Autumn in Tuscany & Umbria Vineyards, Villages, Food, Wine & more! Weeks available: September 25 - October 2, 2019 Cortona, Italy
Join us for a week devoted to capturing the essence of Autumn in Tuscany ! With Cortona as our base, each day we will explore and photograph the rich area from Cortona's mountains to Montepulciano's vineyards and from Lake Trasimeno in Umbria to the Chianti area! This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity for photographers of all levels. Or if you are not a photographer come along for the experience of a lifetime!!
All-inclusive* plans include: Escorted group travel from Florence to Cortona and return** Seven nights accommodations in historic Cortona*** Italian breakfast, lunch
and dinner daily**** Daily wine tasting opportunities Day trips to Lake Trasimeno in Umbria,
Siena & San Gimignano Full-day wine tour to Pienza, Montalcino Montepulciano
Day trip to Lucignano
& the Val di Chiana Entrance to selected museums and sites***** All programed transfers A farewell wine tasting dinner *Air travel is the responsibility of each participant. Florence (FLR) is the suggested arrival and departure airport in Italy.
**Escorted Group Travel on arrival day (arrival day varies depending on week period selected) departs Florence's Amerigo Vespucci airport at 12:30pm Plan to arrive Wednesday morning in Florence or at least one day earlier. Departure from Cortona is at 8:00am on departure day. We suggest to not plan departing flights until after 12:00 noon. Return transfer to Florence is by private driver. For those departing Italy immediately shuttle buses or taxis are available at extra cost. ***Four- and five-star hotels, vacation villas, apartments and B&B's quoted separately ****Italian breakfast, lunch and evening dinners included only. *****Entrance fees to museums and sites as described in the Itinerary above only.
$3490.00 per person double occupancy +$500.00 per person single occupancy Minimum four persons
Montepulciano
Itinerary
Day 1– Arrival in Cortona
-Arrival and Check-in in Cortona
-7:00p Welcome to Cortona wine and chocolate tasting at La Saletta.
-8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona
Day 2 - Cortona
-Morning session: Upper Cortona
-1:00p Lunch
-Afternoon Session: Lower Cortona
-7:30p Wine tasting
-8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona
Day 3 - Lake Trasimeno
-Morning session
-1:00p Lunch
-Afternoon Session
-7:30p Wine tasting
-8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona
Day 4 - Siena & San Gimignano (Chianti)
-Morning session
-1:00p Lunch
-Afternoon Session
-7:30p Wine tasting
-8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona
Day 5 Lucignano & Val di Chiana
-Morning session
-1:00p Lunch
-Afternoon Session
-7:30p Wine tasting
-8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona
Day 6 - Pienza, Montalcino & Montepulciano
-Full-day wine tour with stops
-7:30p Wine tasting
-8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona
Day 7 - Cortona
-Morning session
-1:00p Lunch
-Afternoon Session
-7:30p Wine tasting
-8:00p Evening dinner in Cortona
Day 8 – Cortona
-Morning Check-out and departure from Cortona or we can help you plan an extended stay!
-Each guest must make taxi/travel requests through the Hotel Oasi front desk.
Note: Toscana Americana reserves the right to alter this itinerary. All times are approximate
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"Autumn in Tuscany"
Enrollment Form (Please print, complete and mail this form.) To confirm a reservation it is necessary that this form is filled in and signed, then mailed to us with the necessary payment. Enrollment requests are processed on a first-received basis. Due to enrollment limitations we may not be able accept all requests for enrollment. In this case we may offer you alternate dates which you may elect to accept or decline within seven days.
