italian-delights-tours

12 day Walks and Wonders Tour- Discover Italy's Hidden Charms

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 01:43:38 GMT

12-Day Walks and Wonders Tour: Discover Italy’s Hidden Charms

A Journey of Immersion, Taste, and Breathtaking Landscapes

Italy has long enchanted travellers with its timeless beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture. The " 12 Day Walks and Wonders Tour ,” takes you beyond the typical tourist trails, offering unforgettable experiences that immerse our guests in Italy’s treasures. From serene countryside strolls to bustling local markets, and from medieval salami cellars to delectable culinary encounters, this tour promises something extraordinary at every turn.

The "12 Day Walks and Wonders Tour" is crafted for those seeking authentic, immersive experiences. It combines scenic walks with cultural discovery, allowing our guests to connect deeply with Italy’s essence. Whether you’re marvelling at architectural wonders or sampling regional delicacies, this tour guarantees a feast for the senses.

Experience the warmth of local culture, the joy of slow travel, and the magic of Italy's untouched beauty.

If Italy has long been on your bucket list, this tour is the perfect way to experience its myriad delights. Every step you take and every dish you savour becomes part of a larger tapestry of unforgettable memories. Ready your walking shoes and your appetite for the adventure of a lifetime.

Join us for an unforgettable 12-day adventure. Click Here to contact us or visit 12-day Walks and Wonders Tour for more information.

Why Choose Walking Tours

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 01:43:34 GMT

Why Choose Walking Tours

When you think of Italy, many people think of ticking off a list of ‘big ticket’ names such as Florence, Venice, and Rome. As incredible as these destinations may be, it's often difficult to experience the 'real' Italy when you're surrounded by crowds of tourists. That’s why for the past 17 years we at Italian Delights Tours have focused on offering tours that venture off the beaten track; beautiful places that you might never have discovered on your own, or amazing restaurants only known through word of mouth of local Italians.

More recently, we’ve slowed things down even further with our bespoke, food and wine-oriented walking tours. We're thrilled to offer these options, as they allow guests to truly appreciate the gorgeous landscapes on our tours by being fully immersed in them. There’s always something truly magical to discover - from the kestrels gliding overhead, to the tiny pink flowers on the Rock Soapwort growing wild in the fields.

Our walking tours are designed for enjoyment; they are not strenuous hikes and don’t require any special skill. On average, we walk about 13 kilometres a day, with a mix of hilly and flat terrain. We give ourselves time to stop for photos, talk about the flora, rest, and keep an eye out for the chance to spot some wildlife. Recently, we were lucky enough to surprise a pair of courting roe deer who were so absorbed in each other, they didn’t hear us until we were nearly upon them. It was a beautiful highlight of our day.

Our walks usually take us along quiet country lanes or bush tracks, giving us time to chat and get to know each other, or simply enjoy the peaceful countryside. If you feel like you have had enough walking for whatever reason, we have a van that can take you to our next stop - which is usually lunch! And speaking of lunch, what better way to build up an appetite for a long, leisurely Italian meal, than by walking for a few hours beforehand. We have been delighted to see our walking groups heartily enjoy their meals. These special lunches often consist of quite a few courses, so it is great to see guests eager for the next dish while enjoying a glass of wine or a refreshing soft drink.

Our intimate walking tours also allow time for unexpected encounters with locals. Because we offer genuine small group tours (with usually no more than 7 people per group), we often find ourselves welcomed into intimate, delightful moments. We’ve been invited into homes, welcomed into front yards to admire beautiful country views, and ushered into gardens to rest and share a chat. We've even explored medieval salami cellars!

We walk not only for the beauty offered on our walks, but for the gentle way that walking connects us with the surrounding natural landscapes. Time once spent in tour vans has largely been replaced by walking in the open fresh air. It’s the most eco-friendly way to explore Italy, allowing all of us to enjoy the journey while treading more lightly on the planet.

Our walking tours are about local bites, slow chats, and the kind of authenticity that doesn't come in a brochure. Join us in 2026 - The laughter is real, and the enduring memories are waiting! Visit www.italiandelights.com.au to come along on our next walking adventure!

Discovering the Timeless Charm of the University Library of Pavia

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 01:17:58 GMT

Discovering the Timeless Charm of the University Library of Pavia

Step into the realm of history and intellectual wonder at the University Library of Pavia, one of Italy's oldest public libraries. The Pavia University was founded in 1754 by Maria Theresa of Austria, during a time of educational reform. For centuries it has been a hub of knowledge. Join us for a visit to the University of Pavia on our 12-Day Walk and Wonders Tour .

The library opened to the public in 1772 and moved to its current location in 1778. Luminaries such as Albert Einstein (who lived in Pavia and frequented the university during his subsequent regular visits), Alessandro Volta (the inventor of the electric battery and discoverer of methane), Albrecht von Haller (a famous Swiss naturalist and anatomist) and Joseph Frank (an equally prominent German physician), once roamed the halls of this library and university. The library contains a treasure trove of scientific texts and rare herbaria. It also houses the exceptional Aldini fund collection, donated by Pier Vittorio Aldini. Overall, it has an extensive collection of over 1,500,000 documents including books, journals, videos, and other significant artefacts.

The highlight of the library is the Teresian salon, named after Maria Theresa. With its grand wooden shelves, carved cornices, and a rounded balcony. It blends historic charm with a scholarly atmosphere.

The library's collection includes contributions from notable figures like Charles Joseph of Firmian. It also holds handwritten documents by Nobel laureates Camillo Golgi and the previously mentioned Albert Einstein, preserving centuries of knowledge within its walls.

The library's herbaria collection features both ancient and modern botanical studies. It includes preserved plant specimens from famous botanists like Giuseppe Moretti and Santo Garovaglio, making it an invaluable resource for studying plant biodiversity and taxonomy. While the past is meticulously preserved, the University Library of Pavia also thrives as a modern research hub, continuously supporting academic endeavours with its extensive digital resources and contemporary facilities.

The University Library of Pavia is more than just a library; it is a monument to the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

Unforgettable Dining Experience at Ra Canva da Berto

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 23:51:43 GMT

Unforgettable Dining Experience at Ra Canva da Berto

The photo above is just a small part of the hospitality shown to guests dining at Ra Canva da Berto. On entering the rustic foyer of Ra Canva, you are greeted by welcoming hosts and offered a cheese and salame tasting to whet your appetite. This is just a start to the wonderful variety of homemade delights to come.

We can thank the skilled cook Maria Adelaide Giorgetti, who is the great-granddaughter of the original builder of the house where Ra Canva is situated. She is not professionally trained but offers up to her guests everything she has learned from her grandmothers and mother since childhood. Maria makes pasta, ravioli, bread, and cakes without the support of machinery!

The farmhouse Ra Cànva da Berto, is located in a house built in 1864 by Giovanni Battista Giorgetti, the ancestor of the current owners.

In the 1950s, the building served as a food shop, tobacconist, and tavern, catering to soldiers from nearby summer camps in Reganzo and Torrone.

By the 1960s, one room became the village elementary school, but in the 1970s, young people began leaving the countryside for other opportunities. Little by little the country was depopulated inevitably causing the closure of the school and of the shop.

The old shop was transformed into a cellar by the owner Giorgetti Umberto, it was here after hard work in the fields, the remaining inhabitants decided to commence the agriturismo of Ra Cànva da Berto.

You can dine with us at Ra Canva on our 12 Day Walks and Wonders Tour on May 13 to May 24, 2025 and

April 14 to April 25, 2026 . We strategically plan a walk to and from Ra Canva.

The Wonders of Springtime in Northern Italy

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 02:12:11 GMT

The Wonders of Springtime in Northern Italy

Are you feeling the itch to travel again? Do you want to explore new places, try new foods, and experience a different culture? Then why not consider Italy in the springtime?

We at Italian Delights Tours firmly believe that Spring is the best time to experience Italy. In Northern Italy spring brings to life its stunning landscapes, rich history, and delicious cuisines. This is why Italian Delights tours run most of our tours in Spring and early summer!

Here are some reasons why you should travel to Italy in the spring:

Lovely weather:

Italy in the spring is not too hot and not too cold. The temperatures are mild, and there is plenty of sunshine. This makes it an ideal time to explore the cities, stroll through the countryside, and enjoy the beaches.

Fewer crowds:

Spring is shoulder season in Italy, which means that there are fewer tourists than in the summer months. This makes it easier to get around and enjoy all the attractions without the crowds.

Beautiful scenery:

Italy is famous for its beautiful landscapes. In spring the countryside comes alive with wildflowers, lush greenery, and blossoming trees. The hills and valleys of Piedmont, the lakes of the Lombardy, and the Ligurian Coast are just a few examples of the stunning scenery you can enjoy with us during Spring without the crowds.

Festivals and events:

Italians love to celebrate. And in the spring, there are plenty of festivals and events to enjoy. For example, in the last week here we have enjoyed 3 festivals in nearby towns. A few weeks ago, Varzi (where most of our tours are based), had its major festival for the year, and in a couple of weeks’ time it will celebrate its beloved and famous Salame di Varzi, by throwing another 3-day festa called the “Festa del Salame”! Only two weeks after this festa, there’s another 10-day celebration of music and theatre here called the Festa di Varzi. When staying here, our guests get to experience these unique and novel local festivities.

Food and wine:

Italian cuisine is world-renowned. And in the spring, you can enjoy some of the freshest and most delicious produce. Asparagus, artichokes, fava beans, and peas are just a few of the seasonal ingredients you can try at this time of the year in Northern Italy. And of course on tour we also offer many opportunities to enjoy Piedmont and Lombardy’s amazing wines and stunningly beautiful wine regions.

Cultural experiences:

Italy is a country with a rich history and culture. In the spring you can explore the museums, galleries, and historical sites without the summer crowds. From the ancient ruins of Rome to the art of Florence, there is something for everyone here in Italy.

So why not plan your trip to Italy in the spring? With perfect weather, fewer crowds, beautiful scenery, festivals and events, delicious food and wine, and cultural experiences, it's the perfect time to explore this amazing country with us on tour!

If you would like to book a place on one of our 2025/2026 Spring and early Summer tours, you can contact us by clicking here . To see our 2025/26 tour offerings, visit our Italian Tours Page by clicking here .

Welcome to Varzi!

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 07:16:00 GMT

Welcome to Varzi!

Why did we choose Varzi as a base most for most of our tours? Mainly because Varzi is a beautiful little medieval town nestled in a lush green valley, and Jim and I have a very fond association with this town. We have a deep love for Varzi and its surrounds and are really keen to share this with our guests on tour. Varzi has a big part of our hearts. Jim’s dad was born here, and Jim returned with his dad several times during his childhood. We also made Varzi our base for our 6 month back-packing honeymoon in 1996. During this time, we came back to Varzi from travelling in the Middle East and Africa (to rest and fatten-up!) before we headed off again to other parts of Europe. In 2005 and 2006 we packed up everything in Australia and lived here with our young sons, who experienced their very early primary school years here. It was during this time that we also made the decision to start tours based around this area and the towns we got to know and love.

Varzi is a small town with a medieval heart. It’s at the southern tip of the northern Italian region of Lombardy, situated in the Oltrepò Pavese area, which is well known for its Champagne-style 100% pinot noir sparkling wines. This wine region grows over 80% of Italy’s pinot noir grapes (pinot nero in Italian). Varzi has a rich history dating back to the Roman era. The name "Varzi" is actually believed to have originated from the Latin word "Varisium," which means "a place where wild boars are hunted."

During the Middle Ages, Varzi was an important trading town and stronghold, and its strategic location made it a valuable target for many different armies. The town was occupied by various groups, including the Lombards, the Franks, and the Visconti family. Its rich history can be seen in its charming and well-preserved medieval centre.

During the 19th century, Varzi played an important role in the struggle for Italian unification. The town was an important centre of resistance against foreign domination, and many of its inhabitants took part in the Italian Risorgimento movement. Varzi was also heavily involved in the battles of World War II during the 20th Century, and interestingly, briefly became a Republic after defeating the Italian Fascists and Germans in a local battle during the final years of World War II. Both of Jim’s aunties were partisans fighting against the Fascists during these horrible years of conflict.

In more recent times, Varzi has become known for its beautiful scenery and outdoor activities, as it is based in the foothills of the Apennine Mountains. The town is surrounded by rolling hills and dense forests of chestnuts, maples, birch, and hornbeam, which is why it makes such a perfect area to base our walking tours around. In the summer Varzi is popular with the people of Milan, who come here to escape the summer heat and enjoy the delicious regional food. It is an authentic Italian cultural and historical experience that has very few international tourists.

For more information on Italian Delight Tours, you can visit our web page by clicking here . You may also contact us here .

Guest Stories of Unforgettable Italian Adventures

info@italiandelights.com.au (Italian Delights) — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 06:44:18 GMT

Guest Stories of Unforgettable Italian Adventures

Discover why our guests rave about their experiences with us! Our guest testimonials offer a glimpse into the unforgettable moments and dedicated service that define our tours. From the breathtaking landscapes of Varzi to the rich history and delectable cuisine, our guests share their heartfelt stories and genuine appreciation. Don’t just take our word for it—read their testimonials from the last couple of years and see how our tours have created lasting memories and exceeded expectations. Join the community of satisfied travellers and let their experiences inspire your next adventure!

Warm Hospitality and Personalized Walks in Varzi

Jim and Lynette are such excellent hosts. We felt we were part of their family as they introduced us to their friends and contacts in and around Varzi. They were so considerate during our walks, attending to each personal preference or need and ensuring all were able to gain full enjoyment from the landscape, the terrain and the villages we entered. And the food! Fresh, local and prepared and presented with care, it more-than-satisfied the eyes, the palate and the appetites we worked up during our daily hikes. We highly commend this as an outstanding experience and a wonderful holiday.

- Peter

Great Organisation, Amazing Food, and Challenging Walks

Organisation was great; food was amazing; walks were varied and, for me, challenging at times (but it’s good to be challenged); we were introduced to beautiful scenery and memorable villages and towns; Varzi was a perfect base; company was always enjoyable. In summary, the entire experience was terrific. Thank you, Lynette and Jim.

- Alison

Authentic Italy Off the Beaten Path

I had a wonderful holiday. Off the busy tourist trail, getting to see a small slice of the real Italy - a rustic dairy with a lovely homecooked lunch, boutique wineries, walking trails through picturesque rolling hills, historic churches and monasteries. Jim and Lynette were enthusiastic and knowledgeable hosts. Thanks very much, it was a great time!

- James

Stunning Walks and Thoughtful Keepsakes

A fantastic tour with Jim and Lynette in Italy. The walks with Lynette were beautiful, the food was superb, Jim’s support in the van was invaluable. We really enjoyed the variety of locations,

the walking, the food and the aperitivos. Lynette also created an amazing photo album of our experience. I’d recommend joining Jim and Lynette on one of their tours!

- Jane

A Tour Full of Conviviality and Local Delights

Only one word to describe this fabulous small group walking and tasting tour - Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

The tour provided the right balance between group activities and private time. Great varied walking along country roads and through green forests. Wonderful scenery, lots of conviviality, well organized, and good company. The local food and wine were amazing, certainly, nothing we could have organized ourselves. Jim and Lynette are gracious hosts, generous, informed, and helpful to non-Italian speakers. I would highly recommend this tour which provides an in-depth experience of regional Lombardy.

- Jo

A Birthday Tour Made Extra Special

Jim and Lynette from Italian Delights Tours are wonderful hosts - I arranged a private tour with them for my birthday and they were very accommodating including little extras like arranging a very special birthday cake at one of the lunch stops. They are great conversationalists with lots of knowledge to share about their area of Italy. Highly recommend them to anyone wishing to visit Italy.

- Anne-Marie

A Solo Traveler’s Authentic Italian Experience

Hi Jim and Lynette.

Just wanted to say a big thank you for the Southern Delights Tour! It would have to be one of the most authentic Italian experiences I have ever had! Greg and Silvia were the perfect hosts and made it very easy for us to appreciate the hospitality of the whole family so well. Greg was able to give us such a valuable insight to the difficulties of learning to live in Italy and to speak the language, but it is clear that he loves it and that the challenges to overcome the obstacles have been worth it. Silvia is the perfect example of a modern thinking Italian while always respecting and understanding the traditional values of the family. The whole family were so welcoming and went above and beyond to make us feel like we were part of the family. We were all so sad when it came time to say goodbye.

We were overwhelmed by the wonderful food, and the quantity! With Greg and Silvia’s help, we were able to navigate how to get less food served at meals so that we wouldn’t feel bad about having to leave some! The outcome felt like a win/win for everyone! The places that we were taken to were special and we know that not many tourists would get to see some of the places that we went to. It really felt like we were the only tourists in some of the places we visited and that’s very special!

Being a solo traveller was no problem at all as the three couples on the tour were very inclusive. I hope that I can join you on one of your other tours at some time in the future.

Thanks again!

- Julie

A Homely Italian Holiday with Local Knowledge

A lovely true homely Italian holiday. Wonderful family welcome and heaps of local knowledge (and cooking !) . A real highlight!

- Darrell

COFFEE PASSION

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 04:04:05 GMT

COFFEE PASSION

Did you know that Italians spend over € 1.2 billion in hypermarkets and supermarkets on coffee every year? A turnover that makes it one of the main items on the shopping list. However, in this ever-changing world Italians are buying less ground coffee and increasing their intake of the more expensive coffee capsules. Capsules represent the latest revolutionisation of the world of coffee.

