Most people travel with large tour companies because they want to say they were at the Sistine Chapel or the Duomo in Florence.
!!!!Newsflash!!!!
They aren’t experiencing the place with an open mind. When you visit a place to check it off your list, you aren't actually present with it.
Imagine being shuffled through a gorgeous piece of history without being able to really sit and enjoy the masterpiece in front of you.
Sounds horrible, right?
The Italian Tourism Board has said there’s much more of a benefit when you travel in smaller groups and to places that are not as touristy. Smaller towns all around Italy are being missed because all people what to see is the bigger cities.
Benefits of traveling with a small group
Make authentic cultural connections - Connecting with culture is so much easier in a small group. You have time to explore an area, a church, and a museum. There's no rushing in this case. You can take your time wandering and meandering through alleyways. And that's the best part.
Get Lost - I love entering a new city and just following one road to the other. Without a purpose. You'll be surprised with what you find when you let fate guide you.
Eat slow - Usually when you are with a big group, someone is in a rush and wants to get on to the next exhibit/museum. But when you are with 4-5 friends, you can take your time. Maybe you start conversing with the waiter. Practice your Italian, why don't you. Italians love when you try.
Freedom & Flexibility - We can deviate from the initial plan when the universe calls to explore,. We can travel off the beaten path to explore hidden gems, and look for special moments of discovery. This is my favorite part. Traveling to unknown places and being so surprised you never thought of visiting prior.
Easier to travel - There are a lot of amazing restaurants that are incredibly small in Italy. These places only allow parties up to 5-6 people. It would be a shame to miss out on a pasta dish unique to the area because you are in a group of 15.
This is why Truly Italy is your choice for intimate, purposeful and educational travel throughout Italy. We have between 6-8 guests on each travel experience and we travel by car, not by coach bus.
We visit places where we aren’t bombarded with tourists. We go to cities where coach buses can’t reach. We meet locals whom I have a personal relationship with. We learn, experience and appreciate the landscape of Tuscany exactly where we are. In the present moment. No rushing from one activity to the next.
We visit one special place each day. The rest of the day we interact with locals, sit by the pool and read, take a nap or walk around our neighborhood in the Tuscan hills.
There's so much to experience when you come to Italy with Truly Italy. The important piece is to experience it one moment at a time.
For more info about our upcoming Cultural Travel Retreats, download our info sheets below:
PS… We offer Private Retreats for girls trips, family trips or corporate retreats as well. Sign up with the link above to get all the details.