Destination Tuscany: Villages, Vistas & Vineyards with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

We do realize our prices seem high.   However, when compared to many other tours to the region, we are actually comparatively priced when you take into account that our trips include all meals (and vegan to boot!) and drinks, all the tips for drivers and local guides, and many other extras like a amenities/essentials bag, a free laundry day, the support of 2 full time tour leaders (most tours have only one), and, finally, the chance to travel with author and animal advocate Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

It’s also worth noting that there aren’t many 100% fully vegan tours to Tuscany.  Veganism is still somewhat of a new concept in Italy, despite their cuisine being very vegetarian-friendly at its base.   Our trip cost does factor in the lengthy and hard work done with all our hotels, restaurants and local partners in educating and preparing them for our visit (meals, advocacy, toiletries, etc), which is far beyond any tasks that other tour companies are faced with.  This work begins several months before the trip, and approaches full-time hours around 2-3 months prior to the trip’s start date.

We also realize that for many, these types of trips are something they’ve dreamed about for many years.  As such, we’ve constructed an itinerary that will make this trip truly memorable in regards to our accommodation, meals, and choice of activities.   

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a recognized expert and thought leader on the culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of living vegan, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is an award-winning author of six books. She is an acclaimed speaker and beloved host of the inspiring podcast, “Food for Thought,” which was voted Favorite Podcast by VegNews magazine readers several years in a row!

​Her compassionate living philosophy is propelling plant-based eating into the mainstream and forever changing how we regard animals. ​​

Colleen, her husband David and World Vegan Travel work closely together to create these trips which are specifically curated by Colleen to ensure the high quality that she has come to be known for.  All trips include activities and dedicated time with Colleen, such as Q&A session, round-table discussions, sharing, and more.

Absolutely!   We have many people on our trip that sign up as solo travelers.   ​However do note that single rooms availability is low, so book quickly!  Please see our COST & SIGN-UP section for more information.  

Should you still be on the waiting list when the trip closes and gets confirmed, we may be able to offer you a single room (depending on availability).

You are in charge of your own transportation — whether it be flights, train, bus, car, etc. — to our starting city, and your return transportation from our departure city. 

For your arrival, we ask that you try and arrive early on the first day, as our first meeting tends to be around noon.  This exact time and place will be confirmed at a later date, but do plan ahead adequately to leave you enough time to get to our meeting place by that time.  Even better is arriving one or more days before.  This would provide you with a chance to take care of jet-lag and visit the town.

Please note that your transportation to our first meeting point is not included.  

VISAS
For citizens of western countries (ie USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc), no visas are necessary to enter Japan.  For other nationalities, please check to make sure what you need to enter Japan. 

TRAVEL/MEDICAL INSURANCE

Medical travel insurance is mandatory on our trip.    We need to have assurances that you are fully covered in the event of a medical emergency, including repatriation.  You will need to send us your policy details and emergency contact number before the trip’s start date.

Trip Insurance (trip cancellation, lost baggage, etc.), on the other hand, is entirely up to you, though we highly recommend purchasing it.  It often comes packaged along with medical travel insurance, or you may get coverage simply by paying for the trip using a credit card (inquire with your card supplier). To learn more about buying travel insurance for a World Vegan Travel trip, read our blog post here.

As we are not a travel agency or booking agents, we can’t book any flights or ongoing travel (ie hotels, transportation, etc) for you. However we can surely help with recommendations, suggestions and tips as you look into flights, or extending your holiday. It never hurts to ask, so don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries whatsoever!

In general, June is an excellent time of year to visit Tuscany, with slightly fewer crowds than the next few weeks/months will bring, and milder temperatures.  

Travelers will find very comfortable temperatures for sightseeing, exploring the countryside and engaging in outdoor activities. Days remain warm and sunny, with temperatures starting from a minimum of 25°C (77°F) and going up from there. 

While we don’t have a luggage restriction on this trip, we recommend you not to bring more than 1 suitcase per person. You will need to carry your bags only from the bus to the hotel twice (plus the trip to our meeting place) but you should still make sure you can lift it by yourself (ie it’s not too heavy).

We do have one free laundry included on the trip, so hopefully this can help in not over-packing. Laundry will also be available on other days at a fee.

