Partners in Friendship (PIF) encourages travel to Italy and to the region of Umbria in particular. Umbria, referred to as "the green heart of Italy,” offers many attractions for tourists, including Aiken’s ancient and beautiful partner city, Orvieto.
PIF sponsors group tours to Italy as opportunities arise. In 2000, eight Aikenites participated in a week-long Italian cooking course taught by Chef Lorenzo Polegri, owner of the Zeppelin Restaurant in Orvieto. A PIF group tour in 1999 included a stay in an agriturismo (a country inn) just outside Orvieto with day trips to Rome, Assisi, Todi, Florence, Siena, Pienza, Montepulciano, and San Gimignano.
A PIF-sponsored group tour often includes an Italian dinner in a private home as well as other opportunities to interact with local residents. Participants in PIF tours to Orvieto have the opportunity to experience the grandeur and history of the city’s beautiful Gothic cathedral, along with the pleasures of shopping for typically artisanal local products including wine, olive oil, and ceramics.
Notice of any upcoming group tours will be provided through e-mails to PIF members and through this site. In the meantime, if you’re planning a trip to Italy you may also want to refer to the following websites:
