Ireland

FLORENCE
Highlights

Sept. 22-28


About YOUR Tour Guides

Margarita Ramirez Dalton

For more than twenty years, Margarita Ramirez, owner of Traveling Matters and a Certified International Travel Guide, has been developing and organizing journeys throughout the world. Her focus has been educational travel, each journey crafted with a special focus on an aspect of the culture, often lead by writers, scientists, philosophers or just marvelous travel guides in love with their country of origin. In 1998, Margarita became deeply connected with the landscape and peoples of Ireland, married an Irish Native, and since then has continued to take groups year after year to Ireland. This year, Margarita has been coordinating new adventures in Italy with the same intention of mindful travel. She is involved in the “Slow Food” and Cittaslow Movement which practices farm to table and embraces the joy of eating and conversation with travelers while enjoying local food and wine artisans.

Dorene Lucchesi

Dorene Lucchesi Is a first generation Italian-American, born in San Francisco. She grew up with all things Italian and moving to Italy in 1999 seemed a natural step for her. She has vast experience in working with the public: 15 years running her own business in Northern California, and since 2000, with her tour business, Divertimento-DIscover Italy. Dorene has worked with clients of a highly respected San Francisco Travel Agency. She has led her own small groups to Italy, as well as large groups for a well known California WInery. Dorene especially loves to create itineraries that provide clients with a glimpse of true Italia life. She loves people and loves showing them Italy. Her clients come away feeling that they have not only had an excellent guide, but also an advisor and a friend.


Italy 2012

Enchanting Florence & Tuscany Hilltowns

September 22 -October 6, 2012

Florence

The first part of our tour begins in the jewel of the Renaissance, Florence. We will include a visit to the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the David, and tour the incomparable Uffizi Gallery.

If you are a CRNA or RN, this journey includes the C&H Educational Systems Anesthesia Update. Five mornings of lectures, at our hotel in Florence, September 23-28, will provide 30 CEUs. CRNA's will attend lectures in the morning while all other travelers and/or companions can enjoy morning explorations of the City of Florence. Afternoons we will all join in to explore more of the best of Florence and the surrounding Tuscan villages. Please register for lectures with C&H Educational Systems. The complete land package is arranged and booked exclusively through Traveling Matters. Please call 707-939-7638 for more info. We welcome all friends, family members and new travelers as well as CRNAs to this unforgettable journey to Italy. The complete itinerary will soon be available upon request by contacting Traveling Matters.

The lecture portion ends on September 28. The following day we'll start exploring more of Tuscany, taking in the towers of San Gimignano, elegant Siena with its glorious Duomo, spectacular del Campo, a complete cooking experience - more wine and food pairings, including a private tour and lunch at an intimate family winery. We visit Montepulciano - the ultimate hill town of the famous Vino Nobile fame. We will end our journey in Lucca, the medieval jewel, nestled within its 16th century walls. Our days in Tuscany are filled with unimaginable dining experiences and local tradition, absorbing the passion of land, people and heritage.

HIGHLIGHTS OF TUSCANY TOUR (Post C&H Conference)
September 29-October 6

Note: If you choose only to attend the C&H Educational Systems Anesthesia Update lectures in Florence, please contact Traveling Matters at 707 939-7638 for your hotel option.

Download a registration form

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Golden Hills of Umbria

October 8-20, 2012

Umbria

The region of Umbria is known as the ‘Green Belt’ of Italy with its cypress trees and verdant hillsides. This itinerary through the heart of Italy will take us through villages with Etruscan, Roman and Medieval pasts. We will take in incomparable vistas as we experience once-fierce hill towns, such as Gubbio with its famous narrow streets lined with pottery, in sharp contrast to the steep hill town of Assisi, hardly changed since the birth of St. Francis in 1182. Discover treasure houses of art and stunning cathedrals. Enjoy small towns' celebration of the annual Chestnut Festival. We will immerse ourselves in the aromas of traditional dishes as we cook together in a privately owned villa in Montefalco, a hill town known as the “Balcony of Italy”, where you can take in the views and sip the Sagrantino, the deepest red of wines - a perfect match for the famous chocolate of Perugia. These are just some of the stops on this unforgettable adventure. We end our journey in Rome, where some historians would say...it all began.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF UMBRIA TOUR

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Download a registration form