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2026 Jun 20 @ 20:08 (UTC-07:00 : PDT/MST)
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Please review the Terms & Conditions before bidding.
-Our donors are very generous!
-For hunts, we encourage you to upgrade your hunt with more days and/or animals.
Remember your participation and any donations will be used for efforts to protect our hunting heritage, wildlife conservation projects, youth and general education about conservation, veteran's support, and other core missions of SCI SFBA and SCI-F.
Italy’s Best Kept Secret - A Taste of Tuscany in Its Most Authentic Season for 4
Experience for 4 Includes:
* 5-night stay in a 2-bedroom apartment in Cortona Italy
* Two curated seasonal signature experiences (based on month of travel)
* Winspire booking & concierge service
There is a side of Tuscany few travelers ever see — a quieter, more intimate season when traditions unfold naturally and the rhythm of life slows to something deeply authentic. Italy’s Best-Kept Secret invites you to experience Tuscany as locals do, beyond the crowds and beneath softer skies, where every moment feels personal and unhurried.
From autumn harvest rituals to candlelit winter dinners, from private family tables to the first stirrings of spring in the vineyards, this curated off-season journey reveals a Tuscany that is lived rather than observed. Based in the timeless hill town of Cortona, your five-night stay becomes the setting for a signature seasonal experience tied to the month of travel — each thoughtfully designed to immerse you in the region’s culture, cuisine, and enduring traditions.
This is not peak-season Italy. This is Tuscany at its most soulful.
NOVEMBER – The Harvest & Gratitude Experience
November in Tuscany is golden and grounded. The air carries the scent of crushed olives and woodsmoke. Hills shimmer in late-autumn light. This is harvest season — not a performance, but a living ritual.
Guests step onto a working estate during the fleeting olive harvest window, joining producers in hand-picking olives at peak ripeness. Fingers brush cool branches. Baskets fill slowly. Stories are shared about terroir, rainfall, and generations of stewardship. The olives are then taken to the mill, where the first pressing releases olio nuovo — vivid green, intensely aromatic, naturally peppery.
Warm bread is torn by hand. Fresh oil glistens. A guided tasting reveals the nuances of acidity, polyphenols, and craftsmanship. It is simple. It is sacred. It is unforgettable. The day concludes with an elegant seasonal lunch at a local Tuscan restaurant Al Tocco — soft autumn lights filter against ancient stone walls, regional wines poured with intention, and multi-course Tuscan cuisine designed for lingering conversation.
November is Tuscany at its most honest — abundant, rooted, and deeply human.
DECEMBER – A Storybook Tuscan Christmas
December in Tuscany feels like stepping into a Renaissance painting dusted in winter light. Stone villages glow beneath garlands and lanterns. Church bells echo through cool evening air. Fireplaces crackle inside centuries-old homes.
Within your residence, a local nonna prepares a traditional multi-course Christmas dinner — handmade stuffed pastas folded with care, slow-braised meats rich with herbs, seasonal vegetables, and classic holiday desserts like panforte and ricciarelli. The table is set with quiet elegance. Stories unfold. During the day, explore the enchanting Christmas markets* of Arezzo and Montepulciano with private driver service. Medieval streets sparkle with festive lights, artisan chalets offer handcrafted treasures, and mulled wine warms gloved hands.
December is not crowded or commercial — it is intimate, nostalgic, and beautifully heartfelt.
JANUARY – Culture Without Crowds
January belongs to travelers who value depth over spectacle. The rhythm slows. Locals reclaim their piazzas. Museums and churches feel contemplative rather than crowded. Guests are welcomed into a private Tuscan home for a multi-course family meal. Recipes passed through generations are served at the table where they were born. Laughter rises easily. Wine refills itself. What begins as a meal becomes belonging. Language lessons unfold in the quiet comfort of your residence, followed by real-world immersion in cafés and trattorias. These sessions transition seamlessly into the real world as you navigate charming cafés and historic trattorias alongside your expert instructor. Under their guidance, the art of ordering a morning espresso or a midday aperitivo becomes a masterclass in local nuance. With every meal and drink during these guided excursions fully included, you are free to focus entirely on the conversation and the hidden gems of the neighborhood. Order espresso like a local. Engage in conversation. Experience Tuscany not as a visitor — but as a participant.
