Designer Travel by Debbie Sheate

07/09/2026

07/09/2026

🇮🇹With time to spare, I decided to explore Pisa🇮🇹

The airport is very close to the city & most of Pisa is walkable, making it perfect for a short break or as a gateway to explore Tuscany.

Only a 7min taxi or 25min walk from Pisa Centrale train station, you'll arrive at Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You need a ticket to walk up the Tower. The ticket office is opposite & you have the choice of just the Leaning Tower at EUR20pp or I bought the combined ticket at EUR27pp which includes all the below main sights.
Please note: you cannot take any bags up the Tower (literally your phone & water) however included in your ticket is a locker for your bag but make sure you collect your bag after walking up the tower.

1. Leaning Tower - 56m high with 294 steps to the top, approx., construction began in 1173 & took almost 200 years to complete. Its famous lean began during construction due to soft, unstable ground.
2. Opera del Duomo Museum - Its collection incl. original sculptures, paintings, decorative pieces & architectural fragments from the Cathedral, Baptistery & surrounding buildings.
3. Sinopie Museum - Houses the preparatory drawings, known as sinopie, for the huge frescoes that once decorated Pisa's Monumental Cemetery.
4. Baptistery - Construction began in 1152 & it’s the largest baptistery in Italy, measuring around 55m high. Famous for its extraordinary acoustics & the marble pulpit by Nicola Pisano, completed in 1260.
5. Cathedral - Construction began in 1063. It’s a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, with strong influences from Byzantine & Islamic styles.
6. Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) - began around 1277. Built as a sacred burial ground & is said to contain soil brought from Golgotha in Jerusalem.

Pisa is also a city of history & learning, home to the prestigious University of Pisa & the birthplace of the famous scientist Galileo Galilei.

Wander along the River Arno, explore the colourful streets of the historic centre, stop for a coffee or gelato along Corso Italia & Borgo Stretto & enjoy some authentic Tuscan food & wine.

07/09/2026

Welcome to Palazzo del Duca

This historic 17th-century palazzo is located in the small medieval village of Tavernelle, in northern Tuscany surrounded by mountains and countryside. Perfect for walking, hiking, cycling & simply enjoying the slower pace of rural Tuscany.

Palazzo del Duca Casa Vacanze Vicky Lawrence Nitgb

06/09/2026

Tuscan 4-Night Cooking Experience with Wine Tour

DAY 5 - After breakfast, it was time to say goodbye to Francesco & Mirella - taking home new cooking and wine skills, but most importantly, some very special memories❤️

On the train back to Pisa Centrale, I was asked what my favourite part of the trip had been. One word immediately came to mind: people!

Our hosts, Francesco & Mirella, made us feel like part of their family - from cooking local food with local ingredients in the palazzo kitchen, to discovering that making wine really is an art.

The people of Tavernelle were just as welcoming. Everyone we passed seemed to stop for a friendly Ciao - from the local honey maker & butcher to the restaurant owner & residents. It was wonderful to experience such genuine warmth & hospitality.

As much as I love work fam trips, they can be a little daunting. You often arrive not knowing anyone in the group, but it didn’t take long for Vicky from Not in the Guidebooks, Katie from Travel Weekly and all the agents on this trip to become friends - with plenty of laughter, great food and even a midnight feast! 😉🤣

A huge thank you to Vicky Lawrence Nitgb & Not in the Guidebooks for such a wonderful experience. I’ve come home with lots of inspiration, new friendships & an even greater appreciation for this beautiful part of Tuscany.

I can’t wait to start sharing & selling this experience to my clients! 🇮🇹🍷

Palazzo del Duca Casa Vacanze

05/09/2026

Tuscan 4nt Cooking Experience with Wine Tour

DAY 4 - After breakfast we set off towards the famous UNESCO protected Cinque Terre.

Cinque Terre is famous for its stretch of 5 coastal villages - Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza & Monterosso al Mare.

We arrived at winery where Francesco took us on a very interesting tour, showing us the process from grape to bottling. Seeing all the hard work behind the scenes, definitely gave me more perspective & appreciation when I drink a glass of wine now. Like Francesco says 'there is a story behind every bottle of wine.'

The vineyards here are planted on incredibly steep terraces supported by dry-stone walls, with much of the work having to be done manually. The main grapes are Bosco, Albarola & Vermentino.

After a walk through their museum where you can see the tools & equipment they used to use, we headed inside for some wine tasting.

Here we got to taste - Cián Àuti & Costa da Posa - both gorgeous white wines, perfect with seafood as well as the dessert wine - Sciacchetra.

We then headed down to Manarola, with its colourful houses stacked dramatically down the cliffside towards the sea - very beautiful & not surprising it's the most photographed.

Make sure you wear comfortable shoes as you can only walk down by foot & it is on a steep hill but the slope is manageable if you take it slow & enjoy the beautiful views & many shops along the way.

Having worked up an appetite, we had a few more steps to our restaurant for lunch but it was totally worth it, when we saw the view - absolutely stunning!

As for their seafood - their mussels, lobster & seafood selection were incredibly fresh, it took me back to my childhood in Cape Town - absolutely divine 😋
Of course, with food you need wine & Francesco had the perfect bottle of wine for us to taste, which paired beautifully with our seafood!

Another fantastic day 🥂

Our final evening ended with an interview with Travel Weekly, a training session with NITGB & a 'midnight' feast to use up the leftover food 🤣

Vicky Lawrence Nitgb Palazzo del Duca Casa Vacanze

04/09/2026

A fantastic wine tasting class with Francesco & his incredible wine.

Francesco is a sommelier with an incredible depth of knowledge about wine. But what really makes him stand out is his passion and the way he brings every wine to life. There’s a story behind every bottle - from the soil where the grapes are grown, to the people who nurture them & finally to the finished wine in your glass.

I highly recommend wine tasting with Francesco. Wether you are a beginner, someone who knows their wines or even a collector - Francesco will be able to guide you & answer all your questions about all wines in Italy & France 🍷

Palazzo del Duca Casa Vacanze

04/09/2026

Tuscan 4-Night Cooking Experience with Wine Tour

DAY 3: This morning we had another walk around the village, learning more about its fascinating history. The gorgeous little village church was open & the locals were so friendly - we even meet a 94 year old lady who definitely did not look her age. We also met someone who had just returned from picking huge porcini mushrooms 🍄‍🟫

After a quick walk around Francesco's winery we headed to the local pub/restaurant for a fantastic lunch.

In the afternoon we met Mirella in the kitchen for our 2nd cooking course - today we were making fresh, homemade tomato soup; pasta (our offcuts from yesterday) with sausage, tomatoes & aubergines and hazelnut fritters with ricotta & honey.

Enjoying a glass of wine while helping to chop the vegetables, fry the sausages and make the delicious hazelnut & ricotta fritters — this experience has been amazing!

Just 2 days ago, we were all complete strangers - there’s been so much laughter & fabulous company. It felt like one big family, all pitching in & helping out in the kitchen before dinner.

Francesco & Mirella had picked up some of the fresh mushrooms & as a surprise served them to us as our appetiser - they were so light & almost fluffy in texture - absolutely divine! 😋

These are the moments that make travel so special - good food, good wine & great company.

Palazzo del Duca Casa Vacanze

04/09/2026

Tuscan 4-Night Cooking Experience with Wine Tour

DAY 2 - Leisurely breakfast at the palazzo with free time to get to know the area or relax.
In the afternoon, it’s time for your first cookery lesson, which will last approx. 4hrs.

The moment I had been waiting for & it did not disappoint!
In Italy wine should always be accompanied by food so of course before we even started Francesco opened another of his beautiful red wines 🍷

Mirella started by showing is how to make fried basil leaves. We all loved these the night before & I'm hoping this will be my new appetiser at parties - if I can make it correctly 🤣

A local lady had very kindly walked up to the shepherd on the mountain that morning, to get us fresh ricotta for our ravioli.
Mirella showed us how to make the ricotta filling. Followed by our starter, Panzanella - a popular Tuscan bread salad. Ending with an incredible triple layer traditional Tiramisu 😋

With everything chilling in the fridge, it was time to get our hands dirty as we took to our boards & from scratch made fresh, homemade ravioli.

Feeling a bit nervous as mine didn't quite start as planned, Mirella was on hand to guide us & we were soon adding our ricotta filling & sealing our ravioli. Mirella is full of knowledge & made the entire experience so interesting & lots of fun - we were all very proud of ourselves when we saw all the ravioli we had made.

With the table beautifully laid outside we sat down as Mirella brought out our 3-courses. Francesco had perfectly paired a bottle of wine for each course - absolutely delicious!
Well done team on preparing an incredible feast! 🥂🍝🍷👏

Vicky Lawrence Palazzo del Duca Casa Vacanze

03/09/2026

🦁🌍 On Safari in South Africa from £3,838pp

Experience the magic of South Africa with an unforgettable adventure combining thrilling Big Five encounters at Mabula Private Game Reserve with three nights in vibrant Cape Town.

Spend seven nights at the award-winning, all-inclusive Mabula Lodge, with six included safaris offering the chance to spot incredible wildlife in its natural habitat. Your stay also includes a guided bush walk, a wildlife specialist talk, a Hornbill Project visit, a traditional bush lunch, sundowners and an unforgettable stargazing experience beneath the African night sky.

Then, swap the bush for the buzz of Cape Town with three nights at the 4-star Commodore Hotel, perfectly located at the V&A Waterfront. Spend your time exploring the city at leisure or discover the spectacular Cape Peninsula on an optional private tour.

Stay 10 nights, departing 13th November 2028 from London Heathrow from £3,838pp. This Designer Travel exclusive is provided by Newmarket and is ATOL protected (2325).

WHAT'S INCLUDED:
📍 Mabula Private Game Reserve & Cape Town
🦁 7 nights all-inclusive at Mabula Lodge
🏨 3 nights at The Commodore Hotel, B&B
🚙 6 included game drives
🌅 Bush lunch, sundowners & stargazing
✈️ Return Virgin Atlantic flights
👣 Fully escorted by an experienced tour manager & wildlife specialist .

Prefer to stay solely on safari? The 7-night Mabula Lodge option is available from £3,203pp from London Heathrow or £3,410pp from Manchester.

03/09/2026

DAY 2 - We had a wonderful breakfast in our apartment - fresh bread from the local bakery delivered to our kitchen & lots of amazing fresh cheeses, eggs & cold meats in our fridge all from the local shops. It's lovely how they support their community by using all the local vendors - gorgeous, authentic Tuscan products.

With a leisurely morning, we explored Tavernelle. A little village steeped in history, with medieval roots & a name linked to the old roadside taverns where travellers once stopped to rest. Surrounded by vineyards, olive groves & beautiful Tuscan countryside, it’s easy to see why people love to visit here as a getaway from the hustle & bustle.

You can walk around the village in 10min but there are lots of hikes & walks for all abilities nearby.

We ended our little walk with a quick stop at the local pub/restaurant.

Perfect morning getting to explore the village & meet the locals.

Palazzo del Duca Casa Vacanze