Follow your five senses through five of the country’s diverse regions
Artisanal. In America, it’s a buzzword, but in Italy, it’s a way of life. And you won’t experience it looping the Colosseum on a bus tour or jostling with tourists in Venice’s famed (and crowded) Piazza San Marco. Artisanal Italy exists in the terroir that imbues the people here with authenticity and warmth. It is the intangible souvenir you take with you after tasting olive oil with the farmer who pressed it before your eyes, exploring the secret alleyways of Pompeii with an archeologist who helped excavate the ruins, and sitting down for lunch with a Sardinian shepherd on his beautiful farm. Here are a few highlights for your five senses from five of our Italian tours.
The Amalfi Coast & Capri
HEAR The crackling wood-fire that has your mouth watering in anticipation of lunch, as you listen to the made-fresh-last-night mozzarella bubble to perfection in the kitchen of our local friend’s private home. You’ll be invited in for a homemade pizza tutorial, accompanied by a barrel tasting of his family’s wine. The sounds of convivial laughter will accompany the fine feast before you, as you indulge your ears (and soon, your tastebuds) in the true meaning of “la dolce vita” along the Amalfi Coast.
Italy’s Lake Region
TASTE Alfredo’s family has been making La Toma del Mottarone, or “mountain cheese,” for generations on the slopes of the 4,500-foot peak that overlooks lakes Orta and Maggiore. Visit his small shop, where he’ll tell you about his all-organic cheese-making process and explain how the high-altitude air, sunny skies and alpine-lake water affect the grass upon which the milk cows graze. And yes, before you leave, you’ll enjoy sampling a fresh slice or two. The Italian Lakes region is a gormand’s paradise… buon appetito!
Sicily
SMELL At wineries and commercial vineyards around Italy, wines are aged in barrels before they’re bottled and shipped—down the street or around the globe—for mass consumption. A stop on your Sicily walking tour brings you the private vineyards of our friends, who invite you to their organic winery, renowned for producing acclaimed local wines. The volcanic soil in this part of the island is ideal for grape cultivation. Engage your senses as you sniff, swirl and sip the wine (while soaking up the incredible views)!
Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
TOUCH Michelangelo’s David is an impressive sight to the millions of sightseers who visit Florence every year. But few travelers have the unique opportunity to run their fingers across a block of raw Apuane marble, like the one from which David originated. The masterpiece is even more remarkable after visiting Tuscany and the Cinque Terre and feeling the steadfastness of the marble. As you travel from Chianti to the Cinque Terre, you’ll visit a workshop in Pietrasanta to see how sculptors have meticulously plied stone for thousands of years. Three days later, when you’re standing in front of the statue, you’ll fully grasp the artistry and skill required to bring out its details—David’s furrowed brow and the veins in his right hand—that have made it one of the world’s greatest works of art.
The Dolomites
SEE Known for its impressive peaks, iconic ski resorts, and the historic 1956 Winter
Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, this stunning northern region has high alpine meadows and spectacular views. Join us on our Dolomites tour to walk the Santa Maddalena Panorama Trail and through wildflower-dotted meadows to the dramatic Seceda ridgeline for unforgettable views you won’t see elsewhere!
