Hiking the Casentino Valley

The Casentino is a wonderful tour. It really is hidden Tuscany: only an hour north-east from Florence, yet surprisingly un-touristed. Our route take us along the ridges of the Apennine Mountains into the verdant forests of the Casentino National Park, t [...]

Tarantella – Music from the South

The traditions, the food, and the culture that characterize southern Italy offer unexpected surprises. We absolutely love one of the most evocative types of traditional music and dance, which harken from the south.  There is ancient lore that women goin [...]

Paths in the New Year

Lots of great dreaming can take place from a chair, or a walk around the block, or on a path up the hill behind the house. We have been thinking about the wonderful possibility of travel opening up again in 2021, and so have scouted some new locations a [...]

Puglia: The Heel of the Boot

Imagine this: stone-walled lanes, endless vegetable gardens, infinite groves of olive trees (some known to be thousands of years old)––filling the horizon and reaching out to the subtle waves of the sparkling Adriatic Sea. While we weave our ways in and [...]

Hiking the Amalfi Coast in April 2019

“Closer to heaven than to earth” is how the Amalfi coastline has been described.  It certainly feels that way to us, waking in lovely towns perched on high, or alongside the sea. Fragrant lemon trees are everywhere, and colorful bougainvilleas accentuat [...]

Marvels Of Western Tuscany

Tired of seeing or hearing about some of the more tried and true Tuscan routes? Wine trails and hilltop towns? Journey Through Italy is offering a brand new tour that beautifully fuses together the wild and wooly unknown corners of Tuscany: from the daz [...]

Dolomiti Photo Workshop

We are extremely excited about our Journey Through Italy + The Image Flow tour being offered this July that includes a special collaboration. Our Dolomiti Photography Workshop brings Journey Through Italy’s Director Lorenzo Acciai together with Californ [...]

Sicilian Markets

Sicily is well known for being a place where theater comes to life— even  in everyday living. This can easily be seen at their numerous colorful outdoor  markets, a tradition dating back to the 9th century Saracen rule of the island, which explains thei [...]

Back From Our Chianti Tour!

We just got back from our Chianti Tour and once again are reminded how marvelous Tuscany is in the autumn! We all met in Florence for a fascinating tour of some small Renaissance jewels with Lise, our favorite Florentine art expert, and then made the pi [...]

Tania’s Picnics

Tania, our chef, works her magic every day by preparing exquisite picnics for our guests. Each morning before our day starts she sets out in search of fresh local vegetables, meats, cheeses and whatever the surroundings may offer. While our guests are o [...]