The coffee we know today is the result of technological innovations that have made it possible to transform these berries into the aromatic and invigorating drink that we love so much. The most revolutionary was the invention of the espresso machine. The prototype of which was presented in 1855 at the Universal Expo in Paris. Its innovation is already in its name: "made on the spot, for those who request it" was the slogan that accompanied the presentation.

A few years later, in 1881, on the other side of the world, instant coffee was born. It was an innovation developed by the Japanese-American chemist Satori Kato, who was also responsible for the invention of the instant tea bag. A US importer of coffee asked him to study something similar to the tea bag. Subsequently, in 1901 instant coffee was patented and presented at the Pan-American Expo in Buffalo.

But it was only in 1938 that Nestlé perfected this patent and launched it in Switzerland in 1938 under the name of Nescafé. It was developed in order to solve the problem of the excess production of Brazilian coffee left unsold in warehouses.

Another famous brand that has made the history of coffee is Hag: the first decaffeinated coffee in the world. It was born in the early 1900s thanks to the experiments of a German chemist and entrepreneur Ludwig Roselius. In Italy today Caffe’ Hag is still used as a generic term when ordering a decaffeinated espresso, or short black in bars.

The history of coffee is studded with brilliant innovators: like Francesco Illy who, in 1934, patented pressurisation. This packaging technique (together with vacuum packing), removes the air from the jar before it is sealed and adds inert gases (such as ozone). This process guarantees optimal protection for the coffee, allowing it to keep fresh for months and months (up to two years).

In more recent years, the big news that has shaken the market has been the launch of capsules, which, thanks to technological innovations in domestic coffee machines, allow everyone to make a coffee worthy of the best bar at home.

Places we love to share with you in the Oltrepo Pavese

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 06:55:27 GMT

Places we love to share with you in the Oltrepo Pavese

The wine region of the Oltrepo Pavese. Photo by Edoardo Vaccaroli

The places below are just a snippet of the daily experiences we share with guests on our tours. Each day offers new insights into local Italian culture, and surprises and pleasures that can’t be planned!

The Oltrepo’ Pavese – (The Other side of the Po)

If you want to see every shade of green there is in the world, then come to the Oltrepo Pavese. The lush greenery of the fields and rolling hills will amaze you. The Oltrepo’ Pavese rivals the beauty of Tuscany, with its orchards, vineyards and plethora of medieval villages and castles. The food is authentic, and the wines are excellent. Although the Oltrepo’ is one of the largest wine producing regions in all of Italy, it is still relatively unknown, which makes it a great ‘off-the-beaten-track’ place to visit. We are sure you will fall in love with this place, just as we have.

Rustic picnic, salami cellar visit, and ravioli making experience all in one! We are incredibly lucky to have a wealth of high-quality restaurants in and around Varzi. One such restaurant is Il Buscone, run by the Buscone family for the last 50 years. It is situated in a tiny little hamlet near Varzi. This restaurant features in the Michelin Guide every year, and is an excellent place to sample quality, local dishes. As well as dining here, we have an afternoon of fun with the Buscone family, who very generously give their time to show us their salami cellars. We are also given a lesson in how they make their famous ravioli and then to top it all off, we head off for a walk to their country retreat where they set up an outdoor table for a delightful afternoon snack- usually consisting of their homemade salami, homemade wine, almond biscuits (secret recipe!), local bread, and roasted chestnuts when in season. The family has a way of making us feel like honoured guests, when all the while we are only so grateful to get to experience these special treats!

Salami cellar at Il Buscone

The pretty town of Fortunago has only 380 inhabitants, yet it is in a group known as the most beautiful villages of Italy. It is perched on the steep slope of a hill, dominated by the church and town hall. The streets are typically medieval, wedged between stone walls. The residents take pride in the stone houses which are decorated with balconies, windowsills, and verandas. The upper part of the town, in addition to its well-manicured landscape, offers breathtaking views of the surrounding hills. We often picnic in the park after exploring the streets of this beautiful town.

One of the well-manicured houses of Fortunago

Monte Penice has an elevation of 1460 metres above sea level and sits in the Apennine Mountain range. It attracts ski lovers in the winter and bush walkers and picnickers in the summer as it is always relatively cool, even in the warmest summers. It has a beautiful natural habitat of conifer woods and oaks. One of the most popular itineraries is the medieval path for the Santuario of Monte Penice, that connects Bobbio (in the Province of Piacenza) to the shrine of Santa Maria, on the top of the mountain at 1460m above sea level. This point straddles the border between Lombardy and Emilia Romagna. We have fun walking part of this pretty path on tour. It is a memorable, scenic walk with views of the Trebbia valley below.

Building up an appetite on our walk down into the Trebbia valley

Varzi is a small medieval village, which sits at the bottom of Monte Penice. It was founded in the tenth century, and there, time seems to have stopped for the historical town centre. The town was Jim’s dad’s hometown, and it has a nice mix of stylish cafes and shops. It is the home base for many of our tours. Varzi is popular with people from Milan who come to escape the city's summer heat. Our guests love making this town their own - finding their favourite bar for aperitivo, getting bargains at the weekly market, and mixing with the locals. The popularity of Varzi is in part also due to a local product with the important DOP status - the delicious Salame di Varzi!

On our way to our favourite Pasticceria in Varzi

Wines from the Oltrepò Pavese are prestigious and famous all over Italy. The vines benefit from an excellent microclimate (thanks to its proximity to the Po); well-drained soils rich in clay and limestone, and a terroir often compared to that of Barolo. The Oltrepo produces more than half of the wine coming from Lombardy, and it’s not far behind Asti and Chianti in terms of volume of production. The area is also considered the Pinot Noir capital of Italy, as there are almost 9880 acres of this variety under vine (around 80% of Italy’s Pinot Noir grapes are grown here). Although the climate here can lead to this grape ripening too early, it is well suited to the Pinot Noir needed for the sparkling wines. Our favourite winery is Ca’ del Ge, which is a family run winery that we have been visiting for the past 20 years -16 of them with our guests. We have watched the younger generation grow-up and continue to make the winery the welcoming, high-quality place that it is today.

Wine tasting at our favourite winery in the Oltrepo - Ca Del Ge’

Zavattarello is considered one of the ‘most beautiful villages’ of Italy and you will soon understand why by walking through its streets and exploring its alleys. The village of Zavattarello is one of the oldest in the Oltrepo’, and is dominated by the Dal Verme castle , built during the tenth century. A steep climb to the castle provides a rewarding panorama of the village, the 79-hectare natural park surrounding the castle, and the farmland beyond. Many of our guests have commented on the steep nature of the paved streets here. Our egos are often dinted walking up these hills, after we are passed by one of the brisque-walking local elderly residents whilst we stop for a short break to get our breath back!

The Dal Verme castle dominates the landscape of the medieval village of Zavatarello

The Certosa di Pavia – An architectural gem!

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 05:52:25 GMT

The Certosa di Pavia – An architectural gem!

A major highlight of our delightful 12 Day Walks and Wonders Tour , is the Certosa di Pavia. It is a historic Carthusian monastery situated a few kilometres north of the medieval university town of Pavia, close to Milan. The Certosa (meaning “Charterhouse” in English), was commissioned by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the first Duke of Milan, as a monastery and family mausoleum. Visconti had his court in Pavia, and the Certosa was to be built within the Visconti family hunting grounds, between Pavia and Milan.

Work commenced in 1396, but the buildings were not finally completed until the 16th century. The Certosa was originally home to an order of Carthusian monks, who remained there until they were expelled by the Austrian Emperor Joseph II in 1782. It was then variously occupied by other orders of monks, or closed, until the current Cistercian community arrived in the 1960s.

The early Carthusian monks were known for their plain architectural design. But there is nothing plain about the Certosa di Pavia, which is famous for the extravagance of its Gothic and Renaissance architecture and for its collection of artworks. It was intended to resemble the great Gothic Cathedral in Milan. However, it took around 200 years to build and, by the time it was completed, the new Renaissance ideals had taken hold in Italy. So, although most of the complex, including much of the interior of the church, is Gothic, it was finished in the Renaissance style.

Visitors to the Certosa are greeted by the imposing Renaissance façade, which is decorated with statues and carvings of saints and Roman emperors. Inside the church are many paintings and frescoes, as well as carved wooden choir stalls and an important collection of stained-glass windows.

The artworks date from the 15th to the 18th centuries, as the original inhabitants continued to add to the collection after the building was complete. The back of the church leads to the Small Cloister, with its garden and arcades, and then on to the Grand Cloister where the monks’ cells open out onto the central garden. The Carthusian monks lived in individual, two-storey cells around the Great Cloister. One can see today that each cell has its own small garden and a hatch by the door, which allowed food to be delivered to the monks without any need for communication. The Cistercian monks who managed the Certosa today, make their own herbal liqueurs, soaps, and scents, which are on sale to visitors.

Click here for more information about our 12 Day Walks and Wonders Tour!

Our scrumptious long lunch along the Salt Road at the restaurant Primula Bianca!

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 06:46:57 GMT

Our scrumptious long lunch along the Salt Road at the restaurant Primula Bianca!

Let us take you on a virtual culinary journey to La Primula Bianca in Castellaro di Varzi. After working up an appetite on our 4-hour walk along the famous Salt Road or Via del Sale, we arrive at our destination, La Primula Bianca. This charming restaurant offers more than just a meal—it’s an experience steeped in history and flavour. Picture yourself strolling along a panoramic pathway from Varzi to Portofino, a route that traces back to the Middle Ages. As you approach La Primula Bianca, the air is fragrant with anticipation.

The Tasting Menu (Menu Degustazione) is a delightful adventure for your taste buds. Imagine a non-stop parade of eight starters, each representing a small masterpiece. These tantalizing bites set the stage for what’s to come. Next, three first courses arrive, showcasing the best of local ingredients. Roast beef follows, tender and succulent, while dessert brings a sweet finale.

Now let’s talk about those ingredients. Varzi is renowned for its salame, considered the finest in Italy. The hills surrounding Castellaro yield wild mushrooms, especially the legendary ‘porcini,’ and truffles—both stars of the Tasting Menu. Patrons find themselves immersed in this exquisite culinary heritage, delivered with flare and pride by the Pollini family and staff. The atmosphere at Primula Bianca is warm and welcoming. Even though the quality of food rivals top London restaurants, there is no pretension here. Instead, there’s a lovely sense of conviviality amongst the patrons as an excited buzz can be heard in the restaurant as each plate is delivered.

And the wine? An excellent selection of Italy’s finest awaits you. We enjoy the local wines of Bonarda and Barbera as they pair beautifully with these dishes.

So, whether you’re a seasoned foodie or a curious traveller, La Primula Bianca beckons.

Join us on our 12-Day Walks and Wonders Tour to enjoy this and many more exquisite meals together.

Buon Appetito!

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 04:50:05 GMT

Buon Appetito!

Discover the regional specialties of Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria, and Basilicata. Our tours are filled with mouth-watering itineraries for you to explore the flavours and traditions of these four regions.

Here are some of the highlights of what you can expect:

Lombardy: This northern region is famous for its rich and hearty dishes, such as risotto, polenta, and ossobuco. You will also find some of the finest cheeses in Italy, such as Grana Padano, Taleggio, and Gorgonzola. Varzi (where our tours are based) is famous for its Salame. Lombardy is also a region that is known for its wine production. The region produces sparkling wines in the Franciacorta and Oltrepò Pavese areas, as well as still red, white, and rosé wines. Some of the most popular Lombard red wines are:

• Franciacorta Rosso: a sparkling red wine made from Pinot Noir, Barbera, Nebbiolo, or Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

• Valtellina Superiore: a DOCG wine made from at least 90% Nebbiolo grapes grown on steep terraces in the Valtellina valley.

• Sforzato di Valtellina: a DOCG wine made from dried Nebbiolo grapes that undergo a process similar to Amarone.

• Buttafuoco: a DOC wine made from a blend of Barbera, Croatina, Uva Rara, and/or Vespolina grapes grown in the Oltrepò Pavese area.

For those with a sweet tooth, some of the desserts Lombardy is known for are Panettone, Stracciatella ice cream, Torta Paradiso, Amaretti di Saronno, Torrone di Cremona and Torta Sbrisolona.

You can enjoy these regional foods on our 12 Day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria tour , our 12 Day Walks and Wonders Tour and our 15 Day Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour (places for this tour available for 2025 tour only).

Piedmont: You probably know Piedmont for its prestigious wines and truffles, but it also has a rich diverse cuisine. As the saying goes “what grows together goes together”, which means Piedmont cuisine is full of rich flavours, which features dishes such as bagna cauda (a warm dip made with garlic, anchovies, and olive oil), agnolotti (stuffed pasta), and vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce). Of course, you can’t leave Piedmont without trying the truffles. Summer truffles can be found in May and June when our tours are running. They have a delicate fragrance, with a pleasant mild taste. If you are in the region between early October and December, then the precious white truffle is the one to look out for.

One of the most well-known Italian desserts in the world, panna cotta is thought to have Piemontese origins. Piedmont is famous for its hazelnuts and can be found in many of its desserts such as Torrone di Nocciole (nougat), Gianduia gelato (chocolate and hazelnut gelato), Baci di dama (hazelnut biscuits), and Gianduiotto (hazelnut paste and chocolate). Other well-known Piedmont desserts to try are Krumiri(biscuit), Bonet (rich chocolate mousse), Torta 900 (chocolate cake) and Zabaione (rich custard with Marsala wine).

This region is home to some of the most prestigious wines in Italy, such as Barolo, Barbaresco, and Asti. Other wines that are delicious and maybe less well known are Barbera, Cortese di Gavi, Grignolino, Arneis and Dolcetto.

You can enjoy these regional foods and wines on our 12 Day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria tour

Basilicata: Our 8 Day Southern Treasures and Secret Delights of Basilicata and Puglia Tour is based in a region known for its rustic and spicy dishes, such as peperoni cruschi (fried peppers), lucanica (a type of sausage), and caciocavallo podolico (a cheese made from the milk of a rare breed of cow). You will also discover some of the ancient recipes that have been preserved by the local communities, such as pane di Matera (a sourdough bread with a long history), lagane e ceci (a pasta with chickpeas), and ciambotta (a vegetable stew).

Basilicata is a region known for its rich culinary tradition, especially when it comes to desserts. Some of the most famous desserts from Basilicata are Crespelle, which are sweet doughnuts made with flour, water, oil,and yeast fried in boiling oil. They are usually covered with sugar or honey, preferably chestnut honey. Cartellate are prepared with a very simple base of flour, sugar, extra-virgin olive oil, and white wine, then fried and immersed in a special syrup such as vincotto, which can be made from figs or grapes depending on the area. They are considered a party food and can usually be found at Christmas and special occasions. Zeppole is a delicious fried dough and Ricotta cake is a baked cheesecake made from cow’s milk.

Red wines from Basilicata and Puglia make up around 80% of production. With the Aglianico del Vulture grape being Basilicata’s undisputed star and the Primitivo for Puglia.

A completely Lucanian (people from Basilicata) curiosity is the Guarnaccino, a red grape variety from the Chiaromonte area in Pollino, the national park that shares a border with Calabria. The recovered grape had nearly disappeared, and today it's known for spicy Mediterranean wines.

Liguria: Liguria is a coastal region in northwest Italy that has a rich food and wine culture. Its cuisine uses fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients from the sea, the mountains, and the fields. Its dishes are influenced by its geography, history, and traditions. You can enjoy the Ligurian cuisine on our 12 Day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria tour .

Some of the most famous Ligurian dishes and products are Pesto Genovese (a sauce made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil), Focaccia, Farinata (a thin pancake made with chickpea flour), Corzetti (a type of pasta that is shaped like coins and stamped with decorative patterns), Ravioli alla Genovese (a type of stuffed pasta that is filled with meat (usually veal or beef), cheese (usually ricotta or Parmesan), herbs (usually parsley or marjoram), and eggs. The ravioli are cooked in broth and then dressed with butter and sage. Cappon magro is a salad made with layers of boiled vegetables (such as potatoes, carrots, beets, cauliflower, artichokes), hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, capers, olives, pickles, and seafood (such as shrimp, lobster, crab). The salad is topped with a green sauce made with parsley, garlic and breadcrumbs.

Liguria produces some excellent wines from its coastal and mountainous vineyards. Some of the wines that are famous in Liguria are Vermentino - A white wine that is fresh, aromatic, and mineral, reflecting the influence of the sea and the soil, it is also known as Pigato. Rossese - A red wine that is light, fruity, and floral, with a spicy touch. Cinque Terre - A dry white wine that is excellent with seafood. It is made from a blend of Bosco, Albarola, and Vermentino grapes grown on steep terraces overlooking the sea.

If you are interested in joining us on this gastronomic journey, please contact us today to book your spot. We have limited availability, and we don’t want you to miss this opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

You can contact us by clicking here .

A Hidden Gem on the Italian Riviera - The Abbey of San Fruttuoso

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 01:02:11 GMT

The Abbey of San Fruttuoso: A Hidden Gem on the Italian Riviera

The Abbey of San Fruttuoso is a stunning monastic complex on the Italian Riviera. It is in a small cove of the Portofino promontory, between Camogli and Portofino, and can only be reached by boat or by hiking trails. We visit the Abbey on day eleven of our 12 Day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria tour .

The abbey dates back to the 10th century, when it was founded by Greek monks who brought the relics of Saint Fructuosus, a third-century bishop and martyr from Spain. The abbey was later expanded and modified by the Benedictine order, the Doria family, and other noble patrons. The abbey consists of several buildings, such as the Romanesque church, the cloisters, the loggia, and the watchtower. The abbey also contains tombs of members of the Doria family, who were prominent in Genoese politics and naval history.

