Finding Authenticity
An authentic experience is the key to getting in touch with a culture, and they are hard to find. It is easier to reduce culture into a few key stereotypes that are easily packaged and sold quickly and carelessly. This has led to a proliferation of content online aimed at helping travelers avoid tourist traps.
Authenticity is not just about the places you visit or the foods you try; it is about the people you meet and the stories you share. It is not about sampling olive oil in a shop, but walking the groves with the farmer whose family has grown those olives for centuries.
It is about the big belly laughter when your first attempt at making pasta comes out like squiggly worms, and the Nonna whose kitchen you are in grabs you by the hand and guides you through the next few tries. These are the memories that linger long after the trip is over and that leave you wanting more.
This is why we treat our tours like recipes. During our initial call with you, we listen to your likes and interests and get to know what "spices" you like to add to your life. Some people are wild about wine, while others are mad about museums. We start to imagine with you what ingredients and spices we should add to your trip to bake up the perfect itinerary.
That is when we go to our "pantry" and look at all of our tour ingredients. These are experiences we have hand-selected in each location, such as a cheese factory tour, a special gelato shop, truffle hunting with a highly experienced guide who can tell you about the history of the land, and more.
We seek experiences that make us proud of our country. We meet with local chefs, sommeliers, farmers, tour guides, and more, who are passionate about sharing their culture and heritage. We believe that connection is the secret sauce that turns a regular trip into an amazing one, and we look for people who make us feel excited about what they do. It is their enthusiasm and openness that create the basis for an authentic experience.
Finding authenticity is an intentional act, and it can be really difficult. We take out the guesswork and find you the best experiences, Italian-approved. Come with us and discover not only the heart of our culture, but also a deeper sense of connection to the world and to yourself.