5 April  2009 - *EASTER*

Call 1 300 65 66 79 (Australia) to reserve a place

EUR 2180  /*AUD 3452 PER PERSON IN TWIN SHARE          

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT EURO 375 /*AUD 592 *Subject to change

Easter is the most important festival of the Christian calendar, but it has its origins in ancient pagan celebrations of the rebirth of nature and the anxiously awaited arrival of spring, and our local Easter festivals are closely connected to this seasonal context . The celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ thus resonates with a deep symbolism emerging from this pagan background and tying it to the fields and produce of the newly resurrected earth. While in Umbria during this hugely important celebration you will be participating in regional festivals and processions in large and small towns with the local people as they come outside to stand, dance & walk in the sun after their long dark winter.

The traditional Easter menu itself has significance. Lamb represents the innocence of Christ and in pagan traditions the egg stood for idea of the earth and sky being held within the same internal space, as well as being a symbol of fertility and of life's rebirth. In Christian iconography, of course, the egg also represents not only the renewability of nature but of man himself and of Christ's rebirth, and to explore properly these concepts we have a cooking class in local Easter fare.

With an emphasis on relaxation there is time in the itinerary for markets, shopping and to just wander the towns

• Seasonal activities and festivals
• Chocolate making in Perugia
• A discovery of the artistic heritage of Central Umbria
• A thorough introduction to traditional Easter cuisine
• Cellar tastings of Montefalco's award winning wines
• An exploration of traditional artisan activities including weaving in Montefalco and Perugia and ceramics in Deruta

 The program will be altered to accommodate seasonal variations and activities, including local festivals, exhibitions or concert performances. The essential content of the itinerary will remain the same and an updated version of the itinerary will be presented on arrival. B L D means that breakfast, lunch and/or dinner will be included that day.

Thursday              Spoleto to Montefalco                  L D     o'night Montefalco

You will be met at Spoleto station or a Spoleto hotel at 10.30am. A private air-conditioned coach will transfer you to Montefalco in time for lunch on the country estate which will be your accommodation. Private transfers from Rome can be arranged on request. The afternoon is at leisure.

Good Friday         Montefalco, Deruta & The Passion      B L D     o'night Montefalco
A tour of the town of Montefalco. Lunch at the accommodation and visit Deruta in the afternoon. In the evening, dinner in the piazza before we attend the traditional Good Friday Passion of Christ in Montefalco. The town becomes the stage for suggestive scenario involving some 200 locals in costume representing the characters of the the passion from Pontious Pilate, a squadron of Roman soldiers and eventually Christ himself suffering on the cross while Pilate ( the local dentist) shouts out justifications from the terrace of the council building overlooking the main piazza. It is worth mustering your jetlag not to miss this.

Saturday                 Chocolate making                           B D         o'night Montefalco
We travel to the outskirts of Perugia first to a workshop of traditional fabric weavers still using ancient hand built wooden looms in a beautifully restored gothic church. Free time for lunch in the town. The afternoon in the Perugino chocolate factory pouring over the complexities of chocolate making in one of their workshops.

Easter Sunday        Easter in Umbria & Concert           B L D      o'night Montefalco
This morning you are presented with a typical Easter breakfast at the accommodation which will include a Pizza al formaggio and  pizza dolce, hard boiled eggs, salami, coratella and vernaccia. Everything will have been blessed by the local priest. Traditional lunch in a private home with optional afternoon walk. In the evening we attend a concert in Sant Andrea in Spello. Performance by I Soloisti di Perugia.

Monday                 Spoleto & Montefalco                    B D     o'night Montefalco
Guided tour of Spoleto. Today we travel to Spoleto, a town rich in Roman and medieval history. We visit the church of San Pietro Fuori Le Mura which boasts one of the most outstanding Romanesque facades in Umbria before crossing the magnificent medieval aqueduct on our way into the city. We explore the ancient Roman centre of the town including the Roman house and visit the Duomo to see Filippo Lippi's final fresco cycle. Lunch at the accommodation. Afternoon "Gara della Ciucetta" in Montefalco.

                                                               
Tuesday                  Assisi & Spello                           B D        o'night Montefalco
Now that the main Easter fuss is over we can spend a relatively quiet day in Assisi after the crowds have left. There is a guided visit of the town, the Roman remains under the still-standing temple of Minerva, and the Basilica of San Francesco decorated with frescoes by Giotto. We travel the short distance  to Spello for the Festa della Sbeccica which will involve tastings of local wine and food and wandering the Easter markets .