The abbey is now owned by Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), a heritage organisation that restored it and opened it to the public in 1983. Visitors can admire the architecture and art of the abbey, as well as learn about its history and culture. The abbey also hosts concerts, exhibitions, and events throughout the year.

One of the most fascinating attractions of San Fruttuoso is the Christ of the Abyss, an underwater bronze statue of Jesus that was installed in 1954 at a depth of 17 metres. The statue was created by Guido Galletti as a memorial for Dario Gonzatti, a diver who died in 1947. The statue is a symbol of peace and protection for sailors and divers and can be seen by snorkelling or scuba diving.

San Fruttuoso also offers a beautiful beach where visitors can relax and enjoy the sun and the sea. The beach is small and pebbly but has clear water and a stunning view of the abbey. The beach is also equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas, and a bar.

San Fruttuoso is a unique and enchanting place that combines nature, history, art, and spirituality. It is a hidden gem on the Italian Riviera that will surely captivate you with its charm. It is a place we never tire of returning to!

Escape to Varzi: Where History, Landscapes and Flavour blend for the perfect Slow Travel Experience!

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 06:57:21 GMT

Escape to Varzi: Where History, Landscapes and Flavour blend for the perfect Slow Travel Experience!

Why do we base so many of our tours around the charming village of Varzi? Varzi is renowned for its mouth-watering salame and so much more. It captured our hearts back in 1996, when we visited on our honeymoon, and then again when we lived there for 2 years with our young boys. It’s my father-in-law’s hometown, and Jim and I are proud to share it with our guests. We now live in Varzi for a few months of the year, a beautiful home away from home. Varzi is a treasure trove of history, stunning landscapes, and delectable cuisine. Nestled in the picturesque Oltrepò Pavese, about 70 km south of Milan, it serves as a perfect weekend getaway for the Milanese, many of whom return to their family homes here during the summer vacation.

Varzi is undoubtedly one of Lombardy’s most enchanting spots. With over eight centuries of history, it is delightful to wander through its heart, where cobblestone streets and historic buildings tell tales of the past. Fascinatingly, the ancient arcades, dating back to the 14th century, were ingeniously built one above the other providing shelter for travelling merchants. The original gateways to Varzi are still there for you to explore - Porta Soprana and Porta Sottana date back to the 13th century. Nestled just behind the local cafes and small businesses, the iconic Malaspina Castle stands as a testament to history, once serving as the residence of a renowned ruling family and even hosting Dante in 1306. Nearby, the Witches’ Tower carries its own eerie legends, where many unfortunate women were burned at the stake and numerous other prisoners also met their grim fate.

Situated in the heart of the picturesque Staffora Valley, Varzi offers stunning views and a tranquil environment. The square called the Piazza della Fiera, is the hub of village life. This is where we base our accommodation. You can step out of your hotel and into the piazza to enjoy the local cafes and restaurants, or simply relax in the public gardens nearby. It is a place that you can get to know and make your own very quickly. One of our guests this year summed up exactly how we would like you to feel when you stay with us in Varzi:

“Jim and Lynette are such excellent hosts. We felt we were part of their family as they introduced us to their friends and contacts in and around Varzi. They were so considerate during our walks, attending to each personal preference or need and ensuring all were able to gain full enjoyment from the landscape, the terrain and the villages we entered. And the food! Fresh, local and prepared and presented with care, it more-than-satisfied the eyes, the palate and the appetites we worked up during our daily hikes. We highly commend this as an outstanding experience and a wonderful holiday.”

Peter and Marion 12-day Walks and Wonders Tour 2024

Varzi is also a food lover’s paradise. From its famous salame to other local delicacies, your taste buds are in for a treat here! The town’s most famous culinary product, Salame di Varzi, is a Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) delicacy. Made from the best cuts of pork and seasoned with a blend of spices, it is aged in natural cellars to develop its unique flavour. There are many of these cellars throughout the streets of Varzi. If you’re lucky you might see one open as you wander around. The salame is known for its delicate taste with a slightly sweet and aromatic profile. It pairs perfectly with Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese, a red wine known for its fruity notes and fine bubbles, or Sangue di Giuda, a sweet red wine made from Croatina and Barbera grapes, often enjoyed with desserts or as an aperitivo. Varzi is also known for its delicious, traditional Almond Cake, which is like a large, rich almond-flavoured biscuit.

Varzi is a part of the famous Oltrepò Pavese wine region, offering exquisite wines like Bonarda, Barbera, Buttafuoco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero/Noir (both red and white Metodo Classico sparkling versions), and the intriguingly named Sangue di Giuda (Blood of Judas). The Oltrepo Pavese wine region is a significant producer of Pinot Nero grapes, accounting for approximately 75-80% of Italy’s total Pinot Nero production.

Exploring the culinary delights of Oltrepò Pavese is a feast for the senses, offering a taste of the region’s rich heritage and authentic flavours. Whether you’re savouring the delicate Formaggella di Menconico or indulging in the robust flavours of Ravioli al Brasato di Varzi, each bite tells a story of tradition and craftsmanship.

Did you know that Varzi is home to its very own breed of cow? The Varzese cow is particularly notable for its adaptability and resilience. It is considered a triple-purpose breed, meaning it is used for milk, meat, and work. It was commonly used in rice paddies and for pulling work tools and carts. Thanks to the efforts of local breeders, it has been brought back from the brink of extinction. Both cow’s milk and goat’s milk cheeses are produced locally. We’ll take you on a visit to a local farm where they produce goat and cow cheese, and you’ll also have the chance to see the Varzese cow up close.

The area also boasts a variety of fruits, including apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, and cherries. Mushrooms, particularly porcini mushrooms can be found in the forests that surround the village. Many of these forests are made up of chestnut trees. Therefore, you’ll find chestnuts and chestnut flour in numerous local recipes. Varzi is also famous for black truffles, while the woods in a nearby town are known for the delicate and more prized, white truffles.

If you want to experience Varzi firsthand, join us on one of our tours next year. We offer tours during the spring and early summer, when the landscape is lush and green, wildflowers are in full bloom, and the weather is perfect for exploring. It’s the ideal time to enjoy the local red wine and savour the hearty regional dishes! To enquire about one of our tours simply click here.

Explore the Italian and Swiss Alps: 8-Day Walking Tour.

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 08:52:22 GMT

Discover the Beauty of Lake Como, the Bernina Express, and a host of Alpine Delights!

Welcome to our 8-day Italian and Swiss Alps Walking Tour! Prepare for an unforgettable journey through some of the most stunning landscapes in the world; from ancient vineyards to thermal springs, and glacier-covered mountains to picturesque lakeshores. This tour promises beauty, adventure, and culinary delights.

Tour Highlights:

Lake Como : Explore the shores of Italy’s most beautiful lake, where George Clooney and Gianni Versace have left their mark.
Bernina Express (Trenino Rosso): Ride this iconic train through the Swiss Alps, passing by breathtaking vistas.
Ancient Thermal Springs of Bormio: Unwind in thermal waters dating back to Roman times.
Walking the ‘Heroic’ Terraced Vineyards : Discover the unique viticulture of the Valtellina region.
Walking Alpine Tracks : Hike alongside crystal-clear lakes and majestic mountains.
Sample Local Cuisine and DOCG Wines : Indulge in mouth-watering Italian dishes and fine wines.
Stay in a 4-Star 1500s Residence : Experience Italy’s first Eco Mobility Hotel.

Itinerary:

Day One – Arrival in La Valtellina

Arrival: Pick up at Tirano Train Station

Provided Meals: Dinner

Settle into the beautifully restored 1500s residence, your home for the next 7 nights. Explore Tirano and savour regional mountain cuisine, including creamy cheeses, Bresaola, and local Chiavennasca-based wines.

Itinerary:

Day Two – Switzerland: Valley of Poschiavo and Lake Poschiavo

Switzerland: Poschiavo – Lake Poschiavo Walk – Bernina Express train ride – 12km downhill/flat walk

Provided Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Enjoy a scenic train ride along the Bernina Express route. Walk through charming Poschiavo, surrounded by stately villas and crystal-clear Lake Poschiavo. Picnic in the Swiss Alps and dine in Tirano’s old town.

Itinerary:

Day Three – Lake Como: A Day of Beauty and Elegance

Lake Como: Visit one of Europe’s most beautiful lakes. (No walk today)

Provided Meals: Breakfast

Explore the charming towns of Varenna and Bellagio along the central section of the lake. Enjoy the Ferry Crossing with lunch in Bellagio by the lakeside.

Itinerary:

Day Four – ‘Heroic’ Valtellina Vineyards and a Memorable Lunch

Terraced Vineyards: Walk amongst the lower slopes of the Valtellina.

Provided Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Walk amongst the stone terraces, vineyards, and apple orchards. Step back in time at a beautifully restored farmhouse for a delightful lunch.

Itinerary:

Day Five – Bernina Express Railway to St Moritz

Trenino Rosso: Tirano to St Moritz on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bernina Express railway. (No walk today)

Provided Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Meander through valleys and climb to 2252 metres above sea level with exceptional views. Explore St Moritz and enjoy the lakeside ambiance in this classic Swiss mountain resort.

Itinerary:

Day Six – Beautiful Bormio Alpine Forest Walk and Spa

Bormio: Charming Alpine town at the base of the Stelvio Pass.

Optional Spa: QC Terme Bagni Vecchi, steeped in history.

Provided Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Walk along the paved path along Adda and Viola Bormina rivers. Picnic amidst the beautiful Bormio Alpine Forest with larch, ash, firs, pines, and hazelnut trees.

Itinerary:

Day Seven – Valtellina Valley Floor Walk and Aperitivi Farewell

Valtellina Valley: Follow the Adda River amidst terraced vineyards and apple orchards.

Provided Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Aperitivi

Walk the Valtellina Valley floor to the base of Mount Mortirolo where we enjoy lunch with traditional fare and local wine.

Our last evening together we have fun with a wine tasting, cellar visit, and aperitivi!

Itinerary:

Day Eight – Farewell

Provided Meals: Breakfast

Bid a fond farewell to captivating Valtellina as you set off on your next adventure or return flight home (Drop off at Tirano train Station).

Join us on this magical journey through the Italian and Swiss Alps!

For more information CLICK HERE.

8-Day Italian and Swiss Alps Walking Tour - The allure of the Valtellina and Lake Como!

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 08:24:31 GMT

8-Day Italian and Swiss Alps Walking Tour - The allure of the Valtellina and Lake Como!

Nestled in the Northern reaches of Lombardy, the enchanting region of the Valtellina and iconic Lake Como offer a unique blend of natural beauty, rich history, and cultural splendour. The Valtellina is a picturesque valley to the northeast of Lake Como. It is a haven for those who love the tranquillity of nature and culture born out of hardship.

The Alpine charm of the Valtellina is undeniable, with its ski stations and traditional spa towns like Bormio. The high mountain scenery and steep wooded valleys provide a perfect backdrop for winter sports, hiking, and seeking relaxation in natural hot springs.

The slopes of the Valtellina are adorned with terraced vineyards, where the art of winemaking has been perfected over centuries. The region is renowned for its exquisite wines and hearty cuisine, offering a gastronomic journey that tantalizes the taste buds and warms the soul.

Whether walking the rugged trails of the Stelvio National Park, or the Sentiero Valtellina, this region is an outdoor lover’s paradise. The diverse landscape promises an invigorating experience amidst breathtaking vistas.

Lake Como, with its crystal-clear waters and majestic villas, is always a delight to see. The lake has long been a retreat for the elite, with its shores dotted with opulent residences and lush gardens. A boat cruise provides a leisurely way to admire the shoreline’s beauty and is a great way to start your journey. Of course, a visit to Lake Como wouldn’t be complete without an afternoon in the gorgeous town of Bellagio either!

The Valtellina and Lake Como are more than just destinations; they are experiences that engage the senses and enrich the spirit. If you should choose to do a walking tour or a guided tour, a visit to these Italian treasures promises a journey filled with discovery, relaxation, and a deeper appreciation for the enduring allure of Italy’s landscapes and legacies.

To learn more about our 8-day Italian and Swiss Alps Walking Tour just CLICK HERE .

Walk with us and Earn the Right to Indulge!

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 06:26:47 GMT

Walk with us and Earn the Right to Indulge!

Some lunches in Italy are more of a marathon than a sprint. Pace yourself, that’s the name of the game. And then there’s the wine; so many different varieties - each one better than the last!

We have just finished our 12-day Walks and Wonders Tours for the year. We’re now thinking of calling it the 12-day Walks and Wonders (plus a whole lot of scrumptious food and wine) Tour! Every day we look forward to discovering different regional wines and dishes. With appetites of hungry walkers, we’re more than ready to sit down and enjoy a couple of hours of conversation and laughter together.

Our tour commences with an introductory walk around the medieval town of Varzi , followed by aperitivi at our favourite bar. In the evening, we head up into the hills surrounding Varzi for a memorable welcome dinner. We start our meal with a variety of 4 or 5 appetizers (antipasti), such as artichoke patties topped with Taleggio cheese , chickpea pancakes with pancetta, and carpaccio with lemon and celery. These were accompanied with the local salame, pancetta, coppa and culaccio (culatello). The local wine that pairs beautifully with cold meat is the slightly fizzy Bonarda and a local white Pinot Noir. Next arrives a most exquisite risotto with fresh porcini, followed by pici with a hearty ragu sauce topped with fried Parmigiano. For “secondi” or mains, we enjoyed Italian-style roast veal accompanied by roast potatoes with rosemary and olive oil. To top off a fantastic evening’s dinner, we were presented with dessert and coffee. Pistachio tiramisu! Just divine. Everyone loved this dessert, so we dutifully asked the chef for the recipe - which will be in our next newsletter! ��

How to Cook Like Nonna - Just Enough, But Not Too Much!

On Day 2 we cross the border from Lombardy into Emilia Romagna. Today’s meal is not quite as large as others, but it is still an impressive array of local dishes. By now we have walked the hills of the Staffora and Trebbia Valleys, so we arrive with a very healthy appetite. Our lunch destination is a restaurant that has been owned and operated by the same family for 4 generations. The highlight of this meal is always the creamy amaretto and coffee semifreddo for dessert. The tortelli with ricotta and stinging nettle in a butter and sage sauce are delicious and they pair beautifully with the local Ortrugo white wine, which is a local dry and slightly effervescent wine. This dish was followed by an incredible plate of maccheroni al ragu, unique to the town of Bobbio, which paired just as well with the local Gutturnio wine; a blend of the Barbera and Croatina grapes. Gutturnio is a lovely well-rounded wine with a cherry aroma.

Day four starts with the local market that fills Varzi’s town piazza. It is a great place to buy clothes and sample regional cheeses, fresh fruits, and salame. Guests relax and explore the market and have lunch at their leisure. Our afternoon's 3-hour walk takes us through one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Oltrepo Pavese, crossing into the region of Piedmont and back again. We commence our walk at the quaint village of Cecima, a medieval town built with the stones of the Staffora river. Cecima sits on a hilltop offering views of Mount Penice, Mount Boglelio, and the Staffora River. Guests marvel at the views as we wind our way through rolling hills scattered with rustic farms, orchards, and vineyards.

Today’s restaurant is family-run and very well-known throughout the region. It seemingly sits in the middle of nowhere but is heaving with people for a Saturday lunch. From the presentation and taste of the dishes, it’s obvious that the family has a passion for high-quality produce and regional cuisine. Once again, we are delighted with an array of appetizers. But it was the caramelle pasta (called so because they’re shaped like a wrapped lolly) filled with spinach and ricotta with a crumble of black truffle in a butter sauce, that blew our minds. Another highlight of the 3-hour lunch was the trolley of regional cheeses accompanied by an amazing local chestnut honey. This lunch felt well and truly deserved after we had climbed 4km uphill along the ancient Salt Road. After lunch we enjoyed a nice long afternoon walk through farmland, chestnut forests, and vineyards.

Today began with a stroll through Varzi’s antique/ bric-a-brac market and was followed by a walk in the hills above the Staffora Valley. This particular walk is quite spectacular and offers views of two castles (that are now privately owned), quaint villages, fields of wildflowers, barley, and lucerne, plus ash, oak, and chestnut forests. We arrive at a tiny hamlet to an agriturismo famous for its scrumptious food and for making everything by hand.

The rustic building that houses the restaurant was built in in 1864. It was once a tavern, a school, a food shop, and a tobacconist! Unfortunately, it closed in the 1970’s when young people were moving away from the country to the city. However, on the weekends it now thrives in its new guise as a renowned restaurant brought to life by the great-grandchildren of the original owner.

The food here is amazing. The wine is homemade and a unique blend of 3 local grapes. As is typical at these restaurants, everyone is seated around 1 pm and the dishes come out one by one. As the plates continued to be served, a guest commented that they had a love-hate relationship with the waiters and were getting Stockholm Syndrome as they came to our table with one tasty dish after another!

A slow walk after lunch along the windy back roads is just what we need! ��

Today we start with an uphill walk on a quiet country lane that passes farmland, chestnuts, oaks, and firs. Our destination - an ancient abbey dating back to 1030 AD. The abbey is a serene and spiritual place with 15th-century frescoes and stunning views over the valley. Interestingly, it is also believed that King Edward II’s temporary tomb was here.

