• Join us for a 10-day, 9-night, counter-clockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, taking in the very best this fabulous island has to offer. We start in Palermo – rich with culture and history – and then hug the coast, exploring the largest island in the Mediterranean whose enviable position attracted every major Mediterranean power to its shores, from the Greeks and Romans, to the Byzantines and Arabs, to the Normans, French, and Spanish. This mix of cultures created a place like no other, with a unique language, cuisine, and architecture. We visit the stunning Greek temples of Segesta, Selinunte, and Agrigento; bustling seaside towns; the sparkling salt pans of the western coast; the wild beaches of the southern coast; Baroque hill towns in a vertical landscape in the southeast; and the mystical landscapes of the interior. We end on the slopes of Etna, still an active volcano and now home to some of the best wineries in Sicily cultivating its rich volcanic soil, all within reach of charming Taormina and its ancient Greek ruins.

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• Optimal trip length is 7 nights/8 days
• Best time to go: April-July, Sept-Nov

• Puglia is the heel of the famous Italian boot, surrounded by the sea and steeped in a rich history reaching back to prehistoric times. Puglia's top highlight is the incredible beauty of the sea in sparkling turquoise and cerulean blue. This week-long trip takes in the best of the region from Otranto's castle and chapel of bones, easy bike rides or walks in the olive groves, to the white city of Ostuni, the prehistoric megalithic stones of the Salento, the fairytale trulli houses of Alberobello, and the intricate, creamy stone carvings of Lecce. Puglia's food is exceptional - a heady mix of abundant appetizers, organic zero-kilometer cuisine, fabulous biodynamic wines, and the freshest, best ingredients.

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• Optimal trip length is 8 days/7 nights
• Best time to go: April-October

• Capturing light is the nexus of photography and the classic way we transmit our travel experiences to others. This week-long exploration of water and light begins in the grand scenery of the Italian Lakes and finishes in incomparable Venice. Artists have been drawn for centuries to the light reflecting off the deep, crystalline waters of the Italian Lakes. Lush gardens tumbling to the water's edge, sumptuous villas, and charming fisherman villages captivated the Romantic poets Byron, Shelley and Wordsworth. Venice presents a different situation for artists, a magical conundrum of not knowing where water ends and land begins in this ornate floating city. This trip is suitable for photographers and non-photographers alike, as we will also enjoy the food, wine, history, and culture of both locations.

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• Optimal trip length is 5 days/4 nights
• Best time to go: Anytime!
• Experience the best of New York City art, with special visits to artist studios, private collections, museums, sculpture gardens, galleries, public art, the 9/11 Museum and the High Line. We head up the Hudson River Valley for a full-day excursion to Dia: Beacon art center and Storm King Sculpture Park, all the while enjoying classic New York City restaurants, shopping, and theater.

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• Optimal trip length is 9 nights/10 days
• Best time to go: April-July, Sept-Nov
• The cuisine of Italy is rightly famous for its quality, tastiness, and simplicity. Join us for this 10-day culinary adventure to find out how the Italians do it! We experience Italy's rich and diverse traditions of cibo (food) and vino (wine) from the north to the south, starting in the sparkling Venetian lagoon with Venice and traveling – and tasting – our way to Modena, Florence, Roma, and the Amalfi Coast. This trip incorporates novel and off-the-beaten path discoveries that will help us understand the Italian culinary philosophy in a new, fresh way. Our holistic approach means visiting some of Italy's top producers as well as artisans making small quantities for local consumption. We enjoy the full spectrum of Italian cuisine, from Michelin-starred meals to homemade cooking, always incorporating the special wines of each region with an emphasis on the burgeoning biodynamic market so enthusiastically received by chefs and wine lovers. Optional walks are offered almost everyday to balance our focus on food and wine. Andiamo!

• Optimal trip length is 8 days/7 nights
• Best time to go: Summertime
• ~ Mountains & Spa ~ Shelby Autrey of B*Free Yoga Studio invites you to come to the cool air of the Dolomites for a week of yoga, wellness, spa treatments, and hiking in this picture perfect, "Sound of Music" landscape. Our base is San Cassiano, a tiny town well-loved by foodies for its plethora of Michelin stars and zero kilometer treats. Wildflowers, towering mountains, and tinkling cow bells set the scene for our daily yoga practice. Our grand finale is two nights in Venice, where we venture out into the far northern lagoon on our private boat to swim and explore the islands. If you have ever dreamed of practicing yoga surrounded by the Byzantine splendor of Venice, this trip is for you!
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• Optimal trip length is 7 days/6 nights
• Best time to go: April, May, June, July, September, October

• Designed around a week-long stay at fabulous Hotel Cipriani in Venice, this trip features daily lessons with beloved artist and author, Sally Spector. Drawing can be mesmerizing wherever one does it, but drawing in Venice is in the realm of dreams for many an artist. You will learn more about this fundamental art technique as we explore Venice from our base at the Cipriani, whose fabulous detailing, gardens, pool, and fountains provide respite and artistic inspiration, both. All levels are welcome! We will concentrate on rendering in pencil, pen, and ink, with washes of watercolor, exploring the incredible range of effects that these materials make possible.

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• Optimal trip length is 8 days/7 nights
• Best time to go: Summertime
• Get your yoga groove on surrounded by the turquoise sea in the chic towns of the Amalfi Coast. Shelby Autrey of B*Free Yoga Studio in Austin, Texas, is available to lead you through a week's worth of yoga sunrise and sunset sessions while you explore this fascinating peninsula during the day. From swimming in the volcanic thermal waters of Ischia to practicing your downward dog on a Roman ruin facing Capri, this week is all about health and wellness, history and culture, and of course tasting the best food and wine in Italy...
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• Optimal trip length is 8 days/7 nights
• Best time to go: April-October

• Join fellow art lovers for a 8-day art adventure to Italy featuring an exclusive tour of the Venice Biennale international contemporary art exhibition paired with insider access to a curated mix of architecture, landscape, and culinary experiences. We start in sophisticated and energized Milan before moving just outside Verona in the heart of the Valpolicella wine region for two nights in your choice of superior rooms or junior suites at Byblos Art Hotel, a 16th century villa transformed by contemporary art from such luminaries as Sol LeWitt, Damien Hirst and Anish Kapoor. This trip takes in northern Italy's unique urban centers and spectacular rural landscapes including Milan and its secrets; the romantic city of Romeo and Juliet, Verona, whose Roman core is still protected by the curving Adige River; the country villas and gardens of the world-renown Valpolicella wine region; Vicenza, a High Renaissance town brimming with villas, palaces, and civic buildings designed by Andrea Palladio; and incomparable Venice, its sparkling lagoon and surrounding islands so fragile next to the Adriatic Sea. For your lodging in Venice, chose from the iconic Bauer Il Palazzo on the Grand Canal or charming Violino d'Oro next door. Along the way we meet local experts, enjoy wonderful dining experiences and boat rides, and give you lots of opportunities to explore on your own.

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Sketches and photos from Lillian's trip to Orvieto and beyond. Check out Lillian's blog here