Travel Companions are program participants who do not sing. They join our program to support a friend, a relative, a spouse, or a travel buddy who is a choral singer. About a third of participants are travel companions. They participate in all of our non-artistic activities, that is, our daily outings, cultural events, tastings, walking tours, meals, etc., and may even choose to make extra arrangements for their very own activities while singers rehearse every day for 3 hours. They may relax and be on their own, take a dip in the pool, go to the beach, and then enjoy the many cultural events we have lined up for summer 2023 in Puglia. 

 

All travel companions attend concerts in support of the program.

 

The program has a minimal age of 18 and is, therefore, not designed for teenagers or children. Most program participants lie within the 50 to 70 age bracket, are fun, curious, positive, educated and cultured people, with some international travel experience, who are able to endure the moderate level of physical demands of the Italian terrain, though Puglia is flatter than most other Italian regions. Travel companions do not need to apply or pay the application fee to join the program, only singers. They sign up by filling out an online form sent to them via email after their singer companion has already applied and been officially accepted into the program's ensemble of participants. Travel companions pay a lower program fee. 

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On occasion and if there is available space the program will make special arrangements for visitors to join the group and participate in our non-artistic and cultural events. We do argue that the program is best experienced as a full program participant, but, we understand some people have time constraints. As so, visitors are then charged a higher rate that is outside of the program's specially pre-arranged group rates, which include all events, dinners or meals, tastings, walking tours with guides, transportation, hotel, tour operator, etc. The singing participant that would like to have a visitor should communicate with the program director as soon as possible so special arrangements can be made by the program payment deadline of Friday, January 13, 2023.