Pompeii, in Herculaneum we found full homes that survived with their artwork still on the walls.  I was able to walk through a home in which the dining room looked out onto a garden with a patio complete with patio furniture.   I stood in the kitchen gazing out the window at the garden imagining that more than 1,930 years ago, a woman just like me, had done the same thing.  Perhaps she wondered what kind of weather they would have that day, as she watched her children play with a pet.  Suffice to say, that in Herculaneum, one could easily step back in time, and I loved it. I will look forward to sharing this experience with guests.

I began this post with my commitment to you, the AHA guest.  I hope that as you have read this article, it has become clear just how I will immerse you.  My goal is to envelope you in the people, the art, history, music, and food of the places we explore.  Complete Cultural Immersion, hope you can swim!

Happy Travels

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arthisto July 10th, 2009

We have space available on this tour, but you will need to move quickly.  Rooms are being booked, train reservation are being made, and emails are flying.  If you would like to be a part of this small group that will see Italy the AHA way, just fill out the application and hit the submit button, or contact me directly at 831.475.3807 or aha@arthistoryalive.com.

Naturally, I am so looking forward to this trip to Tuscany with its hilltowns and castles, and then the beauty of Sorrento and Positano hanging on the cliffs above the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. What a gorgeous combination. Four days of enjoying hearty Tuscan cuisine and wines while exploring ancient Etruscan towns as well as beautiful Renaissance jewel-like hilltowns. Then off to the Southern Riviera of Italy, the Amalfi Coast. Here, just south of Naples, there is an entirely different feeling, food, wine, and history.

A more detailed description of the trip is below.  Enjoy!

TUSCANY AND THE AMALFI COAST
SEPTEMBER 16–24, 2009
9 DAYS GROUP SIZE: 6
PRICE PER PERSON $5,000.00

After arriving in Rome and having our first cappuccino in Italy together, we will gather into our spacious, panoramic-windowed van and travel 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. So, within two hours of landing in Italy you will be immersed in its ancient beauty, and this will just be the beginning.

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 “calendar-like”. 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 hilltowns 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 hilltown 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 here 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 hilltowns, 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.

Eventually, we will have to say goodbye to our castle and Tuscany, and head south to Rome where we will jump a fast train and travel further south to the dramatic Amalfi Coast. This is the land of old lemon trees, heavy with the fruit that will lend itself to that delicious, yellow, after dinner concoction, limoncello. The land of soft buffalo milk mozzarella, and fresh fish. While here we will divide our time between Sorrento and Positano. Even though they are only separated by a one hour drive, they are so beautiful and unique unto themselves, that I want you to experience both. Sorrento is built high above the Mediterranean on a flat plateau, where you can walk to the edge and look straight down into the warm, see-through water. Positano is built in a cove and its villas, hotels, shops and restaurants look like pastel building blocks tumbled down a hill. Here, overlooking the aqua waters of the Mediterranean, where centuries ago pirates marauded, we will wander, shop, visit Pompeii, Capri, and maybe even Amalfi, mostly by sea. With all the fresh seafood and crispy white wines you can take in, you will ask yourself, “Can it get any better than this?” Nope!

Which will be your favorite? Cobblestoned Tuscany, with its full o’flavor red wines and where you met the locals and stayed in a castle, or the warm seafront terraces and fishing villages of the Amalfi Coast? These will be ongoing comparisons that may never have a definitive conclusion. As for me, after 20 years of loving these places, I could say it’s like comparing apples and oranges, but it’s not, it’s cobblestones and lemons.
Physical level:  Strenuous

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