Hello and well done. We’ve survived January and February is just around the corner! I’m heading out to Italy in ten days and I can’t wait to start preparations for the 2022 programme.
I’ve always focused on high quality travel in Europe, especially Italy and this year is no exception. A new discovery for us this year is the magical and fascinating region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the most north-easterly region of Italy, stretching from Venice in the west to Trieste in the east. It’s a wonderful area of rolling hills, fabulous coastline and superb wines. Our sister company Grand Tourist will be taking a small group to Friuli in April 2022. There’s still time to sign up!
Trieste, Miramare, Aquileia, Venice – April, 2022
If you can’t travel in April don’t worry, I’m planning on doing another small group in early October.
FEBRUARY and MARCH – It’s Carnevale in Venice and the streets are filled with elaborately costumed visitors from all over Europe, especially France. The French love Carnevale. It’s not too late to travel to Venice for Carnevale – it’s a photographer’s dream! Venice will be filled with costumed party-goers in the two weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday, so that’s from about 18th February until 2nd March, 2022. If you fancy joining in the fun then drop us a line.
APRIL – in April it’s our inaugural trip to Trieste, Aquileia and Venice – it’s going to be fantastic. Full programme of ‘deliciousness’ here: Trieste, Aquileia and Venice – April, 2022 and if you are not sure why to join us then read this: 12 Reasons to join us in Trieste, Italy next April
Also in April the internationally acclaimed Venezia Biennale event kicks off. This is an every other year (biennial) art exhibition. Countries from all over the world host exhibits, in 2019 our favourite exhibit was the A-Z of the Biennale a joint feature from Andorra and Zimbabwe. In 2022 the theme is ‘The Milk of Dreams’ words by Leonora Carrington an exceptional surrealist artist, who spent most of her life in Mexico. You can see some of Leonora Carrington’s work here – she was a painter, writer, poet, costume designer and film maker – an extraordinary talent.
JUNE – JULY we are currently hatching a tour of the Italian Lake District. This will probably be about 9 days in length and will feature visits to Lake Como, Iseo, Garda and Orta. There’ll be boat rides on ‘dolce vita style’ Riva speed boats, fantastic restaurants, gorgeous villas and gardens. A pleasure for the senses. We’ll finish up at a 5-star spa hotel with pampering and a trip to nearby Verona (city of Romeo and Juliet).
Adventures, dreams, fun, discovery, that’s what travel is all about!
JULY – in Venice, a time of blue skies, brilliant colour, sunshine and the Feast of the Redentore – a floating bridge is built across the Giudecca Canal linking Salute with the Church of the Santissimo Redentore. A wonderful time to be in Venice and to give thanks for Venice’s delivery from the plague. This year the celebration of the Redentore will be Saturday, 16th July. There’s usually a huge firework display and Venetians get in their boats, loaded down with picnics and wine and bob about on the waters of the lagoon waiting for the pyrotechnic event. Those in the know head for Giudecca for a ring side seat and perhaps a Spritz or two!
SEPTEMBER – and it’s time for a little creativity. Join our Writer’s Retreat for a week of workshops, conversation, writing and most importantly, fun. Bookings are now being taken for this fun-packed week of creativity, inspiration and learning. The Writer’s Retreat as one of our lovely students said at the end of the first event in September 2019, ‘…it was the best money I’ve spent on myself and my creativity, ever…’ Well we can’t argue with that – join me and Sophfronia for the writing week of your life…..
Still in SEPTEMBER We’ve also got the incredible ‘Venice to the Alps‘ trip scheduled for 28th September. This is an amazing ‘Grand Tourist’ journey from the shores of the Adriatic across the lagoon to Venice, then into the hills and foothills leading to the Dolomite Mountains and the fabled Brenner Pass. Travelling through Austria visiting Innsbruck and the musical paradise of Salzburg. Salzburg was the birthplace of Mozart and was the filming location for ‘The Sound of Music’ movie in the 1960s.
OCTOBER – it’s the season of fall foliage, autumnal colours and of course truffles. Join us for a truffle hunting adventure in the hills around Bologna. We have a variety of truffle hunting packages we can offer to our guests – working with local truffle hunters to take you for a walk in the woods and hopefully to find a truffle or two. Please note – this is a highly specialist trip and relies on our relationships with local truffle hunters. We enter into their world as invited (and privileged) guests. It’s an opportunity for us to really respect and understand nature’s bounty – as such we can only offer this experience to a very small number of clients each year. Seeing the hunters and their dogs working together to find and locate the truffles, often as much as two metres below ground level is seriously impressive.
NOVEMBER – A great time for visiting Venice and discovering the amazing art galleries, churches and hidden treasures around every corner. It’s also the perfect time to visit the Biennale, when the event is winding down and the crowds have gone. In Venice there’s quite literally a masterpiece in every church! Venice – there’s treasure in every church
DECEMBER – who knows what’s in store for December, your own Grand Tour of Italy, a trip to Sicily to enjoy the Festa di Santa Lucia, or a week in Milan enjoying fashion, art and amazing shopping.
THANK YOU – for showing an interest in the journey and reading this article. You can read hundreds of articles about Italy on the Educated Traveller blog www.educated-traveller.com. We’d like to invite you to share the Educated Traveller blog and recommend us to your friends. Why not consider travelling with Grand Tourist our sister company (and specialist travel planner) in 2022. We can create a journey just for you or you can join one of our small group trips. Ferrari driving in Tuscany, Art and History in Venice, Truffle Hunting in Emilia Romagna are just some of the unique experiences that we’ve been offering to clients for many years. All our journeys and experiences are delivered with authenticity and charm.
To discover more about our philosophy and dedication we invite you to watch the video below. We wish you SAFE TRAVELS and all the very best adventures in 2022 xxx
From the northern shores of Lake Garda to the southern tip of Sicily we specialise in the history, geography, art and culture of the Italian peninsula. Join us on the page or in real life in Italy in 2022.
- January, 2022
With special thanks to:
#searchingforitaly #italy #italia #educatedtraveller #grandtourist
Contact us now for your tailor-made journey in Italy.
….’Travel broadens our horizons and replenishes the soul. It offers us a new found respect for our exceptional planet and a sense of discovery that enriches our lives…’
30th January, 2022
The Educated Traveller 
What a jam-packed calendar just full of enriching experiences!
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I can’t join the trip to Trieste in April much as I would love to, but if you can announce the Autumn dates asap I’d like to sign up for that. I have a busy year ahead with visitors as we are all making up for two years of non-travel and seeing family members obviously has to come first.
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Fantastic Mari that’s lovely news – I’ll let you know. Could you e-mail me with your contact details please:
janet@grand-tourist.com or janet@educated-traveller.com
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Hi Mari – I’m trying to finalise dates for the Trieste trip in October – would 14-22 October suit you? Please let me know at:
janet@grand-tourist.com
Thank you xxx
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I’m hoping for 14-22 October for Trieste Tour – does that suit you?
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