SERVICES
Travel with celebrity dog trainer and behavior expert Michael Wombacher!
Don't miss this incredible opportunity
September 17 - 24, 2021


About Michael
Michael Wombacher has been involved with dogs for more than twenty five years. He has performed more than 30,000 in-home behavioral consultations covering the entire spectrum of dog behavior from the mundane to the bizarre.
He is also an author and lecturer. Mike teaches classes, runs a small boarding and training operation, and has occasionally trained other trainers. Mike’s training approach focuses on channeling a dog’s natural drives and instincts into behaviors acceptable in the human pack, primarily through the principles of positive reinforcement as well as through methods that appeal to the dog’s canine sensibilities.
Finally, Mike has trained dogs for high profile celebrities in the entertainment and financial worlds including Charles Schwab, Robin Williams, Barry Levinson, Joe Satriani, Bob Weir, Linda Ronstadt, Kirk Hammet (Metallica) and Michael Tilson Thomas who commented the following:
"Michael Wombacher is a maestro of dog trainers. His clarity of thinking, sense of humor and skills in communicating make dog training fun for both pet and pet lover."
www.doggonegood.org
TUSCANY & LAZIO
September 17 - 24, 2021
8 days - 7 nights
Double Room $3,899 per person
Double Single Use $4,560 per person
CHAT WITH US
Day 1: Welcome to Italy!
Rome airport - Orvieto - Monteriggioni
Try the local Umbrian cuisine!
Overnight in Resort Borgo San Luigi (Monteriggioni)
Follow your guide through the charming town of Orvieto

alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe

Visit to Orvieto with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe

Hotel in Monteriggioni with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe

alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe
Arrival in Rome Fiumicino airport, meet your alivePets.com tour escort by 12 PM (Rome time) and transfer by deluxe mini bus to the resort in Monteriggioni (Tuscany).
Upon arrival you will receive your portable dog kennel where your little one will be staying while travelling on the bus near you.
Water will be provided on the bus. A dog lunch box will be also provided.
Along the way we will stop in the charming town of Orvieto (Umbria) for lunch and a brief private guided tour of the magnificent city center.
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Dog break! / Dog gourmet lunch!
Once in the city center, our little ones will be able to stretch their legs by walking to our restaurant. A brief stop to serve a gourmet lunch for your dogs prepared by a professional pet chef, before reaching the restaurant.
We will relax for lunch in a typical "trattoria" restaurant where you will discover some dishes, typical of this region. Umbrian cuisine is very rustic, often called “cucina povera”, or peasant cooking, which simply means it is built on traditional dishes created with minimal ingredients and preparation methods that rely heavily on local products such as grains, vegetables, fresh herbs, and of course olive oil, Umbria's liquid gold.
After lunch we will meet our private English speaking licensed guide and enjoy a walking tour of the historical center.
The Umbrian hill town of Orvieto, set on a natural pedestal, lives up to its elevated position: it is unspoiled, uncrowded and home to some of the most beautiful buildings in Italy.
Built over several generations, the Duomo is one of the seven wonders of Italy; and the dense, organic, medieval fabric of the town dictates the human scale of today's "centro storico", with its cafés and restaurants, its bookshops, artisans' workshops and antique emporia, its lack of traffic and general air of cultured, calm well-being.
Orvieto is a city with over 3000 years of history that never ceases to be discovered because its subsoil conceals another city half buried underground. A set of caves, wells, and tunnels that are open inside the tufa walls. Some underground places are still used as private cellars, others offer an unmissable attraction to visitors. From the depths of Saint Patrick’s Well to the complex of Pozzo della Cava, the suggestive Adriano’s Labyrinth, the underground of Santa Andrea’s Church and the original caves of the Orvieto Underground.
Following the city tour we will board the bus and travel to Tuscany where we will reach our final destination, the resort Borgo San Luigi located in the countryside of the charming town of Monteriggioni.
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Dog break! / Dog gourmet dinner!
Once at the resort, in the late afternoon, you will have time to relax till dinner.
Dinner will be served in the garden under the pergola by the pool or inside.
For our dogs, the box gourmet dinner especially prepared by a professional pet chef, will be available in your room.
Included services of today:
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Transportation with deluxe minibus
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Lunch in Orvieto - 3 course meal with wine
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Gourmet dog lunch
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Private English speaking guide in Orvieto - 2.5 hrs
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Accommodation at the Borgo San Luigi resort
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Dinner at the resort - 3 course meal with wine
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Gourmet dog dinner
Day 2: Explore Tuscany
Val d'Orcia (Montepulciano & Pienza)
Enjoy a homemade Tuscan lunch
Overnight in Resort Borgo San Luigi (Monteriggioni)
Visit De Ricci wine cellars & Taste excellent wines in the Santa Giulia winery

