Authentic, immersive vacations
At Trafalgar, the belief is that you never really know a place until you know its people, experience their culture and get to know their way of life.
It is this core belief that has been driving Trafalgar to create lifechanging travel experiences for over 70 years, delivering authentic and immersive vacations that encompass all the major sights and attractions, but also delving deeper into the local culture by introducing guests to the people and their daily life.
Join us for a private demonstration of the Italy Belissimo trip and follow the swift, elegant movements of Marta Cuccia’s hands as they gently weave colourful fibres, twisting and turning individual threads, guiding well-worn shuttles on an ancient wooden loom and weaving her story into the fabric. The fabrics are woven using the original antique looms and following the same traditional techniques helped to ensure they were carried on. The patterns they produce are reminiscent of great medieval and renaissance textile traditions in Italy, and particularly in the Umbria region.
Cuccia, a housewife turned elementary school director crafts her passions in every corner of the 800 year old church that is now home to her art and her beloved looms; the place where she lovingly recreates renaissance tapestries and preserves the skills that have been passed down from generation to generation. With advancing technology, her art could so easily be lost, yet Marta is determined to safeguard her craft and its traditions, to carry on the story.
This fascinating weaving tradition is explored on Italy Belissimo, during a Treadright cultural insight and Join Trafalgar Heritage Initiative project Laboratoria Guidetta Brozetti, one of the few remaining traditional frame hand weaving workshops in Italy.
Trafalgar’s promise to you is the real thing. We connect you with the locals to bring you into their homes, share their cultures and tell their tales. These are the “pinch me” moments that reveal the diversity of the 226 carefully crafted itineraries around the world.
Thinking about what Italian locations will create life-lasting memories in your future travel plans? Whether travelling with purpose or cultural exploration, start your story with us.