It’s a new year and time for new adventures! This is my first blog post for the new year 2022. As I look back on 2020 and 2021, we all know it’s been quite an adjustment to our lives. As 2022 begins, we’re all praying for a new beginning and to move forward without looking back!

Seize the Day

Another thing that pops into my mind is how short and precious life is.  How we should Seize The Day, check off those things on our Bucket List, Go For It, and as the saying goes Just Do It. My new motto is Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen or make it happen!  Happiness is a gift we should all give to ourselves.

And right about now you are probably thinking about Covid-19.  I returned last November after being in Italy for three months.  Everyone is very compliant wearing masks and most are vaccinated.  You must have a CDC/Green Card card to present when entering restaurants, museums, etc.

Most countries are now requiring proof of vaccination for foreigners to enter, so the airlines are asking for proof of a negative Covid test before boarding your flight and again the day before you return to the States. There are so many options for testing both in the States and abroad.  It is definitely possible to travel (with safety precautions, of course) and adhere to the rules and regulations of the country you wish to travel to. There are also at-home testing kits that you can use before traveling back to the states by Binax. I ordered my tests with www.emed.com. On my tours, we also offer transportation to a pharmacy near the villa for testing the day before our guests leave.

Slow Travel Tours

Right here on Slow Travel Tours, there are so many opportunities with seasoned tour operators to help you with planning, information, and tips you need to fully enjoy your chosen trip of a lifetime whether it be solo traveling or with a small group, I promise you will make wonderful memories and even greater friendships.  Right now, get those fingers moving and look at all the tour options with other members of Slow Travel Tours.

Village Vacations in Italy

My company, Village Vacations in Italy, offers tours to small medieval villages and towns in Umbria and Tuscany. There is so much to see and do in these two regions!  The options are endless, and every season offers an assortment of things to do with festivals and sagras.  In the fall there are wonderful grape and olive harvest gatherings. Take a cooking lesson where you will learn the secrets of Italian cooking.  Walk the cobblestone streets as you explore on your own the art galleries, museums, and shops in Cortona, Assisi, Deruta, Lago Trasimeno and othr special towns and villages. You won’t need to rent a car because we offer round trip transportation from the Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO) in Rome to our villa.  You will enjoy “unpacking once” and staying in a gorgeous villa for the week. Then each day after a bountiful breakfast, we whisk you away to a different village.  At the end of the day come back to the villa, relax, and unwind before Aperitivo and dinner.

New Adventures – Meet the Locals!

It’s a new year and time for new adventures, especially to meet local people in Italy. This is always a highlight of our tours. As you meet and mingle with the locals, you’ll get a true sense of the culture, food, wine, artisans, and history.

A festival in the village of Piegaro

Pepina adding straw to the bottom of a wine bottle while her friends “Chit Chat”

Antionette working on a gift for her grandson’s First Holy Communion

It’s me (!) admiring the bottle of wine at a local vineyard

Garden Party at Antica Fornace in Deruta (Pre Covid)

“La Dolce Vita” Tours in 2022

Available Weeks

April 23-30

May 7 – 14

September 17 – 24 (Grape Squishing Week) –  full  with waiting list

October 1 – 8 and October 15 – 22

Rates

$2,300 USD per person, Double room

$2,800 USD per person, Single room

For peace of mind, I offer a full refund if we must cancel the trip due to Covid-19 Italian rules, regulations, and restrictions.

*We require everyone to be vaccinated, carry a CDC or Green Card card, and a negative test result*

Visit my website www.VillageVacationsInItaly.com for more information

It’s a new year and time for new adventures!

Make 2022 a great year! Give yourself the gift of happiness!

Italy is waiting for you with open arms and so are we!

Nedra Marie Bottieri

www.VillageVacationsInItaly.com

+1.954.661.4622 USA       +39.335.160.4880 Italy

Former flight attendant Nedra Bottieri made a life-changing trip to Italy twenty years ago to re-discover her family heritage. Now with dual citizenship, she has a second home in Umbria. Through her company, Village Vacations in Italy, she organizes and hosts small group tours based in small villages in Umbria and Tuscany, normally customized tours for private groups. Groups have included yoga workshops, writing workshops, and groups of family and friends. Nedra draws on her extensive experience and relationships to plan special accommodations and activities to meet each group’s needs and dreams. Experience “La Dolce Vita” in Italy! To learn more about her tours, see www.villagevacationsinitaly.com Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.