Tour the Val'd'Orcia in Tuscany with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe

Our Special Chef Maria at the Santa Giulia with alivePets dog friendly tours to Europe

Visit the San Giulia Winery in Val'd'Orcia Tuscany with alivePets dog friendly tours to Europe

Tour the Val'd'Orcia in Tuscany with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe
After breakfast at the hotel, we will start our tour of Tuscany and visit its most beautiful area, the Val d’Orcia.
Our first stop will be in Montepulciano.
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Dog break!
Our best friends will stretch their little legs and walk with us into town!
Standing high atop a hill in southern Tuscany, not too far from Siena, Montepulciano is a medieval town of rare beauty, a must see while visiting Tuscany. The city, full of elegant Renaissance palaces, ancient churches, charming squares and hidden corners, boasts vast panoramas all over the wonderful Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana valleys that surround it.
A walk through Montepulciano is the best way to view the town and its beautiful landmarks as well as enjoy stunning views of the surrounding countryside, covered by vineyards producing the famous red wine, called Nobile di Montepulciano!
A visit to the ancient De Ricci wine cellars located underground and accessible via a monumental equestrian staircase, with its impressive brick texture, is a voyage in time and history: here is the essence of the sweet Tuscan earth, the wine, worshipped and consumed in happiness and joy, with passion and tenacity by our distant ancestors, the Etruscans, some centuries earlier than the Christian era.
From the entrance you descend in sacred silence to the central part of the amazing cellar, characterized by a dense texture of terracotta. The cellar is subdivided into three longitudinal aisles where massive pillars (6.70 mts) support immense cross vaulted arches, which make it resemble to a Roman-Gothic Cathedral. The tufa soil in which the cellar was dug, combined with a precise ventilation system, allows the wine to be maintained at an ideal constant temperature and humidity all year.
Following the visit of Montepulciano, we will drive towards the charming village of Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Pienza is a tiny village located amidst gentle undulating hills and wonderful natural landscapes. Pienza enjoys a strategic position standing high atop a hill, dominating all the Orcia Valley with extraordinary views.
This charming village is widely known as the "ideal city of the Renaissance".
After visiting Pienza your adventure will continue to a small boutique winery near Montalcino, where the Terzuoli family will welcome you to visit and taste their food and amazing wines. Welcome to the Santa Giulia winery!
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Dog break! / Dog gourmet lunch!
The agricultural estate of Santa Giulia has been the property of the Terzuoli family since 1950. It extends over 18 hectares in the north-eastern part of Montalcino at 300 m. above sea level.
The proverbial characteristics of a generous, fertile soil which here are combined with a mild, slightly breezy climate, provide the ideal preconditions for the production of an excellent well-structured and balanced wines and olive oil.
Brunello, Rosso di Montalcino and Merlot are the result of a craft carried out with dedication, care and competence.
You will enjoy a delicious homemade Tuscan lunch with fresh pasta, cheese, cold cuts, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, all produced at the estate and a wine tasting like no others!
Our dogs will savour the optional gourmet lunch especially prepared by a professional pet chef.
After lunch, you will board the bus again to enjoy a relaxing drive back to your accommodation while admiring the wonderful views of the Tuscan countryside.
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Dog break! / Dog gourmet dinner!
In the late afternoon back at the Borgo San Luigi resort, you will relax, enjoy the pool, the garden and another delicious dinner.
For our dogs, the gourmet dinner box especially prepared by a professional pet chef, will be available in your room.
Included services of today:
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Breakfast at the hotel
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Transportation with deluxe minibus
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Visit of Montepulciano
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Visit of De Ricci wine cellars
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Visit of Pienza
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Visit of the Santa Giulia winery
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Lunch and wine tasting at the winery including the Brunello wine
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Gourmet dog lunch
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Accommodation at the Borgo San Luigi resort
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Dinner at the resort - 3 course meal with wine
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Gourmet dog dinner
Day 3: Experience local farmlife!
Local farm - Lucignano
Have a special dinner in an old Osteria in Monteriggioni
Overnight in Resort Borgo San Luigi (Monteriggioni)

