Frequently Asked Questions

For group experiences we offer, escorted means that we are with you during the group events, like visits to the medieval cities, all vineyard and winery visits, and other farm or culinary visits. This insures everything goes as smoothly as possible. We do not interfere in your experience, but are there to assist as needed. We are experts in the regions of Lazio, Tuscany, and Umbria. We hire local, licensed tour guides, local professional drivers, utilize local chefs for meals, and we have personally experienced all of the stops and events on the package you purchased. Marisa is fluent in Italian and lived in the country for 20 years, so she understands the language and the culture. For the private escorted trips, escorted means we pick you up at the airport, we take you to the spots on the itinerary you laid out, and we insure a full, one-on-one concierges style experience for you. We utilize local professionals for these experiences as well.

There are several ways to get around in Italy. The easiest and most affordable way is to take the train and this is what we recommend. For pre-trip stays in Rome and post-stay trips in Florence, we will have the hotel you are staying with send a driver to pick you up at the airport or train station. You may need to pay the driver directly for his services. For retreats in Panicarola, you can catch the train from FCO (Rome airport) to Castiglione Del Lago. There is one train change on this route. We will have a driver there to pick you up from the train station and take you to the agriturismo. For retreats in Valiano, you can catch the train from FCO (Rome airport) to Montepulciano. There are two train changes on this route. We will have a driver there to pick you up from the train station and take you to the agriturismo. For retreats in Pienza, we escort you from Roma Termini (train station) to Chiusi, where we will all be picked up by a driver. Customers who purchase the private escorted tour packages are picked up at FCO (Rome) or FLR (Florence) airport and driven by private car to the first hotel or agriturismo on their itinerary. Detailed train travel instructions will be emailed to you prior to your trip date and may vary based on your departure city. You are free to hire a private car from Rome to the agriturismo but it can run between 300 and 500 Euros each way. There are several companies that offer car rentals at the airports. Non-EU drivers will need to obtain an International Drivers License though AAA Travel. This license is good for one year. You will want to make sure you have excellent insurance coverage on the vehicle you rent as dents and dings are common in the country.

We have worked with the various vendors to insure a high quality experience. Some of the vendors offer alternative menus including vegetarian options. Please let us know of any food allergies so we can forward that info to the food vendors. Umbria has a rich history involving meat, especially pork and wild pig. Meat is used in most of the meals to some extent. We are not aware of any vegan options offered by the vendors. The food served by the vendors we have chosen is fresh, local, and minimally processed. Included meals are meat based and freshly cooked to order. If you have special dietary needs, we will do our best to accommodate those needs. We make no guarantee that we will be able to accommodate any special requests.

Italy is a wonderful place but is less than friendly to those who are physically disabled. There are often no lifts/elevators, handicap accessible bathrooms, ramps or other tools that can aid a disabled person. We have limited access to ADA style accommodations. The excursions we take on this retreat are in towns that have steep climbs. We encourage those of you with any health issues to get clearance from your medical professional before booking the trip. Participants must sign a liability waiver. Your Essential Italy LLC, Randall Crouch , and Marisa Liberti are NOT responsible for any loss, theft, damage or personal injury (including death) that occurs during a particular tour or activity.

No. We encourage participants in the retreats to enjoy the peacefulness and calm of Umbria and Tuscany. Some of the retreats may offer yoga sessions that are optional, but are not yoga-centric retreats. We do not press any personal beliefs on our customers. These retreats are about peace, mindfulness, enjoying good food, and visiting beautiful medieval cities. The locals we interact with are very friendly and welcoming. The places we visit, and the area we stay in, are a bit off the beaten path for the standard tourist. These experiences bring you closer to what the real Italy looks, feels, smells, and tastes like.

Yes. You and a friend are free to book a spot on our experiences with the understanding you will be sharing a room and a bottle of wine at dinner. For experiences in Panicarola, we have 4 rooms available that have double beds. Please let us know at the time of booking if you need a double bed.

We recommend you purchase travel insurance as well as international medical insurance. We are happy to get you a quote on insurance plans. Some travel cards offer these as benefits so check with your card company. We recommend that you arrive in Italy a day or so before the retreat. We can assist you in booking flights, setting accommodations in Rome or other places you want to stay, as well as customize an itinerary of things to do, places to see, and routes to take before or after the package experience. The jet lag can be harsh as Italy is 6 hours ahead of the Eastern US time zone. The flights to Italy from the US are overnight and if you struggle to sleep on a plane, you will be grateful for the extra day or so to adjust. If this is your first trip to Italy we highly recommend staying 2-3 days in Rome and utilizing the Hop on Hop off buses to see the city. You will want to obtain some Euros to use in country. Most places accept major credit cards (except Discover and some places nix AMEX) but you will need cash for some things. Your US based bank should be able to get you the best exchange rate. Ask them for 20's, 10's, and 5's. You will want to break the larger Euro bills down when you get to Italy. Many of the places we visit have pay toilets that cost between .50 Euros and 1 Euro. Some of the shops and cafe's do not take cards and will not take bills larger than a 20. Tipping culture is different in Italy. Feel free to tip the cab driver, the tour bus driver, and servers at the restaurants for exceptional service. A service or table fee is charged to each customer at food establishments and is listed on the menu. The staff is paid a living wage and do not rely on tips. Tipping 1 or 2 Euros is sufficient and appreciated. Excessive tipping is seen as insulting. The wineries and farms we will visit can ship their products directly to you. Shipping wine is expensive but some of the wines are not available in the US. Have fun, relax, smile, and absorb the peacefulness of Italy.