So what do we mean by our trademark phrase, "Leave Your Wallet at Home?"
We mean that on your Altaquota Adventures active tour, from moment we pick you up at the airport, to the moment we drop you off, no common, everyday, expected expense will have you pulling out your credit card, or going to the instant teller to get cash!
We've all seen this section on tour company websites–The "What's not included" section:
- 'Dinners except 3'
- 'Transfers to the starting point or from the finishing point'
- 'Wine and alcoholic beverages'
- 'Most lunches'
- 'Personal expenses (laundry, supplies, phone calls, etc.)'
- 'Guide gratuity'
These are included on our "Small Groups of Friends" tours!
At Altaquota Adventures, while we can understand the advertising and business model which leads to excluding these expenses, and lowers the advertised cost of a trip, it doesn't mean that guests won't incur them.
Since we are the experts in Italy, and can obtain these goods and service more efficiently than most visitors to Italy, we believe it sensible for us to include them in your trip!
Some boring details...
Dinners...: We include all dinners, usually at a different and interesting restaurant each night, but sometimes in our hotel. If you wish to dine without your guide, we'll be happy to make a reservation for you with the restaurant, and we'll settle up with the proprietor—you still won't have to worry about the bill or a gratuity!
Transfers...: We pick you up at the closest major airport to the start of your tour, and drop you off at the nearest major airport at the end of your tour. We have the vehicles, we're experienced at driving in Italy, and we'd like to make your trips to and from the airport an enjoyable part of your vacation! Of course, it's possible for visitors to do the research and organize these transfers, but it's easy and economical for us to handle it!
Beverages...: Virtually everyone likes to enjoy a few glasses of the local Italian wine with dinner, and often a limoncello or grappa after dinner. At Altaquota Adventures, these beverages are already included in our budget, so you'll never find yourself concerned about an additional cost, or fretting why you didn't buy the "wine upgrade!" We'll help you select a bottle or two, and together we'll enjoy another wonderful Italian dinner!
Lunches...: On an active tour, one must eat lunch, especially if it's a full day of mountain biking, hiking, road biking, skiing, or snowboarding. On the road or trail in Italy, everyone enjoys stopping at bars (small cafes), restaurants, and refuges for some tasty mid-activity refueling or just another coffee! No money is saved by excluding "most lunches," and it is inconvenient (and expensive) for guests to exchange money in Italy. So, we put it in the budget, and make sure each member of your group is provided enough pocket money to cover those lunches on the road or trail!
Personal Expenses...Laundry: Again, personal expenses don't go away just because they are "not included," rather they become an extra chore guests must face. Instead, we've negotiated with our hotels to provide a reasonable amount of laundry service for our guests, and budgeted accordingly.
Personal Expenses...Supplies: Likewise, the pocket money we've budgeted as part of your trip should cover most expected personal items and supplies, like the toothpaste you forgot, a spare tube for your bike, or a gelato (or two)!
Personal Expenses...Telephone: In situations where our guides and clients can get separated, we will provide each of our guests with a prepaid Italian cell phone, for the occasional local call. Obviously, no tour company can afford to pay for international telephone calls from Italy to the United States, however, using Skype the cost is minimal, and we can usually arrange Skype access for our guests.
Gratuities...: Gratuities in Italy are given much less frequently and are much less substantial than those common in the United States. Of course, everyone appreciates a gratuity as a generous recognition of a job well done. That said, to follow our policy of "leave your wallet at home," we suggest you limit any gratuity to what remains of your pocket money at the end of your tour.
Some Caveats Our budgets and pricing are based on many years' spent enjoying and sharing the wonderful experiences that Italy offers. However, budgets are based on averages, which can be exhausted, thus, for our tours "average" means for active people who are reasonably fit–precisely those of you who will enjoy touring with us! On the other hand, those individuals interested in taking unfair advantage of our "leave your wallet at home" policy, by eating and drinking to excess, will not fit in, will exhaust the budget, and would be better off on a cruise ship with an all-you-can-eat buffet!
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Cortina d'Ampezzo, long famous for its hiking and climbing, became world famous by hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics.Today, wonderful road cycling and mountain biking make Cortina a "must go" destination for active sports enthusiasts.Picture yourself riding, hiking, and mountain biking among the Dolomites' shear rock faces!
The Mortirolo, Gavia, & Stelvio–These famous Giro passes challenge you with their long climbs and fast descents!Bormio's picturesque alpine setting is perfect for tackling these passes, and its quiet old town center provides a true "Italian" experience!Less famous, Bormio's hiking and MTB are equally world class!
There's nothing like the water, sky, and mountains of Lago di Como!Popular with Italians for their summer vacations, countless boats of all varieties dot the deep blue water.After cycling and hiking among the lakeside villas and gardens, we "get out on the water," with a ferry ride back to our hotel!
Wonderful biking and hiking around the Apli Apuane marble quarries of Michelangelo fame!Appearing snow-capped in summer, due to the bright-white marble, we hike and bike trails and roads built over 2000 years!With a scant 5 Km between alpi and mare–and the beach–our apres sport is a nap in the sun, and a dip in the Mediterranean!