Mark Your Calendars! It’s time to unleash la dolce vita!!
SEPTEMBER 7-17, 2015
Good News! The cost of the trip is reduced because of the drastic drop
in the Euro/Dollar Exchange rate
Join me on the ITALIAN RIVIERA in the CINQUE TERRE and in Lucca, TUSCANY
7th Annual Italy Retreat for Women To Live La Dolce Vita
10 Glorious Days in Italy! SEPTEMBER 7-17, 2015
This could be YOU in 2015 on the Italian Riviera
Leave the work to me! This is your time to enjoy the sweet life, la dolce vita. I love introducing you to the most luscious cuisine I can find and some of the most panoramic views in all of Italy.
Reduced Rates:
$1530 Pay Lenora Before JUNE 1
$2290 includes:
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After arriving in Pisa on Sunday, September 6 and spending the night there, we hop on a train on Monday, September 7, for the Italian Riviera for four nights in the delightful seaside resort town of Monterosso, one of the Cinque Terre villages. Delight in the beauty of hiking a trail from one village to the other, and then savoring the Ligurian foods and flavors in my favorite eating spots from Monterosso to Vernazza to Manarola to Riomaggiore and Portovenere.
Swim in the turquoise waters of the Ligurian Sea (the Mediterranean) and shop in the lovely and quaint shops along the way.
There’s always some surprise encounter in every piazza, like a dance in the street, or a medieval procession around the corner in the middle of the day.
Following our Italian Riviera days, we spend six nights in northern Tuscany in a gem of a town, Lucca. This wonderful walled old Roman town is a true historic city. We visit villas, swim in healing thermal springs, take part in the ancient Luminaria procession, ride bikes, shop, and of course enjoy the exceptional flavors of Tuscan dining.
Raves for Lenora’s Italy Retreats for Women to Live La Dolce Vita:
“Italy sparked my memory of how fun and spontaneous life can be.”–Judith (Colorado)
“Lenora and our supportive group helped me to feel stronger. I now know how to confront my fears with confidence and I will always cherish the new friends I’ve made. I consider you and your retreat one of the finest parts of my life. I could never thank you enough”–Mary (California)
“Lenora is a master at coordinating the details for one of the most beautiful trips you will ever experience. She has picked out the best restaurants, most comfortable accommodations, and the fun things to explore while enjoying the sweet life in Italy. This is the perfect trip, especially for those without a lot of travel experience. One of the bonuses is that you will learn how to pack a tiny suitcase with everything you need for two weeks! Thank you, Lenora.” –Barbra (Colorado)
A few things to remember:
September may seem far away, but spaces fill VERY quickly!
As a foodie, a big part of my la dolce vita Retreat includes spending some fine hours eating delicious Italian food. As a lover of nature, we spend a lot of time enjoying the sunny weather and breathtaking beauty of Italy.
Therefore, my Italy Retreats are physically active, so you will need to be able to carry your own suitcases (carry-on only size) up and down steps and roll them on uneven street surfaces. Be sure you are able to be on your feet for up to four hours per day walking. (For tips on how to pack for carry-on only, especially for women, see my video.)
Single-bed rooms in Italy are usually the smallest. They are limited and will cost around $100 more per night than if you book double-room occupancy. Only a few singles are available.
WORKSHOP PART OF THE TRIP: Twelve hours interwoven in small pockets of time within our 10 days of glorious travel.
Join me in Manarola for a stroll and sunset dinner!
2015 ITINERARY
SUNDAY, September 6: Arrive a day early and stay in Pisa, Italy. Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa on your own.
MONDAY, September 7:
11:00 am Taking the train to Monterosso, Cinque Terre from Pisa. We will meet at the Pisa Centrale Train Station. 1 hr and 10 minute train ride.
1:15-3:00 Check in, unpack, shower, rest, but do not go to sleep as it will increase jet lag. 3:00-5:00 WORKSHOP & Meet and Greet
6:15 pm Dinner in one of my favorite restaurants in Monterosso
TUESDAY, September 8:
10:30-11:30 am Ferry ride to Portovenere. It’s a beautiful view of the coast of Liguria.
11:30-1:00 Shop in the quaint stores on the one main street, visit the 12th century church, We can buy our own picnic lunch from the deli and market then sit on sea wall overlooking the Bay of Poets to eat at the top of the street on the upper sea wall going toward the Church.
1:00-1:30 Picnic lunch sitting on the upper sea wall overlooking the Bay of Poets
1:30-2:30 WORKSHOP: We’ll meet with our notebooks sitting on the slate rocks overlooking the sea at Lord Byron’s grotto in Portovenere. Take a swim also.
3:00 pm One-hour ferry back to Monterosso.
4:30 pm Swim at Monterosso beach. It’s a 5 minute walk from our hotel.
7:15 pm Enjoy a great Italian dinner overlooking the Mediterranean
WEDNESDAY, September 9:
Visiting two Cinque Terre villages– Riomaggiore and Manarola after morning Workshop.