After building up an appetite we enjoy lunch outdoors at a family-run agriturismo known for their delicious sheep and cow cheese. One daughter runs the farm whilst one makes the cheese. The mother, Carmela, cooks the delightful food! Most of the dishes here are vegetarian. The red and white wine is homemade, and they are light and tasty. They complement the dishes perfectly. Carmela is from the region of Basilicata. Last time we were there we were lucky to get a fresh batch of Orecchiette Lucana (from Basilicata) with a tomato-based sauce and a good amount of olive oil, which was delicious. We also arrived at the right time to watch the homemade bread being placed into the wood-fired oven in preparation to sell at a market in a nearby town, Pavia, the next day.

After lunch, we visited the farm where the goats and cows are milked. Most of the cows here are unique to Varzi and are called Razza Varzese (The Varzi Breed).

Much of our walk after lunch is downhill to Varzi. We start our walk from Oramala Castle, which sits imposingly over Varzi. The castle has a long history of exchanging hands between the ruling kings and feudal lords. It is said that Dante Alighieri and Frederico Barbarossa both stayed at Oramala.

Day Ten is a special day on tour because we head to the beautiful Ligurian seaside. We arrive at San Rocco, which sits 221 metres above sea level, and walk down into the town of Camogli. After exploring the shops and pebbled beach of Camogli, we meet at a local restaurant that juts out over the bay to enjoy a wonderful meal of freshly steamed mussels for entrée and mussels in a light tomato and olive oil sauce for the main. The local white, Vermentino, naturally goes well with our seafood. It is a delightful airy setting with open windows all around us and sea views in every direction.

Our last day of the tour is indeed a special one! We visit our friend Giovanella who owns and runs the Castello di Luzzano winery. Castello di Luzzano is a magical mix of the old and the new, with history and modern art intertwined. Giovanella has surrounded herself with employees that have a passion for producing the best wine possible, whilst respecting the natural flavours of the grapes that are grown here.

We start with a tour of the vineyards which sit directly on either side of the border of Emilia Romagna and Lombardy. This means Giovanella can produce DOC and DOCG wines from two different regions. Two of the more notable wines here are the Malvasia di Candia, and the Pinot Noir. The Oltrepo Pavese is the third largest pinot noir wine region in Europe and the largest in Italy. Hence, it’s a very important wine for the local winemakers. The region is becoming well known for its amazing sparkling wines, and Giovanella recently won an award for having one of the best dry red Pinot Noirs in all of Italy!

Luca, who is just as passionate about making good wine as Giovanella, shows us around the estate. He takes us on a tour of the wine cellar which is over 1000 years old. Then he shows us where the Roman artifacts are stored as they have been uncovered onsite over the years - Julius Caesar came through this valley and one of his soldiers stayed and created a vineyard on the land. We were also lucky to see an array Giovanella ‘s artistic creations in the winery. She is wholly responsible for hand designing all the wine labels and a significant portion of the art displayed throughout the estate. Lunch is in the old 18th Century Customs house which has been transformed into a beautiful restaurant. Luca joins us for lunch and explains the wines to us as they are paired with our lunch. It is a wonderful experience, with great food, great wine, and passionate people producing something they are immensely proud of.

The afternoon walk is along the ridge top of the Oltrepo Pavese wine region heading down into the area most famous for sparkling Pinot Noir wines. We stop in Santa Maria della Versa for our last gelato together and return to Varzi for our farewell aperitivo; gin and tonic is a popular choice! Tomorrow is farewell day and once again it’s very sad for us to say goodbye to our wonderful guests who we have spent this magical time with over the past 12 days.

Places for our 2025 walking tours are available now and if you would like to know more about this magical itinerary simply click here .

Tanti Saluti!

Lynette and Jim.

Walk With Us! Volpedo to San Ponzo

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 01:05:13 GMT

Walk With Us! Volpedo to San Ponzo

Today we are in Piedmont, in a little town surrounded by the Tortonesi Hills, which are known for their DOC wines and stone fruits. I always like to start the day with a flat white coffee. We join a relaxed bunch of elderly locals in their morning coffee and catchup. They smile and give us a quizzical once over, that I am now very used to. The look is welcoming, but a little confused as to why we would be in this off-the-beaten-path little town.

Although this town is well known in Italy as the birthplace of the famous painter, Giuseppe Pellizza (1868–1907), it rarely gets English speaking tourists passing through. Pellizza is known for his distinctive Divisionist technique. His paintings often featured scenes of everyday life, landscapes, and social themes. His most notable work is “The Fourth Estate” (1898–1901).

It portrays a group of workers engaged in a strike. It has become a symbol for progressive and socialist causes in Italy and Europe . Jim and I have a copy of it hanging on the wall in our entranceway. We will take a stroll after our coffee to see the reproduction of The Fourth Estate” in the piazza of the same name.

Our walk starts by winding our way through this lovely little stone village. We make our way slightly uphill on a backroad surrounded by farmland until we reach what looks to be a tiny little chapel in the middle of nowhere. This little chapel is called the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Fogliata, and it has a special significance for pilgrims and Saint Don Orione, who is legendary in this area.

Our lunch destination is the small spa town of Rivanazzano, where we eat and also indulge in the thermal waters of the town spa. We wind our way downhill along a gravel path through fields of lucerne and barley. The views stretch on for miles with nobody else around. It is relaxing and idyllic . We cross back over the border into Lombardy before we reach the town of Rivanazzano. Lunch is accompanied by an espresso and followed up by a delicious gelato.

For more than 100 years the Rivanazzano spa has offered its visitors therapeutic benefits, thanks to the healing properties of its waters. This spa is among only a very few to have two different water sources: Salsobromoiodine water (anti-inflammatory / antiseptic) and Sulphurous water (respiratory system diseases / allergies).

It is very relaxing and casual here, with both the staff and other customers welcoming us to the facility. Spa-goers receive a kit with a bathrobe, slippers, towel, and cap. We spend our time doing a relaxing circuit of the thermal pool with a nice massage by an artificial waterfall system, then onto a system of underwater jets. Then we’re in and out of the cold plunge pool circuit and off to the Turkish bath and a Finnish sauna, with much relief after that blast of heat into the refreshing atomised water shower. We’re keenly assisted by a sweet young woman who speaks both English and Italian.

If you choose not to do the Spa, you can always find a nice quiet spot in the park to relax, or explore the town of Rivanazzano, before we head off on our walk again. The last stretch of 14km is along the flat valley floor of the Oltrepo using the new Greenway, which is a shared cycle-pedestrian pathway that winds through fields, vineyards, and small woodlands, following the old route of the Voghera Varzi railway. Spring and early summer see the landscape flourish with greenery of every imaginable shade. There are layers upon layers of grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees that spring back with vigour from a dormant cold winter. We’re now in the foothills of the Apennine Mountain range. The hills are covered in chestnut forests, small vineyards, orchards, and forage crops on the valley floor. We pass through several small, quiet towns on our way to San Ponzo Semola where Jim will be waiting to pick us up and take us back to our accommodation in Varzi for a well-deserved rest.

Discover Italy off the well-trodden path.

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 01:51:29 GMT

Discover Italy Off the Well-Trodden Path

It is often said that the simple pleasures in life make us the happiest, like taking long walks through chestnut-covered hills or seeing the world open to us in a tapestry of farmland and wild spring flowers. Other simple pleasures that elicit happiness are, soaking up t he pasta sauce on our plate with a piece of bread, or enjoying every creamy lick of our favourite gelato flavour.

When we slow life down and enjoy the moment, we start to understand a bit more about what it’s like to be Italian . For 12-days on our Walks and Wonders Tour of Lombardy, Piedmont, and Liguria , Jim and I escort our guests on an immersive experience into Italian culture that’s full of these simple pleasures that evolve around Italians’ love for nature, food, family, and friendship.

How to Drink Coffee Like an Italian

5 Great Reasons to Celebrate Spring in Italy

Even on a grey winter’s day with the roads iced up in the shade, walking the hills of the Oltrepo Pavese in the northwest of Italy was always more enticing for Jim and I than staying indoors by the fire! If you haven’t been to Varzi and the Oltrepo, imagine a mix of Tuscany and Provence – and without the tourists! This area is the base for our Walks and Wonders Tour.

On our walking tour you’ll enjoy walks through forests, along country lanes on beautiful rolling hills, and the charming towns of the Oltrepo. You’ll also visit the lakes of Piedmont and a stunning walk along the hills of the Ligurian seaside. We have taken care of all the logistics. You can choose to walk for as little or as long as you like. We have a support vehicle at hand for guests running low on energy or who become a bit sore on the walks.

Walking the Via del Sale

Most of our tour meals are hearty regional and local lunches enjoyed after we do our walks and guests are ready to sit back and share a lovely long lunch. Most evenings are left free to choose to unwind with an aperitivo or share a pizza at one of the local restaurants. The Oltrepo region, and Varzi in particular are famous for salame and some scrumptious pasta dishes. It is also known for its high-quality wines. The Oltrepò is the largest pinot noir (pinot nero in Italian) wine region in Italy, and the third largest in the world, after Burgundy and Champagne. The region uses pinot nero grapes primarily to produce its Metodo Classico sparkling white wines, which are increasing in quality and national importance every year. Lunches are mostly accompanied by the local red wines, Barbera and Bonarda, which pair beautifully with local dishes.

Parmigiano Reggiano- King of Cheeses

How to Cook Like Nonna - Just Enough, But Not Too Much!

The walks over the 12 days of this tour offer a range of enjoyable experiences. Most are in the verdant rolling hills around Jim’s dad’s hometown of Varzi , but we also enjoy a 10km stroll next to the rice fields, parklands and canals of Pavia and experience a more challenging climb along the old mule track of an ancient Salt Road! Each day you can opt to do as little or as much as you want – it’s your holiday after all!

Our 12-day Walks and Wonders Tours is fully booked for 2024, but if you would like to join us in 2025 on the 13th - 24th of May you can contact us by clicking here to arrange a private tour.

The Italian Riviera: A Dream Destination for all Travellers

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:02:04 GMT

The Italian Riviera: A Dream Destination for All Travellers

If you are looking for a place to enjoy the sun, the sea, and the culture of Italy , look no further than the Italian Riviera. This stunning stretch of coastline, from France to Tuscany, is famous for its picturesque villages, glamorous resorts, and rich history. It is also famous for movie stars, super yachts and of course the magnificent Cinque Terre!

You can’t help but be struck by Liguria’s unique climate and landscape; with palm trees, citrus fruits, and olives growing alongside chestnuts and wildflowers. It is divided into two parts: the Riviera di Ponente (Western Riviera) and the Riviera di Levante (Eastern Riviera), with Genoa as the capital and the dividing point. We spend 4 days exploring the Levante on our 12 Day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria tour .

After enjoying the vine clad hills of Piedmont and the lush Appenine foothills of Lombardy guests spend four days immersed between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea in Liguria. We stay for four nights at the seaside town of Sestri Levante, with its two beautiful bays- the Bay of Fables and the Bay of Silence. From here we set off to explore the Cinque Terre National Park, the seaside town of Camogli, the historical port city of Genoa, the beautiful abbey of San Fruttuoso and have heaps of fun during our Ligurian cooking lesson! You also get to have one day to yourself to either rest or set off to explore another part of Liguria or revisit the picturesque Cinque Terre towns. Of course, during this time we will also be experiencing the delightful food and wine that Liguria has to offer!

The Italian Riviera is a dream destination for travellers who love nature, culture, and cuisine. Here are some of the reasons why you should visit this amazing region:

The Cinque Terre comprising the five colourful villages of Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a national park. The villages are connected by hiking trails that offer stunning views of the sea and the countryside. You can also take a train or a boat to visit them and enjoy their charm and atmosphere.
Portofino: This small fishing village is one of the most glamorous and exclusive places in Italy. It attracts celebrities and jetsetters who come to admire its harbour, its pastel-coloured houses, and its luxury shops and hotels.

Genoa: The largest city and port of Liguria is a cultural and historical treasure. It was once a powerful maritime republic that rivalled Venice and Pisa. You can explore its old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its narrow alleys (carruggi), its splendid palaces (Palazzi dei Rolli), and its impressive cathedral (San Lorenzo). You can also visit its aquarium, the largest in Italy and second largest in Europe.

The Gulf of Poets: This bay near La Spezia was named after the English poets Byron and Shelley, who lived and wrote here in the 19th century. You can visit their former residences in Lerici and San Terenzo, as well as other charming towns like Portovenere, which has a Romanesque church and a castle overlooking the sea.
The cuisine: The food of Liguria is simple but delicious. It’s based on fresh ingredients from the land and the sea. The most famous dish is pesto, a sauce made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and olive oil. You can try it with trofie or trenette, two types of pasta typical of Liguria. Other specialties include focaccia (a flat bread with various toppings), farinata (a chickpea pancake), anchovies (fried or marinated), seafood (especially mussels), and sciacchetrà (a sweet wine).

Parmigiano Reggiano- King of Cheeses

How to Cook Like Nonna - Just Enough, But Not Too Much!

How to Drink Coffee Like an Italian

San Fruttuoso Abbey: This Abbey is nestled in a small bay and exudes an enchanting beauty. Its ancient stone buildings, surrounded by lush greenery and turquoise waters, evoke a sense of timelessness and serenity. The abbey’s remote location, accessible only by sea or hiking trails, adds to its mystique. It was founded by the Order of Saint Benedict, with most of its buildings dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries.

Ready to go?

The Italian Riviera is waiting for you with its beauty, charm, and hospitality! Book your trip now and get ready to experience one of the most amazing places in Italy. You won’t regret it! You can book your places by contacting Jim and Lynette at Italian Delights Tours by clicking here.

Matera - Once a shame of Italy and now a UNESCO World Heritage site!

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 11:27:17 GMT

Matera - Once a Shame of Italy and Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Italian Delights July 2023 Happenings

Ciao tutti and welcome to our July 2023 newsletter.

We have just finished a couple of months of fun with our guests in Italy. It was great to be back in Italy amongst our friends and family and eating the glorious food and wine on offer! 2024 is looking to be a popular year for travellers. We have two tours fully booked already, but we still have limited places left on our 12-day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria tour and our 8-day Southern Treasures and Secret Delights of Basilicata and Puglia Tour if you would like to join us next year. For those early bird planners, our 2025 dates have also now been published on our website. C lick here to see our 2025 dates.

This month's Main Article is about the fascinating city of Matera in the gorgeous region of Basilicata. Today it is a modern city with wine bars, restaurants and hotels built into caves. You will be amazed to find out that in fairly recent history these caves were considered the 'shame' of Italy, due to the extreme poverty of the inhabitants. Come and experience Matera with us on our 8-day Southern Treasures and Secret Delights of Basilicata and Puglia tour . Click Here to find out more about the story of Matera.

Our Tour Focus this month focuses on our new, 12-day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria . During this journey of discovery of three regions in NW Italy, there's a great mix of local artisans, scrumptious food and wine and local cultural experiences and beautiful landscapes. There are still places left on this tour for 2024, so contact us now if you would like to secure your places!

Lynette's feature recipe for this month is her much loved Focaccia recipe. She has had several people asking her to send them the recipe again, so we have decided to put it in this month's newsletter. Click here for the recipe.

Until our next newsletter!

Saluti

Jim.

If you are looking for a unique and unforgettable destination, then look no further than the Sassi di Matera, the ancient cave city in southern Italy. Here you can experience the history and culture of one of the oldest human settlements in the world. You can explore the labyrinth of caves, churches, and houses that are carved into the rock, and admire the stunning views of the ravine and the surrounding countryside. Sassi di Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a source of inspiration for many artists and filmmakers. Don’t miss this opportunity to visit one of Europe's most unique landscapes. Visit Matera by joining us us on our 8-day Southern Treasures and Secret Delights of Basilicata and Puglia tour and CLICK HERE to read about Sassi di Matera.

Tour Focus

Treasures Tour

If you are looking for a small group tour of Italy that will take you to some of the most beautiful and authentic regions of the country, you should definitely consider the 12 Day Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria Tour! This tour will let you experience the Italian dream in the lush Lombard hills, the vine-clad hills of Piedmont, and the seaside treasure of Liguria and the gorgeous Cinque Terre. You will stay in family-run lodgings, dine at local restaurants and trattorias, and enjoy a variety of activities such as wine tasting, cooking classes, and walking tours. You will also visit some of the most scenic and historic places in Italy, such as Lake Maggiore, Genoa, the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, and Cinque Terre. Immerse yourself in the culture, food, wine, and natural beauty of Italy. You can find more details about this tour click here.

Recipe of the Month

Focaccia with Rosemary

This is an easy and delicious focaccia. It is so morish and won't last long out of the oven!

Tour Testimonial

A lovely, and truly homely Italian holiday! Wonderful family welcome and heaps of local knowledge (and cooking!). A highlight!

Darryl

Time Suspended between the Stones - Sassi di Matera.

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:52:27 GMT

Time Suspended Between the Stones - Sassi di Matera

Matera is a city entirely carved out or rocks, the so called ‘Sassi‘. The geography here is harsh, and the steep mountain flanks made it difficult for locals to build traditional homes. They therefore came up with a solution by carving their houses out of the rocks and living in caves!

The caves were kitted out to welcome families and animals. Matera’s caves were inhabited right up until the 1950s. They are still in use now, and many have recently been fully restored and upgraded!

For most of its history, Matera has been a place of awful misery. And yet, today it is one of the most beautiful places you will see in Italy. It has a story so unique that you will not forget this town!

This remarkable city will fascinate and delight you. It’s the third oldest continually inhabited city in the world, after Aleppo and Jericho.

Until the 1950s, Matera’s Sassi district was a source of shame for Italy. It was a place of poverty, malaria, and high rates of infant mortality. People lived in caves without electricity, running water, or sewage.

Carlo Levi’s book ‘Christ Stopped at Eboli’ published in 1945, raised awareness of the desperate conditions people in the Sassi were living in.

