DAY ONE

Arrival Day!

• Guests meet at the designated transfer point at the Marco Polo Airport in Venice for the ride up to San Martino. A light snack and beverage will be provided during the trip.
  

• Arrival in San Martino di Castrozza. Guests will have time to check into their rooms and get settled in.

• Dinner tonight is at the hotel.
  

There will be a welcoming meeting after dinner to introduce your instructors and guides, outline the coming week, and hand out welcome packets containing schedules, maps, the town's social calendar, and other pertinent materials for your vacation. [top]

View of the Pale di San Martino from the meadow of the Malga Canali.

DAY THREE:

Val Canali and Cant Del Gal:

• Today's morning excursion takes us away from San Martino and into the stunning Val Canali.  We will make a few stops along the way for photo opportunities of beautiful glacier lakes, and spectacular rocky peaks.

• We will be met at our final destination by Nicola and Marzia Cemin, who have invited us to their lovely, historic Inn, Cant Del Gal. This charming inn is situated deep in the mountains at the beginning of many well-known excursion trails into the peaks and the Altopiano. Click here to see a video of Val Canali that highlights Cant Del Gal.

• Nicola will delight our group  with a special sleigh ride in a traditional Trojka along the nearby snow-covered roads and through the park of the feudal estate in the valley, Villa Welsperg. Below is a short video clip taken by a guest of Nicola driving the Trojka and describing the surrounding area.

• We will have the opportunity to relax in Cant Del Gal's lovely sitting area and be inspired by the splendid and serene view of the mountains and woods around us. Those who would like to be more active have the opportunity to take a snowshoe walk along the trails and snow-covered roads nearby.  The photos below reflect our surroundings during summer, but the area will be decorated with a beautiful blanket of snow while we are there for the March workshop.

• Our gourmet lunch is custom-designed for our group and features a truly unique tableside presentation that always elicits exclamations of delight!

• Following lunch, Nicola and Marzia will lead a cooking demonstration of a delicious regional dessert known as Kaiserschmarren (a sweet tyrolean omlette originating in the Austrian alps just a few hours away) served with a variety of toppings, including the traditional warm sauce made with frutti di bosco.

• Nicola is very active in the community and works to maintain the valley's culture, legends and history.  His presentations are a combination of culinary explanations interspersed with folklore, legend, and a feel for the passion that the people of the valley put into everything they do, including the preparation of their food. The tableside presentations during our workshop will take place inside the restaurant and not on the porch due to seasonal temperatures. Today's outing has always been a favorite on our past tours.

• After the cooking demonstration, our group will return to San Martino, after which we will have our afternoon classes at the hotel.  Tonight, dinner is at the hotel.

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Knitting at Cant Del Gal.  Photo: Daniela Anderson.

More knitting at Cant Del Gal! Photo: Daniela Anderson.

Val Canali is known for its glacier streams and lakes.Photo: Maxine Jones.

Val Canali is one of the scenic highlights in our dream vacations

Traditional Trojka sleigh ride through the parks of Villa Welsperg.

Nicola Cemin escorts guests through Val Canali.

A group of happy knitters being spoiled at the Cant del Gal!

DAY FOUR:

Malga Ces and Tognola:

Today our group will have our daily class at the hotel during the morning so we can enjoy some very special lunchtime and afternoon activities.

• After our morning class, the group will make its way to one of the most famous restaurants and local landmarks in the area, the Malga Ces.  Known for its exquisite cuisine, phenomenal attention to presentation, and charming and  traditional decorations, this is a not-to-be-missed event while you are in San Martino. This unique farm-turned-restaurant has been in existence for many decades, and it is here that the famous Tosela cheese was first created and perfected.

• Prior to lunch, students will enjoy a hands-on opportunity to make Spaetzle during a very special cooking demonstration given by the chef in the restaurant's kitchen.  This activity has been created exclusively for the Alpine Adventure Agency.

• After lunch, we head back into town for some downtime before we are whisked away to a fabulous late-afternoon event at the Rifugio Tognola, a ski chalet at the top of the Tognola peak on the edge of town. We will enjoy a delicious degustation of wines and regional cheeses paired with locally produced honey and other foods, led by the top enologist in the region, Michele Benini.

• A special feature of this event is the view at twilight of the majestic sunset over the Pale di San Martino, which often exhibit the unique phenomenon called the Enrosadira. We will be able to enjoy this incredible view from many of the chalet's windows, which boast 360 degree views of mountains as far as the eye can see.

• After the event, participants have the option of descending the mountain by cable car or on skis in a torch-lit procession (for the skiers in the group). The rest of the afternoon and evening is free time for our group. Click here to see a video of this event.

