Bettina Schindler-Pratesi, Art Restoration Specialist
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I work in the old San Niccolò district of Florence, surrounded by workshops belonging to the city’s most talented and creative artists. San Niccolò is the essence of artisan Florence, and I love being part of the inventiveness, imagination and traditions that have flourished for centuries in our narrow streets and alleys. I am a Restoration Specialist, and when you wander into my workshop I’ll share with you the secrets of my work. Antiques are my life – and I play a very special part in their lives. Ivory, bone, mother-of-pearl, horn, wood and many other natural materials need loving attention every century or so to survive – I’ll happily share my craft!
Hike along Cinque Terre footpaths to Vernazza, rewarding with idyllic village charm, and learn the finer points of wining and dining during a cooking class at a Tuscan culinary school.
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and a talented artist, gives new life to antiques dressed in ivory, bone and mother-of-pearl. Next door, see a multitude of locals at work restoring and immortalizing art from all genres; their meticulous expertise deftly erases the ravages of time, preventing the art from fading into oblivion. A short drive to the Basilica of Santa Croce, eternal resting place for Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini
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and other illustrious Italians, offers a chance to reflect on the treasured legacies of their lives. Back in Florence, local scents, sights and sounds come to life at the colorful Mercato Centrale, enticing with traditional Florentine street food... lampredotto sandwiches… fresh fruit... porchetta… gelato… a true feast for the senses. Sample regional delights as you wish and spend the afternoon exploring on your own. The grandson of a former Florentine mayor, concert pianist Gregorio Nardi, and his wife Annegret, invite you to join them at the end of the day at the Palazzo Bargellini. Your private evening affair includes a personal tour, a recital on a Steinway Grand piano, lively discussions on history and local politics, and an aperitivo. In Florence, dinner is also an art; you’ll find lots of different restaurants, cafés and trattorias that tempt with all kinds of delectable culinary treats. Meals B
4. THE WAY TO CINQUE TERRE Your first Culturious road trip twists and turns its way toward the Mediterranean
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Sea; en route, see the huge mountains of white marble at Carrara — snow-like clouds of stone-dust blanket quarried landscapes; ride aboard a 4 x 4 to view them up close on a guided tour. Changing landscapes mesmerize as you drive along the coast to Liguria and Portovenere on the Gulf of Poets; it’s not hard to see why this Roman-Byzantine town was named for the goddess Venus. A motor boat navigates Mediterranean waters along Cinque Terre from Portovenere, where colorful houses cascade along a hillside against the azure sea, to the village of Monterosso. Your boutique hotel is perched on the hillside overlooking the harbor. Meals BD
5. DISCOVERING “THE FIVE LANDS” Wake up in paradise, perhaps starting your day with an early morning dip off the private beach of Porto Roca. Fragrant with lemon trees and calla lilies, Monterosso is one of five remote fishing villages along the coast. Cinque Terre, “the five lands,” are now linked to the outside world by rail, but for centuries were accessible only by sea… or on foot. If you wish, hike with
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