Hidden Italy

Australian Italophile, Simon Tancred has been escorting small groups to Italy in conjunction with Mary Rossi Travel since 1993. Follow along ancient rural paths and medieval alleys to discover the heart of Tuscany, Umbria and, more recently, Sicily in the spring. For the independent traveller, there is also a selection of self-guided walks that can be arranged at any time of year.

“Even though my expectations were high, the place thoroughly seduced me - it's so magical. I doubt anyone travelling there independently could have had the same experiences as we did.”
  -KM  Sicily  2008

Guided tours:
Simon established these group tours after six years living and working in Milan and he returns annually, both privately with his family and also to lead the Mary Rossi Travel group walking tours. The tours provided the perfect way of combining his twin passions for walking and all things Italian, particularly language and literature. Simon was for many years a language teacher and then a program director at the University of NSW. Finally he returned to Australia after establishing the Monash University Language Centre in Prato (Florence) where he lived for two years with his growing family.

Hidden Italy specialises in “slow tourism”: well-rounded and flexible tours that give you the time to relax, unpack and really get to know the places you visit. Each escorted itinerary concentrates on a single area and moves at a relaxed pace. The escorted groups are restricted to 7-12 participants which means that you can move discreetly; service is personalised; and you have the chance to get to know your travel companions.

The aim of the walks is to give you an enjoyable, hassle-free travel experience in comfortable, conveniently-located, family-run, hotels. In other words – an enjoyable and rejuvenating holiday.

Independent walks
Self-guided walking itineraries give the independent traveller the chance to experience a side of Italy that others only read about. The varied Italian itineraries include walks through the spectacular coastal paths of the Cinque Terre; the art and history of southern Umbria (Assisi to Spoleto); the lyrical rolling hills of southern Tuscany (Montalcino to Montepulciano); the volcanic lakes and Rensaissance treasures of southern Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria (Pitigliano to Orvieto); the breathtaking beauty of Positano and the Amalfi Coast.

More recently Simon has introduced a 7-day self-guided walk based on Lake Como.  Based in the centre of Lake Como in beautiful lake-side hotels in the two most fascinating towns and including four walks with spectacular views that follow stone paths that have been used by traders, pilgrims and smugglers for centuries, as well as visits to two of Italy's finest Renaissance gardens, this tour will reveal the secrets of one of Italy's most famous regions.

Program for 2010/2011

Guided Walks

Guided Walking Tour of Venice and the Italian Lakes - 13 days/12 nights, 7 September to 
19 September 2010  -  AUD 5990 per person
Lead by Simon Tancred, this 13 day walking tour takes us to the two most beautiful and interesting Italian lakes, Como and Maggiore, both forming part of the border between Italy and Switzerland, visiting the smaller lakes of Lugano and Orta along the way.  The tour starts on the canals of Venice and finishes in the elegant arcades of Turin.  In between, we spend four nights based in a 17th century villa on the shores of Lake Como, before crossing the Swiss border into the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, and spending four nights in a marvelous hotel in the lush, green valleys above the northern reaches of Lake Maggiore.  The seven guided walks follow stone paths that were used for centuries by travellers, traders and armies to link northern Europe with the colour and wealth of the Mediterranean

Guided Walking Tour of Verona and the Dolomites - 13 days/12 nights 20 September to 2 October 2010 - AUD 5480 per person
Lead by Simon Tancred, this 13 day walking tour starts with two nights in Verona, one of the most beautiful and romantic towns in Italy, and finishes with two nights in glamorous Cortina d'Ampezzo, the ‘Queen of the Dolomites' and seat of the 1956 Winter Olympics.  In between we enjoy some of the finest walking in Europe through some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe, being based in two small valleys in the heart of the Dolomites for eight nights.  On the way, we visit Bolzano (a beautiful town on the Adige River), and cross the border into Austria to spend a day in gracious Innsbruck, capital of the Tyrol region which, for centuries, included the Dolomites.  The tour finishes with a drop off in Venice, 1.5 hours drive away.

Guided Walking Tour in Sicily - 14 days/13 nights, 13 to 26 May 2011   -  AUD 5750 per person
Starting in fascinating Palermo, finishing in glamorous Taormina and exploring some of the least-visited parts of Sicily along the way, including the Madonie National Park and the volcanic Aeolian islands.  The challenge in organising any visit to Sicily lies in what you leave out rather than what to include. We believe our 2011 walking tour in Sicily achieves a balance between exploring the island's rich heritage and traveling at a pace that will allow you to relax and enjoying what we see and do, even leaving you a bit of time to do some exploring yourself.