VIDEO:

One of our most popular outings with our past groups is our cooking demo and gourmet lunch at the Malga Ces (segment starts at 4:28 on the counter). Those of us who enjoy the indoors will love the beautiful, warm and inviting atmosphere and decor at Malga Ces and the warmth and charm of the owners, Maria Giovanna and Marco Scalet!

Those of us who enjoy winter sports and snow will  love one of the special activities in San Martino called the "Carousel of the Malghe."  This activity is a progressive gourmet wine and regional food degustation at 4 different, well-known chalets and mountain huts which you reach as you ski down the slopes.

VIDEO:

This video is excellent because it highlights not only the Malga Ces in another wonderful segment, but it also touches on the many ski slopes and runs available if you decide to purchase a SkiPass to use during the workshop.  The segment on the Malga Ces is wonderful because it highlights interviews with Maria Giovanna, the owner, and her chef as well.  It also gives you a glimpse into the kitchen where we will be doing our cooking demonstration.

There are segments on several of the places in our daily excursions: The cable car Rosetta, the restaurant at the top of the Rosetta, The Altopiano of the Pale di San Martino, and the Tognola (where we have our wine and cheese degustation).

3:35  Colverde ski run, which is located next door to our hotel.

4:35  Cable Car Rosetta, the restaurant at the top, and the Altopiano of the Pale di San Martino.

5:05  Night skiing (7:30pm-11:30pm) on the slope next door to our hotel.

5:50  Punto Ces next door to Malga Ces.

7:00  The Tognola

12:00 Day Spas in town

13:30 - 17:30 Malga Ces interviews and view of kitchen.

Photo of Malga Ces courtesy of Angelani Silvano.

View of the pedestrian zone and downtown Fiera di Primiero seen from the Clarofonte Gardens. Photo: Ingrid Wessel

DAY FIVE:

Fiera di Primiero:

Today we satisfy the lovers of yarn and fiber, art and architecture, history and traditional folklore, and last but not least, fine wine and cuisine!  Today's daily outing takes place in the Primiero Valley.

• Our first stop as a group will be to a culinary landmark along the Strada dei Formaggi (the Street of the Cheeses).  The Caseificio Sociale Comprensoriale di Primiero is home to some famous, award-winning cheeses in Italy.  Our group will enjoy a private tour of the factory, watch the cheese production up close, and sample to our heart's content. Click here to view more photos of our tour of the cheese factory in our media gallery.  Click here to view an episode of Girovagando in Trentino which includes a molded butter-making demo at the same facility (3:15 on the counter).

• Following our visit to the cheese factory, we make our way to the weaving studio of Lucia Trotter.  Lucia's family is renown in the Primiero Valley for being  artisans of fine weaving, and they have had a presence in the valley for centuries.  We will be treated to a wonderful demonstration of traditional weaving on hand-carved, antique looms that are centuries old.  We also will have the chance to examine some beautiful fabrics, some of which are over 150 years old, and whose technique and design were invented by Lucia's grandfather. More photos of this extraordinary weaving family and their unusual designs and textiles will be added to our media gallery by December  2010.

• Lunch today is at the Antica Rosa Pizzeria and Restaurant in the beautiful pedestrian zone of Fiera di Primiero.

• A very special visit with internationally respected wood sculptor,  Silvano Zeni, is planned for early afternoon. The Zeni brothers are most famous for their sculptures that adorn the entrances to the Euro-Tunnel between England and France. Their work encompasses both traditional sculptures as well as the traditional Tyrolean figurines, nativity scenes and woodland fauna that is quickly disappearing as an artisan art form today. Because of the close friendship between Silvano and Daniela, our group is offered a private tour of the studio and store and a demonstration of traditional wood sculpting.  Silvano also encourages people in the group to try their hand at sculpting! This is an exclusive feature of a vacation with the Alpine Adventure Agency.

• Following our visit at the wood sculpting studio, we will make our way to the yarn shop in town. They have a very interesting store where you can find other fiber-related items besides knitting supplies and yarn.  In the past, they even have had a locally made, traditional spinning wheel in the style of the Primiero Valley for sale. Here, you can find sewing supplies, limited fabrics, lace edgings, and a variety of other thread-related items.

• Our group will return to San Martino for the rest of the afternoon for our workshop class. Dinner tonight is at the hotel.

• We are working to coordinate a very special evening with a small group of local Tyrolean knitters and crocheters in the valley who still knit/ crochet in the old way.  This event is dependent on evening snow/road conditions and the availability of the women in the group, which only meets on Monday nights. They are looking forward to meeting us and sharing items typical of this region.  One item will be the authentic Tyrolean lace and cable socks still being knit by women who learned the pattern from their mothers and grandmothers.  Below is a photo of the Beatrich, a renown local yodeling trio, wearing the traditional socks typical of this region!  The yarn used was handspun, and the socks were knit by Nicola's mother, Danila, who belongs to the local group meeting with us.  If we are not able to participate in this event in the valley, Daniela will have the socks in her possession for the group to examine, and there might be a possibilty that Daniela will be able to drive to San Martino and share an evening with us in our hotel instead.