“In these dark holes I saw a few pieces of miserable furniture, beds and some ragged clothes hanging up to dry. On the floor lay dogs, sheep, goats, and pigs… Children appeared from everywhere, in the dust and heat, stark naked or in rags, eyelids red and swollen… and with the wizened faces of old men, yellow and worn with malaria, their bodies reduced by starvation to skeletons… I have never in all my life seen such a picture of poverty.”

— Carlo Levi

Levi’s book was a turning point for the city. The book defined the sassi (the name given to the stone caves) an ‘infernal crater’ and this attracted the attention of the Italian authorities who quickly defined Matera as the ‘vergogna d’Italia’ – Italy’s shame.

In 1952, actions were taken to change the situation. People were kicked out of the caves and relocated to newly built apartments, and the caves were taken from their inhabitants and made state property. About half of the 30,000 population were moved to new homes in the modern part of the city between 1953 and 1968. Views differ markedly over this State intervention; from those that believe it should have remained the property of the inhabitants, to those that still cannot face going back into the caves due to the memories they conjure.

The work on the ‘Sassi’ didn’t bring immediate solutions, and it was only in the 1990s that Matera’s fate seemed to turn, when Matera and the Sassi were included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, thanks to it being “the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first inhabited zone dates from the Palaeolithic, while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history.” The subsequent nomination of Matera as the European Capital of Culture in 2019 also brought money and attention to the city. Since then, visitor numbers have slowly increased and many of the caves have been renovated. Many are used as homes, luxury cave hotels, wine bars and cave restaurants and the whole city sparkles, making its dramatic history hard to believe.

The visual impact of this city of rock is powerful and the cave churches locals used for religious ceremonies - are unique in the world.

Its dramatic position has also made it one of the preferred cinematic locations for numerous film directors, including Roberto Rossellini, Pierpaolo Pasolini, Giuseppe Tornatore, Cary Joji Fukunaga

and Mel Gibson, the last of whom chose Matera

as the perfect spot to film much of “The Passion

of the Christ”.

Wandering around Matera, you will come across numerous lively street stalls displaying a rich array of Matera’s colourful artisanal products. Tufo stone carvings, papier-mâché objects, bread stamps, and the traditional terracotta cuckoo whistles, symbols of fertility. Indeed, a whistle was usually bought for a boy to wish him fertility in life. Then he would give it to his fiancée after declaring his love; the larger and more highly decorated the cuckoo, the bigger the promise of love was. The joke being that if a woman marries after being given a small cuckoo, then it is truly for love.

In the evening you can watch the sun go down over Matera as the city starts to sparkle as it lights up. It is a highlight of the day. From the opposite side of the canyon of the Parco della Murgia Materana, which is a mini-Italian version of the Grand Canyon, you can marvel at the views of the city of Matera at night.

Last, but certainly not least, don’t miss the wonderful local cuisine , with its delicious oven-baked bread,

mouth-watering cheeses , and a huge variety of home-m ade pasta, best eaten with a bottle or two of Matera’s local DOC wines! If you’re interested in visiting this beautiful city, simply click here . There are still places left on our 8-day Southern Treasures and Secret Delights of Basilicata and Puglia tour for 2024: June 17th to 24th and Sep 9th to 16th .

The Secret Delights and Treasures of Puglia and Basilicata

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 12:09:17 GMT

The Secret Delights and Treasures of Puglia and Basilicata

The people of Basilicata and Puglia are kind and welcoming. Their generosity and good nature make each day a pleasure for visitors, as we try to soak up as much of their culture as possible. It is like they don’t quite understand what an amazing place they live in! To them it is simply ‘home’. It is this lack of pretension that is so refreshing. People in these regions have a way of making you feel welcome, rather than making you feel like an imposing tourist.

If you picture Italy to be shaped like a boot, the regions of Puglia and Basilicata would be the heel and instep, respectively, of that boot. Puglia is known for its Trulli houses, which are cylindrical limestone houses with cone-shaped roofs. Basilicata is known for the Sassi di Matera, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site . As little as 70 years ago, some 15,000 people were still living in grottoes with no natural light, ventilation, running water or electricity. It was known as the Shame of Italy. Today it is a complex labyrinth of walkways and stone stairways full of local artisan shops, cafes and gelaterias. The town has a vibrant energy and is a wonderful place to explore

But Basilicata and Puglia are so much more than the Sassi and Trulli. These regions are also proud of the food they produce - with just cause. If there’s space on your table for yet another antipasto dish and it is not filled, don’t worry, it will soon be filled! The traditional food is well balanced in its seasoning, with subtle flavours making the most of the fresh produce. Olives, grains, and legumes are grown here, and they form a large part of the diet. This year we were lucky enough to be staying in Basilicata at the time of olive harvesting and were spoilt with the freshly harvested olive oil! The regions are also known for their cheeses . Who can resist fresh mozzarella and pecorino cheeses!

The Aglianico grape is the star of the wines in Basilicata. It is known as the Barolo of the South. Other local grape varieties are Primitivo and Malvasia. Basilicata and Puglia are well known for their table wines. You will find these wines are easy drinking, and the grape varieties are often mixed. These table wines go perfectly with the subtleness of the cuisine and are often presented on your table in ceramic jugs.

The towns of Puglia and Basilicata are quite stunning. The streets are paved with white stone and the buildings are either whitewashed or presented with the same white stone. Many houses in the historical centres look like they have come from the pages of a perfectly designed Country Home magazine. The backdrops of these towns are rolling olive or vine-clad hills, the Adriatic and Ionian seas, or the Lucanian Dolomite Mountain ranges. No wonder every day on our tour here is a jaw dropping adventure!

Our Basilicata and Puglia tour is based in a picturesque agriturismo near Matera. Here you can have an idyllic, restful experience surrounded by olive and orange groves. You can watch the shepherd graze his sheep in the orange grove below your balcony; or take a stroll to the nearby lake (which is more like an inland sea!). But it is the warmth and generosity of the family that run the agriturismo that make it so special. They are such gracious hosts. You are made to feel like a long-lost relative who they can’t do enough for! Greg and Silvia are the warm and welcoming hosts on the 8 Day Southern Treasures and Secret Delights of Basilicata and Puglia tour. They are both born to be hosts and are delightful to be around.

For tour dates just go to Italian Tours - Italy tours | Small Group Tours of Italy (italiandelights.com.au)

Walking the Salt Road

info@italiandelights.com.au (Italian Delights) — Fri, 26 May 2023 10:27:49 GMT

Walking the Via del Sale

The Via del Sale, the ancient Lombarda salt road, traverses the entire length of Oltrepò Pavese, from Pavia to Genoa.

This historic thoroughfare links the regions of Lombardy, Liguria, Emilia Romagna, and Piedmont , and has greatly contributed to the creation of a shared identity between the regions. Much of the road snakes through the valley of the river Staffora, an unspoilt landscape of woods, medieval towns, and castles.

These routes have existed for thousands of years. Although their start and end points may differ, they’ve been united by the same objective over the centuries: the transport of salt from the sea to the Po Valley and the Alps.

As far back as the Middle Ages, merchants loaded large quantities of this 'white gold' (salt was called this in some areas of northern Italy because of its scarcity and high value) onto the backs of mules and travelled hundreds of kilometres over the mountains to reach the towns where it was sold. They often added anchovies, sardines, cod, and other catches to the barrels. Mixing fish with salt was a very effective tactic to pay a lower duty at customs. Of course, at the time, salt was also essential for preserving the food.

Nowadays you walk into a shop, take a bag of salt from the shelf, pay at the till and that's it. In the old days, there was no such luxury. Many people suffered from cretinism, a disease that arose due to a deficiency of sodium, which led to severe mental and physical developmental delays and often manifested as goitre. This goes some way to explaining why salt was considered ‘white gold’. In those days, it was essential to obtain even in small quantities.

The Salt Road is, to all intents and purposes, a journey of discovery. It’s a mix of culture, history and gastronomy. In fact, the route touches the four Italian regions of Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Liguria , running mainly along the crest of gentle hills and offering vast, extremely scenic, landscapes. It is a unique reminder of the past, and of the role that salt played in the development of the region. It is a great way to experience the history of the area and to appreciate the contribution that the Salt Road has made to Italian culture and commerce.

Why don’t you join us on our 12 Day Walks and Wonders Tour to walk a small part of the Via del Sale together?

7 Things about Italy that Surprise First Time Travellers

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 02:47:15 GMT

7 Things About Italy That Surprise First Time Travellers

If it is your first time in Italy there are a few things that may take a little getting used to. To get the most out any travel experience it is always good to learn to live like the locals. This often means being aware of what is going on around you as it may not be the same as back home. And if it was, why would we bother travelling? Here are 7 things that first time travellers may find surprising. On our tours we brief our guests about the below points so they are well informed about the quirks of life in Italy!

1. Coffee Drinking Lesson 101

Having a coffee out in Italy isn't the leisurely get together that we are accustomed to in Australia. It is usually a quick shot of an espresso or short black commonly referred to as "un caffe" (sometimes the words "liscio" "espresso" or "normale" are added to make it completely clear) standing at the counter. This is often repeated by Italians several times over the course of the day!

In Italy, you will have your coffee at a bar, sometimes paying first and then joining the queue at the bar (especially in bigger, busier bars). If you would like to sit down to enjoy the atmosphere, you may be asked to pay a little more. Coffee is also very cheap in Italy, unless of course you decide to drink it in the Piazza San Marco in Venice or the like!

Italians prefer their short blacks and don't usually drink coffee with milk after 11am. But most bars are now accustomed to tourists ordering a milk coffee at all times of the day (but waiters may give you a very strange look if you order a milk coffee after a meal!). If you order a latte in Italy, don't be surprised if all you get is milk, because "latte" means milk in Italian. For what we often refer to as a "latte" all you need to do is specify that you want a Caffè Latte and you will get one. If you would like a flat white the best drink to ask for is a cappuccino without froth, or "cappuccino senza schiuma (skiuma)"! And lastly, for those Australian long black drinkers amongst you, it's best to ask for a Caffè Americano.

2. Breakfast Is Usually Sweet

In recent years breakfast has become a rushed affair, with Italians grabbing a quick brioche at the bar with their black or milk coffee. Often, it is just the black coffee or a "caffe' macchiato", which is what we know to be a short macchiato. At home it is often a biscuit dipped in milk coffee. It hasn't always been like this and there is a movement to bring eating habits back to the old ways where breakfast was more savoury and substantial.

In a hotel or agriturismo (farm stay accommodation), a typical breakfast which they sometimes call “prima colazione" (which literally means first lunch, as colazione is the traditional word for lunch - now more commonly referred to as pranzo), or simply “colazione”, often consists of many sweet products such as cakes, tarts, brioche (Italian name for croissants) and yoghurt. Do not be surprised if freshly cooked eggs aren't on the menu, but if they are they're often fresh from the hen and are a real delight!

3. The Language of Hand Gestures

I am often a source of amusement for my family. I use hand gestures to go with everything I talk about. I feel the compulsion to emphasise things with the use of hands. For example, if something is far away it also needs a hand gesture to go with it! I am 100% genetically Italian so maybe this habit is simply in my blood

However, Italians certainly take hand gestures to the next level. Their hand gestures not only emphasise meaning, but are the basis of a language in itself! Our guests are often quite entertained to see the locals talking in bars or the local town's piazza, telling stories in full expression with their hands moving here and there.

Some examples - Touching your finger to your cheek and turning it 'Shirley Temple style' means that the food is good. Brush your fingers up pass your neck and flicking it out past your chin, to put it politely means you just don't care. Hold the fingertips of either hand together and upright, or both hands for emphasis, and wave up and down means 'What on earth are you doing?'/ What are you saying?' or 'What do you want?' You will see this one a lot in Italy and I challenge you not to start using this one yourself if you spend a little time there!

4. Shops Closing in the Early Afternoon.

I have to admit that when we lived in Jim's dad's home town of Varzi, I was definitely a slow learner when it came to the shops closing from around 12.30 to 4pm (commonly referred to as the 'siesta'). In the early days, firstly I would often seek get things done around the house, and then head to the shops around midday to get what I needed, only to find I had to rush before the shops closed! A Varzi panetteria (bread shop) that I believe has the best focaccia in all of Italy would be out of focaccia as early as 9am on some days!

Small shopkeepers are not usually at home having a siesta, or snooze, as we are often made to think. They often go home to have lunch, do chores or take a quick break before they start back at work from 3.30pm- 4pm until around 7.30pm.

When planning your day, keep in mind that many shops will be closed for 3 hours in the middle of the day. They are often open from 8.30am until 12.30-1pm, and again from 3.30-4pm until around 7.30pm (opening and closing times are often later in large cities). This is perfect timing for anyone who would like to sit and enjoy a long lunch, as is the case on our tours!

The table is set for our long lunch at the gorgeous Tenuta Terensano, which features on our Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour and is the accommodation for the first 5 nights on our Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria .

5. Meal Courses

The main difference you will notice when eating in Italy is that pasta is not a main course in Italy. Dishes such as pasta, gnocchi or risotto, come as smaller servings and are considered primi piatti. The secondi piatti are the main courses or meat dishes. You can also have secondi with or without salad or vegetables, contorni. Sweets are called dolci and starters are called anti pasti, which often contain cured ham products and various marinated vegetables. It is often not looked down upon to order a carafe of the house wine either. This is the local wine that is made to suit the local food. Italians consider getting drunk to be quite offensive. They drink with food and usually only a glass or two. They are the masters of moderation!

Jim spotted this little charme r in Cortona on our Treasures of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria .

6. Driving

It may be an understatement to say that driving in Italy can cause a bit of anxiety for the first timer. The Italians will take more risks on the road when overtaking, which on the surface can be quite hair-raising. But they do have very good judgement when it comes to the spatial concept of the car and its environment, and will squeeze between cars and buildings in places we wouldn't dare to go. Slower cars and trucks religiously stick to the 'slow lane' rule on a highway (in Italy this is often referred to as the "lane of shame"!). This is mainly because they will have flashing lights racing up behind them at the speed of light if they don't quickly get out of the fast lane!

In some parts of Italy parking can get quite creative also. Red traffic lights in Rome and Naples are often merely suggestions to stop, and third lanes can be created by straddling the middle of two single lane roads! To clarify this - you may be driving down a two way street when you will see another car coming down the middle of the road towards you, making their own third lane! Whilst this firstly appears crazy, often there's quite a bit of room there in the middle of the street, so when driving in these situations it's best to keep a cool head and learn to go with this flow as much as possible.

Relaxing by Lake Como - Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour .

7. Respecting the Slow Life

Although Italians are just as busy as everyone else, they often take time out to enjoy the company of family and friends. This invariably happens around a dining table. Italians seem to know how to take things slowly. They prefer to get out of the house for the evening to meet up with friends, or go for an ambling walk together (known as a passeggiata). Slow-food is a way of life in Italy and not a fad. Dinners and lunches can last for three hours. Take away food is also hard to find unless you’re in a touristy city.

When queuing to be served by a shop keeper, you will notice it is not about rushing through to the next client, but giving good service, even if that means having a little chat along the way. Be patient, as you will receive the same amount of time and respect as the people before you. For Italians it is all about family, friends and food, and that's why so many people (us included) have come to love Italy and the Italian people so much!

I hope you found the above content to be both informative and amusing and that it helps enrich your next Italian soggiorno, whether that be with us on tour , or on your own independent journey in this wondrous land called Bell'Italia !

Ciao e alla Prossima!

Lynette

How to Cook Like Nonna - Just enough, but not too much!

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 12:32:10 GMT

How to Cook Like Nonna - Just Enough, But Not Too Much!

If I could bottle the smell of my nonna’s kitchen I would make a fortune. There was never one overwhelming smell, but instead there was a harmonious blend of sweet and savoury in her kitchen. It gave me such a comforting feeling inside. Simplicity and quality ingredients were the key factors in her heavenly dishes(it also helped that non no had a taken over the backyard with his awesome vegetable patch).Tasty cooking is all about simple recipes using only a few ingredients and prepared using straight-forward techniques. Forget about the celebrity chefs and fancy restaurants-the essence of Italian cooking is tasty and simple hearty home cooking!

Antithesis to the Aussie buffet

Italian cooking is also the antithesis to the Aussie buffet or dinner party, where we all bring a‘ plate’ and share the food. Italian recipes typically feature only a few select ingredients. For a primo or first course, you typically have a starchy ingredient like pasta or rice, which acts as a foil for a condimento or flavouring ingredient, be it tomato or another vegetable. For a typical secondo or second course, you will be working with a single type of meat or fish, prepared simply with a few seasoning ingredients. Therefore, the quality of the ingredients you are working with will mean all the difference to the quality of the dish.

Micro - Climate

The harsh truth is that truly authentic Italian food is not really possible to reproduce outside of Italy, simply because the products of the soil are so essential to Italian cuisine.

Italy produces some of the best — if not the best — fruits and vegetables in the world; tomatoes that taste

intensely of tomato; peaches that burst with flavour, and so on. I have friends in Italy that even say it makes a difference to eat the food whilst ‘in’ the food’s region, not just food ‘of’ a particular region. For example, Italians will say you should eat the apples while in Trentino -Alto Adige, or the tomatoes while in Napoli; or have pesto Genovese whilst visiting Genoa.

In their minds the heart of soul of the food is aligned with the history, tradition and micro -climate of the area you’re eating it in.

