Imagine this…

You wake up in Florence, sunlight pouring through tall windows, church bells echoing over terracotta rooftops. You step outside with a small group of interesting, dance-loving, fabulous adults — espresso in hand, no rush, no stress — just 10 unforgettable days ahead.

Join us this September 18–27, 2026!

=> This isn’t a tour.

=> It’s a lifestyle upgrade.

The Tuscany Dance & Art Experience

Designed for adventurous social partner dancers who appreciate culture, connection, great wine, and beautiful surroundings.

========== 5 Nights in Florence (Sept 18-23) ==========

The cradle of the Renaissance. Home of Michelangelo, da Vinci, and the kind of effortless Italian elegance that makes you stand a little taller.

By day:

• Private historic art tours through Florence’s timeless streets

• Guided visits to architectural and artistic masterpieces

• Espresso breaks in lively piazzas

• Time to explore, shop, or simply watch the world go by

By night:

• Authentic Tuscan dinners

• Wine experiences featuring world-class vintages

• Dance classes designed to be fun, social, and confidence-building

• Evening dance parties with a lively, international vibe

You won’t just see Florence — you’ll live it.

========== 4 Nights in Panzano in Chianti (Sept 23-27) ==========

In the rolling hills of Panzano in Chianti, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, life slows down. This is Tuscany at its most cinematic.

• Wine tastings in the Chianti countryside

• A hands-on cooking class with local chefs

• Swimming and poolside relaxation

• Leisurely mornings with vineyard views

• Evenings filled with laughter, music, and dancing under the stars

You’ll also explore the medieval charm of Sienna and the iconic towers of San Gimignano — two of Italy’s most breathtaking historic gems.

Why This Tour Is Different

This isn’t backpacking. It’s not a crowded bus tour. It’s not a singles “meat market”....

It’s curated, cultured, relaxed, and social. You’ll be surrounded by:

• Engaging, active adults

• A group of well-traveled, worldly, engaging folks who love travel, dance, art, and good conversation

• A small group atmosphere that makes it easy to connect naturally

No pressure. No awkwardness. Just shared experiences that create real chemistry.

What You’ll Gain

• Renewed energy

• Cultural enrichment

• Dance confidence

• New friendships

• Great memories

• Stories worth telling

And let’s be honest — there is something undeniably powerful about dancing in Tuscany after a glass of Chianti as the sun sets over the hills.

Who This Is Perfect For Someone Who is:

✔ A social partner dancer in their 40's to 70's

✔ Successful, active, engaged, and curious

✔ Someone who appreciates art, culture, wine, and intelligent company

✔ Someone who wants more than just another typical vacation

If you’ve been telling yourself, “One day I’ll do something extraordinary” — this is that day.

September in Tuscany is peak beauty.

Come for the art.

Stay for the wine.

Leave transformed.

1) Florence Location (Sept 18-23):  Hotel Renaissance

=> ADDRESS: Via Della Condotta, 4 50122 Firenze (Italia)

=> WEBSITE: https://www.hotelrenaissancefirenze.com/en/

Built inside a former monestary, the Hotel Renaissance is located in the historical center of Florence. It is situated on the first floor of the medieval Palazzo Sacchetti, in the Roman castrum area, between Palazzo Vecchio and the Bargello. Perfectly localized, it is just a 2-minute walk from the Cathedral and 15 minutes from the Santa Maria Novella central Station.

