Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many people will be traveling in our group?

Bei Pellegrini creates small, friendly sojourns with 10 to 18 pilgrims/guests on each tour.
Good food, good wine and great company is what we strive for. Small groups support that goal.

What is included in the trip?

Accommodations in country inns, bed & breakfasts, villas, chateau & castles that have been converted to hotels; farm stays; small hotels, or monasteries — based on double occupancy
Meals as listed on itinerary
Van Support
Entrance to museums, cathedrals etc., as listed on itinerary
Services specifically listed in itinerary

How did you select the places that we stay in?

Bei Pellegrini has gone to each site and stayed in or toured each facility, met the staff and owners. We prefer to stay in small, locally owned accommodations and support the local economy. Bei Pellegrini strives to find unique, beautiful, and restful accommodations. There are a variety of country inns, bed and breakfasts, villas, chateaux, castles and charming hotels. All rooms will be smaller than American style accommodations. Please note that because we choose to stay in quaint, family run hotels, rooms may vary in size and décor.

What is not included?

Air or other transportation to and from tour start
Meals not specified
Alcohol unless included with meals
Passport and Visas
Travel insurance
Personal expenses – laundry, communications, souvenirs, etc.
Vaccinations

Why travel with Bei Pellegrini?

Bei Pellegrini takes you to the places where history and mythology reside, where you can hear the sounds of life from an older time and enjoy a pace of living that is almost lost to modern society. Bei Pellegrini tours encourage you to walk, see, taste, smell, and hear the environment that you are in, to interact with the local people and to have an experience that you could not have in America.

Our tours do not reproduce experiences that you are used to having in your everyday life. The hectic lives that we lead take us away from our heart’s center, that place almost forgotten within us. Interacting with the folks who live in a region, who farm, bake, or tend the shops there, can help us find that center we may have lost. The opportunity to be in a foreign place, in a building that is older than America itself, can be a life changing, transforming experience, making these journeys ‘trips of a lifetime.’ For us at Bei Pellegrini, that is what travel is about.

What types of food will we be eating?

The cuisine of a region defines that area. Over years of history, a cuisine developed from the resources available. The restaurants selected by Bei Pellegrini reflect the region in which we are traveling. Meats, cheeses, wines, fruits and vegetables from the region are used and put together with a flair only available to native chefs. Flexibility in your palate is essential, and if you have specific food restrictions, please discuss with us directly.

What should I bring?

Packing light is an art and science. The lighter you pack, the more you can explore the area you are traveling in. You should be able to comfortably manage your luggage over short distances (sometimes over cobblestones and gravel). The accommodations we choose may or may not have porters, and although we will assist you as we are able, you must be prepared to manage your own luggage. With each trip you will be sent a recommended packing list of clothes and supplies needed for that specific trip.

What do the trip fitness level ratings mean?

Easy Walker – Need Comfort Shoes

Walk short distances, up to 30 minutes – 2 hours of walking a day, on flat surfaces. May have some gentle grades up and down. Surfaces include gravel, cement, asphalt, and cobble stones. May have a few flight of stairs i.e., into cathedrals, museums or hotel.
Minimal training encouraged.
Have shoes broken in.
Be able to walk flights of stairs.

Athletic Walker – Walking Shoes

Distances up to 1 hour – 4 hours of walking a day. Able to go up and down 5 – 8 % grades on uneven surfaces. Surfaces include gravel, cement, asphalt, and cobble stones. May have flights of stairs to traverse stairs i.e., into cathedrals, museums or hotel.
Training is encouraged.
Must break in Shoes.
Walking stick if unsteady on any of the walking surfaces.

Athletic Intermediate Walker – Walking Shoes or Boots

Distance up to 3 – 8 hours of walking a day. Able to go up and down 5 – 10% grades on uneven surfaces. Surfaces include gravel, cement, asphalt, and cobble stones. May have numerous flights of stairs to traverse.
Training is essential.
Must break in Shoes.
Walking stick encouraged.

Athletic Advanced Walker – Walking Shoes or Boots

Distances 4 – 10 hours a day. Able to go up and down 8 – 12% grades on uneven surfaces. Surfaces include gravel, cement, asphalt, and cobble stones. May have numerous flights of stairs to traverse.
Training is mandatory.
Must break in Shoes.
Walking stick encouraged.

I’ve chosen a trip; have the dates and where we are going.
How will I get from the US to the trip destination?
Are hotel transfers included in the cost?

Arrange with your travel agent for flights to and from Europe. Upon receipt of your deposit, Bei Pellegrini will send a list of shuttles, or appropriate transport for you to find the way to your tour’s starting point.

Will the guides speak English?

All of our guides speak English clearly and often are fluent in a number of languages.

Can the Guide change the trip itinerary?

All of Bei Pellegrini’s guides have guest safety in mind. Travel is always full of surprise. No changes in your itinerary are expected, but your guide reserves the right to make them if necessary.

Will we be busy all the time?
Is there time for rest and reflection?

Bei Pellegrini’s philosophy encourages rest and reflection. Each day, personal time is set aside and encouraged and many trips have rest periods built into some or all days. You are encouraged not to bring your work with you on these trips. You are also not required to participate in every offered tour or excursion and are free to make the sojourn your very own unique travel experience.