Best Ingredients

To recreate that wonderful Italian taste in your dishes it is important to buy fresh, good quality ingredients. Local, organic produce almost always tastes better. Produce that is grown far away is typically picked while it is still unripe, so it will not be damaged while it is shipped across country. This means that the fruit or vegetable never has the chance to develop its full flavour. Fresh, ripe produce will smell of what it is, so be ware of odour less fruits and vegetables. Look for smaller vegetables if you can. This may sound like odd advice, but smaller vegetables tend to have more flavour and texture. Italians prefer the younger, sweeter vegetables that they call primizie, for their superior flavor and texture, especially in the spring. Of course, if you are going to the trouble of looking for the best quality local produce, then you will want to eat in season. Fruits and vegetables are not only cheaper when they are in season, they just taste better. And this way you will stay more aligned with the spirit of authentic Italian cooking.

Keep Tasting Your Food

Learn to season your food. There is no more important skill in Italian cooking, than knowing how to season food, in particular the use of salt. You should learn to season enough, but not too much. A lot of cooks think that people can always add salt at the table if they want to. But they’re wrong about that. Of course salt can be added at the table, but added salt to food after it’s cooked (while it has it’s place as a cooking technique) is not the same as salt added while cooking. And salt does not simply add flavour, it changes the chemistry of a dish. Salt draws out moisture and heightens flavour. For example you cannot make a proper broth with out adding salt to coax the flavours of the meats into the liquid. A similar rule can be applied to other seasonings, like garlic, herbs and spices. Use them fresh, never dried, except maybe for oregano. And use them with discretion. Use enough to heighten flavours, but never so much to draw too much attention to them—unless, of course, that is the explicit intention of a recipe.

The ‘Holy Trinity’ of Onion, Carrot and Celery

Learn to make a soffritto. There are some basic techniques that are fundamental to Italian cooking. One of the them is the soffritto. The soffrittois the first step in many, if not most, savoury Italian dishes. Aromatic vegetables and other flavourings are sautéed in fat(typically olive oil and/or butter)and when the vegetables have ‘melted’, they lend their flavour to the cooking fat. The main ingredient is then added and it absorbs the soffritto’s aromatic flavours. More than any other technique, this is the one that gives Italian cooking its characteristic flavour and makes even simple dishes so tasty. The classics of fritto Italiano, includes the ‘Holy Trinity’ of finely chopped onion, carrot and celery. Parsley and/or other herbs, as well as pancetta, can sometimes be added for extra layers of flavour. The most important thing about a soffritto, however, is to cook it gently and long enough to allow the aromatics to fully release their sweetness into the oils. A soffritto should never brown or, God forbid, burn.

Learn to Use Wine

Many Italian dishes use wine, most commonly white wine. Typically, a splash of white wine is added to the main ingredient just after it has sautéed with the soffritto. The wine is evaporated completely over high heat before proceeding to the next step. In this way, the wine adds a slight acidity to the dish which counters the sweetness of the soffritto. It loses almost all of its alcohol content and the dish itself should not taste in any way ‘wine-y'.

Be Patient

Take the time you need. Italian food can be quick, but it is never rushed. It’s never ‘fast’ food. Things need to cook for the right amount of time, no more, no less. Sometimes that means that you can make a dish in only a few minutes, which is true of many pasta dishes. However, there are also the slow-simmering sauces and stews that require hours to cook. There is no way to skimp on this process without sacrificing flavour. For example, there is nothing quite so insipidas an undercooked ragù alla bolognese . Yet if you let it cook for its allotted time (usually four hours) it becomes such a rich heavenly sauce.

Enjoy

Take time to enjoy what you are eating. Enjoy the smell and the taste. Italians can talk endlessly about what they are eating. It is a pleasure to listen to, but it also really increases your appreciation of the meal.

Book your journey now and immerse yourself in the unique tastes and aromas of NW Italy's renowned gastronomy and vineyards .

Buon Appetito!

Montalcino's Festival of the Thrush

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:14:35 GMT

Montalcino's Festival of the Thrush

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Jun 10, 2021

The Tuscan town of Montalcino has scarcely changed in appearance since the 16th century. It is a classic fairy-tale hilltop town, set within a full circle of fortified walls. The stone streets are enchanting, and the village is a wonderful place to stroll around among the labyrinth of charming arts and crafts shops, cafes, restaurants, and wine bars. To add to its charm, it just happens to be set in a breathtaking Tuscan landscape, which includes the UNESCO World Heritage listed Val d’Orcia and the hills of the neighbouring Maremma region. The landscape is scattered with ancient oak trees and picturesque olive groves and vineyards. It has winding country roads and beautifully aligned cypress trees running through it, and at times its various scenes resemble works of art rather than simply farmland.

If you are into red wine, then Montalcino is also the place to be. The town has become famous for its Brunello wine, one of the world’s best and most appreciated Italian wines. Brunello was invented in 1888 by Ferruccio Biondi Santi, who first had the idea of leaving out the grapes used in the traditional Chianti recipe, such as Canaiolo and Colorino, and using only the Sangiovese variety.

On our small group tour of Tuscany , we stay in Montepulciano for 3 nights at the Hotel Il Giglio (The Lily). Il Giglio is a beautiful property in the heart of the town, a few steps away from the main Piazza del Popolo. Il Giglio opened at the end of the 19th century as a coach house, where travellers could find a place to eat and sleep, and horses could rest after the steep climb to Montalcino. It is now a small family run hotel and restaurant, with beautiful views looking over the Val D’Orcia. The owners Mario, Anna and their son, Michele, run this beautiful place with pride.

If you have ever travelled to Italy, particularly in spring and autumn, you would have realised that Italian towns are full of festivals that usually celebrate some sort of local, seasonal produce. One might also find it a little odd that so much time and effort goes into celebrating the ‘apple’ or the ‘chestnut’. But these celebrations aren’t just about the produce. They say so much more about the pride of place that locals have with their towns and their heritage.

Montalcino has two main festivals; one in August for the celebration of the hunting season; and the other in October called the Thrush Festival. This event is eagerly awaited every year by the locals. Bird migration, and especially song thrush migration, has always been particularly intense in this area, leading to Montalcino having a longstanding hunting tradition. In the Middle Ages, when hunters and falconers returned to their villages with their quarry, it was customary to throw parties to which both nobles and commoners took part. Men challenged each other in tournaments, while women organized great banquets.

In the two-day Thrush Festival, two excellent archers from each of the four Montalcino neighbourhoods compete to determine the best archer. This is not a friendly game of archery. This is a rivalry, and passion abounds! The shooting starts on Saturday afternoon with a final tournament on Sunday. The winner becomes a local hero bringing glory and honour back to the winning neighbourhood. Each community, also known as a quarter (Quartiere), have their own flag, emblem, colours, headquarters and of course archery team. The quarter names are Pianello, Borghetto, Travaglio, and Ruga.

On Saturday morning, members from the folkloristic dance group Il Trescone, sing, dance, and encourage people to attend the Festival. In the meantime, 150 extras, dressed in Medieval costumes parade in the town’s streets, that are decorated with the districts’ colours. In Piazza del Popolo, the town crier announces that the Sagra del Tordo (festival of the Thrush) has officially begun. The citizens of Montalcino gather to the sound of the trumpets and listen to the proclamation and nomination of the archers who will shoot in the tournament tomorrow.

Archery Trials are held in the afternoon to determine the firing sequence of the archers for the next day, and to also determine the ultimate shooting distance. The two winners, along with members of their quarter, then head back home to ring the victory bell. That evening, each quarter prepares a traditional four-course dinner feast. The dinner is served by children from the quarter, and all participants sing and chant into the night, in preparation for the Sunday competition.

In the four Quartieri, visitors can taste the local traditional dishes and products: pappardelle with wild boar ragu, pinci pasta with tomato sauce, mushroom soup, bread soup, quail roast, fried polenta, tripe, and many more. Everything, of course, is accompanied by the famous Montalcino reds.

On Sunday afternoon and once the tournament is over, the winning Quartiere collects a silver arrow. This initiates celebrations that will last throughout the winter, with the losing districts constantly laughed at and mocked by the winners!

Black Lace Lingerie Inside My Easter Egg!

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:00:48 GMT

Black Lace Lingerie Inside My Easter Egg!

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Mar 16, 2018

It is no coincidence of style that Italians look chic while out on a passegiata in the evening or simply ducking into the supermarket. The idea of La bella figura or "a good impression" is ingrained into them from childhood.

Now they have taken the humble Easter egg with them down the path of La bella figura. Shop windows display eggs of all descriptions, which can be ornately decorated or simply, wrapped beautifully. That’s all good, but they have taken it a step further with the addition of personalised trinkets inside the Easter eggs. Artisanal chocolatiers are busy over the Easter period making customized eggs for clients with personalised gifts hidden within. The gift inside can be anything from lingerie, jewellery to a small toy for children. One of the most exciting items I have heard about that was inserted into an egg were two tickets to a tropical island!

A Day Out on Tour in Bobbio!

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 13:50:43 GMT

A Day Out on Tour in Bobbio!

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Mar 16, 2018

The Trebbia Valley considered by Ernest Hemingway to be "the most beautiful in the world"!

When I was living in Varzi with Jim and our boys, we had a town near to us named 'Bobbio' that we fell in love with. It is just over half an hour's drive from Varzi , over the top of Mount Penice and down the other side. It is a classy town, steeped in history. It has a backdrop of the Appennine mountain range and the river Trebbia flows to the right of the town along an expansive river bed. The valley is considered by Ernest Hemingway to be "the most beautiful in the world". One of the town's main attractions is the ancient bridge that spans the river bed. The bridge in itself has its own legend and may have links to the Mona Lisa portrait.

We spent many summer days cooling off with the locals in the water under the bridge and many winter days walking the trail that runs along river. We now take our clients to enjoy this town and the bridge on our Classic and Fine Food, Wine and Wonders tours. After their long-lunch of superb regional food at 'Il Piacentino' our guests take a walk down to explore the bridge. Along the way is the most orderly vegetable patch you will ever see. I have a suspicion that a ruler is used to plant out the massive productive plot! Like many towns in Italy, legends flow down through the centuries. The legend of the bridge of Bobbio, known as Ponte Gobbo or the 'Humpbacked' Bridge involves Satan himself and a hero in the form of Saint Columbanus(the Irish monk and missionary who founded an abbey in Bobbio in 614).

Legend has it that San Colombano was saddened because of the Trebbia floods that prevented him from crossing the river so as to evangelize the inhabitants of the area. He was visited by the devil, who offered him the construction of the bridge in exchange for the first soul that crossed it.

The saint accepted the offer, and in just one night the bridge was built with the help of 11 demons who held up the arches, but since they were of different stature, the work turned out, and still is Gobbo(hunchedbacked).

San Colombano liked the bridge just the same and managed to stick to the agreement by means of a trick- he sent his faithful(and unlucky) dog to cross the bridge!

At first, we thought we had discovered another of Italy's many 'hidden' treasures only to find out that Bobbio has been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of years. It is located on the "Via Francigena" , an ancient pilgimage road between Rome and Canterbury, it is also connected to the most ancient pilgrimage route, "Via degli Abati". Thanks to the monk Colombano, construction began on what later became one of the most important Abbeys of Europe due to its library and Scriptorium(a room in medieval monasteries devoted to the copying of manuscripts by the monastic scribes). The Abbey is the one in which Umberto Eco's novel 'The Name of the Rose' was based. You can walk through the Abbey and museum and be transported back into a more austere time.

A walk through the cobblestone alley to the Piazza takes you on a heady journey as the perfume of the mushrooms and truffles fill the streets. The shops and displays are classy and immaculately presented from the deli's to the haberdashery to the bakery. The people of Bobbio are also immaculately presented and fit well with their surroundings. (Although I would not tell the people of Varzi this, as there seems to be a long term rivalry between the towns!)

The drive back to the agriturismo through the rolling green hills is a lovely way to reflect on your day out in Bobbio exploring the town and its history and eating at 'Il Piacentino' where tradition has been passed down for four generations.

On special occasions when our friends and artists Adelaide and Oliviero are home, we take our guests for a visit to their beautiful traditional house. The walls are covered in artwork and the garden blooms. Adelaide and Oliviero are welcoming and hospitable hosts and love showing our Australian guests through their home.

If you join us on tour in Bobbio , I hope that it makes a lasting impression on your memory, as it has mine.

Saluti

Lynette

Solo travel - Just do it!

Thu, 11 May 2017 14:06:23 GMT

Solo Travel - Just Do It!

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • May 11, 2017

Single travellers don’t be afraid to go it alone. “They were the best 12 days of my life!” These are the words of a wonderful woman from NSW who had just hit 70 years old. Not only was she heading overseas for the first time in her life, she was going solo! We took her on our 12 day Treasures tour and she just delighted in Italy and the travel experience.

We get a lot of women asking us if we have many single travellers on our tours. In fact our tours are made up of 40% single travellers and more often than not, they are women. We take care of all your needs while on tour, but what happens when the tour finishes? All you need is a little confidence, planning and the ability to revel in the opportunity to indulge your whims. When you travel solo you can pick and choose what you want to see and do without regard to anyone else’s tastes. How liberating!

I have a few practical tips for you to take into consideration while travelling solo.

Try to look like a local. If the locals dress well, then you will blend in a little more by taking extra care with your appearance. Carry a hand bag or small satchel, as a backpack screams ‘tourist’. Don’t walk around carrying a map or guidebook. It is best to check your maps and transportation schedules before heading out into the streets.

Key to solo travelling is to always look confident, even if you need to fake it. If you become fearful in a situation try to remain composed, assertive and attentive. There are many single women travelling around the world having a wonderful time. But it doesn’t mean that you can throw caution to the wind.

While we are on the subject of safety, it is important to always arrive at your destination before nightfall. In this way you can make sure the area you are in feels safe or you may want to move; you can get to know where things are; you get to buy supplies before it gets dark and walking the streets at night with a suitcase in tow also screams ‘tourist’.

Making copies of good identification and travel insurance documents and keeping them in more than one place is a good practice. It is also reassuring to leave copies with a friend or relative.

Leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or family member at home, and stay in touch regularly via phone, text, video chat or email. If you are no longer making regular contact you will have someone that will chase it up.

Many places come alive at night, with families and friends meeting up after dinner in the squares, parks and bars. There is no reason why you should miss out on this companionship. But, if you are worried about being out in the evening then get an early start and make the most of your days. Also, a restaurant at noon feels cheerier than eating out at night. Being constantly on the go can make an early night in the hotel a blessing.

Giving the impression that you are with friends can be prudent at times . Lie a little if need be. When asking for directions try saying “I am meant to be meeting my friends at the museum. Can you point me in the right direction?”

Just because you headed out solo doesn’t mean you will always be on your own. You will quickly realise that other travellers are very friendly people. Even if you are shy, chances are that they are not. Opening up to other travellers helps to prevent the solo travel blues. You will probably feel lonely at times or homesick but that is a part of the journey. Meeting new people has always stuck in my memory more than seeing new places. But both are wonderful and going solo is nothing to shy away from. Just do it!

*These photos are of some of the women that have come on tour with us and then head off again travelling solo.

Gorgeous Autumn Colours

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 15:16:53 GMT

Gorgeous Autumn Colours

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Feb 08, 2017

Are you thinking of coming to Italy this Autumn? If you are then you’re in luck! Many people think Autumn is the best time to visit Italy, with crisp days, changing colours and seasonal food products to enjoy. Autumn in Italy is often characterised by the last lingering warm-to-hot days from summer, but typically without the humidity, or the hot nights. So even if it feels a little warmer than you think it should during the middle of the day, it’ll cool down in the evenings so that your after-dinner passeggiata will surely be pleasant. In September it’s also likely to still be warm enough after dinner to warrant a gelato while you stroll!

Autumn colours can be found in vineyards, foothills, and mountains in mid-October and into November. During the spring and summer Italy puts on the most amazing array of greens that I have ever seen, but come Autumn, when the Lombard poplars and chestnut woods change to yellow, the vineyards turn burgundy and you sometimes get a low lying mist settling in between the valleys it becomes a photographers playground!

Italian Food in Autumn

Autumn is the best time for gourmet food lovers. What can be better than freshly pressed olive oil, or Vino Novello which is the first wine from the vendemmia that needs to be drunk within 6 months. It is also a time for roasted chestnuts, truffles or the salty-sweet taste of fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto. If you want to go in search of fresh porcini or the like, don't bother asking where the best place is to find them either. You will always be told by other mushroom hunters that 'there are none around here', whilst they're carrying their concealed load in their bags from their prized secret patch!

Autumn Weather and Climate

One of the nicest things about Italy in early and mid-autumn is undoubtedly the weather. At this time of year the temperatures are very comfortable. This means that unlike in the summer, it becomes perfectly fine to take nice, long walks without worrying about dehydration, or having to find shade and air-conditioning. In the North you can expect temperatures from 7-10 (min) to 18-23 (max) degrees Celsius. In Central Italy you can expect between 13 and 23 degrees Celsius. In the Southern and seaside resorts temperatures get lower at night time, but during the day it's still quite warm - usually between maximums of 19 and 23 degrees Celsius.

Italy's Autumn Sagre (Festivals)

While there are festivals and celebrations year-round in Italy, some of the most enjoyable are the harvest-related food festivals that often take place in the autumn. From wine to chestnuts, to prosciutto to truffles, the foods being celebrated in autumn are the stuff of dreams – and the festivals are great cultural experiences where everyone is welcome! There are also other non-food-related festivals that happen in the autumn, and this is also when the regular seasons for things like Italian soccer and the various Italian opera houses start up again.

Tips to Help Make Independent Travelling in Italy Stress Free!