Cooking class at Fattoria Santa Vittoria

Wine tasting at Fattoria Santa Vittoria

The town of Lucignano near Arezzo

Cooking class at Fattoria Santa Vittoria
Enjoy a special pet cooking class & the farm mill
Enjoy your breakfast and board the mini bus for another extraordinary adventure in the heart of Tuscany to discover another side of its culture, its food and wines.
The best way to learn more about the gastronomy of this region is through a visit of a true Tuscan farm!
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Dog break! Dog gourmet lunch!
You will reach the wonderful Fattoria Santa Vittoria, founded in 1800 and taken by the Niccolai family at the beginning of the 80s. Set in a picturesque vineyard, the Fattoria Santa Vittoria is a tranquil old Tuscan “Podere” (old farmer’s building) with 5 apartments, an open garden and a swimming pool.
Your little friend will enjoy a walk with you around the vineyard and the olive trees until you'll reach the Silvestri water stone mill where the Niccolai family mills its Ancient Wheat. The old wheat has been selected hundreds year ago when farming was pesticide and chemical free. They grow high and fight against the wild weeds. They also need very low natural fertilizer quantity. For all those reason they are perfect for the organic farming.
After this refreshing walk, you will be welcomed inside the farm and you'll visit the winery.
This farm produces wines by blending the best grapes varieties of their vineyards such as: Sangiovese, Pugnitello, Foglia tonda, Cabernet, Grechetto, Semillon, Malvasia, Traminer, Incrocio Manzoni and others.
You will learn all about the winemaking process and history, also enjoying a wine tasting before starting your cooking class!
During this experience you will use fresh ingredients, from wheat to pasta: all the ingredients you'll use are produced at the estate. Your little friend will also have a special experience during this cooking class at the farm as you will be cooking a meal for your dog as well, treating them with delicious and suitable Tuscan products so that your little friends will discover these specialties with you!
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Dog break!
After your visit at the Fattoria Santa Vittoria, we will proceed with a stop in Lucignano, a small medieval town. its cobbled streets and its wonderful architecture will take you back in time as you admire the many masterpieces of this small Tuscan jewel.
In the late afternoon, we will return the Borgo San Luigi resort where you will relax, enjoy the pool and the garden.
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Dog break! / Dog gourmet dinner!
After some time for yourself, you'll board our minibus once again to go to the wonderful town of Monteriggioni to enjoy a dinner in the Osteria Antico Travaglio, located within the walls of the Castle in a pitcuresque and charming medieval setting.
Here you will have a 3 course dinner with home-made fresh pasta and other typical dishes. For our dogs, the gourmet dinner box especially prepared by a professional pet chef, will be available in your room. After your delicious dinner, we'll head back to the Borgo San Luigi resort.
Included services of today:
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Breakfast at the hotel
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Transportation with deluxe minibus
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Visit of Fattoria Santa Vittoria with wine tasting
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Cooking class and lunch in the farm for you and your dog
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Accommodation at the Borgo San Luigi resort
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3 course dinner at Osteria Antico Travaglio in Monteriggioni
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Gourmet dog dinner
Day 4: Visit Florence!
Florence
Try the city's flavors!
Overnight in Resort Borgo San Luigi (Monteriggioni)

Optional Tour to Florence with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe

Dog fotoshoot with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe

Osteria Antico Travaglio in Monteriggioni

Optional Tour to Florence with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe
Pet photoshoot & a visit to the wonderful city of Florence
Breakfast at the resort and day at leisure
Today you can book your 30 minutes session with our professional pet photographer.
You will create a memorable portfolio. Every animal has his own personality and our photographer will immortalize that in a fun and creative style and provide you with a spectacular artwork that you will treasure for life!
When you’re not busy with the photoshoot, why not take advantage of the down time to explore the beautiful city of Florence? We will have ready for you the minibus for two departures to this wonderful city, one in the morning and the second in the afternoon ensuring that you have enough time to discover the city before or after your photoshoot experience!
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Dog break!
You will board the minibus with your little friend to reach Florence.
You will arrive in the Sant'Ambrogio market, the perfect place to discover the fresh products of the city! You will meet with your Private English speaking guide in the market and wander through the busy streets of one the most important art capital in Europe.
Visit the heart of the city, the Piazza della Signoria, an open-air museum where the majestic Palazzo Vecchio stands and where the Loggia dei Lanzi houses an incredible collection of original statues by great artists, such as Cellini and Giambologna.
Walk through the colonnade of the Uffizi Gallery and continue to Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge of the city and also the most picturesque! Discover how this particular architecture hides one of the most sublime secrets of the city, the stunning Vasari Corridor connecting Palazzo Vecchio to Pitti Palace and snaking its way over rows of private houses as well as churches.
Then, discover the Medieval district of Florence where you can admire the House of Dante before reaching the breath-taking Duomo Square, where you’ll find masterpieces such as the Cathedral, the Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the renowned Brunelleschi’s Cupola.
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Dog gourmet lunch and dinner!
Whether you’re in Florence admiring the city or in the hotel getting ready for a photo, your dog will have his gourmet lunch and dinner box ready, prepared by a professional pet chef.
Included services of today:
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Breakfast at the hotel
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30 minutes photoshoot day with your dog
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Transportation with deluxe minibus to Florence
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Private English speaking guide for 3 hours
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Gourmet dog lunch
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Accommodation at the Borgo San Luigi resort
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Farewell dinner at the resort - 3 course meal with wine
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Gourmet dog dinner
Day 5: Welcome to the region of Lazio
Civita di Bagnoregio - Grottaferrata
Welcome dinner in the hotel's park with local Roman products

Visit of Civita di Bagnoreggio with alivePets dog friendly tours to Europe

Visit of Grottaferrata with alivePets.com dog friendly tours to Europe

alivePets.com stay at the park Hotel Villa Grazioli with alivePets friendly dog tours to Europe

Visit of Civita di Bagnoreggio with alivePets dog friendly tours to Europe
Overnight in Park Hotel Villa Grazioli (Grottaferrata)
Visit Civita di Bagnoregio ("The Dying Town") & the charming Grottaferrata
After breakfast, it is time to leave Tuscany and reach another spectacular destination...Rome and it's countryside!
On the way, we will stop at the dying city.... Civita di Bagnoregio was originally founded by Etruscans 2.500 years ago!
It is a magical, surreal, fantastic place located on top of a tuff hill that can only be reached by crossing a narrow pedestrian bridge. From there you can enjoy one of the most stunning panoramic views of the whole Lazio region.
Nick-named "the dying town", due to the constant erosion of the tuff rocks where it is placed, this citadel half-way between Orvieto and Lake Bolsena has Etruscan and Medieval origins. Suspended in time and space, Civita di Bagnoregio is beyond doubt one of the most beautiful and characteristic Italian villages.
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Dog break! / Dog gourmet lunch!
We will take our dogs and walk the long bridge that connects Civita to the rest of the world. A nice walk that will lead us to the city center.
Once in the village we will take a rest and offer our little friends a nice gourmet food break made by a professional dog chef!
We will walk around the village and enjoy a nice lunch at leisure in this magical place before returning to the minibus.
In the mid-afternoon, we will pass near Rome and reach a little charming town located in the Castelli Romani area just outside the Eternal City, Grottaferrata.
Once lying amid vineyards, Grottaferrata is today one of the most elegant and popular residential areas and holiday locations in the Castelli Romani region. The small town is particularly known for the Abbazia di San Nilo (Abbey of Saint Nilus) around which the residential area developed throughout the centuries. Even nowadays, the Abbey is considered the town's landmark.
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Dog break! / Dog gourmet dinner!
We will then arrive at our hotel, the beautiful Park Hotel Villa Grazioli. A spectacular villa overlooking the Roman countryside.
Once settled into our comfortable rooms, we will have a special welcome dinner in the park and taste the Roman cuisine! So many local specialties and wines. Are they going to be better than the Tuscans?!
For our dogs, the gourmet dinner box especially prepared by a professional pet chef, will be available in your room.
Included services of today:
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Transportation with deluxe minibus
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Visit of Civita di Bagnoregio
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Gourmet dog lunch
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Accommodation at the Park Hotel Villa Grazioli
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Dinner at the resort - 3 course meal with wine
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Gourmet dog dinner
Day 6: Visit Rome!
Rome
Enjoy a progressive street food tour of Rome
Overnight in Park Hotel Villa Grazioli (Grottaferrata)