PARTICIPANT INFORMATION (List all participants and non-participants separately and include with this form) Contact name________________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________ City__________________________ State__________ Zip Code________ Country____________________________________ Telephone- Day_______________ Evening_________________ Email__________________________ Fax__________________________ Emergency Contact phone number: ____________________________ Special or dietary needs:_____________________________ *I have read and agree to the Enrollment Terms and Conditions (see below). Signature (required) X _________________________________________________
Booking Period (Please select your week(s)) 2017 Dates: __From arrival in Cortona Wednesday August 25, 2019 to departure the following Wednesday October 2, 2019. "Autumn in Tuscany" Accommodation Choice & Price Calculation Special Hotel Plan: Intended workshop venue & instructor accommodations. Based on availability. __$3690.00 per person one week w/ private room/bath & Group Meal Plan. *Group Meal Plan (GMP): Includes daily Italian breakfast, lunch, dinner, wine tasting. Total Due: $_______________
US$350.00 deposit per person due with enrollment form. If enrolling within 90 days of start date please remit payment in full. Total Deposit Due: $_________ Preferred Payment Method (See Enrollment Terms & Conditions below) Checks accepted only. Make checks payable to: "Patrick J. Mahoney TA" Authorized Signature________________________________________ Mail completed form to: "Autumn in Tuscany 2019" Patrick Mahoney/TA 367 West Broadway Gardner, MA 01440 USA
All enrolled participants will receive written confirmation and further workshop information. This workshop is offered based on a minimum number of participants. Toscana Americana may cancel this workshop if the minimum number of participants is not met 60 days prior to intended workshop start date. In this case alternate dates may be offered or all payments returned.
Terms & Conditions
Workshop Period The Toscana Americana “Autumn in Tuscany” workshop period is for one week from Wednesday upon arrival and check-in in Cortona until the following Wednesday at the time of check-out unless arranged otherwise.
Arrival and Departure Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from Cortona, unless participating in teh escorted group travel from Florence airport on arrival day.
Included in the Toscana Americana "Autumn in Tuscany" Price: • One week stay at your assigned three-star hotel including but not limited to Electricity, heat (in the winter) hot water, clean bed linens, towels, soap. • All sightseeing tours and field trips as specified in the Toscana Americana "Autumn in Tuscany” itinerary. • All lunches and dinners, unless otherwise noted in the Toscana Americana "Autumn in Tuscany" tour itinerary. Lunches may be chosen from lunch menu. Dinners are chosen from a prefix menu prepared for our guests. All lunches and dinners are group style. • Wine and non-alcoholic beverages with lunches and dinners limited to selections prechosen by Toscana Americana. Drinks with lunch and dinner shall be considered as being ¼ liter of wine and ½ liter mineral water per person, per meal. • All basic tips, including long distance coach drivers and guides, except where national regulations and supplier rules forbid. Participants should consider adding $1.00US per day for extra or exceptional service for all of the above personnel. English-speaking Guides for all guided day trips as noted in the Toscana Americana “Autumn in Tuscany" itinerary. • Itinerary may be adjusted to accommodate seasonal openings and/or unexpected closing of attractions, restaurants, museums, etc. • Published Toscana Americana "Autumn in Tuscany" prices are Per Person, single occupancy, based on a minimum group of eight registered and enrolled participants.
Not Included in the Toscana Americana " Autumn in Tuscany" Price: • Passport fees. • Round trip transportation to/from guest’s departure point in the USA. Airfare not included. Applicable taxes are not included in Published price. Transportation to/from Cortona. Ground transportation in Cortona Entrance fees to museums and sites as noted on the Autumn in Tuscany itinerary. • Excess baggage charges. See your air carrier rules. • Liquor or distilled drinks. • Entertainment or activities during scheduled free periods during days or evenings. • Items of a personal nature, including, but not limited to, laundry, extra porterage, etc. • Optional Baggage and Trip Cancellation Insurance; this is highly recommended. • Additional courtesy tips for good service. • U.S. Customs Charges upon return (on goods exceeding $400 per person at last notice). • Telephone charges • Supplementary maid service • Any other expenses, costs or charges not specified in the section titled “Included in the Toscana Americana "Autumn in Tuscany”. • Overnight lodging, meals, transportation, or missed travel services due to airline scheduling, misconnections, or delays.
Variations Toscana Americana reserves the right to change accommodations and itinerary in the case of force majeure. The customer shall inform Toscana Americana in writing whether he chooses to withdraw or to benefit from the alternate package within and not after 2 days from receipt of the alternate proposal. Should the customer fail to accept any variations, Toscana Americana shall return only the sums of money received within 7 working days from receipt of the communication from the customer.
Sleeping Accommodations Single private rooms are based upon availability. Double occupancy available upon request and based on availability.
No un-enrolled person or persons may occupy or otherwise share a room or accommodations with enrolled guests/participants. Special permission may be granted with advance notice. If special permission is granted for an un-enrolled person or persons to share or occupy a guest room, the un-enrolled person or persons will be responsible for one-half the regular room rate. All Toscana Americana Workshops accommodations partners cooperate to enforce this position.