In terms of clothing, it’s a good idea to bring some summer garb, such as shorts, t-shirts, light dresses, light cotton pants, etc.  Also bring a swimsuit as our villa has a pool. A hat is a good idea to block off the sun.

A sweater or light jacket could be needed for the evening and is a good idea. A rain jacket or a small umbrella could prove useful at this time of year.

Do bring some comfortable, but sturdy, shoes, as we have many walking tours and hiking opportunities.  You probably don’t need rugged hiking boots.  Hiking shoes or runners with decent grip should do the trick.  

You can always bring a 2nd set of comfy shoes/loafers to wear in the evening, for dinner and also afterwards when we’re relaxing with a nightcap.

• Other essentials should include:
• sunglasses
• Cameras and plenty of batteries and storage cards is a must.
• sunscreen lotion

We will be sending an info packet several weeks before the trip that will include, amongst other bits of information, a packing list.

If you are coming from outside of Europe, then yes, your mobile phone should work, but do check with your carrier to make sure. It is highly recommended to turn off global roaming unless you carrier can offer you a package for your stay in Italy. Otherwise you risk being charged exorbitant fees upon you return home!

If you are a UK or other European citizen, your phone should work as usual as Europe no longer has borders when it comes to mobile phone usage. However do check with your carrier to ensure your package qualifies.

If your phone is unlocked (please check with your carrier directly) you can also purchase a local Italian SIM Card when you arrive in the country (usually sold at airports). You can sometimes find SIM cards on Amazon; for example the Orange Holiday Europe prepaid SIM card.

Our villa does have WIFI but it is quite limited.  It may not work in some rooms, but it’s pretty stable in the public areas.  Having your own phone with a data plan is definitely recommended.

We will have WIFI on-board our coaches. The connection speeds may vary, as will the connection itself.

We provide all accommodation, transportation and meals. All expenses during our included activities are taken care of, including tips for guides and drivers.

You will then only need cash for extra purchases such as souvenirs, extra drinks outside of what’s included, extra snacks, etc. There are ATMs in every town and credit cards are accepted in most places. This mostly means Visa and MasterCard, with American Express having quite a lower acceptance rate outside of hotels and higher-end restaurants.

The tour leaders will be carrying extra cash. If you decide to go on an optional activity at the last minute but don’t have enough money, we will be able to help you out and you can simply pay us back when we find an ATM.

For drinks during meals: we have a limited amount of alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) per meal. Any extra drinks on top of what’s provided will require you to pay the suppliers (ie hotel, restaurant) directly. We will make it very clear how much is included before each meal.

Tipping hotel and restaurant staff is not necessary and entirely up to you.

If you have any specific dietary needs or food preferences, we kindly ask you to contact Brighde at [email protected] before finalizing your booking. Please provide her with detailed information about your dietary needs or preferences, and ensure you receive a written response from Brighde before finalizing your trip booking. Your cooperation and understanding in this matter are greatly appreciated.

Please note that any additional requests made after the booking has been completed might not be able to be accommodated.

Colleen (and her husband David) is very much another traveler in our group and will be taking the same vehicles and participating in the same activities as the rest of us. You can approach and talk to her at any time, just like anyone else. Having said that, do remember that she will be as tired as everyone after a long day of travel or sightseeing, so we should just be respectful of that as we are of anyone else. ​​

We do have quite a lot of walking activities on this trip, with a fair amount of uphill and downhill walking, since most Italian towns are build on hilltops. A certain amount of physical fitness will provide for a happier trip.  Having said you can always opt to skip these visits but this would somewhat dampen your enjoyment of the trip.

Youth above 16 years young are welcome.    We are currently not accepting any younger children. ​

There’s no upper age limit, though do note that there is a fair amount of walking on this trip. 

We will provide water, juice, coffee, tea, some cocktails and wine/beer during lunches and all dinners and some activities. We will make it clear what’s included and what’s not. Premium alcoholic drinks (ie expensive cognac, whiskey, champagne, etc) are not included. You can pay for those on the spot or sign it to the room and pay when checking out.

World Vegan Travel and Colleen aim to be a safe place for all LGBTQ travelers. We have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination of any sort.

​Generally speaking, Italy is considered a gay-friendly country and public opinion on homosexuality is generally regarded as increasingly culturally liberal. Same-sex civil unions and unregistered cohabitation have been legally recognized since June 2016.