Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its undisputed beauty and the uniqueness of its natural landscape. The Amalfi Coast is one of the playgrounds of Europe’s holiday makers and has a class and charm that you will fall in love with. A 50km stretch of breathtaking coastline, the Amalfi coast encompasses the towns of Positano, Amalfi, Ravello and Salerno.

The hills plunge steeply into the sea, creating charming coves, cliffs, caverns, bays, natural arches and small pebble beaches; natural elements that have created a breathtaking landscape. In fact, this area is known as the land of the Sirens, in Homer’s epic poem “Odysseus”. Houses painted in warm pastel colours, following the natural slope of the foothills, terraces, built with dry stone walls and the bright colours of bougainvillea combine with the scents of lemon groves, vineyards and salt air to create a unique sensory experience.

My favourite spots along the Amalfi include Ravello, with its breathtaking views, its beautiful villas, the cathedral of San Pantaleone and its architectural treasures, which have drawn the rich and famous including Wagner, DH Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, Gore Vidal, Ingrid Bergman, Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart and John F & Jacqueline Kennedy.

The Isle of Capri is worthy of every epithet with it’s stunning views, charming villages, and superb sights, including the ruins of ancient Roman Villas and the sea caves, most famous being the Blue Grotto.

Nearby are the incredible ruins of Pompeii, the city buried by the 79AD eruption of nearby Mt Vesuvius. Unearthing of the ruins was only started in the mid 18th century, and work is still ongoing, although most of the ancient city has now been uncovered.

On my last trip to the Amalfi Coast, I stayed in a hotel in Sorrento. Sitting up on the rooftop terrace at sunset having a cocktail, I remember finishing off the day with such a sense of peace and relaxation, having truly been charmed by one of the really special places in Italy. The pianist started playing one of my favourites – ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ and that created an absolutely perfect moment. One of those WOW moments that come along only every so often. I knew I was doubly blessed the next day. Having spent the day on the Isle of Capri, we were enjoying an afternoon glass of chilled Vino Bianco in the café atop Anacapri, with a view that seemed to encompass the entire island and Amalfi Coast in the distance, and I had another of those WOW moments. Two in two days. That’s how truly incredible the Amalfi Coast is!

Do yourself a favour and be with us on our 25 day Incredible Italy tour to have your WOW! moment. For more information go to the webpage.

For centuries, travellers have been captivated by the charms of the Eternal City. It’s hard to remain indifferent to this striking city, which is characterised by the history of its ancient ruins, yet is also full of life and firmly nestled in the 21st century. Rome is a city of contracts: dusty and unkempt in places, yet also graced with stately monuments and majestic avenues, and quiet sleepy piazzas and narrow alleyways just a stones throw from its noisy main thoroughfares. The city’s many charms ensure that once seen, Rome is never forgotten.

One of the most historically fascinating cities in the world, Rome really is the real deal. A visit to the Colosseum and Roman Forum alone will convince you that the Roman Empire really did know how to build a lasting civilisation.

Add in Palatine Hill, the ruins of the Imperial Forums, the Pantheon and more recent additions of the various Piazzas, Palazzos, Fountains and Churches and you really have ‘The Eternal City’.

We have 3 nights here in Rome to experience some of the sights, history, lifestyle and ambience of this remarkable destination.

Spend a morning exploring the ruins of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and the afternoon wandering the Piazzas of Rome. A morning at the Vatican Museum gives an understanding of the obscenely vast wealth of treasures therein. Spend an evening in Trastevere feasting on Pizza and Gelato, and there’s still time to explore further afield. Perhaps the Catacombs interest you, or shopping on Via Condotti, or simply sitting on the Spanish Steps people watching.

If you’re a Dan Brown fan, do the Angels & Demons tour of several of the cities fascinating landmarks which were the settings in the book (personally I preferred Angels & Demons to Da Vinci Code). There’s the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of 4 rivers) in the Piazza Navone, and the Piazza del Popolo. Castel St Angelo is very close to St Peters Basilica, and additionally, check out the Baroque Church – the Santa Maria della Vittoria and of course the Pantheon.

