Textile Trek

  14 to 21 October, 2007
  $2850 per person, double occupancy
  $550 single supplement

Plunge into the magnificent world of Italian fabrics during our Textile Trek. The maximum fifteen Tactile Travellers meet at Milan Malpensa airport, where our private motor coach transfers the group to the shores of Lake Como. We'll stay just north of Como, historical capital of Italy's silk industry for four nights. You'll have the afternoon on your own before we enjoy dinner together, learning about some Italian way of life and current hot topics.

The Textile Trek begins with a visit to one of the leading silk stamping and weaving factories in the Lario region. While lunching at a lakeside café, our group will sample regional pasta dishes. In the afternoon, we will shop at factory outlet stores for great deals on fabrics and other textiles. Then it is back to our hotel where the evening can be spent as you please.

Jumping on the ferry bright and early, it's time to visit Como's bustling weekly market. Not only will you find great buys here, but it is an excellent chance to be part of everyday Italian life. Lunch waits for us at the beautiful Loom Café. Tasting from their excellent wine cellar and dining on contemporary Italian cuisine in textile inspired surroundings, you can visit their art gallery between courses. Below use, we can see the gorgeous silk creations for sale on the lower level. After lunch, a guide will lead us through the Museum of Silk before returning to our home base.

The next day begins with a session on nuturing your creativity. With eyes wide open, you can explore Lake Como using your day pass on the public ferries. You may want to visit Bellagio, the Victorian spa town immortalized by so many artists.

Or perhaps you prefer a stroll through the gardens of Villa Monastero in Varenna. Don't forget to take your journal with you to jot down memories, ideas and images that could be forgotten by the end of the day. Wrought iron railings, pruned plane trees and wisteria-covered verandas are just some of the details that may catch your eye.

From Lake Como, our trek continues to Piedmont, where we will spend the next three nights. Known for not just fine wools and cashmire, this region of plains, hills and mountains has some of Italy's outstanding wines, cheeses, rice and truffles. Our group will begin the day by visiting parts of the Zucchi collection, the largest collection of historic fabric stamps in the world. It also gives us the chance to learn about the traditional and economic changes of the Italian textile industry.