Italy: La Dolice Vita Fall Tuscany Tour

Woman's Tuscany Cycling tour 

September 25- October 2, 2010

RETREAT DETAILS

BACK TO WOMEN'S TRAVEL

Will I ride enough, too much?

Yes and no. We will divide into 2 or 3 groups depending on the abilities and desires of the riders, but we will always have a fast or Forza group and a Piano or slower group. 

The Forza group will ride team style, in a drafting group and at a steady, day in the saddle pace with occasional city limit and hilltop attacks tossed in for fun. 

The Piano group will ride more leisurely without too much concern for pace or distance, however, still seeing some of the best of Tuscany. 

The middle group, Medio, will ride in between the two and everyone is encouraged to shift among groups throughout the week to insure you get in enough mileage and Tuscan flavor. 

For distances, Piano will ride between 20 and 30 miles a day, Medio between 30 and 50 miles a day and Forza between 45 and 80 miles per day. 

All groups will work on skills and bike handling technique and everyone will ride Euro style – stopping regularly for cappuccino.

Single Supplement and Roommates:

Single people may sign up to be paired with a roommate can chosen from other tour members. If a roommate is unavailable, the participant will be notified of the adjusted price for a single supplement.

Deposit Information:

There is a $500 non-refundable deposit due at the time of registration. Balance due 90 days prior to camp. Your camp fee is nonrefundable within 90 days of the camp. Please note that injury or illness does not disqualify you from the cancellation policy and we are unable to transfer deposits and/or payments from one year to the next so we highly recommend trip insurance, and we will be happy to provide a free quote. 

Overview

8 Days, 7 Nights from $3500 pp
Accommodations at comfortable, charming, and authentic family-run Tuscan establishments, Six dinners, three lunches, and daily breakfasts – all amazing food, in true Tuscan spirit! And all snacks, Daily road cycling rides, guided by our professional staff, A bike mechanic and sag wagon with spare parts, Transportation from Camastrello Sport Hotel to Fattoria de Colle and back again, Guided art tour in Siena, A guided visit to Fonte di Foiano, rated one of the best olive oil presses in Italy. A visit to a local Tuscan farmhouse for a cooking demonstration and feast with acclaimed (and fun!) chef, Chicca, A day with world-renowned artist Rolando Stefanacci, A visit and guided tour of the magnificent town of Siena, Wine Tasting in the heart of Brunello country, A visit to Cicclo Sport, a Tuscan bike shop with even more local color than the sunsets over the Tyrhenian Sea, Yoga classes, Watercolor painting lesson and more

*Price does not include airfare, or bike rentals.     

TOUR DETAILS                                        

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Trip Introduction 

See Italy in a whole new light on this amazing cycling vacation in Tuscany. From the shimmering Mediterranean Sea to the rolling hills and ancient villages, we’ll absorb the essence of Tuscany and allow our senses to run wild. From the honey-soaked light of the morning glowing over fields of red poppies, to the golden rays shining through the vineyards in the evening, we will discover the blissful rhythm of Tuscany. We’ll bike the most charming roads in the world, and delight your taste buds with spectacular local foods, all while learning about our surroundings: art, architecture, history, and the art of making olive oil, wine, cheese and authentic Tuscan cuisine.

All ability levels are welcome and each bike ride is guided. The high staff-to-participant ratio means you’ll have someone to encourage you, as well as teach you cycling tips, whether you’re a beginner or a veteran. This is the trip you always promised yourself you’d take. Come join us in the sweet life.

What to Expect on this  Adventure

Most mornings we will begin with yoga to awaken our senses and limber our bodies before enjoying a buffet breakfast with foamy cappuccinos. Then we’ll pedal the Tuscan roads, famous for their cypress trees, lack of traffic, and friendly drivers. Our afternoons will be spent exploring villages, doing art projects or creative journaling, swimming in the calm sea, and rekindling the spark for life. Poetry, and creative processes for clarifying your heart's desire are sprinkled into the mix of all our adventures, bringing mindfulness to our Italian adventure.

