Crystal Creations Bead Institute/

Beads Gone Wild

Presents "An Italian Adventure"

April 24 - May 7, 2012

Rome • Naples • Ravenna • Deruta • Murano • Venice

Crystal Creations is sponsoring this fabulous trip to Italy for its customers (others that would like to join Crystal Creations for this trip will be placed on a wait list should space still be available early next year). Beadventures' Italy expert Maggie Meister will lead this tour as well as teach a workshop on a project designed just for this trip.

You'll start off your tour of Italy by arriving in Rome. You'll then travel to Naples where you'll stay at the lovely Villa Giulia, a beautiful bed and breakfast set amidst beautiful gardens. While in Naples you'll visit Pompeii and cruise the Amalfi Coast. You'll then travel to Deruta, known for its distinctive pottery, and then to Ravenna, world-renowned for its Byzantine mosaics. And finally, you'll complete your Italian Adventure with a visit to the islands of Venice and Murano.

Itinerary

Day 1. Tuesday, April 24
You will arrive in Rome to be met by Maggie Meister at the hotel. Our hotel is located on the Aventine hill in a lovely Roman neighborhood. In the afternoon, Maggie will give a brief orientation of the week ahead and we will have a guided tour of the Forum and the ancient sites of Rome. As everyone will be tired after a day of travel, we will have an early night.

Day 2. Wednesday, April 25
In the morning after breakfast (included) we are off to visit the Villa Giulia Museum with our guide to see the ancient jewelry collection along with pieces from the Castellani Collection from the Archeological Revival Period. We will then have a welcome lunch (included) at a wonderful family-run restaurant in the area of Vatican City. After lunch you are free to shop and explore areas on your own with suggestions from Maggie.

Day 3. Thursday, April 26
We will visit the area of the Pantheon this morning. The Pantheon is a building in Rome, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa, as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. There also is wonderful shopping in the area. We return to the hotel to meet our bus and begin our 3-hour drive to Naples. We will arrive at Villa Giulia located in the area of Cuma and settle into our rooms. Dinner (included) will be served in the garden (weather permitting). Villa Giulia is a beautiful bed and breakfast owned by Giulia Carrunchio. She has restored the 16th century structure and surrounded the villa with beautiful gardens. She also raises and shows Siberian Huskies.

Day 4. Friday, April 27
We are off to downtown Napoli!!!! This is a city steeped in history and rich in culture. It was settled by the ancient Greeks and is the birthplace of pizza!!! We will meet our guide, Aldo, who will show us the sites of this ancient city and explain its history. Lunch is at a local pizzeria (included). We will also visit the National Museum that contains the treasures of Pompeii and Herculaneum. We return to the gardens of Villa Giulia for wine and dinner (included) after a busy day.

Day 5. Saturday, April 28
This morning Aldo will take us to Pompeii. A visit to this city is a step back in time to 79 AD. It is quite an experience to walk the streets and see the villas from that time in history. We will also visit the cameo factory to see the masters carve works of art from pieces of shell. Return to the villa in the late afternoon for dinner.

Day 6. Sunday, April 29
Sunday is a quiet day family day in Italy. This is a perfect time to begin our workshop and relax around the villa. Lunch and dinner will be at the villa (included).

Day 7. Monday, April 30
Off to visit the world-renowned Amalfi Coast. Bring your camera to capture the hillside towns and views. We will stop for lunch at a family-run restaurant (included)

Day 8. Tuesday, May 1
Today is a national holiday in Italy so it is another perfect day for a workshop. Lunch and dinner at the villa (included).

Day 9. Wednesday, May 2
We say goodbye to Napoli and head north to the town of Ravenna with a stop in the town of Deruta. This hilltop town is known for its distinctive style of pottery. There will be some free time to shop before we leave for Ravenna. Ravenna is world-renowned for its Byzantine mosaics. It is a small town but there are wonderful restaurants and shopping.

Day 10. Thursday, May 3
This morning we will have a guided tour of the mosaics in Ravenna. After our tour there will be free time for shopping and dinner is on your own with suggestions from Maggie.

Day 11. Friday, May 4
We leave very early in the morning to head to the island of Murano and the city of Venice. We stay in apartments on the island and will have a tour and orientation of this island after settling into our rooms. We will visit the studios of master glass blowers and shop for beads!

Day 12. Saturday, May 5
Off to the romantic city of Venice! We will have a guided tour of the city in the morning and the afternoon and evening are free to explore on your own.

Day 13. Sunday, May 6
Our last day in Italy. We will visit the seed bead museum on the island of Murano and then it is off to Burano (an island known for its lace making) for our farewell dinner (included).

Day 14. Monday, May 7
Depart for home from the Venice airport.

Project Designed by Maggie for Beadveture
Ancient Celts Inspired Jewelry

Maggie will be designing a special seed bead project for this Beadventure. Check back for details!

About Maggie . . .
"The love of ancient history, color and patterns have followed me throughout my life and my designs have come to fruition during the time my family and I lived in Italy. In looking back, beads have always been a part of my life – from playing with Mardi Gras beads or collecting semi-precious stones as a young girl to my love of ancient and ethnic jewelry as I became older. Today seed beads have become the medium I use to translate my sources of inspiration into personal designs for adornment.

When living in Naples, Italy, I was surrounded by ancient history. The fragments of Roman columns, mosaics and frescoes are my inspiration and I am grateful for those “ancient voices”. Translating these voices into designs fills my days with joy and wonder and I cherish my “connection” with the past. Teaching and beading are ways for me to share this wonderful experience and bring those voices of the past into the present." -- Maggie Meister

In addition to teaching around the United States, Maggie leads three or four Beadventures to Italy each year. Her first book, "Classical Elegance," is being released in Augusut 2011. Learn more about Maggie and her beautiful work at Amphora Designs.

Trip Details

Cost: 3200 Euro (currency coverter)

Includes: All lodging; all breakfasts, four lunches, six dinners; private and local transportation; guide and entrance fees to sites on the itinerary; tuition for workshop, and tips.

Does not include: Airfare, other meals, alcohol (except for dinners at Villa Giulia); supplies for workshop