fh_trips | Castello di Casole [Wednesday, October 16, 2013, daytime]

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fall break 2013: tuscany

Castello di Casole [Wednesday, October 16, 2013, daytime]

The Fandomites' fourth full day of vacation was a bit cloudy, but still an okay 73°F – and really, even if it hadn't been, there would've been more than enough indoor activities to make up for it.

As it was, the estate continued to be helpful and eager to make the stay enjoyable. Time to have another great day!

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Good morning, Fandomites! Whether you're waking up in the Classica Suites or the Limonaia Suites (or somewhere outside after too many Bellinis in the bar. We don't judge. Much), the sun is streaming through the windows and it's just too nice to stay inside, no matter how invited the wifi and free movies are. Put your feet onto that radiant floor heating and get ready for breakfast: Today, the beach awaits! Or truffle hunting!

Or stay in and order room service. It is vacation.

[OOC: Your room assignments are over here, dirty stuff goes to personal journals, yada yada.]

Ristorante Tosca hosts a full breakfast before you head out for the day, so be sure to fill up on fresh fruit and pastries and hot cappuccino and other coffee drinks!

Pizza for lunch? Don't mind if you do! Pazzia's menu offers up salads, panini, gelato and an espresso bar as well.

If you're at the bar before, say, three, we'll just pretend you're hear to enjoy the hors d’oeuvres and the stunning views outside and not the drinks, okay? Okay.

Originally the estate’s wine cellar, the spa offers a serene setting within one of the most dramatic spaces on the property. A full treatment menu is available along with European spa and wellness experts who offer an extensive collection of traditional and modern therapies. Pools, steam rooms and comfortable spaces allow for ample relaxation: there are seven treatment rooms, secluded men’s and women’s areas, a spectacular couple’s treatment suite with deep soaking tub and shower, and luxurious private outdoor gardens.

The boutique at Castello di Casole is home to some of the most unique shopping in Tuscany. Fine name-brand apparel, art including paintings and sculptures from acclaimed local Italian artists, artisanal treasures from the finest houses of Italy, our estate grown and produced wine and olive oil, signature products from our very own Essere Spa, the premiere spa in Tuscany – it’s all right here, part of an ever-evolving collection of luxury goods and distinctive mementos from your time on the estate.

While the estate itself is ideal for hiking, jogging, biking or horseback riding, if you're in the mood for a more modern workout, the estate offers plenty of other opportunities for fitness and wellness. There are pools and steam rooms for warm-up or cool-down; state-of-the-art exercise equipment from TechnoGym; and personal trainers and group classes in yoga, Pilates and more. It’s the perfect way to refresh and revitalize during your vacation.

Those who want to stay in shape with exercise equipment or fitness classes while in Tuscany will love the Fitness Center. With stunning vaulted ceilings and exposed brick walls, it comprises the latest in wellness equipment including a TechnoGym facility, elliptical trainers, Pilates machines and free weights. Outdoor yoga classes on the hills, fitness classes and personal trainers complete the menu so you can keep to your complete exercise routine during your stay.

Whether you want to swim, soak or splash, the pool terrace is a fun place to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful sights of Tuscany. The majestic heated pool is ideal for your morning laps or an afternoon dip, while nearby saunas and steam rooms are the perfect areas to warm up or cool down when you’ve scheduled a workout. The terrace is equally suited for the delightful sport of pure relaxation – a wonderful place to gather with friends and family or curl up with a book under the Tuscan sun. There's snacks, too!

If you're not happy without classes on vacation, the estate is happy to help. Today there's another group cooking lesson: you're making tiramisu. Mmmm. Dessert.

Go horseback riding through the olive groves or hiking among the grapes. Since it's harvest time, you can help the estate in picking either olives or grapes, though that might sound like work. There are a half dozen villages in easy distance of a bike ride or a long walk: great for exploring, shopping, and eating at local restaurants.

Foodies from around the world dream of truffle hunting in Tuscany, home to the most delectable and rare truffles on earth. Owners and hotel guests may join a truffle treasure hunt on a one-day excursion in the Crete Senesi, the clay hills of Siena. In a small group, explore private reserves guided by expert truffle-hunters who will explain all you need to know to find these curious, elusive delicacies (and before you're preemptively disappointed, these are the mushroom truffles, not the chocolates). You will be assisted by experienced and inseparable dogs of the Lagotto Romagnolo breed – essential companions to help locate these precious tubers. Enjoy a relaxing day in nature as you seek out these pungent, culinary gems, then try them yourselves at a celebratory meal afterwards in a local osteria. Mmmm.

Forte dei Marmi is known for its clean, sandy beaches, and during the summertime is the place for the richest Italians, Germans and Russians to come and enjoy the sun. In the fall, though, it's quiet and secluded with its own kind of beauty (and many fewer people judging your outfits). Forte dei Marmi means "fortress of the marbles", and they mean Carrara, not the kind you play with if you're from the 1950's. Some say that the road between Florence and Forte dei Marmi was constructed so that Michelangelo could come out here more easily to pick his own marble from the quarries. You can go inside the fortress now –– it houses a museum of satirical art.

Just be sure not to mess up the carefully combed sand too much, or the hotels will be annoyed with you.

Forte dei Marmi offers a Wednesday market that deals in designer clothing and is known as the place to get cut-price reproductions of expensive designer clothes. Don't miss out!

Ristorante Lorenzo has a Michelin star (go ask Dr. Lecter if you don't know why that's important), but there are plenty of other choices for lunch as well. Try the seafood –– it's not going to be fresher anywhere else.

Tomorrow: the island of Elba, oooh! And as always, the OCD is a guideline, Tuscany is big.

Cade, after noticing the look the guy with the rake was shooting him, deliberately shuffled his feet along the beach, then wrote "CADE WAS HERE" in the sand with his finger.

"What?" he demanded. "It's sand. It gets karking everywhere. Making it neat is the stupidest job in karking history."

Emma was spending far too long looking through leather jackets, but they spoke to her. Especially the red ones.

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Castello di Casole [Wednesday, October 16, 2013, daytime]

The Estate

Rooms [Daytime 10/16]

Restaurants and Bars

Ristorante Tosca [Daytime 10/16]

Pazzia [Daytime 10/16]

Bar Visconti [Daytime 10/16]

Estate Activities

Essere Spa [Daytime 10/16]

Boutique [Daytime 10/16]

Fitness & Wellness [Daytime 10/16]

Fitness Center [Daytime 10/16]

Pool Terrace [Daytime 10/16]

Classes [Daytime 10/16]

Mod Your Own Adventure [Daytime 10/16]

Away from the Estate: Truffle Hunting [Daytime 10/16]

Away from the Estate: Forte dei Marmi

Forte dei Marmi: Sightseeing

Forte dei Marmi: See the Fortress [Daytime 10/16]

Forte dei Marmi: Walk the Beach [Daytime 10/16]

Forte dei Marmi: Shopping and Eating

Forte dei Marmi: Shopping [Daytime 10/16]

Forte dei Marmi: Eating [Daytime 10/16]

OOC [FB Daytime 10/16]

Re: Forte dei Marmi: Walk the Beach [Daytime 10/16]

Re: Forte dei Marmi: Shopping [Daytime 10/16]