Silvano Zeni demonstrates the art of regional Tyrolean wood sculpting.  His studio offers local courses that are available throughout the year.  Here, Daniela Anderson takes a turn at sculpting during one of our knitting workshop group visits to the Primiero Valley. Photo: Maxine Jones.

VIDEO:

This video is put out by the borough of Transacqua. It includes interesting segments on places and people included in our visit to Primiero.

• 11:01 Silvano Zeni, Wood Sculptor.
• 15:40 Cheese-making demonstration at the Caseificio di Primiero.
• 17:00 Gruppo Folcloristico di Mezzano.
• 20:05 Casa Primierotta.

AUTUMN IN THE PRIMIERO VALLEY 2009

Girovagando in Trentino episode featuring images, artisans, regional foods, events and outings in the Primiero Valley during the Autumn season. This video also includes wonderful footage of the Festival of the Desmontegar (Desmontegada).

In this video:

• 2:27 Beautiful images of Fiera di Primiero and the surrounding mountains.
  
• 3:40 Silvano Zeni, internationally renown wood sculptor who has revived the lost art of regional, Tyrolean wood sculpting.
• 5:40 Marco Ungaro, artisan specializing in 3-dimensional artforms.
• 8:05 Regional food products presented in the tiny village of Siror, which is part of the "Street of the Cheeses" in the Trentino region.
• 14:45 Images of the valley. Rifugio Caltena presents regional dishes.
• 17:45 Monthly one-day festival in the square organized by the cultural committees of the valley featuring foot races for owners and the dogs, kids' races, food and wine degustations, and other fun activities.
• 24:30 Images and scenes from the Festival of the Desmontegar

DAY SEVEN:

FREE DAY:

• Today there are no group activities or class scheduled.  It is a chance for each guest to enjoy some downtime, or explore places or things not on the group schedule.  Lunch today is on your own!  Daniela is available for consultation on things to do and see in the area, as well as help arrange transportation or other details if necessary.
• Daniela has a very special group activity available for those who would like to take full advantage of being able to see more of the region.  The Alpine Adventure Agency's signature one-day bus tour of the most beautiful Dolomitic Passes will be available as an "a la carte" mini-package.  We will leave San Martino di Castrozza at 9am and return between 5-6pm.  Among the many beautiful places we visit,  we will enjoy the cable car ride up to the peak of the famed Sass Pordoi.  Afterwards, we will travel to Passo Sella, where a fabulous lunch has been planned for us at  the exclusive Rifugio Salei, a chalet  frequented by Prince Albert of Monaco and Michael Schumacher of Ferrari Formula One fame among its many famous guests (view their visits in the Salei's photo gallery).
• Join Daniela and Alessandro, our full-time outdoor/ nature photography instructor, as they escort you to the most beautiful locations that the Italian Dolomites have to offer. Click here to view package details, itinerary, and pricing.  Click here to view the photo album of the tour.

DAY EIGHT:

Daniela hopes that many students will choose the awe-inspiring way to get to lunch by joining her on an optional, guided snowshoe hike on her favorite easy walking trail from the time she was a child (weather and trail conditions permitting). The outing on the Strada Alta has been Daniela's favorite excursion since childhood because it is an easy hike for the whole family, yet has some of the most beautiful and breath-taking views of the rocky peaks. (The guided, showshoe hike is not included in the workshop package. It is being offered to our guests and can be purchased as a mini-package). The photos below show the Strada Alta in summer, but during our workshop, the scenery will be transformed into a winter wonderland!

The Strada Alta/ Pez Gaiart is a well-maintained bike path that meanders through the woods just above town. The loop, beginning and ending in town, is about 6 km/ 3.73 miles. It does have gentle ascents and descents and takes about 1.5 hours to complete walking at an easy pace without stopping. We plan on a 3 hour outing that includes time to stop and enjoy a snack, take pictures, explore the amazing variety of waterfalls and wildflowers, and gaze in amazement at the spectacular scenery. Our group will only complete 2/3 of the loop because we will stop when we reach Caffe Col to have lunch with the others.

Those students interested in joining Daniela and Alessandro, The Alpine Adventure Agency's full-time photography instructor, will meet up after breakfast at the base of the Cable Car Colverde.

The group will make its way through the meadow to Caffe Col to join the others. Francesca and her mother will invite us into the farmhouse kitchen to enjoy a cheese-making demonstration of Tosela cheese, a fresh, non-cured cheese found only in the Primiero Valley.  It traditionally is served fried as a side dish for Polenta or Knodel (Canerderli).  Following lunch, we will enjoy the last structured afternoon classes back at the hotel.