Payment Terms 1. All prices are in United States dollars. 2. For reservations made more than two months prior to arrival date, a non-refundable deposit in the amount of US$350.00 per person is due with the enrollment form to secure the workshop period. The balance is due no less than 3 months before the arrival date. 3. For bookings made less than 2 months before the arrival date, the total workshop fee is due at the time of booking. 4. Upon receipt of the initial deposit you will receive a receipt/confirmation in writing. 5. Upon a receipt of your final payment 60 days to arrival, you will be sent a final receipt, directions to your accommodations and any other information pertinent to your stay. 6. Please see explanations for Security Deposit and Refunds below.
Cancellation of Toscana Americana "Autumn in Tuscany" Workshop This tour is offered based on a minimum number of participants. Toscana Americana may cancel this tour if the minimum number of participants is not met 90 days prior to the workshop start date which you select. In the event of cancellation by Toscana Americana enrolled participants will be offered alternative dates or a complete refund.
Cancellation and Refunds CANCELLATION ONCE FULL FINAL PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE: Any cancellation notification must be made in writing to Toscana Americana in writing. -Cancellations made between 90 days and 60 days prior to your selected week: 50% of the enrollment fee is forfeited unless we are able to enroll another participant in the tour. -Cancellations made between 60 days and 30 days prior to your selected week: 75% of the enrollment fee is forfeited unless we are able to enroll another participant in the tour. -Cancellations made between 60 days until the departure day of your selected week: 100% of the enrollment fee is forfeited unless we are able to enroll another participant in the tour. If another participant is enrolled, your full payment will be refunded once new re-booking of the tour is confirmed. Please be advised that it is extremely difficult to re-book the tour once a cancellation is made within the 60 days prior to arrival date. Notification of cancellation must be in writing.
Damages & Charges Guests are required to act in a responsible manner at all times. The client is responsible for ensuring that the property is left upon departure in the same general condition and repair as on arrival. Toscana Americana reserves the right to recover from clients the cost of any loss or damage caused by a failure to respect the property, fixtures, or fittings. Toscana Americana reserves the right to recover from clients the cost of excessive use of the telephone. Clients are required to use their long- distance calling cards or credit cards when placing long-distance calls. Low rate per minute international calling cards are available locally
Travel Insurance Insurance is not provided. You are strongly advised to make the necessary arrangements with a reliable insurance company to cover all stages of the holiday including flight or transport cancellations as well as for cancellation of the group tour booking. Your travel agent should be able to help you with this. Trip insurance can be purchased at https://www.insuremytrip.com/ .
Complaints We cannot be held responsible for events beyond our control such as breakdowns, leaks, power cuts, water shortages, floods, storm damage, strikes or force majeure deposit. We will do our best to resolve any complaints to the best of our ability.
Liabilities We cannot accept liability for fortuitous events such as acts of God or war, riots or civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural disasters, fire, adverse weather conditions, or consequences of any person during the course of the holiday stay. Toscana Americana shall not be held responsible in any way for any damage caused by or to travelers or customers if they do not undertake or complete their journey, nor for any contretemps during the journey due to delays, breakdowns or failure of the means of transport, nor illness, bad weather, strikes nor for any other reason due to force majeure. These conditions must be accepted by all members of the group tour party. We can not reduce or waive these terms in the event of circumstances beyond control such as illness, injury or death, flight cancellations, war, civil uprisings, terrorist attacks, labor strikes, earthquakes, floods, storm damage or force majeure. If, for reasons beyond our control, we are forced to cancel the booking, we will do our best to find a suitable alternative rental property or rental period.
A note to Participants Please understand that many of the conveniences, which we accept as normal in the USA and some other countries, are not always as readily available in rural Italy. It is very important to bring with you all medications and prescriptions. Your needs may be difficult to meet in another country. You should understand that the electrical systems in Italy function on a 220-voltage current. We have done everything possible to make available any necessary electrical adapters that may be needed. However, we suggest you bring your own as well. You may experience a power or telephone outage during a storm or other related interference, which is fairly normal. Please understand that these occurrences are totally out of our control and that we cannot make refunds due to happenings such as these during your stay. Generally the outages are for short periods of time and will not result in any major inconvenience. All day trips require walking. Streets in the hill towns are usually sloped and paved with chiseled stones. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended along with a variety of clothing for various weather conditions. Also, U.S.Customs does not permit meat products and other items into the USA. Please check before you purchase items to be sure they will be allowed entry into other countries.
