Italian Tours

The Istituto Educazione Italiana organizes custom-designed tours to Italy for groups of 20-25 people. These tours emphasize art and culture and focus on little-known destinations that would not necessarily be on the itinerary of a first-time visitor. They are for sophisticated travelers who have already visited the canonical destination of Roma, Venezia, Firenze, Umbria, and Le Cinqueterre, and want to experience a deeper and more intimate Italian reality.

That said, the venues we visit are still of the highest cultural and artistic caliber, such as you would find in Roma, Firenze, and Venezia. In addition, through our intimate understanding of Italy, its language and its customs, and through the many friends and contact we have there, we are able to provide opportunities for customization and interactions that are not available in your typical commercial tour. Our close understanding of Italy and our ability to deal with Italian tour service providers also enables us to contain costs and offer top value to our guests.

The tour presented her has been especially crafted for members of the Leonardo da Vinci and Cenacolo Societies in San Francisco. It is now also open to non-members. Please call us or contact us by email

Robert L. Bass

Adam and Eve said, ‘Lord, when we were in the garden, we felt in touch with you everyday. Now, out of Eden we feel  lonesome and sometimes it is difficult for us to remember how much you love us.’

And God said, I will give you a companion that will be with you, and who will be a reflection of my love for you even now. Regardless of how selfish, or childish, or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are, and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves..’

And God called the dog over, to be a companion for Adam and Eve.

And it was a good combination, and God was pleased. And the dog was pleased to be with Adam and Eve, and he wagged his tail And Dog lived with Adam and Eve, and was a companion to them, and loved them.

And they were comforted.

And God was pleased. And Dog was content, and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said, ‘Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen like peacocks, and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught them that they are loved, but perhaps too well.’

And God said ” I will give them a companion who will be with them, and who will see them as they are. The companion will remind them of their limitations, so they will be reminded that they are not worthy of adoration.”

And God called CAT  and gave him over to be a special companion to Adam and Eve.

And Cat would not obey them. He would not follow them.  He would come to them and be cute only when he wanted something.  And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat’s eyes, they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings.

And Adam and Eve learned humility.  And they were greatly improved.

And God was pleased. And Dog was happy.

And Cat . . .  Cat didn’t care, one way, or the other.

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You can reserve a spot on the tour ($500/person)

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You can pay for the tour in full ($3100/person)

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Or  you can pay the balance due after the reservation ($2600)

Let’s visit Calabria now – before the crowds arrive.  Calabria is the most southern region of Italy, the ankle and toe of the Italian “boot” – a rugged peninsula where figs, olive trees and vines cling to green as well as arid mountain sides.  Here the Ionic and Thyrrenian seas meet, caressing  the cliffs and beaches of a long and intricate coastline, which faces east, south and west all at once.

You will discover a region with a soul of it’s own, and you will have the vacation of your life! True, the Calabrese are not quite ready for masses of English-speaking tourists and you won’t find too many people who converse confidently in English, nor  many signs printed in English. But your discovery of this region is guaranteed to make your trip to Italy one of your most memorable vacation experiences.

For millennia, the people here have made pottery, spun wool, knitted garments, milked goats, made bread and pasta, fermented wine .  They have gone about their business, shop-keeping, worshipping in their numerous churches, and observing catholic holy days around the year with pious gusto.  And they continue to do so today, self-reliant, practical, stubborn, Calabresi are usually a no-nonsense people whom other Italians say are “testa dura” – hard headed.

Now Calabria, tired of being the forgotten and neglected part of Italy, is ready to transform itself into a premier destination.  It’s got everything going for it and you can be among the first ones to discover it!

Just to the North of Calabria we find  Campania, home to some of the world’s most famous destinations, such as Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.  This spectacular area draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to enjoy the mild climate, the exotic vegetation of palms, lemon and orange trees and the remarkable sandstone cliffs which plunge dramatically into the turquoise Thyrennian sea.

Campania is famous not only for what is probably the most romantic coastline in the world, but also for the remarkable islands of Ischia and Capri and the fabled city of Pompeii, one of the most significant proofs of Roman civilization. Like an open book it provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and everyday life of the past.

The city has re-emerged from the darkness of centuries as it was when it was unexpectedly buried in the thick layer of ash and lava which poured down from the devastating eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Suddenly, in what had been one of the most active and splendid Roman centres,life came to a permanent standstill along with the contents inside the houses and shops, providing an absolutely fascinating picture of “daily” life over 2000 years

Optional part of the tour is a 2 days visit to Roma, ‘the eternal city’. These beautiful regions are rich with culture, arts and is a major destination for both experienced and new travelers to Italy. Let us show you the riches of these lands and join us in our 16 days guided tour of Calabria and Campania.

CLICK ON THE LINK to view TOUR ITINERARY- PDF

Italian Italy Tour

Tour Itinerary page 1

Tour Itinerary page 2

http://finestitalian.com/products/italian-ceramics-and-majolica/deruta-italian-hand-painted-round-platter/

Leonardo's Mona Lisa- CLICK ON IMAGE

Click on this image

Mona Lisa  has been the center of all kind of wonders and suppositions. It has inspired countless people to write about her and the meaning of her smile. Countless artists have reproduced the image in an effort to understand her in depth. She has embodied the “mother” representation for many. What makes the Mona Lisa so known and loved the world over in spite of a lack of clear understanding of it?

Let’s think about the paintings qualities for a moment:

1. The softness of the appearance of Mona Lisa’s mouth is not a smile, but an expression of inner pleasure. The relaxed nature of her eyes can often be found in a mother’s  looks as she gazes with contentment on her child.

2. ‘Mona Lisa’  is  very simple, almost bare, in some ways mono-tone. So is the background which surrounds her. She has no jewelry, adornment,  special hair-do, or dress. In this respect, she is very much as an adult  might remember his/her mother from the early years. Personality, with its general qualities, is a stronger memory from early childhood than visual decoration.

3. The ” sfumato” quality of her eyes, the subtle, smoky blurring of edges, is consistent with the blurring of memory as time goes by.

4. The veil, barely visible through the head, points to a sense of quiet but secure modesty of the heart

5. People have long noticed a similarity between the ‘Mona Lisa’ and Leonardo da Vinci’s self portrait, especially their hair. This may indicate either a genetic relationship or a special psychological identification of the artist with the subject painted. Leonardo might have been very fond of the Lady (the Madonna) he painted.

6. Leonardo da Vinci is said to have kept the ‘Mona Lisa’ with him and the painting was never delivered to a client. Interestingly enough it is Da Vinci’s best known work. Was it also his most beloved? Leonardo was separated from his mother at a young age.  People who have little or no memory of their mother will often hold very dearly to  any  fragment of memory they may possess.

A beautiful,  large, skillfully executed copy of the famous Leonardo masterpiece, can be found on

http://finestitalian.com/products/italian-paintings/mona-lisa/

on  by an unknown artist.  An imposing work, oil on canvas.  Canvas size is 35″ by 48″, framed size is 46″ by 58″.  This is an imposing piece suitable for large spaces, and sure to excite admiration and comment.