While there, you’ll be dazzled by:

• A fabulous Saturday night swing jam with local dancers at the Grazie Swing Studio 22 

• Daily dance lessons in beautiful outdoor settings (weather permitting)

• Wonderful city walking tours with our in-house historian & tour-guide, Sabina

• Urban Art classes with our resident art specialists, Jeremy & Peggy

• Uffizi Gallery & select Museum tours with the lovely & talented Sabina

• Rich cultural experiences straight from the capital of Renaissance culture

• Delicious meals in Florence's finest restaurants

Florence will also be our jumping-off point to visit beautiful & historic regional villages like San Gimignano or Voltera

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Chianti Location (Sept 23-27):  Villa Rosa (in Panzano)

=> ADDRESS: SP2bis, 65, 50022 Panzano In Chianti FI

=> WEBSITE: https://www.villarosapanzano.it/en/villa/

In the heart of the Chianti wine country, Villa Rosa in Panzano is steeped in history, in family and in beauty. The villa was built at the beginning of the 1900s and the current owners have been here for more than twenty years. Enjoy home-made meals, relaxing in the hillside outdoor pool, and walks to the adjoining vineyards for wine-tasting and sunset socializing.

While there, you’ll be immersed in:

• Daily dance lessons and lively evening dance-social parties

• Fabulous wine tasting from the region's best-of-the-best

• A group cooking class, learning how to create some of the region's delicious specialties

• Hands-on sketch & drawing classes with our resident art-specialists, Jeremy & Peggy

• Delicious culinary adventures at some of Chianti's finest restaurants

• Warm connections with your fellow travelers while sipping drinks in the outdoor pool or hiking through the hillsides

Chianti will also be our jumping-off point to visit regional villages and towns like Raddi & Sienna.

Get ready to dance, explore, and fall in love with the magic of Tuscany!

CLICK HERE to view the "Hotel Renaissance" (in Florence)

CLICK HERE to see "Villa Rosa" (in Chianti)

=============== ARRIVAL ===============

1) If you are coming just for the 10-day Tuscany Dance & Art Experience, plan to fly into the Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) in Florence in time for the start of the tour.

We will plan to meet at the Hotel Renaissance (Via Della Condotta, 4 50122 Firenze) in Florence for our first intro meeting at 5pm on Friday, Sept 18th.

There are many ways to make your way from the airport to the hotel Renaissance, including:

1. Public Transportation (metro): This is the cheapest way to get from Florence Airport (FLR) to Historic Centre of Florence. It costs only $2, and takes just 11 mins. Take the T2 (direction San Marco) from the airport to the "Alamanni - Stazione Santa Maria Novella" station, walk 2 minutes to the "Scala Orti Oricellari" bus station, then take the C2 or C1 bus 9 minutes to the "Ghibellina Bargello" bus station. From there it's a 2-minute walk to the hotel. ** NOTE: Best to use Google Maps for up-to-minute directions and specifics. The advantage to using the metro is that this is fast and cheap. The disadvantage is you have to carry your luggage with you.

2. Airport Shuttle: About $40-$50. You can arrange this from the airport

3. Airport Taxi: About $35-$50. You can arrange this from the airport

4. Uber: Check the Uber App. You can arrange this from the airport

2) If you are joining us for one of our earlier trips (ie, our Croatia Dance Cruise) and participating in our fabulous "Croatia to Florence 7-day Overland Adventure", your transportation from Croatia to our hotel in Florence will be provided by us.

If you are joining us in Croatia fro one of our earlier trips, the starting point for both the Croatia Cruise and the Overland Adventure would be in Trogir, Croatia -- just a 10-minute cab ride from the Split Airport (SPU). Please refer to the webpages for those trips for more specific details.

CLICK HERE for more information on our Croatia Dance Cruise (Sept 5-12, 2026)

CLICK HERE for more information on our Croatia to Florence Overland Adventure (Sept 12-18, 2026)

=============== DEPARTURE ===============

Our program ends at 11:00 am on Sun, Sept 27 at the Villa Rosa in Chianti (SP2bis, 65, 50022 Panzano In Chianti FI). It is about a 1-hr drive from there to the Florence Airport (FLR)

if you are flying out that day, please don't plan to fly out before 2pm.

If you do have to leave earlier, let us know and we can look for alternative transportation for you.

