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Italy

The island of Elba

Lazio

Tuscany & Umbria

Venice and Lake Garda

Southern Italy

Sicily

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Hermitage Resort

Travel with:		Powder Byrne
Stay:		Hermitage Resort. Relatively unspoilt Italian Island. Clear sea, pine forests, olive groves. Hilltop towns, fishing ports
Accommodation:		Double rooms, interconnecting rooms, junior suites and apartments, depending on the size of your party and the amount of space you prefer. Air conditioning, minibars.
Facilities:		8 tennis courts Massage 6 hole golf practice Beauty salon 3 salt water swimming pools, including a small childrens pool 2 bars, 3 restaurants Special childrens restaurant Excursions arranged
Childcare:		Creche (4mths to 4 years) Mon Friday 9.30-16.30. You book your place before departure and use as much or as little as you like. Open outside and during school holidays from end May to end of September. Costs £25 during school holidays, free other times. Babysitting can be arranged locally. In addition, childcare from 6mths - 14 yrs during the summer months with Powder Byrne.
Beach:		Right on beautiful private beach.
Travel:		By scheduled flight to Elba via Zurich ordirect to Pisa with minibus and ferry transfer.
Price guide:		£999-£1450 half board per week,weekends from £735. Early booking reductions. Impt: flight and half board charges apply to infants.

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					Lonely Planet Tuscany
		The Rough Guide to Italy			Lonely Planet Tuscany

