Like our private tours, these small-group excursions--with groups of 8 or fewer--have been designed to take travelers deep into the heart of Italy, with special access experiences around food, wine, local culture and beyond.
Come take a journey with us, through the eyes of our first small-group tour last fall: a Food & Wine Lover's Journey through Tuscany and Umbria...
After picking up the group in Rome, we headed into Umbria, first with a quick stop in the charming hill town of Orvieto, walking the city streets and tasting first press olive oil at a local frantoio.
Then, to one of the top wineries in the region, where they opened their doors to us for an exclusive tour of the estate with an extended tasting of vino and antipasti.
After an action-packed first day, guests settled into their accommodations in the medieval village of Spello, for a quick siesta, dinner in the historic center and then a much needed good night's sleep!
On Day 2, we headed in the morning to Spoleto, famous for its fortress, tower bridge and Duomo set at the bottom of a gently sloping piazza against a backdrop of Umbrian forest.
Then an afternoon visit and Umbrian feast in a medieval castle near the town of Todi.
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| The lovely Marchesa Ginevra, whose family has owned the castle for centuries. Ginevra's ancestors include a patron saint, a pope responsible for building the Trevi Fountain, and the former owner of the ship that would become the notorious Mayflower. |
After lunch, we took the scenic route back to Spello, and our guests had a free night to explore the town and dine on their own. The next morning we were off for a big day of exploring, eating and imbibing.
First stop was Cortona, setting for Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun. We spent the morning visiting the town, including Etruscan relics and a local goldsmith selling old-world-inspired jewelry. Then a light bite to tide us over before the evening's main event...
After Cortona, we were off to Assisi and one of the most magnificent churches in all of Italy - the Basilica di San Francesco.
We wandered the town and basilica for a couple of hours, then made our way up into the nearby Umbrian hills to a family-run agriturismo, where we would enjoy a long evening of hands-on cooking and LOTS of eating!
Guests learned the art of artisanal pasta-making...
...old-world bread-making by the crackling calm of a wood-burning oven...
...and, of course, the art of eating like an Italian...
On the last two days of the excursion, we journeyed into the iconic rolling hills of Tuscany, with visits to towns and vineyards in the areas of Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza...
...as well as a stop at a local sheep farm producing the area's only hand-made pecorino cheese (no machines whatsoever).
The cheese-makers are a young husband and wife team who spend all their days making the pecorino by hand, with an incredible love of their craft and passion for what they do.
After a tour and demonstration, they invited us into their home for some vino and formaggi.
While our guests loved their time in Tuscany, they didn't seem to mind making one more stop back in Umbria, for a winery tour in Montefalco and tasting of wines from the rustic sagrantino grape.
And thanks, of course, to the talented Ksenija Savic, for all the beautiful images, and to our master guide--the one, the only, Max.
To join one of our future Tuscany & Umbria excursions, check out the dates still available this year, or email us to learn more.
And stay tuned for details on our next small-group tour in Puglia coming this summer. Puglia is located in the heel of Italy's boot, a road less-traveled, and abounds in lush olive groves, white-washed hill towns and expansive views along the Adriatic coast.