You transfer to the airport is included in your package price if you are leaving with the group on Sept 27. Otherwise it would be up to you to find your own way to the airport.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:  

• Transportation from Trogir, Croatia if you are joining us for the Croatia to Florence Overland Adventure portion of the trip (Sept 12-18, 2026)

• 5 nights lodging at the Hotel Renaiisance in Florence

• 4 nights lodging at Villa Rosa in Panzano (Chianti)

• Welcome dinner 

• Daily breakfasts

• Farewell dinner

• Saturday Night Swing Dance Party in Florence with the locals

• A guided walking tour of Florence

• A guided walking tour of Sienna

• A guided walking tour of the San Gimignano

• A guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence

• Excursions to Raddi and other similarly charming small towns in Chianti

• Dance classes with Ari & company in special locations around Florence, and in Cara Rosa (Chianti)

• Social dancing every evening when possible

• All transportation in Chianti

• All taxes, fees, and 15% hospitality gratuity

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:  

• Airfare

• Airport transfer from the Florence Airport to the Hotel Renaissance (if you are joining us in Florence)

• Travel Insurance 

• Tips for any hired guides, etc

• Alcohol/specialty drinks not included with meals

• Any extra meals/drinks not included in the itinerary

• Any extra sundries/amenities/purchases 

• Any extra excursions not included in the itinerary

• Local transportation in Florence (Since the "Firenzecard" was suspended earlier this year, there currently is no all-inclusive tourist transportation card available. However, it is very easy to use the metro and busses by directly swiping your credit card on the bus as you enter)

EARLY-BIRD COST (til March 30th): 

The cost for this 10-day, 9-night dance adventure is per person, in US dollars, based on double occupancy.  Early bird discounts are good through March 30th, 2026.  After that the price goes up $100 in each category.  One month before the event, it goes up another $100 (on a space available basis), so be sure to sign up soon!  See the Deposit section below for payment methods.

• Shared Room:       $3,150 (EARLY-BIRD discount)

• Solo Room:             $5,725 (EARLY-BIRD discount)

Room choices will be allotted first-come-first-served based on the order we receive your deposit.

DEPOSIT:

• A $600 deposit is required to book your reservation. Please register and pay your deposit using the WeTravel registration page below.  The remainder of your payment can be made to Ari using one of the following methods:  

  • FOR FREE:

    • Venmo (Send to @Ari-Levitt-1) The picture is of Ari lifting his dance partner. The last 4 digits of his phone are 9172.  There is no surcharge for using Venmo. 

    • Zelle:  Send to:  arilevitt@hotmail.com There is no surcharge for using Zelle

    • Check or Money Order (in US funds).  If you are opting to pay by check, please note this on your registration form and Ari will send you more information 

  • WITH AN ADDITIONAL FEE:

    • This WeTravel Site: Simply log into your WeTravel account and complete your payment there. An additional 3.5% fee will be added to the total price by WeTravel

    • PayPal (Send to: arilevitt@hotmail.com).  You will need to add a 3.5% PayPal fee to the final cost of the trip

REGISTRATION: 

• CLICK HERE to register online!  

• To keep our numbers balanced, single follows are asked to sign up with a single lead. If you can't find a single lead, sign up anyway and we will put you on the waiting list. We are trying to keep the lead-follow ratio as balanced as possible.

• People joining us for more than one consecutive trip will be given priority for registration (ie, the Croatia Cruise + the Croatia to Florence Overland Adventure + the Tuscany Dance & Art Experience)

• We will assist in matching single roommates as needed.

Who these trips are tailored to:

• Social partner dancers with a sense of adventure who would like to explore some of the most beautiful and charming locations the world has to offer! 

• Easy-going affable people who would like to be part of a fun interactive group of like-minded travelers

• Folks who have the flexibility to appreciate that other countries do not operate the same as the U.S. and can easily pivot and adjust to changes in the plans and schedules. 

• A desire to get to know new people and a sense of humor will ensure you have a fun relaxing dance adventure with us as we explore and dance the world together!

