A Region Less Traveled Basilicata. The provinces of Campagna to the north, Puglia to the east and Calabria to the southwest frame this province. The Gulf of Taranto forms what many refer to as the “arch” of the boot to the south. Between those political and geographic boundaries lies this large and little-known province of [...]
Santa Maria del Monte staircase in Caltagirone, Sicily On an island like Sicily, the choices for places to eat are as diverse as the food that makes this a ‘foodie’ paradise. This is a short list of some favorite places to dine in Eastern Sicily. Hours can change seasonally, so always check before [...]
Ancient Bell Tower in the San Lazzaro degli Armeni Island near Venice The Island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni For many years, San Lazzaro degli Armeni remained mostly secret, tucked away in the Venetian Lagoon not far from the Lido. Slowly, word of this living treasure of enormous value and importance has reached [...]
Family Roots Landscape of Solomeo On the rise of a low hill, not far from Lago Trasimeno—a heart shaped lake in the heart of the province of Umbria—rests the home village of Federica Cucinelli, wife of Brunello Cucinelli. For those unfamiliar with Signor Cucinelli, his family founded what became a world-wide clothing empire. [...]
Naples, Italy The city of Naples delights the eye, the palette, and the intellectual mind, but treasury? How so? How can a city that has become the brunt of jokes and even downright disgust be a treasury? When the Houses of Aragon and Bourbon occupied Naples and controlled the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, [...]
Sicily remains as confounding and amazing as I found it during my first visit fifteen years ago. Each annual return brings surprises and experiences beyond imagination — none so more so than the discovery of a painting by a Dutch artist, Vrancke van der Stockt in, of all places, the Basilica of San Giorgio, the [...]
Each time I drive to the sea on the SS 223, the main road connecting Siena with Grosseto, I find myself charmed and enticed by the numerous small towns that exist in what most visitors call “rural Tuscany.” This area of Tuscany is referred to as La Maremma. Once a malaria swamp, Grand Duke Ferdinando [...]
Puglia is probably the most surprising of Italy’s regions. The Illyric and Italic civilizations initially inhabited this area as early as 40,000 years ago; however, the Greeks, beginning in the 8th Century BC, created the first large settlements along the coast.
Our tours of Northern Italy include adventures to crystal clear alpine lakes, surrounded by the Italian and Swiss Alps. Exceptional local specialties prepared by cooks and private excursions across northern Italy await you on this memorable trip.
Our small group tours of Veneto, Venice, and Tuscany provides guests with unforgettable encounters with the rich culture of these unique regions of Italy.