Italy is one of those special places and Esplorando l'Italia's 2010 'Italy Collection' brings together the expertise of ESP Ventures, Italian colleagues who are the best in their field, who have become good friends and who have shared their Italy with us.

We value such elusive qualities as genuine personal charm, historical authenticity, character, beauty and peace - and of course, fun. We have chosen favourite hotels and villas, where you will have the privacy of your own room. We know it's enjoyable to have the company of travelling companions over dinner, rather than dining alone and so we have selected good local restaurants in which to experience the local cuisine. During the day you will be able to visit galleries and museums, fabulous gardens, attend a hands-on cooking class, buy a treasure at the antique markets, or the latest design from a boutique, attend the opera - the choice is extensive.

These itineraries have been developed to travel in a small group of 10 - 14 travellers and designed to achieve a balance between activities and leisure time because we understand it is important to have the time to soak up the local culture. Combining the personalised attention, from our personally selected bi-lingual Italian tour professionals, sleek European minibus with driver and expert local guides, this is your Esplorando l'Italia travel experience.

We have taken away the worries and uncertainties of independent travel - finding time to plan your trip, picking holidays, driving, getting lost, arriving late, translating - All you need to do is relax and explore! We know and love Italy and we want you to see it the way it should be seen.

Below is an outline of our 2010 Programme featuring Itineraries available now, with more to follow. For full details of these itineraries or for any other information about travelling in Italy, please contact us and it will be our pleasure to help you plan your Italian holiday.

Ciao, Italia!

Join us on this outstanding journey through renowned regions of Italy and experience magnificent art, cuisine, hospitality, history and cars!

Escorted by Sandy Myhre - one of New Zealand's best known motor sport and motoring journalists.

Itinerary Preview

Monday 26th April to Sunday 2nd May 2010 (7 days)
3 nights Milan and 3 nights Parma
Minimum 14 - Maximum 20 travellers

Journey Highlights

Milan - Sightseeing highlights include exclusive tour of La Scala, Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece "The Last Supper", Pinacoteca Ambrosiana and the Da Vinci Code
Arese - The Alfa Romeo Museum
Parma - Duomo. Battistero, Prosciutto & Parmigiano
Modena - Passion for Italian Cars
a full day of exclusive visits - Lamborghini, Maserati, Zonda
or a Gourmet Tour of Emilia Romagna region
and an optional fabulous Ferrari test drive at Monza or indulgent spa treatment

Including - Accomodation in 4 star hotels specially selected for their location and ambience.  All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners - dining in personally selected restaurants, tasting local cuisine and wines, luxury transport by coach, transfers, all luggage handling, gratuities, entrances fees, professional guides, your personalised itinerary & travel journal.  The day by day programme is detailed in the comprehensive itinerary.

Share Twin  NZ$4650.00 per person
(excluding airfare - we are happy to advise options, or purchase from your airline or travel agent of choice).
Single Supplement - NZ$950.00 double room for single use.

For detailed itinerary, please Contact us

PARMA - CITY OF ART (Northern Italy)
Your stay in Parma is accented with history, art, music, antiques and exceptional cuisine

Departures
June and September
Minimum 8 - Maximum 12 travellers

Parma - City of Art

Summer is a perfect time of year to be in the Emilia Romagna region. This itinerary is especially suited for a returning traveller to Italy, keen to explore an immensely charming area of Italy, off the beaten path, for those with a love of the arts, gourmet food and wine, or perhaps just to relax in one place for a week and really experience Italy.

Share the magic of this city with our own personal English speaking Italian professional guide. We explore the city's fine churches, museums and art galleries, gaze in wonder at the grand interiors of some of the castles and fortresses throughout this region, stroll around their beautiful gardens, visit places dear to Giuseppe Verdi - we're in his hometown after all. Parma has an abundance of cafes - great places for people watching and the streets are lined with beautiful and elegant shops. With our guide we venture out into the countryside near Parma for a gastronomic day around the region savouring the local wines, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto and parmigiano reggiano cheese, we visit a popular antiques market in a local village near Parma and enjoy an evening at the Opera. Our friends and guides will share their favourite restaurants with us and we have planned delicious lunches and dinners at typical Emilian trattoria and osteria where we will experience the range of cuisine and wines this region is famous for. As we remain in Parma for a week, accommodation is in a wonderful Liberty style 3 star apartment building, situated in the historic centre of Parma, giving you a taste of the lifestyle you can't experience in any hotel room - imagine snacking on gourmet goodies purchased at the market, putting the espresso pot on in the morning for your coffee - and enjoying life in Italy at a slower pace.

This itinerary can be combined with another, visiting Tuscany and the Cinque Terre, or we can provide other recommendations for independent travel.

Cost from: Euro 1940 per person
(excluding airfare, Esplorando L'Italia will be happy to assist you with your air reservations)
Single Supplement Euro 345
Contact us for a copy of the full itinerary.

FLORENCE AND THE CINQUE TERRE

Departures
June and October
Minimum 8 - Maximum 12 travellers
Florence - 2 nights, S. Margherita Ligure - 4 nights

Combine the Parma City of Art Itinerary with this itinerary and spend 4 days in Florence before continuing on to Lucca, Pisa and the Cinque Terre.

Florence

Florence is just one and a half hours from Parma - we arrive at midday in time to enjoy a leisurely lunch and meet our personal guide. After lunch we take a leisurely walking tour and visit some of those famous historic sights we have all read so much about and accompanying us is our wonderful guide, descended from generations of Florentine guides, Anna-Maria will give you some unique insights into this glorious city, share a recipe and a joke or two. The shopping is wonderful, the market nearby is colourful and fun and the restaurants - we have made some special selections for you. If you have visited Florence before, be assured we will show you places that the locals know, and that are often overlooked on other tours. We continue to the Cinque Terre, via Lucca for a leisurely lunch and Pisa.

A walker's and photographer's paradise, we arrive in the Cinque Terre at a lovely time of year visiting S. Margherita Ligure, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Congilia, Vernazza and Monterosso. We'll travel by train and boat and take some gentle walks, visiting places of interests, dining at specially selected restaurants, our itinerary concludes in Genova.

Cost from: Euro 1940 per person
Single Supplement : Euro 370.00
Contact us for a copy of the full itinerary.

Creativity . Passion . Energy . Focus Characteristics of a journey out of the ordinary
Duomo Firenze		Tuscany		Chianti Gift Shop
Florence shop		Liguria - Cinque Terre		Manarola - Cinque Terre
Portovenere - Cinque Terre		Duomo - Parma		Parma by night
Rome