Daniela and guests hike above the tree line to reach a scenic location on the Strada Alta.  Photo: Alessandro Simon.

Thanks to our many close relationships with business owners and personal friends, our guests enjoy many personalized experiences when our group visits Venice. Here, Matteo, our personal taxi driver, chauffers some of our guests down the Grand Canal. Photo: Daniela Anderson

DAY NINE:

Venice:

This morning, we leave San Martino very early so that we can enjoy a full day in Venice!  After depositing our luggage at our hotel just outside of this magnificent city, we will board the train at the station connected to the hotel by an underground gallery, and be whisked away for a day of delights!

Today, you have the freedom and flexibility and choice to explore on your own, or make some loosely structured stops to various venues with the group, or both!  There is a very well-known yarn shop in Venice that is not to be missed, as well as several stores where you can find some beautiful glass beads.  The lace-makers are found on the island of Burano, and the glass-blowing factories are on the island of Murano.There is no organized group lunch or dinner so that everyone has the opportunity to take full advantage of the visit.

• Our first stop after boarding our own privately chauffered boat will be a private demonstration and invaluable "mini-conference" at the studio of the most  famous family of mask makers in Venice, Mario and Antonella Belloni. Ca' Macana is one of the oldest studios in Venice. They started working on masks at the beginning of the 1980s, when, after two centuries of inactivity, the Venice Carnival was revived. Our group will enjoy an unforgettable mini-workshop featuring mask-making techniques and an introduction to the social history of Venice through the use of the mask in every-day culture throughout the centuries.  Our guests will leave with an enhanced perspective of Venice with the knowledge gleaned from our visit with Mario and Antonella.

• Our other organized group activity is a visit to Lellabella, Venice's premiere Local Yarn Shop!  Monica and her mother Lella (for whom Lellabella was named) love having our groups visit, and are ready to show you some beautiful yarns as well as some ethereal, silk and cashmere shawls woven exclusively for them on 400 year old looms found in a French Chateau years ago.  Lella is known for her one-of-a-kind knitted sweaters, shawls, and other items, many of which are available for sale in the shop.  There is something for everyone in this wonderful little boutique, so prepare to leave space in your suitcase for stash-enhancing goodies!

• Lunch and dinner are on your own today so you can personalize your day. You are welcome to join Daniela for lunch at her favorite place to sit and relax in Venice, The Caffe' Florian, in Piazza San Marco. This not-to-be-missed landmark, opened in 1720, is Italy's oldest caffe´. The elegant surroundings attracted many of the notables of the day including the playwright Carlo Goldoni, Goethe and Casanova, who was no doubt attracted by the fact that Caffè Florian was the only coffee house that allowed women, and later Lord Byron, Marcel Proust, and Charles Dickens were frequent visitors. It was one of the few places where Gasparo Gozzi's early newspaper Gazzetta Veneta could be bought, and became a meeting place for people from different social classes. In the mid-18th century the Florian expanded to four rooms (excerpt from Wikipedia article). Among the many stories and legends of Venice, The Florian is renown for being the place to which Casanova fled for an espresso after being the only person to escape successfully from the Doge's Palace, but before leaving Venice for good. The Florian serenades its guests daily with a live orchestra and offers its guests a very pleasant reprieve from the sun and crowds in Piazza San Marco.  Waiters here are required to be fluent in several languages, and many have been loyal employees for decades.

• The Florian has been Daniela's favorite place in Venice to stop and enjoy a refreshment or light meal since she was a young teenager, and many of the waiters have known her for years.  Her guests enjoy the royal treatment the minute they arrive.  Make sure to go inside to see the beautiful marble work, antique furniture and fine art.  This special place truly is one of the most remarkable places to sit and knit or crochet in the world!

• The afternoon is free time for you to explore to your heart's content.  Daniela sets up command central at her favorite table at the Florian, and is available to answer questions, hold bags while you tour the landmarks nearby, or provide any other assistance needed.  If you feel confortable making your way around town and returning to the hotel by train on your own, you are free to stay as long as you wish.  Each person will receive a printed train schedule which will give you the times that our particular train departs to go back towards our hotel.

• The group officially will leave Venice together in the late afternoon so we can return to the hotel in time for an optional, buffet-style group dinner and have time to prepare for the next morning's transfer to the airport.

Photos: Daniela Anderson

DAY TEN:

Departure Day:

• Today the group dissolves for individual departure destinations. Transportation by taxi/shuttle service will be arranged for each guest to the  Marco Polo Airport.   The Alpine Adventure Agency gladly will be of assistance if would like to stay another few days or need assistance with any other accomodation while you are in Italy.  We look forward to having you join us for future workshop vacations!  A presto!