Travel Agent - March 3, 2008 - (Page 23)

form to meet our guide, Emilio, an expert on Rome. He was the ideal companion with whom to stroll through the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon and the grounds of the Vatican. Imagine having every single question you’ve ever had about Roman history answered brilliantly as you’re standing where the history actually took place. That evening, we had dinner on our own. Cynthia and Marco turned out to be experts on Rome themselves and served as concierges at an Adventures by Disney desk in our hotel’s lobby. We kept it simple; after walking around the neighborhood—which was close to the Villa Borghese gardens and 15 minutes by foot to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza del Popolo and Via Condotti—we dined outside at an Italian restaurant and forced ourselves to have more homemade pasta. Since it was late summer, watermelon (a hugely popular treat in Italy, where it’s sometimes sold roadside) was in season and guests were ordering platefuls of the fruit. We agreed it had never tasted so good as on that corner in Rome that night. Heading North Departure from Rome was a snap. We’d left our luggage outside the door the evening prior, and Disney saw that it was loaded onto the comfortable motorcoach, which would carry us from Rome to the Umbria region. It didn’t take us long to arrive at Orvieto, a charming medieval hilltop town that is accessible via a funicular and is known for its ceramics, wine and olive oil. We had a light lunch at one of the many cafés and then people-watched from the steps of the magnificent Duomo of Orvieto. Satiated with sunlight, we boarded our motorcoach for the ride to Tuscany. While it was entertaining enough to look out the window at the rolling hills, fields of sheep, olive trees and sunflower plants (it was late August and we’d missed the blooms by about a month), we also enjoyed watching the film Under the Tuscan Sun, which our guides had popped into the coach’s DVD player. As advertised, our accommodations in Tuscany turned out to be at a real 16th-century villa. The land for Villa Belvedere Campoli (www.villabelvederecampoli.it), in the village of Mercatale Val di Pesa on the Chianti road from Florence to Siena, was deeded by the Medicis and has been owned by the original family since the 18th century. The group stayed in a more ALL PHOTOS BY RUTHANNE TERRERO modern building on the grounds. Our suite, “the Giardino,” felt more like a studio apartment with a full-size living/dining room with cooking facilities, a separate bedroom and a full bathroom with a salon-strength hair dryer and bountiful counter space. As first-timers to Tuscany, we were shocked to see how truly beautiful the region is, especially from the vantage point of Villa Belvedere, which has its own vineyards (grapes were fully ripe on the vine during our visit) and where soft breezes glide through olive trees that grow on hills that overlook valleys, smaller hills, other vineyards and roadways that lead to medieval villages. That evening we sat on the villa’s terrace and had a private wine tasting. As fascinating as it was, we had to stop to stare at the stunning sunset, which changed its medley of hues with every passing minute. That evening, we dined in the villa’s wine cellar. The next morning, some stayed behind to enjoy the lovely pool while we went on an optional tour of Monteriggioni. We insist you recommend that clients visit this quaint hillside town, which is just half-an-hour ride from the villa. At 9:15 in the morning, only a few shops were opening up, proprietors were putting out their wares, and a little black dog (who seemed to belong to the entire town) was running around in the sunlight in the village square. After taking in all of this, as well as the aroma of fresh tomato sauce infused with basil and garlic wafting in the air, we knew this was where we wanted to spend the rest of our days. It was not to be, however; we needed to return to the villa for our pasta-making lesson. Foodies, take note: This is a roll-up-your-sleeves, get-down-and-dirty session that you don’t leave without learning what really goes into making good pasta. After the lesson, we retired to the terrace for a pasta lunch and some of Villa Belvedere’s own Chianti Classico. We rested up after that and then boarded the motorcoach for nearby San Gimignano, a town of towers and winding hills that’s filled with shops, restaurants and an expansive piazza. No visit to Tuscany is complete without a day in Florence, where an expert guide showed us the statue of David at the Gallery of the Accademia, the Ponte Vecchio and a number of other must-see treasures. We had hours and hours to wander through markets and shops and hidden streets until we discovered the ideal restaurant for still more pasta and wine. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 TOP: Ceramics for sale in San Gimignano MIDDLE: Wine grapes on the vine BOTTOM: Chef Giorgio teaches us to make pasta. March 3, 2008 TravelAgent | 23 http://www.villabelvederecampoli.it

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Travel Agent - March 3, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor From the Publisher Special Supplement: Planet Hollywood Florida: We Checkout Four Hotels in Key West, the Southernmost Point in the Continental U.S. Europe: Ruthanne Terrero’s Tuscan Adventure Pacific/Asia: Five-Star Hotels in Bangkok Las Vegas: Where Your Clients Go for Golf Outings Central & South America: Starwood Leads Expansion by Hoteliers in Latin America Pacific Northwest: The Fairmont Empress Celebrates its 100th Birthday this Year Alaska: Take a Tour of Anchorage Alaska Briefs Caribbean & Bahamas: La Romana in the Dominican Republic Offers Fun and Pampering Cruises: The Key to Success for River Cruise Lines Full Panama Canal Transits Cruise Briefs Cover Story: Hot Hotels Special Supplement: Spa Specialist Hotels: Venice Beach Eco-Cottages Hotel Briefs Auto Europe: Company Offers Competitive Prices and High Commissions Agency Profile: The Travel Society Charts a Course for Expansion Revelex Revolution: Deal with Am Ex affirms status as Major Provider in Travel Industry Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Volunteer Leadership Future of Hawaii’s Cruise Industry Panda Travel, USA Caribbean News In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - March 3, 2008

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