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 15:23:59 GMT

Tips to Help Make Independent Travelling in Italy Stress-Free

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Feb 08, 2017

Over the years we have come to know what our clients are looking for in a tour. They want to see new and beautiful places, eat good food, drink good wine and be around like minded people while relaxing and having everything taken care of. But what about pre and post tours when you are travelling independently? We have a few to make independent travelling a little easier .

1. Go Slow
It is tempting to see as many cities as your time allows. Thinking a couple of nights in each city should be enough. But by the time you include travel time to and from each city, it really only leaves one full day to explore. It is better to pace yourself , we recommend at least 3 nights in each place. It is less tiring and you return home with memories of each town or city instead of memories of the autostrada.

2. Don't waste your time waiting in line
It is painfully boring waiting in line for major tourist attractions! Some lines can flow out of the building and wind around the block, having you wait in the heat or the rain. Now you can pre-purchase tickets before you travel with Skip-the-Line tickets. Some places will want to lock in a specific date and time, but others will give you more freedom. By pre-purchasing tickets not only do you save time, but it gives you a deep-down-smug-satisfaction as you walk past the long queue straight to the front!

3. Have more than one nominated driver of your hire car
If you are planning on hiring a car it pays for two people to get their international drivers licence before you go. You never know if the nominated driver may get sick or injured or even simply tired after a long days driving.

4. Pack lightly
I invariably over pack and find I only wear half of the clothes I have taken. Over the years I have learnt to pack two good outfits and only a couple of comfortable walking around outfits. That's really all you need. This also leaves room in your bag to buy new clothes if it takes your fancy and it means your bag is not as heavy as you lug it from hotel to hotel or heave onto the rack above train seats. Australians are usually casual dressers. To fit a little more closely into Italian society I make sure my 'comfortable walking around outfits' are closer to 'dressed up' in Aussie attire.

5. Eat where the locals eat.
It pays to spend a little bit of time walking away from the tourist route to find a place to eat. Have a look to see if the locals are eating there . You will usually save money and eat well and feel a part of the culture.
If you eat close to a main tourist attraction you can run the risk of the proprietor dropping their standards as they are not looking for repeat cliental. Sometimes it is worth dropping your expectations and paying a little more if it means you will be eating in a beautiful piazza, such as the campo in Siena or Venice's Piazza San Marco.

Wonderful and Majestic Siena.

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 15:55:55 GMT

Wonderful and Majestic Siena

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Oct 25, 2016

Like many other travellers, Jim and I fell in love with Siena the very first time we experienced it. It was roughly 20 years ago and at the time we didn't have any preconceived ideas or expectations about the town. It was wonderful to be swept away by its elegant architecture, intimate, winding, alleyways and to cap it off - the magnificent Duomo. At Siena's heart though, sits the stunning shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, which is arguably one of the world's most stunning open spaces. Discovering Siena is akin to discovering Atlantis whilst on a snorkelling holiday on the Great Barrier Reef!

As many of you may already know, Siena is also famous for the "Palio", its historic horse-races that take place in the Piazza del Campo annually in July and August. Out of the 17 Sienese districts (known locally as contrade), 10 get to race. Of the 10 that race, one must stand behind the front row because it only fits 9 horses. The horses are ridden bareback, and if a jockey happens to fall from his horse, the horse can still win if it crosses the line first - with or without him! The jockeys are true mercenaries. They have no allegiance to any one district (contrada) and many of them are not from Siena. The contrade do not trust each other, and they do not trust the jockeys either - even the ones riding their own horses! From the moment that the horses are assigned, the contrade keep a dubious eye on their jockeys until they mount their horses on race day. It is said that jockeys are not permitted to depart from neighbourhood soil. Lip readers are hired to ensure that the jockeys are conniving in the interests of their contrada, rather than their own interests. Contrade bribe other contrade and jockeys, and in turn jockeys bribe officials. It is also not beyond the pale to drug horses, or kidnap jockeys before the race! Despite all of this 'accepted' corruption, the Palio is still a great race. Spectators pack the piazza (there's no chance of toilet breaks if you are in the centre of the piazza though - Are you pondering on that one?). The well-to-do, on the other hand, peer down from the balconies of the residences surrounding the piazza. After days of parades and fanfare, the actual race may last for only 75 seconds. But the excitement of it all overrides all the waiting!

Siena is an ideal town to see on foot because access by car is severely restricted. The surrounding countryside is a rich landscape of rolling hills, vineyards, olive-trees and the archetypal Tuscan Cypress or "Pencil" pines. It is a truly magnificent, architecturally-designed landscape that resembles gorgeous paintings at almost every turn in the road! To the north of Siena is the beautiful Chianti region. Also close by are the beautiful towns of San Gimignano, Volterra and Montepulciano. To the south of Siena lies the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Val D'Orcia, characterised by large sweeping hills that depict some of the most famous images of Tuscany. These images are represented in millions of photos in magazines and on postcards around the world. The gorgeous town of Montalcino, famous for its red wine the "Brunello di Montalcino", lies at the heart of this area. Siena and its surrounding towns are definitely not to be missed.

The Veneto Region With Its Amarone, Recioto and Ripasso Wines. You Will Never Want to Leave!

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:05:28 GMT

The Veneto Region With Its Amarone, Recioto, and Ripasso Wines. You Will Never Want to Leave!

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Oct 06, 2016

The Veneto region is in north-eastern Italy and is one of the biggest and most active wine regions in the country. It produces the largest amount of quality wines with the prized DOC and DOCG denominations. The vineyards can be mostly found around the beautiful town of Verona, home to Romeo and Juliet and second only to Rome itself in the number of Roman ruins it contains. The Veneto landscape is breathtaking in its natural beauty, with gorgeous valleys, misty mountains and winding streams.

To the north west of Verona lies the prestigious wine making area of Valpolicella. It is an intensely beautiful region, whose name comes from “val polis cellae” and means “ valley of many cellars”. The region is also known for its olive oil which has a DOP status (Malcesine, on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, and a destination on this month's feature tour, is famous for its olive oil). However, most importantly it is home to the wonderfully unique Amarone della Valpolicella wine.

Amarone is the star of the Valpolicella region. Once you have tried it you may not want to drink any other wine! It is a dense, concentrated wine with a velvety texture. ‘Amarone’ comes from the Italian word for bitter, and is made to balance the extreme fruitiness of the wine with a refreshing acidity. As it is highly aromatic and full flavoured, it is often compared with port wines. Due to its intensive production process and ageing requirements, Amarone wines are expensive. The wine making process is a unique ancient Roman tradition in Valpolicella, called “Appassimento”. It entails the partial drying of grape bunches after harvest for up to 4 months, allowing them to shrivel like raisins. The grapes are dried in special drying halls, which results in a concentration of sugars. They are then crushed and fermented until the wine is basically dry. Amarone goes perfectly with game and hearty foods.

Amarone is considered to be an off, dry wine, while its cousin, Recioto, has a bitter sweet flavour. Recioto is a smooth and deep coloured wine that is also reminiscent of Port, but with no added alcohol. It is made from grapes that are dried in the traditional way on straw mats, or hung from the rafters in warm lofts. This technique is called ‘passito’. The grapes are dehydrated, concentrating the sugars before fermentation. Recioto goes well with hard cheeses or cakes and pastries.

The name Ripasso is derived from the word re-passed, and this is a style of wine that is unique to the Valpolicella region. Ripasso refers to the production process whereby regular, fermented Valpolicella is added to a cask containing the skins left over from fermented Amarone wines. The process of adding the lighter Valpolicella wine over the remainders of the “bigger” Amarone wine imparts additional colour, texture and flavour to this particular wine. Also, it induces a second fermentation of the wine that increases the wine’s alcoholic content. Ripasso goes well with hearty foods, game and aged cheeses. Ripasso wines are less expensive than Amarone wines, and as such can be enjoyed regularly. Ripasso goes well with Porcini pappardelle, which is the focus of our recipe of the month below - Buon appettito!!

San Gimignano and One of the Oldest and Most Fascinating Pharmacies in Italy and Its Herb and Spice Garden.

Fri, 12 Aug 2016 17:01:12 GMT

San Gimignano and One of the Oldest and Most Fascinating Pharmacies in Italy and Its Herb and Spice Garden

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Aug 12, 2016

When most people think of San Gimignano they think of a town of skyscrapers, characterised by the numerous towers within its medieval walls, surrounded by the most beautiful Tuscan countryside that there is to see. What most people don't know is that San Gimignano was also a stopping point for pilgrims travelling to Rome and within San Gimignano were eight hospitals with one 'pharmacy' or apothecary supporting them. Also, this sixteenth century apothecary is one of the oldest in Italy. It has been kept unadulterated and its appearance is what it was centuries ago.

Today the collection of the Apothecary represents one of the most beautiful and interesting collections in San Gimignano. Set on the first floor of the museum in the former Conservatorio di Santa Chiara, the display exhibits more than 100 ceramic and glass wares from the 14th century and features the original structure of the pharmacy "shop", where the medicines were sold, and the "kitchen" where they were prepared. On display also are some of the drugs that would have been used. Some of these are preserved in ceramic and glass vessels and were manufactured on the basis of precise information, collected in ancient recipes. On display also are the pharmacopoeia books from that time and the apparatus in which pharmaceuticals were prepared.

To make this fascinating experience even more enriching, imagine a kind of open-air museum where you can walk among aromatic and medicinal herbs, breathing in the aromas and fragrances. With the help of architects, archaeologists, botanists and gardening experts the city of San Gimignano and the Opera Group- Civita, have tried to recreate the herb garden that would have once supplied the busy apothecary.

Interestingly, among the records of the expenses incurred at the time of the great plague epidemics (1630-33) accounts can be read of the remedies prepared in the apothecary and applied during the epidemic. It seems that hundreds of pounds of honey were used as a soothing agent and remedy for catarrh. A remarkable quantity of violets must have been used, not only as the ingredient of various medicines, but also to disinfect and perfume the closed areas of the Hospital. It was believed, that the transmission of disease was spread through bad air, and so there was an enormous number of recipes for making scent-balls, to be held to the nose as a "filter" for the air. And to keep the inhaled "poison" from mixing with the saliva, it was recommended to chew bitter roots that disinfected the oral cavity. I would hate to be a mother in the 1600's having to tell your children to "Chew your bitter root. It's good for you!"

You can visit San Gimignano and Apothecary on day 7 of our 10 day Seaside to hilltops Cinque Terre and Tuscany tour . During this day you would say goodbye to the gorgeous Northern Italian Riviera and hello to the equally beautiful Tuscany! You will stop at San Gimignano on the way. With its amazing towers and stunning surrounding countryside, this will surely be one of the highlights of your time with us! After our San Gimignano sojourn we head to the commanding hilltop town of Montepulciano, where we spend the next four days together.

White and Black Truffles- Diamonds of the Kitchen!

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 17:04:35 GMT

White and Black Truffles: Diamonds of the Kitchen

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Aug 04, 2016

If you have ever travelled through Northern Italy during the A utumn months you surely would have been touched by the infectious excitement that runs throu gh the towns, restaurants and deli's, as they celebrate the arrival of black and white truffl es ( tartufi in Italian ). Many towns will have a truffle festa or 'sagra' and if we are lucky enough to be running our tours at the same time as one of these sagra del tartufo, we to can take part in the joy these little round fungi cause.

Do you remember what it was like looking for four leaf clovers as a child? Busily searching through the grass in the hope that you will find one, which in turn will mean you will have good luck for the rest of the day(as a day was a long time in childhood!). On the occasions you did find one, oh how exciting that was! Then you moved on with your day and threw the clover away.

The excitement of going truffle hunting is akin to that childhood experience except that you don't throw the truffle away!

On our 15 Day Fine Food Wine and Wonders tour, we give you the opportunity to go truffle hunting with our friend Giorgio and his faithful dog 'zara' in Monferrato. On day 6 of this tour, after a morning in the Barolo wine region we take you to Giorgio's truffle grounds in search and gathering of white and black truffles amongst his wonderful woods of oaks, poplars, lindens, will0w-trees and hazels.

IAfter being out in the woods, we are made to feel welcome in Giorgio's home by his partner Grazia. Grazia prepares our 'findings' for us to taste while we sit back and relax in their kitchen. It is always a lovely afternoon, mixed with the excitement of a new experience and warmth of the hospitality of Giorgio and Grazia.

Back in 2012, we have our largest black truffle find yet!

The slow unearthing of the truffle!

Giorgio digs a little more as we watch on.

The excitement builds!

What a beauty!

Giorgio and Grazia with some of our guests on our 2012 Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour.

Some facts about truffles:

Truffles are used in fine dining around the world and considered a delicacy in European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines
They are the fruiting body of a subterranean fungus that grow as the result of a symbiotic relationship with the roots of trees
Fetching up to $US3,000 per kilogram, the white truffle is the most expensive edible fungus, followed by the black truffle
The scarcity of truffles is the reason for their high price - they require very specific conditions to grow, are low-yield, and have a short harvest season
Specially trained pigs and dogs are used to hunt for truffles due to their keen sense of smell
It is thought that the smell of truffles resembles that of androstenol, a sex pheromone found in boar saliva, explaining the attraction for pigs
German researchers found the pheromone was twice as abundant in truffles as it was in the blood plasma of boar

7 Things You May Not Know About Venice..

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 17:31:32 GMT

7 Things You May Not Know About Venice

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Jul 20, 2016

It's home to perhaps the narrowest street in the world. It measures 53 centimetres wide, or just a hair under 21 inches. It is located in the area around Campo San Canciano: Calletta Varisco.

The “ ghetto ” originated in Venice. The world’s first ghetto was created in Venice in 1516 as an area where Jews were forced to live. This restriction was the continuation of a pattern of mistreatment: Jews had been expelled from the city in 1394 and prohibited from owning land starting in 1423

Venice has about 7,000 chimneys. The chimneys — from the funnel-shaped to those that resemble a twisted pasta noodle — come in 10 different styles. The chimneys are designed to allow sparks to safely cool, rather than threatening any of Venice’ s many wooden structures.

It is unlucky to walk between the two columns in Piazzetta di San Marco. Locals — at least superstitious locals- make it a point not to walk between the two columns topped by statues of the city's patron saints that guard the water's edge. Since the space between the two columns used to be a spot for public executions, it's considered bad luck to walk between them today.

On June 25 th , 1678 the 32 years old, Venetian Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia was the first woman in the world to earn a doctorate degree. This achievement is commemorated by a memorial stone at Palazzo Loredan, a municipal building in Venice.

Venice has 417 bridges, 72 of which are private. Not every bridge is public, nor designed for humans alone. Many of the older bridges are smoothly sloped and have no steps, in order to allow people to cross on horseback — something that was legal until the 16th century.

The word 'CIAO' has Venetian origins. In ancient times people used it in Venice to greet each other: "s-ciavo vostro", which means "your servant, at your orders, your slave." So as time went by the greeting became at first "s-ciao" and then "ciao".

The Sublime Lake Como and Bellagio

Tue, 21 Jun 2016 17:56:13 GMT

The Sublime Lake Como and Bellagio

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Jul 21, 2016

I Out of all the North Italian Lakes, Lake Como is arguably the most beautiful of them all. If you were to Google ‘top European Lakeside destinations’, Lake Como comes up in all of them. Lake Como is best known for its stylish lakeside villas and has long been a favourite retreat for the rich and famous.

Lake Como is the third largest lake in Italy and one of the deepest in Europe, it lies in a mountainous, pre-alpine landscape, but manages to exude a Mediterranean charm.

Few places are as romantic as Lake Como, and even fewer resorts as beautiful as Bellagio. Called the “Pearl of the Lake”, Bellagio is characterised by century-old buildings, stone lanes and picturesque cobbled stairways filled with classy boutiques, gelato bars, cafes and restaurants. It has two gardens to visit and lovely views as it is set in an ideal position where the two legs of Lake Como come together, giving the town of Bellagio panoramic lake views.

Bellagio sits on a promontory near the centre of Lake Como, about 30 kilometres northeast of the town of Como. It is only one hour and twenty minutes drive north of Milan and close to the Swiss border.

On the days we take our guests to Lake Como and Bellagio we like to drive to our first destination, Menaggio, with the sounds of Anrdea Boccelli streaming through the car stereo. It is a lovely way to arrive at the lake. We have time to look around the town of Menaggio(situated on the west of the lake)before you board the ferry for the beautiful town of Bellagio(situated on the east of the lake). This is about a 30 minute ferry ride. The passenger ferries stop alongside a tree-lined waterfront. Across the road is a lovely arcade with cafes and restaurants. Walking to the right as you disembark from the boat, you'll find more 'touristy' cafes - the types of place where you can sit in the afternoon on a lakeside terrace with a big fancy ice-cream and watch the boats passing by. A little further along in this direction you'll pass the car-ferry departure point, the historic Hotel Grand Bretagne which is currently abandoned and falling into disrepair, and then reach a pretty lakeside promenade. A few minutes further on, you come to one of the two gardens open to the public, Villa Melzi, which we recommend to take the time to look through or even picnic in. From the central waterfront, stepped and cobbled lanes rise up the hill in a tight little network separating the lakeshore from the town's main street, Via Garibaldi. This is a pretty lane where you'll find more shops, cafes and also Bellagio's main town square, Piazza San Giacomo, or Piazza della Chiesa. The square is dominated by the town church, the Romanesque Basilica di San Giacomo, which is worth a visit for its frescoes and statues. On the opposite side of the square is a medieval tower, once part of Bellagio's now-disappeared defences and now a tourist office where you can buy tickets for the tours of Villa Serbelloni's gardens. The fountain in the centre of the piazza is said to have been originally commissioned by a resident Englishman for his garden to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Walking from the piazza past the church and out towards the tip of the Bellagio promontory, you reach a viewpoint, park and little harbour at Punta Spartivento, where the lake divides. Heading in the other direction from the square, Via Garibaldi passes the main entrance to Villa Serbelloni and reaches the town hall ( Municipio ). At this point a paved footpath (signposted) leaves the road and heads towards Pescallo, about ten minutes' walk away. Pescallo is an enchanting little fishing hamlet looking out over the western Lecco branch of Lake Como, on the opposite side of the promontory to the main settlement of Bellagio.

