Sherman's Travel

As the New Year approaches, one resolution prevails: It’s time to jump-start a wellness campaign and get fit! Here are three delightful, family-founded destinations where you can spa like a pro at a guilt-free price-tag.

Adler Thermae Spa & Wellness Resort
Adler Thermae sits atop a verdant hillside in picturesque olive grove and vineyard studded Tuscany just a five-minute walk from the medieval town of Bagno Vignoni. Located two hours north of Rome and an hour south of Siena, the Val d’Orcia region is famous for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino, which are produced nearby. Starting on Sundays through March 2012, the “Tuscan Nature” package ($1,300 per person) features four-night superior accommodations (with views from a balcony or terrace), breakfast and dinner in a glass-roofed dining room, afternoon snack, unlimited access to the indoor/outdoor pools, a grotto, a heated Watsu pool, fitness facility, and the serene relaxation room, even mountain bikes. Included in the price are a facial, a wine wrap, a milk and honey body treatment, and two massages: an olive and a grape! www.adler-thermae.com

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Here’s a really tempting offer just for ShermansTravel.com readers. Ever dream of staying in fabulous villa in Tuscany? Well, you can for half the price! Homebase Abroad is offering 50 percent off at the stunning Villa d’Orcia for the month of May, plus a $500 credit for extras like transfers and tours. The 8-bedroom designer villa, complete with heated pool, hot tub, and onsite cook, usually goes for $17,800/week but you’ll only pay $8,800/week (that’s only $157 per couple per night). And with May flights to Tuscany available for about $800 round-trip, you can really live it up in Italy for less. You have to act fast, of course (all you planners, it may be time to get spontaneous!). For more info and to book, call 781-639-4040 and mention Sherman’s Travel, or contact Homebase Abroad through their online contact form.

For more trip-planning info, see our Tuscany Travel Guide, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, packages, and more travel deals.

Get ready to raise your glass and loosen your belt at the first-ever Divino Tuscany (www.divinotuscany.com) festival June 2-5 feting winemaking in the region. The four-day extravaganza in Florence shows off Tuscany’s foremost vintners alongside fabulous cuisine and world-class entertainment.

Longtime oenophiles as well as those looking to sophisticate their palates will enjoy seminars led by James Suckling, former European Bureau Chief of Wine Spectator; tutored tastings at the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze; and hosted dinners at the private Palazzi of Tuscany’s leading wine families. How to top off such a decadent and delicious weekend? A traditional Tuscan pig roast with Sting and his wife at their private villa, of course.

Book your tickets for the festival with Select Italy; the package costs $2,299/person and does not include airfare or accommodations.

For general trip-planning information, see our Florence Travel Guide.

With its famously mesmerizing scenery and historic roots, it’s no wonder Tuscany figures prominently in The Twilight Saga: New Moon – the hit movie based on Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling vampire love story. Now, both have come to life (afterlife?) in a four day Twilight Tour from Select Italy that uncovers the enigmatic Tuscan settings of the book and film. Starting at $953 per person, the trip includes multiple walking tours that take traveling Twihards to all of New Moon’s most recognizable Italian sites. Led by knowledgeable guides, you’ll wander the onscreen backdrops of Volterra and Montepulciano and as well as locales frequented by actors Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and the other members of the New Moon cast in “real life.” Read more