January is reflective, authentic, and unexpectedly powerful.
FEBRUARY – A Tuscan Romance
February in Tuscany moves at a softer pace — mist rolling across vineyards at dawn, golden afternoon light warming stone façades, evenings wrapped in candlelight. Begin with a refined tasting dinner at Ristorante Al Tocco, where each course is thoughtfully paired with regional wines selected by a dedicated sommelier. The atmosphere is intimate, the service discreet, the conversation uninterrupted.
After a restful night at the apartment, escape by private chauffeur to Tuscany’s celebrated thermal springs. Warm mineral waters rise into crisp winter air as steam drifts over rolling countryside. Soak side by side. Feel the contrast of cool air and soothing heat. Time slows.
February is not dramatic — it is deliberate. Designed for reconnection, privacy, and shared stillness.
MARCH – The Awakening of Tuscany
As spring begins to stir, Tuscany awakens in soft greens and golden light. Vineyards bud, wildflowers blanket the hillsides, and the countryside feels quietly renewed.
March coincides with the highly anticipated release of the new Brunello di Montalcino vintage — a moment revered by collectors and connoisseurs around the world. Guests are granted privileged access to private estate tastings, sampling the newly released vintage alongside Riserva and carefully aged selections. Hosted in intimate settings, often led by producers or expert sommeliers, the experience reveals the craftsmanship, terroir, and patience behind one of Italy’s most celebrated wines.
The season continues outdoors with a private landscape painting session guided by a local artist. Set against rolling hills and cypress-lined roads, guests capture Tuscany in bloom — creating a tangible memory shaped by their own hand.
March is Tuscany in motion again — refined, vibrant, and quietly extraordinary.
Luxury Apartment Stay
Your home in Cortona is a charming private apartment, blending classic Tuscan character with modern comforts. From its central location, you’ll be just steps away from Cortona’s shops, trattorias, and piazzas. Toast your arrival with a chilled bottle of Champagne and let Tuscany’s rhythm welcome you into its timeless embrace.
Additional Information: Climbing a staircase is required to access apartment. The building does not have an elevator.
Please note:
* This package is available from November – March.
* Christmas Markets traditionally operate Thursday through Sunday. Exact opening dates and hours may vary slightly each year and will be confirmed closer to your travel dates.
* In-residence dining menus are seasonal and chef curated. Menus are not customizable or pre-selected in advance, ensuring the authenticity, integrity, and freshness of each culinary experience.
* While we aim to provide flexibility whenever possible, certain seasonal experiences are tied to specific agricultural or cultural windows and cannot be shifted outside their designated timeframe.
* Cortona is approximately a 1.5-hour drive from Florence and a 2.5-hour drive from Rome.
Nearby cities: Perugia 45 km; Siena 70 km; Florence 100 km; Rome 205 km; Pisa 200 km
Package blackout dates: The week of major holidays and major local events. Additional dates may apply.
Travel is available from November – March.
WINSPIRE PACKAGE REDEMPTION:
Winspire Travel packages and experiences must be booked within one year of the purchase date. The actual travel date must occur within two years of the purchase date.
WINSPIRE BOOKING & CONCIERGE SERVICES:
Winspire provides a team of seasoned travel professionals to help you redeem your experience. We will book all travel-related details and reservations for every part of your experience. Included within our services, Winspire can assist with extra hotel nights, airfare, and additional guests as a full-service travel agency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Reservations are subject to availability, blackout dates, and major holidays. Reservations must be booked 60 days in advance of travel. Purchases through charity fundraisers are non-refundable. Certificates cannot be resold or replaced if lost, stolen, or destroyed. Ground transportation is the responsibility of the winner unless otherwise stated.
Auction Location:
2596 Bay Road, Redwood City, California, 94063, United States
Credit Card Processing Fee of 4% and Buyers Premium of 6% will be added on each invoice.
