Join us

Join the email list to find out more!!!

We are going to Central Italy April 22-30!

Discover Italy, Transform Yourself
This isn't just a trip; it's an intimate love affair with Italy that will change you forever. Imagine walking ancient cobblestone streets as the sun sets, sharing laughter with newfound friends over a glass of wine from the very vineyard you visited earlier that day. From the lush landscapes of Tuscany to the timeless charm of Umbria and the vibrant culture of Lazio, every moment will deepen your connection to this extraordinary place—and to the people by your side.

From Strangers to Family
Join a journey where strangers become friends, and friends become family. Over40CONNECT’s exclusive Italian adventure is more than sightseeing—it’s a celebration of connection and conversation. Guided by the world's leading expert on this region, you'll uncover hidden gems, share unforgettable experiences, and immerse yourself in Italy’s vibrant heart. By the end, you won’t just feel enriched—you’ll feel at home.

Indulge in Italy, Safely and Exclusively
With Over40CONNECT, you’ll enjoy the safest, most enriching way to experience Italy. Our tour is guided by the President of the Canadian Association of Italian Studies, ensuring authenticity and exclusive access to the best Italy has to offer. Sip wine under the Tuscan sun, stroll through medieval villages, and taste pastries so flaky and divine they’ll spoil you forever. Every detail is designed to help you savor life, love, and Italy’s unforgettable magic.

Eight days of adventures in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio April 22-30th 2025

We are going to Central Italy!

A week of adventures in the regions of

Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio

April 22-30th 2025

Led by Sue (and team), and an internationally renowned Italian expert (and President of the Canadian Association for Italian Studies) and as part of a group of friends, our trip will include adventures, new words, hugs, community, friendly locals, love, wine, unique activities, dancing, laughter, fun guides, a famous David, a monastery, a castle, a monster garden, a gondola up the mountain and a hot spring. And food.

We’ll have a safe, guided, loving week in one of the most beautiful parts of Italy. Did we mention the food? This itinerary will spoil you and stuff you with all the fantastic local food you can eat. This is not a tourist-trap kind of trip to Italy. Most of our itinerary will be off the beaten path, on a journey of discovery which will give us a glimpse of the real Italy, allow us to interact with the locals, and hopefully channel our inner Stanley Tucci!

Below is the draft itinerary. There may be some minor changes (if we get even better ideas for adventures) but it will be close to this. We have hired an Italian travel agent experienced in groups excursions in the region to manage money and details. His office can help you with your flights or you can book them yourself directly.

VERY IMPORTANT: Bring some EUROS! Not everything can be paid by credit card. Your bank can procure Euros for you, or you can get them in Italy.

Itinerary

April 22 – DAY 1 – ENROUTE. Flight from Ottawa to Florence (in the Tuscany region)

April 23 -- DAY 2 – FLORENCE (in the region of Tuscany)

Most flights arrive from North America to Florence in the morning.

Check in at the bed and breakfast to freshen up.

Guided trip into the museum to see Michelangelo’s David. Tickets to get in are going fast. There will be an alternative if it's sold out.

Group picnic dinner and relaxing evening after our travel.

Or roaming around Florence for those who can live on less sleep.

Most flights arrive from North America to Florence in the morning.
If you get to Florence center before 2 pm, we leave our luggage at the hotel Donatello and have a proper Italian breakfast / brunch in one of the many cafés in Firenze.

April 24 DAY 3 – FLORENCE AND ORVIETO (in the region of Umbria)

Breakfast at the B & B

Market in Florence, rub the snout of the pig’s statue (it’s actually a wild boar) at the Mercato del Porcellino so you will be sure to come back, and see the ancient and famous goldsmiths at Ponte Vecchio (alternatively, the famous Cathedral).

Breakfast at Hotel Donatello
Our tour guide (Raffaele Galanello, our local tour organizer, will book it) will take you to see David (Raffaele will reserve the tickets for us) and on a walking tour of Florence, to the celebrated jewelleries at Ponte Vecchio and the famous Cathedral and Baptistery.
In the afternoon we go to Orvieto, our home for the next 6 days!
Make your way to the Florence train station[1] at around 3:30 pm (Raffaele will have already booked tickets for us). The train station in Florence offers great food choices, from quasi-formal dining to pizza, from ice cream to street food, to chocolate. You will enjoy a free lunch while we all wait for the train.
To check out all the food and shopping choices, see the Santa Maria Novella web site:
https://www.firenzesantamarianovella.it

[1] There is a shuttle bus from the Firenze Peretola airport.