Wednesday 26 March      Cooking & Bevagna                  B L D   o'night Montefalco     
Morning cooking class to experience the making (and eating) of traditional Easter bread, known as 'pizza di pasqua' with the local sacred wine ' Sagrantino passito'. Lunch included. Visit the nearby town of Bevagna in the afternoon.

Thursday 27 March             Departure                                                         B
You depart at 8.30am for Spoleto station where you arrive at approximately 9am. The tour officially ends here.

The price of the tour is EURO 2180 per person in twin share accommodation. A deposit of EURO 300 per person is required to reserve a place on the tour. This deposit is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled.  Single supplements in large double rooms are available at an additional cost of single use Euro 425. A limited number of actual single rooms at EURO 375.  The full balance is due 60 days before departure. The tour is costed on a minimum of five (5) people travelling and is limited to eighteen (18) places. Subject to final tour numbers and exchange rates the price may vary slightly. You will be notified immediately of any change.

• Transfers from and to Spoleto station
• All land travel within Italy by air-conditioned coach
• Accommodation and breakfasts for 7 nights Montefalco
• 4 days full board, 3 days half board
• Excellent meals of fresh local produce every day at the accommodation
• One cooking class with lunch included
• One chocolate making class
• Guided visits in Deruta, Spoleto, Perugia & Assisi
• Admission to all galleries, museums and historical sites included in the itinerary
• The services of the tour leader throughout the tour

• Airfares
• Travel insurance (this is highly recommended)
• Entry fees to places other than those specifically mentioned in the itinerary
• Meals on excursions except where specifically mentioned in the itinerary
• An optional excursion may be offered which is not included in the tour price
• Personal transport costs, phone calls or tips
• Drinks outside normal meal times, or additional wine in restaurants
• Laundry: the staff at the accommodation will do your washing and ironing for you at a cost of Euro 20,00 (approx.$35) per machine load

In Umbria during Easter time there are traditional paraliturgic rites:
 

Holy week celerations, Assisi (Perugia)
The evening of the Holy Thursday deposition of the Crucified one "scavigliazione", rest of a laude of the 14th century, In St. Rufino's Cathedral.
The holy Friday: In the morning procession to move the dead Christ from the Cathedral to St. Francesco's basilica. In the evening procession (of medieval origin) of the confraternities, along a path enlightened by torch lit, to bring the statue of St. Francesco from St. Rufino' s Cathedral. to St. Francesco's basilica.

The Passion of Christ Montefalco The Holy Friday
The Passion of Christ is lived once again, with a representation that dates back to the Middle Age. Statues of the dead Christ and Doleful Madonna, are in procession through the streets of the town.
 
Rinchinata Procession, Bastia Umbra (Perugia) Easter
In Bevagna and Cannara there is the Rinchinata procession, where the statues of the resurrected Christ and Doleful Madonna, are in a procession through the streets of the town. .
 

Festivety of Madonna dei Bagni, Deruta (Perugia) Easter monday
 

What kinds of people go on Living Italy tours? The single feature which distinguishes the Living Italy groups is their desire to understand and appreciate in depth the places they visit. The interests of the group are usually wide-ranging - history, fine arts, music, architecture, food, reading etc. The age of group members varies greatly, but most would be more than forty years old and have travelled. With a maximum of twenty-two places on the tour the group is large enough for you to find like-minded friends, but small enough for us to get to know you all.

What will the weather be like? Early Spring is a delightful time to visit central Italy. Daytime temperatures can be warm with a range from 14 to 20 degrees and the evenings are cool to mild. You will need a warm jumper or jacket and a scarf for the evenings, and it is reasonable to expect rain on a few days.

How fit do you have to be? In order to visit and enjoy the natural attractions of the countryside and the historical centres of towns it is necessary to be able to walk well, as bus and car access can be difficult. While there are no medical restrictions on who may book a place on the tour, you should be fit enough to stroll for periods of up to an hour (with short breaks) and you should specially note that the towns are not called 'hilltowns' for nothing!. Wherever possible we break up walking tours with coffee stops and extended lunches and we have tried to mix busy and relaxed days in the itinerary. Remember that it is always possible to take time off from the program whenever you like.

You will be accompanied throughout the tour by a local team of intelligent and graceful local Italians including father and son Piero and Giuseppe Fabrizi who own and run the excellent accommodation, Cristina, Giacomo or Katrin who will travel with you most days and Analita our official Umbrian tour guide. The team has collaborated now for over ten years.

Cristina Tili  a local resident, excellent cook and enthusiast for local produce. Cristina will accompany you during the tour and translate during the various wine, and food experiences