Enlightened FAMtrips

01/15/2023

01/01/2023

12/20/2022

Day 7:

After breakfast at the hotel, we'll meet our guide for our tour of the city of the Sassi, an UNESCO heritage site.

"The Sassi originate from a prehistoric troglodyte settlement and are suspected to be among the first human settlements in Italy. There is evidence that people were living here as early as the year 7000 BC." (Adapted from Wikipedia).

Matera is one of the most interesting, unusual and memorable tourist destinations in Italy. In the remote southern region of Basilicata (also called Lucania), still little-visited by foreign travelers, it is a town famous for its extensive cave-dwelling districts, the Sassi. Curious visitors can stay in caves, wander the lanes alongside the picturesque cave-filled cliffs, and learn the history of this fascinating place.

After our tour, we’ll stop for lunch in a very authentic local restaurant.

The afternoon is free for you to explore, relax and a chance to visit the many lovely craft stores of the town.

Tonight we’ll dine at the hotel.

12/20/2022

Day 6:

Alberobello to Matera
This morning after breakfast, we have a day dedicated to a guided tour of the village of Alberobello, renowned throughout the world for its famous Trulli, the conical houses.

Alberobello, in the region of Puglia in southern Italy, is a strange and picturesque destination which is becoming an important fixture on the travel itineraries of tour operators as well as independent travellers. The small town has been made a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unusual districts of Trulli, the characteristic, white-washed, conical-roofed houses of the area.
https://youtu.be/I5PFeEc7vY8

Lunch in an amazing local restaurant.

This afternoon we will continue on to Matera for a visit to a traditional bakery in this area.

As the afternoon ends, we will check into such an amazing hotel - authentic to the Sassi zone. The Hotel Caveoso. https://www.caveosohotel.it

12/18/2022

Day 5:

After the breakfast at the hotel, we’ll make our way to the Castel del Monte, a suggestive and mysterious 13th century fortress built by Frederick II of Swabia, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily. When the Emperor Frederick II built this castle near Bari in the 13th century, he imbued it with symbolic significance, as reflected in the location, the mathematical and astronomical precision of the layout and the perfectly regular shape. A unique piece of medieval military architecture, Castel del Monte is a successful blend of elements from classical antiquity, the Islamic Orient and north European Cistercian Gothic.

We'll have a guided tour of this amazing fortress.

Now as we've ended our tour, we'll stop for lunch to experience the local cuisine. 

Tonight we stay in the Alberobello area and you have the evening at your leisure.

Castel del Monte, or Mountain Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an unusual hilltop castle located in rural southern Italy. Built in the 13th century b...

12/16/2022

Day 4 of our FAM to Italy, April 2023:

After a leisurely breakfast at the Castle which consists of delicious fresh pastries, croissants ("cornetto" in Italian"), fresh fruit, as well as waffles among other things and of course a fantastic cappuccino to top it all off! Today is a day dedicated to touring and wine tasting at the Azienda Tilli. Spectacular, breathtaking views and great wine paired with a very nice antipasto. This winery is also family owned, producing some really delicious wines of the region.

Our second winery tour at Dora Sarchese will delight you. From the history of the winery to the spectacular lunch and wine tasting, you will fall in love with this winery!

The next winery, Dora Sarchese, boasts the only fountain in Italy that pours wine! Aside from that, this beautiful winery offers a great selection of wines, one better than the one before it. After touring the winery, we'll be taken upstairs to begin our wine tasting with a 4-course lunch. Trust me, you will NOT go hungry this day!

Back to the hotel, tonight we meet for an amazing 4-course dinner with local wines in the courtyard of the hotel (weather permitting). It's so serene, taking in the beauty of the castle itself and the surrounding landscape.

The rest of the evening is at your leisure. I want to mention also that if you like to take walks in the morning, it's a very peaceful walk down the little country lane outside the castle grounds.

[email protected]

https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqk36pnwqz2asmgmhvj6vutuxpa

* Our $250 early booking incentive ends January 1, 2023! Isn't it time to show your clients that you're invested in your career and bringing them the "inside information" for travel to Italy?

12/15/2022

Day 3: Rome to Abruzzo!

After breakfast at the hotel, we will make our way to Sulmona for about a two- hour guided tour of the town.

"Sulmona became a free commune under the Normans. Under Emperor Frederick II an aqueduct was built in the town, one of the most important constructions of the era in the Abruzzo; the emperor made it the capital of a large province, as well the seat of a tribunal and of a fair, which it however lost with the arrival of the Angevins. Despite that, it continued to expand and a new line of walls was added in the 14th century. " - (Excerpt from Wikipedia)

At the end of the guided tour, lunch in a local restaurant and in the afternoon, we will depart for Castello de Septe! "Considered one of the most beautiful Castles in central Italy, Septe has the privilege of an enviable location; stretched out on a hill crest that overlooks the Sangro Valley, our Castle turns towards the sea on one side and towards the Apennines on the other. After a long restoration the Castle is now used as a hotel and has been declared National Monument by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage." https://www.castellodisepte.com

Tonight's dinner will be on the Trabocco - what once were fishing huts and some now converted to open air ristorantes. An experience to enjoy!

Overnight stay in the widespread hotel.

12/12/2022

Day 2 of our Hidden Gems FAM:

Our tour of Rome's hidden gems - St Paul Outside the Walls - one of Rome's four major papal Basilicas and a beautiful, spiritual experience.

Garden of the Oranges - "The Orange Trees Garden is the name used in Rome to describe the Parco Savello. It is about 7,800 square meters and is located on the Aventine Hill. The park offers an excellent view of the city. The garden, as it is today, was designed in 1932 by Raffaele De Vico. It was constructed to offer public access to the view from the side of the hill, creating a new ‘’belvedere’’, to be added to the existing viewpoints in Rome." (excerpt from Wikipedia)

Janiculum Hill - "The Janiculum is one of the best locations in Rome for a scenic view of central Rome with its domes and bell towers. " (excerpt from Wikipedia).

