Introducing La Contadina's New Italy Tour with Documentary Filmmaker Steven Robert McCurdy

Nov. 18, 2008 - PRLog -- As the founder and owner of La Contadina Travels and Tours, I am so pleased to announce that in the coming months, my friend and documentary filmmaker, Steven McCurdy, will partner with La Contadina to lead a 13-day tour of southern and central Italy.  The towns we will visit on this tour are some of the ones shown in Steve’s film, “Postcards from Italy,” including Matera, Spoleto, Gubbio, and Rome.  Steve will also show you the special island of Procida and the Amalfi Coast region.

I am a native Italian and have been leading my own small group tours to Italy for over 17 years, and I am especially thrilled to present this special opportunity for you to travel with Steve and see Italy through his eyes as an artist and aficionado of Italy.

Please visit my website, www.lacontadina.com, to learn more about the tour, and please write to us at lacontadina@yahoo.com if you would like to receive a copy of Steve's film, "Postcards from Italy," or if you would like to discuss this tour or any of our other tours.  Below please find the "Postcards from Italy" tour overview and itinerary:  

Tour Overview:  Documentary filmmaker Steve McCurdy and tour director Marybeth Janerich (aka Bettina) will co-lead this 12-night, 13-day La Contadina tour of central and southern Italy.

Imagine being with Steve as he shows you the secret gems he filmed for his movie, “Postcards from Italy,” including the caves of Matera, the splendid beauty of the Amalfi coast, the wonders of Gubbio and Spoleto - enchanting hilltop villages in Umbria, and some of the most amazing sights in Rome.

Also included in this tour are some villages visited in another of Steve's films, "My Own Private Italy," including Supino and Buccino.  Our “Postcards from Italy” tour will thrill each traveler with a taste of the “dolce vita,” including great food and wine, great conversation, exploration of historical sites, an Italian cooking class in an ancient hilltop village in Umbria, and much more.    

Tour Itinerary:  
Day 0 - 1

Depart US/Fly overnight to Bari, Italy. At the Bari airport, you will be met by a La Contadina representative who will arrange your transfer to Matera (1 hr), one of the oldest cities in the world dating back to 8000 BC. Upon arrival at your hotel in Matera, you will be met by documentary filmmaker Steve McCurdy and “La Contadina” tour guide Marybeth Janerich. Steve and Marybeth will assist you with your check-in at your hotel. Be prepared to sleep in a cave! You will be amazed at the sight of the ancient cave dwellings chiseled into the dry, rocky hillsides of Matera. Enjoy some free time to settle into your rooms and take in the strange beauty of this place before a welcome dinner with your tour leaders.

Day 2

Breakfast at our hotel in Matera.  Today we will tour the caves of this Unesco World Heritage site, marveling at how families invited donkeys to share their tiny cave homes and how monks, hiding to escape religious persecution during the Middle Ages, painted beautiful frescoes inside their cave ‘churches.’  The afternoon and evening are yours to rest, explore and have dinner on your own.  Prepare to travel to the Amalfi coast tomorrow!

Day 3

Breakfast at the hotel before we head off for Positano, a chic coastal paradise on the Amalfi Coast.  Along the way, we will stop and visit the town of Buccino, known as Volcei in ancient Roman times.  In 1996, an earthquake revealed that Buccino sat atop a buried Roman city, and since then, intense archaeological efforts have uncovered Roman shops, tombs, a necropolis (burial ground), and a forum.  What a place to stop and stretch our legs!  After our rest stop in Buccino, we continue on to Positano, a picturesque town that clings magnificently to cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean.  Here the crisp scent of lemons permeates the air.   We will check into our charming hotel, and then climb the hill for a great view and allow the sea air to rejuvenate us.  Free time to explore before dinner together.

Day 4

After breakfast at our Positano hotel, we will take a boat excursion up the coast to the town of Amalfi, which has a rich maritime history and is also known for its exquisite paper-making (a great souvenir choice!). The Duomo, with its Arab and Norman architectural influences, is breathtaking with its striped marble façade. Time to explore this jewel before heading back to Positano for a little rest before dinner together.

Day 5

Free day to sleep late, shop, visit the beach, hike, or nap. You may prefer to venture off to Sorrento, or take the ferry to Capri. This day is completely yours to do as you wish. Dinner on your own tonight. Tomorrow we will head to the island of Procida!

Day 6

Breakfast at our Positano hotel and then we head north by boat across the Bay of Naples to the island of Procida, another spot featured in Steve’s film, “Postcards from Italy.”  We will spend the night here in the fishing village of Corricella, where the movie, “Il Postino” was filmed.  Dinner together on this quaint island.

Day 7

Transfer today from Procida to Spoleto.  Along the way, we will stop in a lovely old town nestled in the green hills between Naples and Rome. Once in Spoleto, we will settle into our hotel and join for dinner at one of Spoleto’s finest restaurants.

Day 8

Today after breakfast, put on your walking shoes, as we will tour the wonderful town of Spoleto. We will see everything from the Duomo to the medieval Rocca, as well as the ancient Casa Romana (Roman House), the Teatro Romano (Roman Theater, one of the best preserved in Italy), and Spoleto’s famous Ponte delle Torri (Bridge of the Towers). You will fall in love with this town just as we have. Tonight, our La Contadina founder/owner Giuliana will join us for dinner. This will be a night to remember.

Day 9

Day trip to Gubbio. May 15 is a special day in Gubbio, an enchanting hilltop town in northern Umbria, and we will be there to witness the events firsthand. This is the day of the Festival known as the Corsa dei Ceri, in which residents race through town carrying huge statues of their saints. After the festivities, we will explore this ancient walled city which boasts a well-preserved ancient Roman amphitheater. Gubbio is also well-known among artists for its beautiful handpainted ceramics. Back to Spoleto before a free evening.

Day 10

After breakfast at the hotel today, you may choose one of two different activities for our last day in Spoleto: (1) take an Italian cooking class in nearby Patrico, or (2) transfer to Bevagna (pop. 2,400) and Montefalco (pop. 5,500) for the day. No matter which option you choose, this will be an unforgettable day. The evening is yours to enjoy a relaxing dinner on your own, reflect on all we’ve seen and done so far, and prepare for our trip to the “Eternal City” tomorrow.  Please see lacontadina.com for more details about this day.

Day 11

Transfer from Spoleto to Rome (2 hrs). We will visit some of the most famous spots in Rome today, from the Villa Borghese and the gates of Rome, to the Piazza Navona, and some of the famous fountains in between, such as those featured in “Postcards from Italy.” We will have lunch together today, and of course, there will be opportunities for gelato or espresso along the way. The rest of the afternoon and evening are yours to explore, shop, or rest. Dinner on your own.

Day 12

This morning we will tour more of Rome, and the choices are yours.  You may opt for the ancient sites such as the Coliseum or the Roman Forum, or perhaps you’re more interested in St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museums.  The afternoon is yours for last-minute shopping or packing.  Tonight we will join for our last dinner, look back on the twelve days we have shared together, and maybe plan our next trip to Italia!  Buona notte, e sogni d’oro.

Day 13

Time to say goodbye and arrivederci!   Transfer to the Rome Fiumicino airport.

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About La Contadina Travels & Tours: We have been leading small-group tours to Italy for over 17 years and provide travel consulting services & custom itineraries. To learn more about our tours and tour planning services, please visit: www.lacontadina.com