And of course, don’t forget to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain to make sure you return once more to The Eternal City!

Join our 25 day Incredible Italy tour and experience the incredible beauty and history of Rome for yourself.  For more information go to the Webpage.

Lucca was one of the three power cities of Tuscany, along with Florence and Pisa. Famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls, Lucca was once a Roman colony. With a street layout being evidence of a Roman street plan, and the remains of the amphitheatre forming the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, Lucca’s history is ancient and fascinating.

Now a beautiful town with a unique history and charm, there are a few hotels inside the city walls, but the charm of Lucca is better experienced staying in apartments, providing a real taste of how life is lived by the Tuscan locals.  Nothing better than waking up in the morning, strolling to a nearby piazza and finding a quaint café for breakfast (Colazione) to enjoy a Cappuccino and cornetti, croissant-like pastries filled with marmalade, cream or even chocolate.

With the hills nearby, a lunch visit to a hillside winery is a must, and with fresh food markets and Italian deli’s abounding throughout the town, take a cooking class and the next day, try whipping up some Italian specialties in your apartments kitchen.

Alternatively, Lucca is a fabulous town to simply wander the piazzas and elegant streets or perhaps to hire bicycles to explore the town and its ancient walls.  The walls are paved on top and completely circle Lucca, with a circumference of around 4½ km. For a number of years in the earlier parts of the 20th century the walls were used for racing cars, but these days they remain a pedestrian promenade that you can cycle, walk or jog along.

Lucca is famous for being the birthplace of Puccini, the composer of such famous operas as La Traviata, La Boheme, Tosca and Madam Butterfly. The home he grew up in is now a museum, and every night of the week between March and November, a Puccini opera is performed in the San Giovanni Basilica. The ‘Puccini e la sua Lucca’ is apparently the only permanent festival in the world!

There are a whole host of churches and villas to wander through as well. The 17^th century Palazzo Pfanner was one of the film locations of Jane Campion’s, ‘Portrait of a Lady’ with Nicole Kidman.

Each July, the Piazza Napoleone is host to the Lucca Summer Festival. Each year attracts big names in the music industry from Elton John to Chicago, Liza Minnelli to Joe Cocker, James Blunt to Eric Clapton and Roger Waters to Santana.

This year, the festival is offering up Tom Petty, Norah Jones, Tony Bennett & Toto amongst others.

Fancy spending 4 days in this magical Tuscan destination? Join our 25 day Incredible Italy tour. For more information go to our webpage.

We stay at the Green Park Hotel, a short walk from the centre of town.  Wow! What a view with the rose and marigold fields and the temple topped Ratnagiri Hill as a backdrop to the hotel. But the main reason we had come to Pushkar wasn’t to relax around the resort pool but to witness the annual Camel Fair, when thousands of brightly decorated camels, bedecked with colourful cloth fill the narrow streets.

The camel owners gather for one week, camped in the nearby desert, to trade their expertly groomed ‘ships of the desert’. The camel coats are clipped into intricate patterns, dyed with henna and accessorised with brightly coloured necklaces and nose piercings to look absolutely fabulous. We wandered through the enormous campsite admiring the camels, colourful tents, flamboyant gypsy girls, and proudly prancing horses, as we passed by huddled groups of men noisily trading their livestock in auctions.

Crouched on the ground around inconspicuous woven baskets, were the snake charmers – their charges woken from slumber when the basket lid was briskly removed to allow the hooded Cobra to rise, swaying to the vibrations of the flute-like instrument. Everywhere we went were giggling children, always eager to practice their ‘hello’s and have their photo taken.

A highlight of our visit was a camel safari into the nearby desert. As we headed out along the sandy lanes, my camel boy assured me that nothing would harm me in the desert as we gently meandered through some of the most picturesque desert in all of India.  Groups of children would magically appear from the simple huts lining the path, waving and cheering as we passed.  Making our way through farms and villages I began to imagine what it would have been like, a thousand years ago, to traverse the desert in search of new lands.