Why You Should Join Us!

• It's the perfect blend of travel-adventure, beautiful locations, wonderful people, and fabulous itineraries!  

• Our focus is on fun & engaging non-competitive social partner dancing with the flavor of each region we're visiting.  

• A wide variety of dance styles (or ones specific to the region we are going -- ie, swing, blues, Latin, ballroom, etc) will be celebrated and taught by world-class instructors in beautiful locations across the globe (check the "dance class & group activity" section for below specifics about each trip). 

• You're going to have a fabulous times, meet incredible people, and make life-long memories!

The focus of our classes in Tuscany will be on the swing & social-partner family of dances (ie, East Coast Swing, Blues, Balboa, West Coast Swing, Foxtrot, Waltz, NC2S, Hustle, Latin, etc). Daily classes will include a mix of morning and/or afternoon sessions, with a strong emphasis on both partnering & connection, as well as introducing fun new step patterns and stylings.  

At the groups discretion, we may also choose to explore some concepts in the world of Fusion Dance. Fusion classes are designed for dancers who already know how to move and now want to refine, expand, and truly inhabit their dance. Under Ari's thoughtful and musically-rich teaching style, you’ll explore how to blend elements of Swing, Blues, Latin, Nightclub 2-Step, Tango, and more into a fluid, expressive vocabulary that works beautifully on a real social floor. Rather than drilling patterns, these classes focus on connection, intention, musicality, phrasing, and effortless lead-follow flow — the qualities that make dancing feel satisfying, grounded, and alive.

Other group activities will include afternoon & evening dances, plenty of socializing, and many other fun "non-dancing" activities.  So many options, so little time!

CLASS LEVEL:  Our classes are exciting, informative, relatively fast-paced, and as such are tailored much more to the intermediate and above-level social dancer.  Unless we are introducing a brand new dance, we do not gear any of our classes towards beginning dancers. Participants should have a solid, broad-based dance background.  

While you are more than welcome to stay with one partner during the classes, we do typically rotate partners in class for better learning & group connection.

If you have any questions about your level of dance, please let us know.

For travel in general, you’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We'll need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while traveling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. 

VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:  Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  http://www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements 

======== NEW EUROPEAN VISA TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS FOR FALL, 2026 =======

TRAVEL TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU):

While the EU does NOT currently have a Visa requirement for USA & Canadian citizens, they will be implementing one in the Fall of 2026. It will be called ETIAS (short for "European Information and Authorization System"). We will update this site as soon as we have more information to share. For other nationalities, be sure to check your country requirements for travel to the EU.

CLICK HERE to view the official ETIAS website:

TRAVEL TO THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK):

For anyone visiting the UK during your travels, it's important to know that starting Jan 8th, 2026, they do require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) if you are doing anything more than directly connecting to flights through the airport.

The Electronic Travel Authorization functions as a digital pre-clearance system, similar to the U.S. ESTA program used for visa-waiver travelers entering the United States.

U.S. passport holders must obtain an ETA before traveling to any part of the U.K., including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the U.K.’s British Overseas Territories.

The ETA, once approved, is valid for two years (or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first) and for multiple trips. It costs £16 (about $22) for each passenger, adults and children alike.

WHO NEEDS A UNITED KINGDOM ETA:

U.S. citizens must apply for an ETA if they are traveling to or transiting through the U.K. and do not already hold a U.K. visa, a British or Irish passport or legal residency in the U.K. or the Republic of Ireland. Travelers who already require a visa to enter the U.K. under existing rules will continue to need a visa and should not apply for an ETA.

The rules clearly state that travelers do not need an ETA if they are transiting through a U.K. airport and will not pass through border control. However, if they pass through border control, they need the ETA.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications must be submitted online through the U.K. government’s official website or via the U.K. ETA app, available on Google Play and the App Store. The U.K. government notes that most people currently receive a decision automatically within minutes. However, they still recommended allowing three working days to be on the safe side.