9:30 am-12:30 La Dolce Vita, Sweet Life WORKSHOP
1:00-2:00 Lunch at a wonderful restaurant.
2:00-3:00 Explore and shop in Monterosso
3:00 pm Train ride to RioMaggiore, the fifth of the five Cinque Terre village.
3:30-5:00 Riomaggiore. Hang out in this lovely Cinque Terre village, shop, take photos and eat a great gelato.
5:15-7:00 Shop the quaint stores in Manarola. Walk the 25 minute long easy Via Dell’ Amore Trail that is now re-opened after two years of closure! The Path of Love. Beautiful panoramic views.
7:30 pm Sunset Dinner in Manarola, the fourth most southern of the Cinque Terre villages
THURSDAY, September 10:
8:00-10:00 am Breakfast, then enjoy Outdoor Market Day in the piazza of Monterosso two minutes from our hotel.
10:00 am Hike to Vernazza, 90 minutes. Get ready for awe-inspiring views around the mountainside through vineyards and forests. We take it easy when we hike, stopping to drink in the views and to take photos.
12:15 Lunch in Vernazza by the seaside, one of the most picturesque piazzas in all of Europe.
1:30-4:00 Shop, explore. Artisan stores and one of my favorite inexpensive hand-made jewelry shops. We can hike 10 minutes of the trail (not all of it) toward the village of Corniglia for another jaw-dropping panoramic view. Take the train back to Monterosso.
4:30-5:30 pm Beach time near our hotel in Monterosso. Enjoy the turquoise Mediterranean waters.
7:15 Our final Dinner in Monterosso, Cinque Terre
FRIDAY, September 11:
Saying arriverderci to Monterosso and buongiorno to the northern Tuscan town of Lucca. Lucca, city of charm, music, great shopping, bicycling, and a plethora of piazzas and churches
11:00 am Train from Monterosso to Pisa for 1 hour 20 minute ride. Then on to Lucca.
1:30-3:00 Settle into your new rooms in your Bed & Breakfast. Then have a quick lunch
3:00-6:00 pm Private tour guide around Lucca to learn about local history, churches, and shops.
6:00-7:30 pm Free Time
7:30 pm Dinner
SATURDAY, September 12:
Bike ride on top of the wall and workshop at 3:00, capping off our evening with a Puccini Operatic Concert.
8:00-1:00 am Outdoor Market Day
9:30 am Bike Riding on top of the city wall (it’s a 60 foot wide city park).
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 Free Time
2:30-4:30 WORKSHOP
4:30-7:00 Free Time
7:00-8:00 pm Puccini Operatic Concert at San Giovanni Church.
SUNDAY, September 13: The Luminaria Procession
10:00 am-11:00 Visit the sacred Vin Santo at the Duomo. The candle lit Luminaria is celebrated to honor this sacred image of Christ that legend says was miraculously carved into the cedar wood. It is a pilgrimage for all the Lucchese people who live in Lucca or visit from all around the world.
11:00 am Climb the Guinigi Tower after visiting the Duomo. Enjoy an amazing panoramic view of Lucca.
12:00-1:30 Lunch
1:30-6:30 Free Time
6:30 pm Dinner
8:00-11:00 pm The annual historic Candlelight Luminaria Procession through the streets this evening. From our windows—a great bird’s eye view before we go out into the streets seeing the procession upfront and personal, admiring the costumes and seeing all the windows and doors lit up with real candles. It’s a magical night. Read My article about the Luminaria.
MONDAY, September 14: Workshop and free time
8:30 am Breakfast
9:30-12:30 WORKSHOP
12:30 Lunch
1:30-7:00 pm Free Time
7:30 DINNER
TUESDAY, September 15: Spa Day. Time to pamper ourselves living the sweet life at Grotta Guisti Spa at Monsumanno, 30 minutes from Lucca.
8:30-Breakfast
10:00 am-5:00 pm Arrive at Grotta Guisti Spa for a day of rejuvenation that includes the grotta, and hydromassage jets in the healing thermal pool that is naturally fed by warm springs.
12:00 Lunch around the pool
2:00-5:00 Massages
7:00 pm Dinner in Lucca. We can decide where.
WEDNESDAY, September 16: Our final day in Lucca with Free Time and workshop time, optional visit to another town or the Villas outside of Lucca, TO BE ANNOUNCED.
9:30am-3:00 pm Free Time or Optional visit to another town or Villa excursion outside of Lucca–possible to Villa Torrigiani and Villa Reale, or to another town.
Lunch: on your own
3:00-4:30 WORKSHOP
4:30-6:30 Free Time
6:30 Dinner. Arriverderci Meal in Lucca
THURSDAY, September 17: Depart from Lucca to the airport in Pisa. Plan your flight late morning or early afternoon. OR if you’d like to travel more in Italy, I can answer any questions you may have.
2015 COSTS:
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Make this your year to travel with me and a small group of like-minded women
to beautiful Italy and The Sweet Life!
For more information, please contact me on the form to learn more.
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