Italy is one of those special places and Esplorando l'Italia's 2008/2009 '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 2008/2009 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.

ROME - ITALIAN IMAGES

Date to be Advised
Minimum 10 - Maximum 14 travellers

An itinerary for anyone who loves Italy, photography, great food, extraordinary culture

Rome

Imagine spending a rewarding and exciting week in Rome making great photographs, visiting beautiful places and famous monuments and all the while enjoying fabulous food and extraordinary culture. Can you picture yourself spending a week in Rome? Got a favourite Italian red? It tastes even better al fresco, in a piazza beside a centuries-old fountain, in bella Roma.

Hosted by Warren Payne, a New Zealand based photographer with over 20 years photographic experience, specializing in advertising photography, Italy has been a favourite destination to visit, to enjoy, to photograph. Bring your film or digital camera and discover how to make great photos and memories of a lifetime. Each day of this Eternal City of Rome eight day itinerary, Warren will lead you through exciting photographic workshops among ancient ruins, glorious cathedrals, heroic monuments, colourful open markets and light-filled piazzas, bustling with artists, musicians magnificent fountains - allowing you to capture the richness and romance of Rome, while experiencing the wonderful culture, food and history of Italy.

A delightful mix of breathtaking guided tours, knowledgeable local guides, great dining and personal coaching from a professional photographer this itinerary is for anyone who loves Italy, photography, art and culture and great food. At a leisurely pace we explore Campo Dei Fiori, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Borghese Gallery, St. Peter's Basilica, the Colosseum, the Forum, the fascinating district of Trastevere over the Tiber River, Piazza Trilussa, Tritone Fountain, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia, take fascinating walking tours through a labyrinth of winding cobblestone streets lined with quaint osterias, antique stores and the ever-present café, photograph great monuments, picturesque, piazzas, famous cathedrals and the vibrant life of Rome, a panoramic evening tour Rome by night is magical and the city's extraordinary beauty, illuminated in a mellow yellow lamplight evokes an ancient torch-lit effect and the piazzas and monuments will appear like canvas paintings. Our local Rome guide, will share with you the finer points of this beautiful city and some of the more subtle treasures that Rome has to offer. A day trip to the historically significant and ancient medieval hilltop town of Orvieto, will be relaxed day visiting its famous Duomo and with time to browse the quaint and picturesque alleys and shopping for Orvieto's famous ceramics and artisan jewellery, photographing the medieval architecture, colourful storefronts and friendly local inhabitants. Of course, throughout the itinerary we have allowed time to relax and watch the world go by from an outdoor café, or explore and discover at leisure. Selected lunches and dinners will be enjoyed with your travel companions at carefully selected ristorante, trattorias and osteria, our charming hotel is situated in the historic centre of Rome, overlooking Via Veneto and close to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Villa Borghese.

Cost from Euro 2860 per person
Single Supplement Euro 680 per person
Contact us for a copy of the full itinerary of this delightful and unique itinerary.

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