Proof of COVID Vaccination is NOT currently required for this trip.

No other special vaccinations are required for this trip either.

Travel insurance is required for all of our trips and will help protect both your investment and our vendors should you need to cancel. There are many companies that offer travel insurance options. You can sign up with one such policy during the payment checkout portion of this registration. 

Private 3rd-Party Insurance Companies:

•  If you are a AAA member, you may want to check with them.  

• I have also found that Faye insurance is very easy to purchase online. (www.withFaye.com).  

• Allianz Travel Insurance  seems to be a very popular choice among our travelers as well (www.allianztravelinsurance.com) If you travel several times a year, Allianz also provides an annual travel insurance policy which can save you money overall. It's very easy to sign up online, or you can contact the Allianz reservations team at  866 884-3556.

• This WeTravel website has a travel insurance policy that you may purchase at checkout. The policy allows you to cancel for any reason, which is a nice option to have. Other travel insurance companies may place restrictions on why you may cancel (for medical emergency only, etc). Be sure to check your policy limitations

• Here is an online list of the 10 Best Travel Insurance Companies for 2025  

Airlines:

• Airlines also frequently provide travel insurance for your trip that you can purchase at the check out page when you are buying your tickets, and you may want to look at that option as well.  Be sure you know if this covers just the flight, or the flight and travel in-between.

Credit Card Inclusions:

• Certain credit cards also provide cancellation and interruption benefits for any vacation package that you may buy using your card. This means that if you charge the full pre-paid cost of a packaged trip through a travel agency to your credit card, that expense typically qualifies for purposes of travel insurance protections. Please note: if the travel agency's merchant category or descriptions on your statement don't clearly show prepaid travel or a traveler itinerary, the card issuer may require supporting documents. One of our participants found this to be true in our case when she discovered her purchase was registered on her credit card statement as "entertainment" and not "travel". Be sure to check with your credit card company first to make sure that 1) they provide travel insurance, and that 2) you know exactly what they are covering and what you would need to submit to them for a refund.

• If you don't have a credit card that is specifically travel focussed, I highly recommend the Chase Bank Sapphire Card. I have one and I have found it to be invaluable for the following reasons:

  • Key Benefits and Perks

    • Sign-up Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

    • Annual Hotel Credit: $50 statement credit for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.

    • Anniversary Bonus: 10% boost on total points earned from purchases made the previous year.

    • Redemption Bonus: Points are worth 25% more (1.25 cents each) when redeemed for travel through Chase.

    • No Foreign Transaction Fees: Ideal for international travel.

    Earning Rates

    • 5x Points: On travel purchased through Chase Travel (excluding the $50 annual hotel credit).

    • 3x Points: On dining (including delivery/takeout), select streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs).

    • 2x Points: On all other travel purchases.

    • 1x Points: On all other purchases. 

    Travel and Purchase Protections

    • Primary Rental Car Insurance: Coverage for theft or damage to rental cars in the U.S. and abroad, without filing with personal insurance first.

    • Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.

    • Baggage Delay Insurance: Up to $100 per day for 5 days for bags delayed over 6 hours.

    • Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

    • Trip Delay Reimbursement: Up to $500 per ticket for delays over 12 hours or requiring an overnight stay.

    • Purchase Protection: Covers new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per item and $50,000 per account.

    • Extended Warranty Protection: Adds one year to U.S. manufacturer warranties of three years or less. YouTube +4

    Point Flexibility

    • 1:1 Transfer Partners: Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs, such as Hyatt, United, and Southwest Airlines.

    • No Expiration: Points do not expire as long as the account is open

    • CLICK HERE to apply for your Sapphire Card and get either 125k or 75k bonus miles depending on the card you apply for.

Once you have purchased your travel insurance, please let us know the company name and policy number you have with them.

• Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travellers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags! Aim to keep your main luggage under 15kg.