After exploring the sights and tastes of Bellagio you can then enjoy another ferry ride back to Menagio where we will depart Lake Como. We then have time to unwind and discuss the day's events over pizza at our favourite pizzeria in Varzi before returning to our accommodation at the agriturismo La Cascina Ca'Bella for a good night's sleep.

You can experience our day out on Lake Como and Bellagio on our 15 Day Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour .

5 Great Reasons to Celebrate Spring in Italy!

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 18:43:18 GMT

5 Great Reasons to Celebrate Spring in Italy!

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Jun 08, 2016

1. Spring weather is simply beautiful!

Spring is a wonderful time to be in Italy, especially April, May and early to mid June . It is warm enough for dresses and sandals and cool enough for sightseeing all day. It is also perfect weather for enjoying hearty meals and a glass or two of vino rosso or bianco! Most parts of Italy get less rainfall in spring than in the autumn and you can expect average maximum temperatures between 20-25°C.

(Springtime panorama of the Ligurian Sea from our Seaside to Hilltops Tour accommodation which sits high above the town of Sestri Levante.)

2. Springtime is “shoulder” season which means more reasonable airfares and hotel prices!

With fewer people around, you can find hotel and accommodation bargains before the high season starts in the summer months. Of course, be prepared to pay more during Easter, as many people travel to Italy to experience the religious festivals. You can also save on airfares by keeping a close eye out for the September early bird specials which include spring departures.

3. Beat the Crowds and mix with the locals!

(Mark (Far left), a guest on May's Seaside To Hilltops Cinque Terre Tuscany Tour , mixes with the locals in the charming seaside town of Camogli on the Italian Riviera)

Spring is a fantastic time to visit Italy's amazing cities and charming medieval villages. During our tours guests are often amazed at the lack of crowds when they casually explore popular locations such as Siena, Perugia, Gubbio and Pienza (all featured on our Treasures of Tuscany, Umbria and Lombardy Tour ) Milan, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and the Italian and Swiss Alps (featured on our Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour the carrugi (narrow alleyways) of Genoa,and the stunning San Gimignano (both featured on our Seaside to Hilltops Cinque Terre/Tuscany Tour ). During Spring / early Summer visitors to Italy also avoid those lengthy queues that can sometimes extend for blocks, and mix it with the local Italians, which is made all the more enjoyable because the hoards of tourists that arrive in the height of summer simply aren't there!

4. Blossoms, blooms, wildflowers and more shades of green than you could possibly think exist!

(Tuscan farmhouse just outside of Pienza in the Val D'Orcia ( Treasures of Tuscany and Seaside to Hilltops Tours)

In Italy the greyer months of Winter and very early Spring are characterised by ploughed , bare fields and dormant trees. However, this picture soon makes way in late April to an amazing array of colours and vibrant and lush green regrowth. The countryside, towns and cities are equally as colourful, with tree lined streets in full blossom and parks, gardens and planters full of blooming flowers. There are many spectacular gardens that are worth seeing in Spring also. Isola Bella's garden on Lake Maggiore is in full bloom and Bellagio's Villa Melzi is also stunning at this time of year. Villa Melzi is featured on our Classic Hidden Delights Tour and they are both featured on our Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tour. Some gardens are only open in spring, such as Florence’s Iris Garden (open from April 25-May 20).

5. Spring produce - Deliziosa!

Remember oh so long ago when fruit had flavour? Well in Italy during spring there are stalls selling fresh seasonal produce that will take you back to those wonderful days. Our favourites for this season are strawberries which is a specialty of the area around Varzi, which is featured on our Treasures , Classic and Fine Food Wine and Wonders Tours. Cherries, peaches and nectarines can also be bought by the box load during spring in some parts of Italy for next to nothing. Eating seasonally and locally is very important to Italians and in early spring it is also the time to enjoy artichokes prepared in many different ways in restaurants all over Italy.

Parmigiano Reggiano- King of Cheeses!

Thu, 26 May 2016 19:24:56 GMT

Parmigiano Reggiano- King of Cheeses!

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • May 27, 2016

Incredibly, the king of cheeses has been made almost exactly the same way for eight centuries, under extremely strict standards, using only the milk of cows raised under equally strict standards. The taste is slightly sharp, a bit like mildly sharp cheddar, but also very complex and layered. It is also a bit fruity, though nutty is the predominant characteristic. Then there is the wonderful aftertaste it leaves on the tongue. It can be served in chunks on its own or with a high quality balsamic vinegar drizzled on it or used to improve almost any dish it is added to from salads to steak.

We can thank the Benedictine monks from the 13th century for this long-aged cheese. The monasteries in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna had large areas of land, much of it given over to dairy cow grazing. As cow's milk is heavily influenced by the diet of the animal, the clover and the lucerne which were cultivated, gave a particular flavour to the milk that came through.

Today Parmigiano- Reggiano is is produced exclusively in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and parts of the provinces of Mantua and Bologna, on the plains, hills and mountains enclosed between the rivers Po and Reno.

This area hosts four thousand farms where the cattle are fed on locally grown forage. The feeding of cattle complies with the norms of a strict specification that bans the use of silage and fermented feeds.

Regular controls are carried out on the milk used in the process to ensure the high quality and the presence of special characteristics, which allow Parmigiano-Reggiano to continue to be, as it always has been, a purely natural product, completely without additives or preservatives.

Parmigiano- Reggiano is built around the ideal of perfection in every single wheel. These cheeses are scrutinised by the experts of the Consortium who examine each cheese one by one!

Day 7 of our 12 Day Lake Garda and Northern Italy Cultural and Culinary Delights Tour takes you on a journey to experience the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano for yourself.

Every day, the milk from the evening milking is left to rest until morning in large vats, where the fatty part spontaneously rises to the surface. This is used for the production of butter.

As soon as the whole milk from the morning milking arrives from the farm, the skimmed milk from the night before is poured into the typical bell-shaped copper cauldrons where calf rennet and fermented whey, rich in natural lactic ferments obtained from the processing of the day before, are added.

The milk coagulates in around ten minutes, and the curd which forms is then broken down into minuscule granules using a traditional tool called “spino”.

Then a cooking process is applied which reaches 55 degrees centigrade, after which the cheesy granules sink to the bottom of the cauldron forming a single mass.

After resting for around thirty minutes, the cheese mass is removed.

Cut into two parts and wrapped in its typical cloth, the cheese is then placed in a mould which will give it its final shape.

Each cheese is given a unique, progressive number using a casein plate and this number remains with it just like an identity card.

After a few hours, a special marking band engraves the month and year of production onto the cheese, as well as its cheese dairy registration number and the unmistakable dotted inscriptions around the complete circumference of the cheese wheel, which is then, after a few days, immersed in a water and salt-saturated solution.

It is a process of salting by absorption which, within less than a month, closes the production cycle and opens the not less fascinating cycle of maturation.

For maturation the cheese wheels are laid out in long rows in the silent maturation rooms.
Each cheese has used around 600 litres of milk and the constant care of the farmers and cheese masters.

The cheese is allowed to rest on wooden tables where the outside of the cheese dries forming a natural crust without being treated in any way and therefore remaining perfectly edible.

The minimum maturation time is twelve months, and only at this point can it be decided if each individual cheese is worthy of the name it was given at its birth.

After the Control Body’s inspection, a mark is fire-branded onto the individual cheeses which meet the requirements of the Protected Designation of Origin.

All identifying marks and the dotted inscriptions are removed from any cheeses which do not meet the PDO requirements. It is one of the most crucial moments for the cheese makers and also one of the most important for the consumers: the moment of selection and the granting of a certificate of absolute guarantee for the product.

The cheeses which are sent for sale to the consumer as fresh (a term which may sound curious for a product which has been maturing for a year) will have parallel lines engraved on them which render them immediately recognisable by the consumer. This is the second class of Parmigiano-Reggiano called “mezzano”.

When the cheese has matured for 18 months, the mark "Extra" or "Export" can be added. A system of coloured seals help the consumer identify the level of maturation of the pre-packaged

A red seal identifies the Parmigiano-Reggiano which has been matured for over 18 months. This product has a rather strong milk flavour, with aromatic notes such as herbs, flowers and fruits which make it ideal for snacks and aperitifs.

A silver seal identifies cheese which has been matured for over 22 months, with decidedly stronger aromas. In these cheeses the notes of fresh and citrus fruit can be tasted, along with a hint of nuts.

Finally, a gold seal identifies a cheese which has been matured for over 30 months and has the most distinctive flavour and complex aromas, with a higher nutritional element concentrated over its long maturation.

If you can read “Parmigiano Reggiano” in dots all over the rind it’s another sign that you’ve got the real thing!

Professional cheese testers (battitores) "listen" to each wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano by placing the 85-pound wheel on a special stand and gently tapping it with a small "martello" or hammer to detect flaws in texture and structure. They are also experts at evaluating the colour, aroma and maturation of the cheese—all without breaking it open!

WARNING! Whether you can speak Italian or not this ad will get inside your head. Pubblicità completa Parmigiano Reggiano

If we have whet your appetite for this delicious cheese, why not join us on our 12 Day Lake Garda and Northern Italy Cultural and Culinary Delights Tour. Where on Day 7 of this tour we will be taking you to a Parmigiano- Reggiano production plant where you will see firsthand the process of making this cheese.

How to Drink Coffee Like an Italian.

Wed, 18 May 2016 19:39:03 GMT

How to Drink Coffee Like an Italian

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • May 19, 2016

My first experience at ordering coffee in Italy was a disaster. With a little hesitation I approached the bartender and in my broken Italian I asked for a cafe' con latte, thinking he would give me the equivalent to a flat white. The poor bartender looked at me as though I had asked him for his bank details and phone number or something equally disturbing. Within the minute an espresso was produced with a little pot of milk next to it. Well it was what I had asked for! I soon discovered that to order a flat white is to ask for a cappuccio or cappuccino, senza schiuma (without froth). I have now also learnt it is only the tourists that drink coffee with milk outside of breakfast-a habit I refuse to break, to my husband's disdain.

Here, then, for those who fancy going native, are the Ten Commandments of Il Culto del Caffè according to Lee Marshall of the Travel Telegraph.

Thou shalt only drink cappuccino, caffé latte, latte macchiato or any milky form of coffee in the morning, and never after a meal. Italians cringe at the thought of all that hot milk hitting a full stomach. An American friend of mine who has lived in Rome for many years continues, knowingly, to break this rule. But she has learnt, at least, to apologise to the barman.
Thou shalt only drink cappuccino, caffé latte, latte macchiato or any milky form of coffee in the morning, and never after a meal. Italians cringe at the thought of all that hot milk hitting a full stomach. An American friend of mine who has lived in Rome for many years continues, knowingly, to break this rule. But she has learnt, at least, to apologise to the barman.Thou shalt not muck around with coffee. Requesting a mint frappuccino in Italy is like asking for a single malt whisky and lemonade with a swizzle stick in a Glasgow pub. There are but one or two regional exceptions to this rule that have met with the blessing of the general coffee synod. In Naples, thou mayst order un caffè alla nocciola – a frothy espresso with hazelnut cream. In Milan thou can impress the locals by asking for un marocchino, a sort of upside-down cappuccino, served in a small glass which is first sprinkled with cocoa powder, then hit with a blob of frothed milk, then spiked with a shot of espresso.
Which reminds me, thou shalt not use the word espresso. This a technical term in Italian, not an everyday one. As espresso is the default setting and single the default dose, a single espresso is simply known as un caffè.
Thou can order un caffè doppio (a double espresso) if thou likest, but be aware that this is not an Italian habit. Italians do drink a lot of coffee, but they do so in small, steady doses.
Thou shalt head confidently for the bar, call out thine order even if the barista has his back to you, and pay afterwards at the till.
If it's an airport or station bar or a tourist place where the barista screams "ticket" at thee, thou shalt, if thou can bear the ignominy, pay before thou consumest.
Thou shalt not sit down unless thou hast a very good reason. Coffee is a pleasurable drug, but a drug nevertheless, and should be downed in one, standing. Would thou sit down at a pavement table to take thy daily Viagra?
Thou shouldst expect thy coffee to arrive at a temperature at which it can be downed immediately as per the previous commandment. If thou preferest burning thy lips and tongue or blowing the froth off thy cappuccino in a vain attempt to cool it down thou shouldst ask for un caffè bollente.
Thou shall be allowed the following variations, and these only, from the Holy Trinity of caffè, cappuccino and caffé latte: caffè macchiato or latte macchiato – an espresso with a dash of milk or a hot milk with a dash of coffee (remember, mornings only); caffè corretto: the Italian builder's early morning pick-me-up, an espresso "corrected" with a slug of brandy or grappa; and caffè freddo or cappuccino freddo (iced espresso or cappuccino) – but beware, this usually comes pre-sugared. Thou mayst also ask for un caffè lungo or un caffè ristretto if thou desirest more or less water in thine espresso.
Anything else you may have heard is heresy.

Friendship and the Aperitivo.

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 19:55:34 GMT

Friendship and the Aperitivo

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • May 19, 2016

IThe aperitivo is a brilliant concept. It is the ritual of a pre-dinner drink with a few good quality snacks to kick start your digestion. It is definitely not 'happy hour' as we know it in Australia or time to fill-up so that you don't have to cook dinner, although this can easily be done. The main reason I love the concept of the aperitivo is the ease in which it brings friends together to unwind after a day's work. There is no need to ring around to organise a get together with friends. Everyone knows that your friendship circle will be at the bar between 7 and 8 most evenings. It is a place to come and go as you please. It is a place to sit, talk, be seen and people watch.

In the small town of Varzi - where we use to live and where we base many of our tours around - the locals would gather at their favourite bar around 6pm to meet up with friends. In this town it is a mainly male orientated affair. The men have just finished work and unwind before going home to a cooked meal. I really enjoyed looking on at this ritual, as the men looked so relaxed and ‘at home’ in their surrounds. And of course, a little bit of exhibitionism never goes astray with the locals. The bar of choice rarely changes, unless the proprietor starts to really disappoint in their selection of nibbles!

Next time you are in Italy I strongly suggest you take advantage of the aperitivo hour. Not only because it's so tasty, but because it is a great way to get a feel for the Italian culture .

Our First Italian Christmas and the Trento Christmas Market.

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 20:23:04 GMT

Our First Italian Christmas and the Trento Christmas Market

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • May 19, 2016

As Christmas approaches in the north of Italy, the days are very short and often the chill through your shoes from the cobble stones sends you indoors. The streets in the evening are very quiet and winter shrouds the towns in a lull before the first snow falls. This was our first winter and Christmas in Italy.

When winter arrived, Jim, myself, and our two young sons Marcus and Jason, had already been living in Italy for 8 months. We chose to live in Jim’s father’s home town; a pretty little town in Southern Lombardy called Varzi (It is situated in a lush green valley, and has a really cute medieval centre. It is actually quite a highlight for many guests who come along on our tours). Our boys were attending prep and grade one at the local school, where they were revelling in the freedom of unfettered play, brought about by the lack of health and safety restrictions!

We had no expectations as to what Christmas in Italy would bring. All we were hoping for was some snowfall, we were definitely not expecting to see the wondrous transformations that took place in townships. It seemed as though overnight, all of the towns in our part of Italy were set alight with golden fairy lights draped tastefully over the streets. Nativity scenes were also lovingly placed outside churches, even in the smallest of hamlets. The most marvellous shop-window displays were also created; each one rivalling the other. As we ventured out in the evening during this time it was like entering a golden wonderland!

As Christmas approached, Jim and I found ourselves in some confronting and confusing situations with our boys around the tale of Santa Claus. We had to do some fast and evasive talking every now and then. Marcus and Jason still believed in Santa, and of course our family Santa story was no different to the standard western version. However, one evening this version of "the truth" was severely challenged when, much to our chagrin, one of our friends suggested that ‘baby Jesus actually brought the presents’! After our friend's departure I hurriedly told the boys that she didn’t know what she was talking about, and just as I thought I had convinced them, one of Jim’s cousins confused matters further by telling them Santa comes just before midnight on the 24th of December! In this case I shamefully explained to the boys that she wasn’t all there! I was a mother desperate to not ruin the joy of Santa for my two little boys, and with some help and support from Jim I managed to do just that.

One very special memory I have of Italy at Christmas time is the magical Trento Christmas market. If you have the chance to go to Italy in late November- December I would highly recommend an evening soaking up the atmosphere here. The piazza is transformed into a Christmas wonder land with wooden market booths draped in golden fairy lights. Christmas songs play, ice sculptures are carved on the spot, and speciality Christmas decorations are ready for sale in many of the wooden huts. The spicy aroma of mulled wine mingles with the smell of sausages and sweet pastries. There is no need to have dinner before you go as the choice of food is wonderful as is the choice of schnapps. I believe the market has doubled in size since we were there - double the fun!

If you would like to visit this market, it is just a short drive up into the Alps, one hour away from Verona. You can click here to have a look at what they have planned this year.

A presto!

Lynette.