The Aventine Keyhole, The Catacombs and more!

Evening at leisure. Dinner on your own.

Overnight in Rome

Early booking Holiday incentive: Book and deposit by January 1 and receive a $250 discount!

https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqk36pnwqz2asmgmhvj6vutuxpa

Contact [email protected] for more information.

12/04/2022

April 2023 FAM - Day 1:

After we’ve collected our luggage at Rome FCO airport, Rome Private Excursions will be in the Ground Transportation area waiting for us! Once settled into the Mercedes vans, we’ll begin our orientation tour around the city, with perhaps a brief stop for a cappuccino or caffe latte. Lunch when you’re ready - you can decide.

Finished with our orientation, we’ll check in to our hotel. Time to relax, take a nap, just chill.

We’ll have recommendations for dinner, but be sure to check out the rooftop bar before!

11/24/2022

Wishing all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for following our business this past year - we appreciate it! Enjoy your day!

11/23/2022

Our itinerary for our April 2023 FAM is almost ready to send out!

Help us complete the last part:

Would you rather stay in:

1)Sorrento and tour the Amalfi Coast

Or

2) Naples and a history/culinary tour of the city

Please vote by Friday, 11/25!

Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁🍽

10/22/2022

We are diligently working on our next FAM to Italy in May 2023. And yes, Puglia is on the agenda!

08/28/2022

07/27/2022

Ready for something a little different? We are so happy to announce our fall FAM to Italy! Florence, Bologna and Venice! 4 star hotels!

https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqyxsx5sqz2auuyc5gxzkphtyaq

Be the first to experience this new experience with Rome Private Excursions and Enlightened Journeys FAMS

[email protected] with any questions or to reserve

Let’s go!

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about an area of Italy that often gets overlooked, though we're not sure why - Bologna - home to one of the oldest universities in the world! We'll begin in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance! If your specialty areas are art history with a mix of foo...

07/11/2022

Definitely a beautiful meal at The Red Lion (Lionese Russo) in Sorrento! Grazie !

06/25/2022

And now a new adventure begins! Day 12 - whisks us all away to Castel Gandolfo for a perfect lunch by the lake ❤️

06/25/2022

What views from high above the Coast.

06/15/2022

True words - and we have been eating, drinking and living La dolce Vita each day .

06/07/2022

The Church of the New Jesuit, Napoli

05/10/2022

In just about 32 days, we will be back in Italy with Luca Orlandi and Rome Private Excursions as we tour Rome, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, Abruzzo and Tuscany! Follow along with us as we get to explore parts of Italy we have never been to, but are super excited that we'll come back with another volume of knowledge for our clients!

03/17/2022

Wishing everyone a blessed and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 💚☘️💚☘️💚☘️💚☘️💚☘️💚

02/21/2022

Newest upcoming FAM! Ready to experience the epicurean delights of this region??Florence, Bologna & Venice November 2022!

01/31/2022

After getting some feedback on the itinerary for our Amalfi Coast & Naples FAM, we have updated our pricing for a single supplement, giving you the opportunity to not have to share a room!

We have a few spots left so if you’d like to join us, please see the link for the itinerary and submit your registration soon!

https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqex2c8wqz2alsmzylf738z2thq

You've been asking and we are happy to provide you this opportunity to not only see Sorrento, Amalfi, Capri, Ravello and Positano, but also a two-night stay in Naples in a hotel on the waterfront. 7 nights, 8 days4+ star accommodations8 breakfasts3 lunches2 dinners2 cooking lessonsRoundtrip transfer...

01/24/2022

Happy Monday!

We are very excited to announce our new FAM to the beautiful Amalfi Coast and Naples from June 2nd to the 9th, 2022! This amazing tour of 7 nights, 8 days includes 4+ star accommodations, tours to some of the most magical sites on the Coast, as well as hotel site inspections.

You must also be fully vaccinated with valid acceptable proof of same.

As you'll see, this will be an intensive, but lovely experience for you to take back to your clients, especially if your niche is in the food and wine spectrum. Please click on the link below for the full itinerary.

Pricing for this tour: $2599 per person and is based on double occupancy in the hotels, so you will be required to share rooms. As you'll see this is a fantastic opportunity to experience and immerse yourself in the culture, all while enticing your clients on social media!

If you're interested in joining us, then please submit your registration. And if you have any questions, please let me know!

https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqex2c8wqz2alsmzylf738z2thq

Registration Form for Enlightened Journeys FAMs (cognitoforms.com)

You've been asking and we are happy to provide you this opportunity to not only see Sorrento, Amalfi, Capri, Ravello and Positano, but also a two-night stay in Naples in a hotel on the waterfront. 7 nights, 8 days4+ star accommodations8 breakfasts3 lunches2 dinners2 cooking lessonsRoundtrip transfer...

01/21/2022

One spot left on our June 12 to 20 FAM to Italy! 8 nights, 9 days - Rome, Sorrento, Abruzzo, Tuscany! If you’d like to join us, please click on the link below for more info!

https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqexp7vsqz2amqt4394k4tvhrma

Registration form in the itinerary. Any questions, just message me!

SOLD OUT!!!

01/15/2022

Are you ready to lean in and learn about Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Abruzzo (the new Tuscany) and Bagnovignoni? Experiences to take back to your clients? Raising the level of your social media posting so that your clients are asking to book even before you return?
Our Educational Tour to Italy (June 12 to 20) has one spot left!

12/31/2021

One of my friends shared this today and I felt it was truly perfect for the New Year! Thank you for your continued support of my business! Happy New Year to all!