Throughout the retreat, you will have personal and individualized professional instruction and guidance during all activities. Our staff consists of world-class athletes and coaches, who will offer you heartfelt support and instruction. We’ll create small riding groups to ensure everyone rides with others at a similar ability level. Riding options are provided for beginners to accomplished riders. And, all rides are fully supported with a bike mechanic and a sag wagon (full of fruit, water, cookies and, of course, chocolate).

To compliment your cycling, we also offer hiking and running adventures on trails lined with olive trees, and on roads leading to wonderful places. For instance, at Fattoria de Colle we can run/hike to a cheese maker’s house!

 Retreat Location

From our meeting point in Florence, we will travel by van about 2 hours south into the province of Siena. This region is known as the Val d’Orcia and is one of the most picturesque and beautiful areas in all of Italy. The villa is located near the charming villages of Trequanda, and Asciano, where there is a particularly good cappuccino bar as well as important 14th Century paintings in the town church. We will be lodging here for the whole week, so we can settle in and not have to pack and unpack. The area is a treasure-trove of gorgeous villages, towns, gardens, and abbeys for our day-tripping pleasure.

Accommodations

Our home base for the first portion of the retreat is the lovely Campastrello Sport Hotel (www.campastrellosport.com) in the Etruscan coast region. Set in a beautiful Mediterranean garden, the hotel is modern but built in charming, traditional Tuscan style. The beautifully landscaped grounds feature fruit orchards and olive groves, a state-of-the-art Olympic swimming pool, and great views of the village and sunsets. Our meals are specially prepared and served in the hotel's noted restaurant, L'Olivo, which specializes in homestyle Tuscan cuisine.

For the next portion of our adventure, we’ll head inland to the magnificent region of Val d’Orcia, where we’ll spend two nights at Fattoia de Colle (www.cinellicolombini.it). Set in a spectacular setting of cypress-lined lanes, ancient stone villages, and undulating hills studded with castles, Colle is a working wine and olive oil producing estate with beautifully renovated farmhouses and a main villa for our lodging. The estate also includes a small chapel, two swimming pools, and a gourmet restaurant preparing our sumptuous Tuscan meals from fresh, local produce.

The proprietor of Colle, Donatella Cinelli Colombini, is the producer of award-winning Brunello di Montalcino wines. Her signature vintage, Prime Donne, is produced solely by women.

Finally, we’ll head back to the Etruscan coast and our friends at Fattoria de Colle for two more nights. We will pedal along the famous Strada del Vino (the wine road), have lunch with an internationally-renowned sculptor at his beautiful villa, see how olive oil is made at one of Tuscany's finest olive-oil presses, enjoy a cooking class with Chicca, a renowned Italian chef, and swim in the warm, clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea on beaches below a medieval castle.

Note: Price does not include airfare, or bike rentals.

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www.luxworldtravel.com

Travel for the Journey Inside You

1.866.269.2659                                                          1.585.672.5587

LUX World Travel             Rochester   NY              1.866. 269. 2659                ++ 011 585. 672. 5587

 We will run, hike, bike and swim. Bring appropriate gear. All rides are sagged by follow vehicles so you won't need a fanny pack or bike rack. We have most tools and the nearby bike store to access.

Set in ancient olive groves near the Mediterranean coast, our hotel is an ideal base from which to explore the beautiful hilltop villages, prize-winning vineyards, and rolling landscape of this rich area of Tuscany known as the Etruscan Coast.

The beginning rider and the elite rider will both love the Tuscan countryside for bike riding at its best. A variety of options are available for our walks, runs and bike rides, depending on each person's comfort level. If you can, we suggest you start a training or workout program at least 3 months before you come so you can get the most out of the week.

Our afternoons will be spent exploring villages, doing art projects or creative journaling, swimming in the calm sea, and rekindling the spark for life. Poetry, and creative processes for clarifying your heart's desire are sprinkled into the mix of all our adventures, bringing mindfulness to our Italian adventure.

Your Trip Leader

Colleen Cannon:  In her racing days, she was World Champion in 1984, and National Champion in 1988 and 1990. She also was a multiple U.S. National team member. Her passions, besides chocolate and being in nature, are liberating and empowering women through movement and balance, and targeting their true "hearts' desire." "Colleen continues to EVOLVE adventures for women,  delighting in ways to ENCHANT women with the experiences that coax happiness grown from joyful physical experiences,