• Many travellers carry their luggage in a compact smaller suitcase or backpack with wheels. We recommend your bag has carry straps or handles so it is easy to lift and carry for the times you are unable to wheel it (ie. on rough surfaces or up steps).

• You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, swimming suit, waterproof pouch/bag for phone, hiking shoes and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day.

• Please refer to our Worldwide Dance Adventure TRAVEL TIPS page for valuable suggestions on such things as how & what to pack, how & when to book flights, power cord adapters, international phone coverage, what to include in your traveler's first aid kit, etc.

• Here is Intrepid's packing list for trips in general (scroll down the page to see the full list): https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list

• Should you cancel less than 14 days of booking and greater than 120 days before the trip, you get a 100% refund of total cost minus a $125 admin fee.

• Should you cancel after 14 days of booking and up to 120 days before the trip, you will get a 50% refund of total cost minus the $125 admin fee.

• Once we are within 120 days of the trip starting, there are no refunds.

• Note:  should you find someone to fill your spot, we can transfer your balance to them minus the $125 fee. Should you become sick or have other health or family-related issues, it’s highly likely the required travel insurance would kick in and reimburse you so be sure and check with your provider. 

• It is the responsibility of the trip attendee to reach out in the event of a cancellation and make their payments on time. We reserve the right to hold payments according to the cancellation policy above to pay our vendors to make this trip happen. 

• By making a deposit you agree to above terms of service and cancellation policy.

Liability:

We exercise care in the selection of reputable travel service providers but we are not ourselves a provider of travel services and have no control over, or liability for, the services provided by third parties.  

In no event do we accept any liability in contract, tort or otherwise, for any injury, damage, loss, delay, additional expense or inconvenience caused directly or indirectly by the acts, omissions or default, whether negligent or otherwise, of third party providers over whom we have no direct control, force majeure or any other event which is beyond our control or which is not preventable by reasonable diligence on our part (This includes such things as war, acts of terrorism, government shutdowns, airspace closures, natural disasters, pandemics, political unrest, etc).

We also do not accept any liability in contract, tort or otherwise, for consequential loss (meaning indirect loss, loss of revenue, loss of reputation, loss of profits, loss of actual or anticipated savings, lost opportunities, including opportunities to enter into arrangements with third parties or loss or damage in connection with claims against you by third parties) howsoever caused in connection with your booking.

Risks of Travel and Release: 

We assume no responsibility for and shall not be liable for the acts or omissions on the part of any other party not under our control or any acts of God, unsafe conditions, terrorism, health hazards including pandemics, illness, weather hazards, or the suitability for a disabled person of any portion of any trip. We have no special knowledge of dangers during travel or at destinations. For information related to such dangers, we recommend going to the State Department travel website at travel.state.gov, click on "Find International travel Information" then click on "Country Information", and fill in the name of the destination country. 

For medical and health information, we recommend going to the Centers for Disease Control website at cdc.gov/travel, then click on "Destinations" and scroll to the name of the destination country. It is your personal decision to travel, and you are doing so with full knowledge of current travel recommendations and travel restrictions with regards to the risks of COVID-19. YOU HEREBY EXPRESSLY ASSUME ALL OF THESE RISKS AND DANGERS, AND YOU HEREBY EXPRESSLY AGREE TO FOREVER RELEASE, DISCHARGE AND HOLD US, AND OUR AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, ASSOCIATES, AFFILIATED COMPANIES, GUIDES, GROUP LEADERS, AND SUBCONTRACTORS HARMLESS AGAINST ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, ACTIONS, CAUSES OF ACTIONS, SUITS, CLAIMS, AND DEMANDS OF ANY AND EVERY KIND AND NATURE WHATSOEVER WHICH YOU NOW HAVE OR WHICH MAY HEREAFTER ARISE OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE RISKS AND Dangers.

If you have any questions, please contact us at danceadventures@comcast.net