As the sun began to set we tucked into a delicious Indian camp meal and settled in for an evening of campfire stories and entertainment. We chose to sleep out under the billions of stars above rather than retire to the tents. We woke to fresh air and the smell of a traditional Indian Breakfast before returning to town via a different route.

Pushkar, particularly during the Camel Fair, is a major destination for pilgrims and Saddhus, although many of these saffron robed holy-men are no more than beggars.

This is where we encountered the bizarre spectacle of the five-legged cow, deformed by an extra leg growing eerily from its back. The cow seemed quite content being paraded around in multicoloured layers of ‘sacred’ cloth and red and gold tinsel on its head. For 20 rupees one can shake the hoof, for 50 rupees, take a photo! Wandering further down the road we were surprised to see more of these 5 legged Holy cows. In a country reputed to have 300 million cows, I suppose, a few are destined to be born with an extra appendage or two.

As we walked further through the narrow lanes and paths, passing more beggars, these ones dressed as blue-skinned Hindu gods, Bollywood music blared from loudspeakers enticing us towards the Fairground with its Ferris Wheels, Sideshow Alley and ‘fairy floss’.’

In the centre of town is the very sacred Pushkar Lake, believed to be as old as the creation of life itself. We were told by our local guide, also a Brahmin priest, that the waters have special healing powers as he performed for us a ‘puja’ – a sacred ceremony – designed to bestow a long, healthy and fruitful life on our families. Afterwards, feeling a sense of peace and energised with the beauty and spirituality of the place, our foreheads were daubed with a spot of vermillion and our wrists wrapped with a ‘Pushkar Passport’ a band of red thread.

As we wandered the town, the afternoon sky was filled with hot air balloons floating across the camel ground, the town and lake. What an amazing way to see the fair. Next visit perhaps I’ll be the one looking down from above.

The sunsets here are fantastic. Down by the lake, which was thronged with traditionally dressed pilgrims performing their ancient ceremonial bathing rituals, backpackers and tourists made their way to the famous ‘Sunset Café’ to watch the spectacle, listen to the tribal beating of drums performed each afternoon and sip spicy masala chai (tea).

We found street stalls teeming with Indian delicacies, delicious pakoras, tantalising samosas and sweets dripping in syrup.  Nearby roof-top restaurants offered an ‘all you can eat’ dinner buffet for as little as 60 rupees or about $1.30 Australian, you can’t get much better than that!

One day was barely enough time to sift through the friendly shops in the markets, jammed with some of the best jewellery, fabric and traditional handicrafts in India. Also on sale a myriad of religious paraphernalia for the thousands of Hindu pilgrims thronging the streets, along with items as diverse as traditional ceremonial spears and shields.

Pushkar is a rare gem of a destination that will challenge all of your senses. The town, its people and camels are a visual feast, quite spectacular indeed! 400km southwest of Delhi, Pushkar is easily reached by bus, train, or private vehicle from the nearby cities of Ajmer or Jaipur. The Pushkar Camel Fair this year will be held from 18 to 27 November 2012.

For more information on our upcoming Pushkar Fair departure, click here.

The Cinque Terre, or 5 lands, is a stunning series of villages hugging the rugged cliffs overlooking the ocean on the Italian Riveria, the west coast in Luguria. The ‘Five Lands’ is composed of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Over centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Foot, trains and boat is the only way to get around the villages, as cars cannot reach them from the outside. Local trains connect the “five lands” and run most of the distance in tunnels. A passenger ferry also runs between the five villages, except Corniglia.

However, the best way to experience the Cinque Terre is by walking it. A trail, known as ‘Sentiero Azzurro’(Light Blue Trail), connects the five villages. The trail from Riomaggiore to Manarola is called the ‘Via Dell’Amore’ (Walk of love). The stretch from Manarola to Corniglia is the easiest to hike, although the main trail into Corniglia finishes with a climb of 368 stairs.

Situated on the Mediterranean, seafood is a favourite part the local cuisine.  Anchovies are a local specialty. The terraced hillsides are used to cultivate grapes and olives. This region is also known for pesto sauce.  The grapes of the Cinque Terre are used to produce two locally made wines. And Grappa, a brandy made with the pomace left from winemaking, and Limoncello, a sweet liqueur flavored with lemons are also a favourite of the region.

Don’t miss walking the Cinque Terre with us this July. For more details visit go to http://incredibleindiatours.com/incredible-italy/

Milan is famous as the Italian fashion capital. Yes, you can go to Giorgio Armani’s flagship fashion store. Perhaps you want to visit Prada, Versace, Roberto Cavalli Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino and of course Gucci. They’re all situated in Milano’s Golden Quad – a quadrangle of pedestrian streets crammed with designer showrooms.

However, Milan is famous for more than just fashion.  The remarkable Duomo (Cathedral) dating to 1386 is one of the most impressive in Italy. You can even climb to the roof for phenomenal views of the grand structure.

Nearby is the charming Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an elegant covered shopping arcade, nearly destroyed during WWII by bombs. You can now sit at one of the café’s and watch Milan wander by.

Of course, Milan’s other claim to fame is Leonardo Da Vinci’s uber famous mural, ‘The Last Supper’ which adorns the wall of the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazi. Restoration of this masterpiece following centures of damage from floods, bombs and decay was completed in 1999.

We visit Milan on our Incredible Italy tour. Join us on 25th June in Venice or 30 June in Milan for Incredible Italy.

My favourite thing to see in Stresa is the Borromean Isles, which are three islands – Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola Pescatori. The amazing palace on Isola Bella was built by the aristocratic Borromeo family in 1630. All three islands have their own charm and are magically picturesque.  Part of the spectacular gardens of Isola Bella were used as a location in the Star Wars movie ‘Attack of the Clones’.  The palace itself is quirky and beautiful and exotic with white peacocks roaming the gardens. You can spend a day exploring the islands, stopping for a coffee, lunch or a drink.

I also thoroughly enjoy taking the Cable Car up to Mount Mottarone, a ski field in winter. With 360° views across Lago Maggiore and the Alps, it’s pretty spectacular. Great for walks or to just sit in a café sipping a hot chocolate or a glass of wine.

Unlike other Italian Lakes towns, Stresa is not so touristy and is a charming lakeside holiday resort. I always love visiting Stresa, strolling along the Lakeside promenade, stopping for a drink at the Grand Hotel des Îles Borromées which was built in the 1860s. Ernest Hemmingway stayed here to convalesce after WW1 and he wrote about Stresa in his book ‘Farewell to Arms’.

Another of my favourite things is dinner at a super little restaurant on the Piazza Cadorna. The proprietress, Domenica is the most wonderful lady and usually treats me and the group to a bottle or two of Limoncello gratis. Now, if you’ve never had Limoncello, hers, served straight from the freezer in chilled shot glasses is an absolute treat.

We have three nights staying here in Stresa at the end of June. Join us on 25th June as we meet up in Venice for 25 days of Incredible Italy.

The first time I went to Venice I stayed on the island of Lido and had to commute across to Venice.
It was still magical. I was charmed by the canals, bridges, campo’s and piazzas. I was fascinated by the wares in the shops lining the route from the San Marco Square to the Rialto bridge. I loved the Venetian masks and planned to return to Venice for the Carnevale di Venezia so I could see the amazing masks in their full glory. Alas, Carnevale is still on my bucket list.

The next time I returned to Venice, it was as a tour leader on a training trip. I spent around 24 hours in Venice, this time staying in the heart of San Marco. Those 24 hours contained very little sleep and a lot of traipsing all over Venice, orientating my way from one end to the other and plotting and planning a walking tour. It’s amazing how well you can get to know a place in such a short amount of time. And it was cold. March in Venice is still winter and

COLD as. I think it was close to snowing the day we were there.

The last time I was in Venice I had an afternoon to myself. I’d had a rather torrid tour through Switzerland and Austria with a group of trekkers and hikers who were more mountain climbers than the bushwalker-trekker I am, and I needed to treat myself. While the rest of the group went off to book their train tickets out of Venice (it was the end of the tour), I found myself a table by the Rialto Bridge in a cafe overlooking the Grand Canal and enjoyed a carafe of Vino Bianco.

