CTAC & Voyager Trips Present: The Treasures of Northern Italy from Coast to Coast 2025
Join us on a 9-night/10-day trip to Italy that Voyager Trips curated exclusively for CTAC members on October 3-12, 2025! This will be the fourth CTAC trip to Italy coordinated with Charlevoix native, Doug Heise, and his wife, Erica Vecchione.
WHERE WE'RE GOING … AND WHY:
CINQUE TERRE: the most beautiful coastline of them all
GENOA: the largest medieval city center in Europe
PARMA: taste Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at its source on an organic farm
VENICE: the “Serenissima,” artistic hub for the world's artists since 1400
PADUA: where Giotto kickstarted Renaissance painting at the Scrovegni Chapel
VERONA: pulsating heart of Northern Italy since the Roman Empire
AMARONE: the wine of kings
Here is the itinerary for the 10-day tour:
October 3
- Everyone arrives independently in Levanto and checks in at our hotel (Hotel Oasi)
- Evening “apericena” of drinks and light food
October 4
- Visit Riomaggiore and Manarola in the Cinque Terre
- Wine tasting and lunch at the Cinque Terre Grape Growers Cooperative
October 5
- Train to Genoa
- Guided historical walking tour of the medieval town center with focus on traditional foods of Genoa (focaccia, vegetable pies, spices, chocolatier, etc.)
- Group dinner Levanto
October 6
- Private bus transfer to an organic Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese maker for farm visit,
tasting, and lunch (about 2 hours by bus)
- After lunch, continue on by bus to Venice (about 2.5 hours)
- Check in at hotel (Ruzzini Palace Hotel) and take it easy
October 7
- Guided walking tour of the San Marco piazza and surrounding area, followed by entry into the Doge's Palace, which you will be free to visit on your own
- Free afternoon. Optional activities you could choose to do this day (we will help you make any bookings and buy tickets) might be:
- a gondola ride (€90 for one gondola for 30 minutes, 5 people max.)
- a visit to the Guggenheim Museum (€17 entry fee)
- wander the lesser-traveled neighborhoods of Dorsoduro, Cannaregio and the Ghetto, or Guidecca
- visit the Prada Foundation for ultra-contemporary art (€13)
- see the masterpieces of Venetian painting at the Accademia (€15)
- see the unique Fortuny Museum that highlights the multi-form artist Mariano Fortuny
- everything from painting to photography to fabric design and lighting. (€11)
- boat tour to Murano and Burano (there are lots of offers for tours like this from large to small-group and even private groups. Expect to pay a minimum of around €50 per person depending on the type of tour).
- Note: anyone who wishes to hire an art historical guide for any activities can do so. The price for an official guide will be approximately €80 per hour.
October 8
- Morning visit of the Venice Biennale (Architecture Edition) with an art historian. After the tour with the art historian (which will last about 1 to 1.5 hours) you will be free to explore the Biennale as much as you want afternoon free. See above for ideas about optional activities you could choose from.
- Group dinner Venice
October 9
- Private bus to Padua (about 1 hour) to visit the absolutely amazing Scrovegni Chapel
frescoes by Giotto with an art history guide
- Time to explore central Padua on your own
- Then we will continue on to Verona by bus (about 1.5 hours)
Check into the hotel (Hotel Giulietta e Romeo) and take it easy
October 10
- Outdoor guided walking tour of Verona, including a visit inside the incredible Roman Arena rest of the day free. Optional activities you could choose to do in Verona might be:
- the Juliet (as in Romeo and Juliet) House museum (€12)
- the Archaeological Museum (€9) to explore Verona's Roman Empire origins
- the Gallery of Modern Art, located in the incredible Palazzo della Ragione, which also hosts the 13th century Lamberti Tower and the Cappella dei Notai
- explore the daily market in Piazza delle Erbe
- Farewell group dinner
October 11
- Short private bus ride to an Amarone (one of Italy's premier red wines) winemaker in Valpolicella with cellar visit, tasting, and lunch
- Return to Verona after lunch
October 12
- Departure (unless you are staying longer in Italy)
Pricing Details:
Price Per Person: $4,175 (USD) per person
Single Room Supplement for 9 nights: $600 (USD) per single room
The per person price includes:
- Double occupancy rooms for 9 nights in hotels, breakfast included
- Hotel Oasi (3 star Boutique) in Levanto
- Ruzzini Palace (4 stars) in Venice
- Hotel Giulietta e Romeo (3 star Superior) in Verona
- All ground transportation for events in the itinerary
- 3 group dinners
- 3 group lunches
- 2 wine tastings (Cinque Terre and Amarone/Valpolicella)
- 1 welcome apericena
- 1 Parmigiano Reggiano cheesemaker visit
- Guided walking tours of Genoa, Venice, and Verona
- Doge's Palace in Venice
- Venice Biennale International Architecture Show
- Scrovegni Chapel visit in Padua
- Roman Arena in Verona
- Italian Wine Sommelier traveling with the group
- Organizational fees to Voyager Trips
The per person price does not include:
- Airfare to and from Italy
- All meals aside from those listed above
- Personal expenses, souvenirs, and extraneous
- Travel insurance
Space is limited to 18 participants.
Questions? For questions, please contact boxoffice@crookedtree.org or voyagertrips@gmail.com.
Ready to book? Here's how to make your deposit:
First, get in touch! Write to us at voyagertrips@gmail.com to let us know you're interested and want to make a $500 deposit.
Second, we accept deposits in many ways. You can:
- send us an old-fashioned check made out to 'Douglas Heise' and send it to the following address: Douglas Heise, 200 Auld Ave, Charlevoix, MI 49720
- make a bank payment to our Bank of America account (we can provide the details to you)
- pay us through Zelle using the above email address
But more than anything, let us know your plans so we can guide you through any questions you have. Hope to hear from you! - Doug & Erica
Downloadable version available here.