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
6% |
Additional Fees:
| Fee | Amount | Applicable Locations | Applied To |
| Credit Card Processing Fee |
4%
|
Not Applicable
|
This fee applies to the total of the invoice
|
Shipping Details:
The Purchaser (winning bidder) of any physical items will be responsible for the cost, with payment in advance, of any shipping, crating, packaging and insurance associated with delivery.
SCI SFBA assumes no responsibility or liability of shipped items. No physical merchandise will be delivered to winning bidders until SFBA bank confirms full payment has been received. All physical merchandise may not be shipped until 30 days after the close of auction.
Trips purchased online will have the hunt packet emailed to them following payment.
Payment Details:
Credit Card Processing Fee of 4% and Buyers Premium of 6% will be added on each invoice.
All sales are final. NO RETURNS OF WON ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED. No payments will, under any circumstances, be accepted from any third party not being a successful qualified bidder. Bidders’ names and addresses to which the merchandise must be delivered may not be changed after date of sale.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- VISA
- Master Card
- AMEX
- Money Order/Bank Draft
- PayPal
- Wire Transfer
All items or trips are sold ‘as is‘. Chapter does not make or express any warranties or representation of any kind or nature with respect to the item or hunt or trip’s description, genuineness, attributions, provenance, or condition. Any warranties with respect to items, hunts or trips are those solely and expressly supplied by the manufacturer or donor. The highest bidder acknowledged by the auctioneer, shall be the purchaser. In case of dispute between bidders, the auctioneer, shall have the sole and final discretion to determine the successful bidder
It is the purchaser's responsibility to contact the hunt or trip donor within 30 days and make all the necessary arrangements. If you fail to contact the donor within thirty days of the date of your purchase, the donor may consider the donation invalid.
All auctioned hunts must be used within the timeframe specified on the donation. If no date range is specified, all hunts or trips must be used within one year of the date of purchase.
A majority of outfitters do not allow "stringing" of donation hunts (purchase of multiple hunts in a single country), even if it is not explicitly stated in the hunt description, so please don't buy more than one hunt per country. If you want to string together two or more donated hunts, be sure to gain the approval of ALL the outfitters ahead of bidding, to ensure they will honor your purchases.
Auction hunts are donated in good faith by the donor. Donations are made to both raise money for our core missions, and secondly to attract new customers to outfitters. Most outfitters do not accept multiple purchases by the same bidder to be used all together as one item. Please be respectful of the opportunity you have been offered!
Auction hunt buyers must be flexible as some dates are inevitably booked by the outfitter or professional hunter.
SHIPPING DETAILS:
The Purchaser (winning bidder) of any physical items will be responsible for the cost, with payment in advance, of any shipping, crating, packaging and insurance associated with delivery.
SCI SFBA assumes no responsibility or liability of shipped items. No physical merchandise will be delivered to winning bidders until SFBA bank confirms full payment has been received. All physical merchandise may not be shipped until 30 days after the close of auction.
Trips purchased online will have the hunt packet emailed to them.
CHARITABLE DEDUCTION QUALIFICATIONS
SCI SFBA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is listed as a charitable organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code. Therefore, in accordance with IRS regulations, payments or donations made to the SCI SFBA Chapter for auction items MAY be tax deductible. Please consult your accountant. SCI SFBA tax identification number is 94-3142350
ACCEPTED PAYMENT METHODS
Please contact Beverly Valdez within 24 hours to arrange payment. bev@safariclub-sfbay.org / 650-409-6005. You must provide card type, account number, expiration date, billing zip code, and 3 digit security code from back of card.
All sales are final. NO RETURNS OF WON ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED. No payments will, under any circumstances, be accepted from any third party not being a successful qualified bidder. Bidders’ names and addresses to which the merchandise must be delivered may not be changed after date of sale.
Premiums
6% Buyer's Premium will be added to each winning bid.
4% Credit card fee will be added to each winning bid processed by credit card, wire transfer, or Paypal.
All physical items are subject to local sales tax for Redwood City, California. (9.875%)