		Lonely Planet Italy

Family Diving

Travel with:		Family Diving, www.familydiving.co.uk
Stay:		Elba, Italy
Location:		The beautiful island of Elba lies 15km off the coast of Tuscany and is one of 7 islands that form the Tuscan Archipelago - National Park. It is the largest island in the National Park having a surface area of around 224 sq. km (28km long and 19km across at its widest point) and is, in fact, Italy’s third largest island. The coastline is incredibly varied - sandy beaches, shingle beaches and steep cliffs. Elba is an incredibly lush island with a very tropical feel to it. The west of the island is very mountainous, the highest peak of the Archipelago is Mt. Capanne reaching 1018m. The island is probably most famous as the place where Napoleon was exiled in May 1814. He spent less than a year here on the island but left a significant mark on this small kingdom. He was, in fact, recognized as the sovereign of Elba and not as a simple prisoner.
Accommodation:		The private charter live-aboard boat – MV Griffin. Sean, Emma and little Grace live on the live-aboard M.V. Griffin in the waters off Elba. They offer diving holidays aboard Griffin. They contacted Family Diving after having their first child, Grace, realizing that a slightly more family approach to their diving holidays would now be needed. Family Diving can offer diving holidays aboard Griffin as your own private charter. MV Griffin is a 51-ft, twin-screw Dickens-class vessel, built originally for the British Admiralty. Often described as a boat that “gives you a cuddle”, due to the strength and character that she exudes, Griffin has been completely refitted for comfortable live-aboard charter. She is equipped with on-board compressor, generator, GPS, depth sounders, VHF and Oxygen, to ensure your maximum safety and enjoyment. They also have a 4.5m RIB for use as a tender, ski-boat or auxiliary dive-boat. Sean is a qualified and experienced PADI Instructor, with a passion for underwater photography. Emma is a PADI Divemaster and also, being the chef, prides herself on the standard of food offered. The standard charter is one week, but shorter or longer holidays can be provided depending on the time of year. The price you pay includes full board accommodation, all meals, wine with dinner, tea/coffee/soft drinks, 10 dives over a week and the use of the tender. An honesty bar service is provided or there is a fully-inclusive bar price for all alcoholic beverages. Diving weeks are based on a 5-day program of 2 dives per day and include tanks, weights and guided diving when required. There is full kit hire at an extra 20 pounds per week but this does not include wet suits. If you do not have your own wet suit, hire can be arranged once on the island. They also provide other activities such as fishing, water-skiing, donut rides and snorkeling. Extra is charged for the powered water sports (i.e. water-skiing and donut rides). The beauty of this holiday is that you are free to decide exactly what you would like to do with the boat once on board. You can make your own itinerary. You may decide you would like to only do one dive that day and visit the island in the afternoon. You may decide you would like to travel to the south of the island to try some diving down there and then spend the night in one of the ports on that side of the island. You may decide you would like to visit one of the many beautiful beaches on the island – whatever you decide, Sean and Emma will be there to cater for your every need.
The dives:		In Italy, several large reserves have been established, but the Tuscan Archipelago is the first great Marine Park. It is the most extensive protected area in all European waters. The great diversity of the Archipelago is due to the variety of coastline and the seabed. The largest part of underwater life is concentrated in the incredible yellow, light blue and red coral, which is one of the most threatened marine species. The rare red coral Corallium rubrum can be found here. The Tuscan Archipelago has seas of extraordinary beauty. Rare fish like the swordfish, the tuna fish and the sun fish all live here. Here are a few descriptions of some of the dive sites around Elba: Lo Scoglietto - Closest site to Portoferraio, just outside harbour, this location offers 3 possible dives. A sloping reef to 25m, very common to see large groupers, eels and dentex. A reef and small wall (max. 17m) with a very beautiful purple gully smothered in colour and often with large Scorpion fish. A deeper (36m) wall dive absolutely covered in colour and corals and also many lobsters. You can also find shark eggs (mermaid's purses) at certain times of the year. Secca di Santa Lucia - Near Portoferraio, a pinnacle of depth 9-25m. Difficult to find but covered in static life and huge numbers of reef fish. Good for nudibranchs, pelagic fish and eels. Can also see barracuda and eagle rays. Pomonte Wreck - West coast, the "Elviscott", wrecked in 1978, carrying timber to Marseilles. Lies in only 15m of very clear water and is very intact so can also be enjoyed by snorkelers. Nice long dive, due to lack of depth, lots of life and very photogenic. Can also be penetrated fairly easily. La Corbella - South coast, very nice reef with lots of fish (octopus common here), leading to beautiful coral gardens at 30m+, full of big red gorgonian sea fan corals. Small statue of bear (symbol of Berlin) placed at 22m by visiting German divers. Secca di Fonza - South coast - pinnacle/wall dive of depth 7-40m. Beautiful vertical wall with masses of fish and covered in gorgonian coral. If caught at right time, can rival a red sea dive. Diving courses are available to include SASY Courses for 5 years and above, Snorkelling Courses (all ages) and Skin Diving Courses from 8 years and up.
For children:		Once on the boat, Sean will take you out on the dives whilst Emma will look after your children. The beauty of this arrangement is that you do not have to leave your children for any great length of time and there is no extra charge for childcare. If you would like to go out in the evening, say for dinner on the island, Sean is more than willing to drop you off and pick you up via the tender onto the island and they are both there to baby sit your little ones whilst you enjoy some adult time, again at no extra charge. There are a number of activities available other than diving once on board to include snorkeling, fishing, waterskiing and donut rides. Although smaller children are more than welcome upon MV Griffin, we recommend this holiday for families with children of 4 years and above. Sean and Emma have entertained many families aboard MV Griffin and have often had to say goodbye to crying children who just don’t want to leave. MV Griffin provides a wonderful adventure holiday for the children and enables parents to get a bit of diving in at the same time. Safety issues with regard to the boat have, especially since the birth of their own daughter, been addressed with netting around the boat to stop little ones falling overboard, life jackets, safer cabin steps etc. Some rules i.e. children running have to be followed once on board to minimize any accidents.
Travel time:		Flight from UK to Pisa (1 ½ hours) and taxi/ferry service (2.5 hours approx.). Family Diving can arrange your flights and transfers.
Price guide:		Price of private charter of the boat to include accommodation, daily diving (up to 10 dives in one week), all food/beverages (to include wine with dinner) start from £1560 up to £2470 for a week (dependant on number in party and date of travel).

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Hotel del Golfo

Travel with:		Powder Byrne
Stay:		Hotel del Golfo, Procchio, Elba
Location:		In one of the most enchanting bays of the island and close to the picturesque village of Marciana, and within walking distance of shops and restaurants.
Accommodation:		The del Golfo is set in mature lawned gardens with pines above a private sandy beach. All rooms are furnished in a very comfortable Mediterranean style. There are 102 air-conditioned rooms and suites. Double rooms are suitable for 2 adults and 1 child, interconnecting rooms suitable for 2 adults and 2 or 3 children, Junior suites are suitable for 2 adults and 1 or 2 children. Most rooms have terrace or balcony, in the main building or in 6 villas in the garden.
Facilities:		Good food, and a wide range of sporting facilities, including tennis, sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing, sea water swimming pool, private sandy beach, children's club (3-12 yrs, 15-10 September), watersports, tennis, diving centre 200m.
For children:		Club for 3 to 12-year-olds. In addition, childcare from 6mths - 14 yrs during the summer months with Powder Byrne.
Travel time:		Approx 2.5hrs flight from UK to Pisa or Florence
Price guide:		£329–£819 pp sharing a double room on a half board basis.

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