Apply for a Priority Spot

This year’s tour is intentionally limited to just 8 players to maximize the experience.
Participants will be selected to ensure a balanced group of similar skill levels.

In order to apply for a priority spot you will need to make a deposit below. Players who have a priority spot will take precedence over those without priority at the time of forming the final team for the tour.

If, for any reason, you are not selected for the tour, you will receive a full refund of your $1,525 deposit.

If you would like to be added to the application waitlist in a non-priority position, simply email willtams@gmail.com

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. 

Payment Methods

There are multiple different methods available to make payment to hold your spot. Please see below to pay by credit card, PayPal, or Venmo. If you would like to make payment using another method or platform, please contact us. For tour pricing go here.

Pay by Credit Card via Stripe

Pickleball Package–Deposit to Apply for a Priority Spot

7 days and nights at hotel, all pickleball coaching, tours, private guide
$ 1,525 ~25% Tour Deposit. $1525 refunded if you are not selected to the final group
  • 7 days and 7 nights in private historic Tuscan Hotel
  • Pickleball–Including 18+ hours on-court instruction, additional open play with the coaches, final round robin tournament.
  •  
Popular

Pay Via PayPal or Venmo

If you prefer to pay via PayPal or Venmo, you may do that using the links below. There are no service fees associated with PayPal or Venmo payments. Note that payments will be received by The Collective Spark. This is the business account for the tour.

Other Payment methods

If you would like to make payment using another method, please contact us.

Note, please read:

  1. All final prices for the tour are posted here.
  2. If we are not able to place you in the group or in the event that the trip is canceled for any reason, you will receive a full refund of your $1,525 deposit. 
  3. If, however, after being selected and confirmed for the trip you decide to cancel, you will forfeit your deposit.
  4. Final balance is due 60 days prior to tour. Balance in USD will be based on standard exchange rate at time of final payment.
Scroll to Top

ANDREA ANICHINI

Lead Chef and Owner
A Man from Chianti

Born in the Chianti Classico region and growing up with the values of cooking food with ingredients all from within 1 kilometer of our home shaped who I am today. And if you accompany this meal with a great glass of wine, now you have been introduced to my world.

I am a Man from Chianti, a man with a rustic but sincere personality. I wish to share with you those wonderful emotions I still feel today when I prepare a “pinzimonio” or simply look outside my window.

Andrea Anichini is an artist who crafts his plates with simple, organic, local ingredients creating unique and exquisite meals with just a handful, “one or two ingredients” as he likes to say.

FEDERICO “FRED” MARCONI

Executive Trip Manager Expert Guide and Sommelier
diVino Tours of Italy

Federico Marconi was born in Siena in the fuzzy Seventies, and since then, he has always been in motion. Having long lived abroad and traveled to countless countries, Fred is truly a World citizen with a broad and multi-faceted understanding of different cultures, languages, and countries.

By day, Fred is the Executive Trip Manager and expert guide for the Tuscany Region, as well as being a trained Sommelier with a true love for wines.

By night*, he is a true *Rockstar* to the bone. He is the lead singer of a band where his other side is able to come out. Lastly—and like the rest of us—he is a pickleball fanatic. Fred fell in love with the sport in the early 2020s when there was little to no sign of Pickleball in Tuscany and he began building “guerrilla courts” to be able to play. One of his greatest claims to fame is having built the first ever pickleball court in Tuscany in 2021 in an abandoned parking lot.

Amy-sml

AMY WADMAN

Founder and Director
diVino Tours of Italy

Amy is the Founder, Owner, and Director of diVino Tours of Italy and has been running the business since 2003. Originally born in Boulder, Colorado, she has lived in Italy for more than 35 years now and as a result, has a one of a kind perspective on travel—and life—in Italy. Being both bilingual and bi-cultural, she is uniquely qualified to share her experience with people who are seeking a deeper understanding of the Italian lifestyle.

Amy personally hand crafts diVino’s Custom Tours, where she works with each individual traveler, creating one of a kind itineraries catering to each client’s unique interests and needs. Though her trips are gourmet in nature she also weaves unique art and history experiences into her tours and arranges exclusive events throughout Italy at www.divinotours.com

Besides running diVino Amy also owns an organic farm and olive grove in Le Marche where she produces a rare varietal of olive oil, wines, honey, and blackberry jam. Her site is at: www.costadigiano.com

WILL TAMS

WILL TAMS

Co-Founder and Head Coach
Road to 4.0

I’ve been completely obsessed with Pickleball for the last six years. I love both the social aspect of open play as well as the intensity of competing in high-level tournaments. I’ve participated in tournaments nationwide, including the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Pickleball Nationals.

In 2023, I secured gold in mixed doubles and singles at the APP Qualifier in Mesa, Arizona, earning Golden Tickets to Nationals. In November of 2023 at Nationals, I finished 6th out of 40 teams in Men’s doubles and 7th in singles in a field of 25. But beyond medals and finishes, my true passion lies in coaching and helping others improve. Pickleball, to me, is an exploration of learning and potential, where the court becomes a laboratory for experimentation and self-expression within the sport’s boundaries.

Most of all, I absolutely love this game and my student’s say that my enthusiasm is contagious and helps energize and motivate them to continue to improve their games.

LEE WHITWELL

LEE WHITWELL

#1 Ranked Senior Pro
Womens and Mixed Doubles

Lee Whitwell has a distinguished career and has made significant achievements in the sport, including being voted MVP for the Major League Pickleball in both the 2021 and 2022 season.

Often referred to as “Lady Gibraltar”, Lee has had a trailblazing career in pickleball. She is celebrated not only for her outstanding performances but also for her vibrant personality and dynamic presence both on and off the courts. Consistently voted as fan favorite, Whitwell’s background and experience in pickleball have made her a prominent figure in the community, inspiring many up-and-coming players with her coaching, her story, and her accomplishments both on, and off, the court.

An avid coach, Lee has run clinics all over the world, from the US to China, Mexico to Europe. The same passion she brings to the courts shines through in her dynamic, and accessible, teaching style.