There is a tranvia linea T2 all the way to Santa Maria Novella, then you can take a taxi. Or you can take a taxi from the airport: it will cost 26 euros during the day, or 30 euros by night. There may be a surcharge for luggage. Tip is optional. We usually give a tip only if we are VERY happy with the service.

Outside the train station there is one of the oldest pharmacies in Italy (since 1221) called Officina Santa Maria Novella and if you look back before entering the train station, you will see the façade of the of Santa Maria Novella Cathedral, a masterpiece of the Renaissance designed by famous architect Leon Battista Alberti.

Please don’t linger, as the train to Orvieto leaves at 1 pm. There is a meeting spot at the train station. This is the last chance to join the group before we head to Orvieto, if you are arriving later. The train ride to Orvieto is about 2 hours.

Once at the Orvieto train station, you will be joined by the local organizers. There is a gondola (= funicolare in local lingo) to ride up the mountain and you will check in at BB Hotel Valentino, a lovely Hotel in centre town. Please note that even though Orvieto is up a mountain, the city per se is flat and quite walkable, with very few ups and downs.

We’ll enjoy dinner at Corsica restaurant. Life is good.

**** notes The closest supermarket near the hotel is called PAM local, it is about 450 meters on Via Nazionale.

[1] There is a shuttle bus from the Firenze Peretola airport.

April 25 (National Holiday) – DAY 4 – FICULLE (in the region of Umbria) It’s a National holiday!

Italy celebrates the liberation from the Nazi-fascists in 1945.

Breakfast at Hotel Valentino before boarding the bus to Ficulle.
On April 25th Italy celebrates the liberation from the Nazi-fascists in 1945. Italians take their national holidays very seriously; we don’t know for sure, but we expect most places in Orvieto (other than the touristy places) to be closed.
That is why we are taking you to the nearby village of Ficulle, where we know people who will open places just for us!
This is supposed to be a relaxing day in the village – we’ll do a few activities, nothing too rushed, as everything is very close and very accessible.
Before getting to Ficulle, we’ll stop at the Castello della Sala for a visit to the Castle, which is now a Chianti Antinori winery.
We shall attend the national ceremony in Ficulle – if we get there on time, as the ceremony is really short.
We’ll have mid-morning coffee & pastries at Caffè La Rocca.
Best pizza in town for lunch (I should say in the world, you’ll see) on demand at Pizzeria Il gusto.
Pottery guild at Ficulab (with lesson and demonstration)
Tour of Ficulle with an English-speaking guide.
For dinner, trip downhill to Vitalonga, an organic winery with restaurant -- food, wine tasting and dinner. You will be enchanted.

Back to Orvieto, hotel and rest.

April 26 – DAY 5 – Perugia (in the region of Umbria)

Breakfast at Hotel Valentino
Train trip to Perugia (the main city in Umbria; the ancient called it Pulchra Perusia, beautiful Perugia) (tour guide for half a day and train tickets through Raffaele)
It’s an elegant, Parisian-inspired city with incredible lunch spots. It’s the best of Italian cities without the price gouging of Florence or Venice. They invented the Baci Perugina chocolate (with its characteristic cartiglio, a love message, inside). The people watching is amazing. You can buy fresh Baci anywhere in town.
Half-day local guided tour followed by shopping and/or museum.
Aperitif in centre town with yet more amazing food in the center of Perugia. (At the moment we are thinking of Pasticceria Sandri Corso Vanucci, but this can change)
Train back to Orvieto and to Hotel Valentino

April 27 DAY 6 – Pienza (in the region of Tuscany) & Orvieto

Breakfast at Hotel Valentino before you board the bus to Pienza, in Tuscany.
Enjoy the typical landscape of the Val d’Orcia along the way.
Pienza is a utopian town, Cristina will give a quick tour.
Pienza is also famous for its cheese, sometimes laced with black truffles, and for a special type of pasta, called “pici”
We’ll have lunch at Sant’Anna in Camprena, the background of The English Patient. You may watch it before our trip. (Raffaele will book)

Early dinner is in Ficulle, we’ll have a community dinner with live music and a meal/dance with the locals. They are all waiting for us there!

April 28 – Day 7 – Bomarzo (in the region of Lazio)

Breakfast at Hotel Valentino
Tour of Orvieto – the world-famous Duomo is a sight to see!
Food & wine tasting at the Cantine Neri
Visit to Bomarzo – The Monster Garden or Sacred Woods – a famous Renaissance place born of love and heartbreak (prepare to be thoroughly frightened!)
Free dinner with group reservation.

April 29 – LAST DAY (8), HOT SPRINGS

Breakfast at Hotel Valentino
Visit to the Etruscan necropolis of Crocifisso del Tufo. A very famous archeologist will give us the tour.
Bus Trip to the world-famous hot springs at San Casciano dei Bagni. We’ll go to Fonteverde, which is a SPA and thermal resort. Some of us look forward to this part of the trip the most!
Tour of the recently-discovered bronzes of San Casciano
If you want massages or other services we can book ahead, but they are optional. Entrance and bath robe are included in the cost of the trip.
Lunch at Fonteverde (beverages excluded)
Pack a bathing suit (Fonteverde is not clothing optional) and some rubber beach sandals, very important! Don’t need to bring a bath robe.
Picnic or free dinner back in Orvieto

April 30, DAY 9, Florence-Ottawa

Train trip back to Florence to catch a plane (or continue your solo travels). The locals will miss you! Safe travels back to Ottawa or wherever your journey will take you.

Please note:

Flight back at on the 30th of April MUST be later in the day as you need to leave 2-3 hours ahead to comfortably get to Florence by train (with an extra hour for delays).
Trains in Italy are, for the most part, reliable, but there may be even serious delays. Italians are used to them, but for us Canadians travel delays may feel very disruptive. In case of serious delays, you can fill out a form online and ask for a refund up to a year after the trip. If you are delayed on the day of your flight, I recommend paying for a taxi outside of the train station.
The prices quoted are for double occupancy. Single rooms require an increase in the amount quoted for the rooms. A separate price can be provided. Roommates can be matched if you are traveling solo. Single room addendum is $560 CNDN.
The price includes all meals except for three FREE meals are covered (and we are told that EAT-aly is a truth so you may already be stuffed and happy with snacks). There are also three short taxi rides from airport/B & B in Florence that are not included in all the transportation.
This price DOES NOT include flight to and from Ottawa- Florence. Some people are coming from different cities, some want to use points, some want to go early (or stay later) and travel around so including flights isn’t realistic. Flight prices are posted below (sourced Dec 1, 2024). Approx $1000 return.
You need to purchase your own travel insurance. In case of an emergency, hospitals will want to know which insurance, if any, they can bill.
We have experts on the ground who are bilingual, know the health care system and understand all the areas you will be visiting. This is a community group with love, local experiences and ease of navigating a historic Italian area. We are a group of people who will have your back.
If you have mild mobility issues you can request assistance at train stations through Sala Blu. However given the cobblestones, hills, and activities you will need to make arrangements for additional support outside of the group. We will give you contact information.
We will have at least two pre-trip meeting that will include easy and appropriate (and the fun, inappropriate) Italian words and phrases, Italian cooking, and getting to know your travel group. Any and all questions will be answered and assured. Tentative date for the first meeting is Monday, January 13th. Details will be confirmed. Join our mailing list below to be contacted.
There are minimum and maximum numbers. A $1000 non-refundable deposit (unless we have the very unlikely situation where we don’t hit our min and have to cancel) will be required to hold your spot. Balance is due by March 1st. All monies will be held in trust and sent directly to the agent to confirm the reservations.

Total price is $2560 CNDN NOT including flights. This price is only held until Jan 13, 2025. Send your $1000 Cndn deposit NOW to hold your spot. We are 50% sold out.

And send an email with your phone number to be added to the what's ap group (sue@over40connect.com)

Where else can you go on a trip with friends and your own world-renowned Italian expert and local guide? Expect it to be life-changing in the best possible way!

With love, Sue

This needs to be booked by Jan 13th and fully paid by March 1, 20025 or we cannot guarantee hotel rooms.

Send your $1000 deposit in trust to sue@over40connect.com TODAY! There is limited space and once it's sold out it's done.

It's going to be life-changing!

SAVE THE DATE! The in person info night has been booked for Jan 10th 7-9 pm with snacks, Italian wine, fun words in italian lesson and any and all questions answered. 72 Union St. Ottawa

PS. All

Click Here!