The Italy 2003 - The Southern Regions was a trip, as with many, that started with great conversation over dinner. The dinning table is the birthplace of great ideas!

Once the concept was in place, the ongoing planning commenced. For one of our planning dinners, Chris Grant knocked the planning up a notch by make his now famous frozen floral ice-bucket. What better way to keep the champagne very very cold. Click on the botton photo to the left for a larger view of the bucket.

This trip to Italy ranked up as one of the most enjoyable travel experiences. The weather was hot and sunny, the food and wine were all outstanding. The sights memorable.

We did the extremes. From an opera in Orvieto - on a hot evening, in an even hotter Italian opera house enjoyed the sights and sounds of Un Ballo in Mascherr to the stark coldness of a walk on the upper portions of Mount Etna.

Sicily is special. Great food, wine and the people most friendly. Without hesitation we recommend including Sicily in a tour of Italy.

Our itinerary was as follows:

Week One:

  • Latium: Bolsena, Caprarola (Villa Farnese)
  • Umbria: Orvieto.
  • Compania: Grotte di Pertosa, Certosa di San Lorenzo (Sala Consinina).
  • Calabria: Tropea
  • Sicily: Cefalù, Palermo

Week Two:

  • Sicily: Monreale, Segesta, San Vito lo Capo, Trapini, Selinunte, Marsala, Sciacca, Caltabellotta, Noto, Syracuse, Taormina, Mount Etna.

Week Three:

  • Compania: Amalfi, Napoli,
  • Latium: Abbazia di Montecassino, Gaeta, Sperlunga, Roma

 

 

Chris & Carmen Grant at the pre-party

Chris & Carmen Grant at the pre-party. Plannying the trip.

Karen and Chris Grant

A dinner on the outdoor patio is a pleasant way to start working on the details of a great trip.