I’m now counting down the weeks till I return once again to this remarkable and beautiful city.  The waterways and picturesque buildings, the churches and galleries are just part of the charm of Venice. The Gondolas and their Gondoliers, the cafe and restaurant waiters, the local people who call this amazing city home – they add to the charm and create a wonderful first impression of our Incredible Italy.

Join us on 25th June as we meet up in Venice for 25 days of Incredible Italy.

Amit Namdev

Amit Namdev is the director of Amit Reiki & Meditation Centre.

Amit has been involved with holistic and natural healing for several years, and is a qualified teacher and practitioner of the healing arts.

As a Traditional Reiki Master and Independent Teacher of the Usui System of Reiki, Amit provides certified healing and knowledge to his clients and students alike.

Amit has a Masters Science in Yoga and offers courses and classes in Astanga Vinyasa (Mysore style), Sivanada Yoga, Hatha Yoga, as well as on his own style: Intuitive Dynamic Hatha Yoga and Meditation.

Amit is an Advanced NLP Practitioner having studied under Dr Richard Bolstad, Dr David Lincoln and Yugesh Namdev (the President of IINLP, India).

Additionally, Amit is also a Hypnotherapist (Certified both by California Hypnosis institute of India & International Association of NLP), and a qualified naturopathy practitioner.

Amit has been teaching for over 8 years in:

India: Dharamsala, Rishikesh, Mysore, Pondicherry, Bhopal, Delhi, Bangalore, Manali, Mumbai, Auroville and in Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, Neyyar Dam, Kerala.

Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, Koh Phangan.

Laos: Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng.

Kim Thelander

Kim studied at UTS (University of Technology, Sydney) in Australia, attaining a Bachelor of Health science (Acupuncture) in 1998. She has worked in the health industry for 20 years, and believes in the body-mind-soul connection having seen it demonstrated over and again in her own life and practise.

Kim also studied Shamanism as a research project for her degree and loves to share her Shamanic view of life, cosmology and the Shamans role in healing in different cultures.

Now living in Manali, in the Indian Himalayas, Kim is a qualified masseuse, acupuncturist, aroma therapist and Reiki Master. She offers body treatments like body scrubs and wraps. Kim also teaches massage, incorporating acupressure and aromatherapy and essential oil blending.

Additionally, Kim teaches workshops ‘Wild at Heart’, ‘Embodying the Goddess’ and ‘Egyptian Dance’.

Wild at heart incorporates Talking Circles, Guided Meditations and uses writing, art or movement to experience different aspects of self, such as the Wild Self, the Inner Child, and exploring archetypes.

Kim’s Egyptian dance has a focus on the chakras and on the spiritual aspects of the dance – a way for women to connect with their bodies and boost self esteem using an ancient art form.

The ‘Embodying the Goddess’ workshop uses Archetypes, Mythology, Dance and Ritual to express the goddess within. It is about exploring the self and the sacred.

To find out more about our retreat visit the webpage

Why Italy? After India and Nepal, you might think Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, even China, after all – they’re part of Asia, and closer to Australia.
Well, that’s true, but equally true is that my favourite country on the planet after India is Italy.

Having travelled to Italy a few times in my 20s, I was lucky enough to spend close to a year in Italy several years ago when I worked for a leading tour company assisting them to get their European tours up and running. I landed in Rome hardly remembering how to say much more than ‘bonjourno’ but was soon becoming half Italian. (Anyone who knows me says I’m more Indian than most Indian’s, but it works in Italy too!)

What a phenomenal country. Such a history, amazing natural beauty, incredible culture, sensational food and wine. Italy traps you hook line and sinker in its charms.

So after a bit of plotting, planning and looking through my old photos, I have put together our inaugural ‘Incredible Italy’ tour.

We start in Venice on June 25 2012. Want more information… visit our Incredible Italy Webpage

Stay tuned for more about this awesome tour in coming days.