Guided Walking Tour of Puglia  -  13 days/12 nights - 29 April to 1 May 2011 - AUD 5750 per person
Discover Italy's best kept secret on this 13 day exploration of Puglia and Basilicata.  Hightlights include visits to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed sites of Castel del Monte, the medieval cave city below Matera and the enchanting 'trulli' town of Alberobello. Six half days walks take in the natural beauty of the Southern Italian coast line and in the evenings we will feast on Puglia's fine southern cooking.  

Self Guided Walks.
Whilst these are walks and not hikes, please consult with the Mary Rossi staff to ensure that the grade of the walk is realistically suitable for you. All the walks require a good level of fitness and an ability to read a map and orient yourself. The grades are from 1, the most gentle to 4, longer daily walks on average with some long and sometimes steep climbs.
Most of these walking tours can be personalised to meet your interests and travel dates.  Please also note that prices are subject to daily exchange rates.

CINQUE TERRE WALK
: Grade 1, Levanto to Portovenere (7 days) AUD 2295 per person, single supplement AUD 350
The Cinque Terre National Park embraces a stretch of Italy's most spectacular coast, where the sheer cliffs of the Appenine Mountains meet the waters of the Mediterranean. The dramatic coastline is scattered with small towns and fishing villages above tiny harbours packed with colourful fishing boats. The walks follow stone paths that have linked the villages since the 15th century

TUSCANY WALK 1: Grade 1, Montalcino to Montepulciano (6 days) AUD 1990 per person, single supplement AUD 350
A six day walk through southern Tuscany, starting in the charming hilltop town of Montalcino. This is an area rich in history and art, and famous for its rolling hills, wheat fields, stands of deep green cypress pines and endless views. At the end of the walk you will be dropped off at Chiusi Station on the Rome /Florence line.

TUSCANY WALK 2: Grade 3, Mount Amiata: San Quirico d'Orcia to Abaddia San Salvadore 
(8 days) AUD 2390 per person, single supplement AUD 350
To visit Mount Amaita is to discover some of Tuscany's minor masterpieces. Completely covered in oak, chestnut, beech and pine forests, Mount Amiata is one of central Italy's great natural resources. The small settlements that grew around the castles ringing the mountain to protect the 8th century abbey, today have become picturesque villages. The paths that linked them provide you with a unique opportunity to explore one of Tuscany's hidden treasures.

TUSCANY WALK 3: Grade 2, San Gimignano to Siena (5 days) AUD 1990 per person, single supplement AUD 350 
This walk passes through the heart of medieval Tuscany, starting in the marvelous towered town of San Gimignano. The walk follows medieval paths across rolling hills and through forests to Siena, dining in fine restaurants and drinking famous local wines such as Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Chianti.

TUSCANY/UMBRIA/LAZIO: Grade 3, Pitigliano to Orvieto (7 days) AUD 2340 per person, single supplement AUD 350
A Hidden Italy special, this walk takes you through some of the most fascinating and less well-known areas of central Italy, starting on an Etruscan road that was carved out of living rock 3000 years ago.

UMBRIA: Grade 4, Assisi to Spoleto 
(7 days) AUD 2190 per person, single supplement AUD 350
A seven day independent walking tour, rambling through the green heart of Italy, exploring the rich artistic, religious and spiritual heritage of charming towns as Assisi, Spello and Bevagna, sampling along the way fine regional cooking and celebrated wines.

AMALFI COAST WALK: Grade 4, Ravello to Positano
(6 days) AUD 2370 per person, single supplement AUD 350
This magnificent walk takes you the length of the Amalfi Coast, starting at the romantic town of Ravello, perched high above the town of Amalfi, and finishing at the spectacular seaside town of Positano.

CAPRI EXTENSION OPTION: Positano-Capri-Sorrento-Naples (3 days) AUD $990 per person, single supplement AUD100

LAKE COMO WALK, Grade 3:  Varenna and Bellagio (7 days)  AUD 2290, single supplement AUD 350.
Lake Como was described by the French author Stendhal as the most beautiful place in the world, and he probably had a point.  Based in the centre of Lake Como in beautiful lake-side hotels in the two most fascinating towns and including four walks with spectacular views that follow stone paths that have been used by traders, pilgrims and smugglers for centuries, as well as visits to two of Italy's finest Renaissance gardens, this tour will reveal the secrets of one of Italy's most famous regions.

For more information and bookings for Hidden Italy please call Mary Rossi Travel in Sydney on (02) 9957-4511, email us or see the Hidden Italy website at: www.hiddenitaly.com.au

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