Entries by Claudia Alfieri

Brunello wine in the Val d’Orcia

As you travel throughout Italy, it would be a mistake not to visit one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany, the Val d’Orcia. With its endless rolling hills and small, picturesque towns, it’s easy to see why this area has been added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. With its warm, dry […]





Artisanal Cheeses of Podere il Casale

Your journey to Podere il Casale will open your eyes to the culinary joy of non-traditional cheeses and how they are produced. Sandra and Ulisse will welcome you to see their farm that is home to 150 sheep and 30 goats. Their animals live homeopathically so that no chemical residues will reside inside the cheese. […]





Positano Villas Almost Sold Out For 2018- Book Early

If you have not booked your villa dream vacation in Positano for 2018, you might be disappointed.  This destination keeps out performing each season.  Just when we thought you needed to book 12 months in advance, 2018 is mostly sold out and you now need to be considering 2019, even 2020. Peak season runs May through […]





Hotels

With our network of hotels throughout Italy, with the Signature Network, we know it will be good! We feature 4 & 5 Star Hotels and whenever possible, we would suggest a boutique hotel (under 30 rooms).  We prefer charm, over business hotels with oversized lobbies and lots of people.  There is nothing wrong with big hotels, but […]

Apartment Rentals

Apartment Rentals are on the rise, and for good reason; they often offer a more affordable alternative to hotels. Often you can have a 3-Star budget and book a 4-Star experience, or you can take your 4-Star budget and receive a 5-Star experience. Most apartments range in size from a studio, 1 bedroom, 2-3 bedrooms.  […]

Massage Services

Tuscany- Lucia Calo, Massage Therapist
Holistic Massage / Relaxing Massage / Deep Tissue Massage / Sport Massage / Pregnancy Massage / Aromatherapy Massage / Lymphatic Drainage / Reiki

Wine Excursions

We would be happy to arrange half, or full day wine tours, but as you can read from the article below, there are numerous regions and choices.  Please give us your preferences, time frame, and budget, and we will make a recommendation for you.   Getting into Italian wine is a never-ending adventure of new […]

Culinary Experiences

  Every corner of Italy has its own unique cuisine, and we are here to help you find the best experience.  Whether you want a full week of cooking, or just a cooking class for half of a day, or no cooking, we offer a variety of food-related outings. Our food and wine tours in […]

Walking Tours in Historic Centers

One of the most memorable experiences you will have in your travels is a guided tour of the historical centers.  Nothing will ever compare to a private guide who can bring the rich history alive through their storytelling. You can always take your guide books, rent headphones, or go with a tour group and follow […]

Transfers & Private Driver Guides

Often your best vacation is experiencing the destination, instead of stressing on how to get somewhere.  May we recommend private drivers for either your transfers from point to point, or private drivers for tours. We offer private transfers from the airport/hotel, or pier throughout Italy.  Rome Airport to the city center is around 65 euro.  Yes, you can […]

Puglia; Italy’s Best Kept Secret

POLIGNANO A MARE, Italy — Puglia has some of the brightest seas, most diverse art and architecture, most mouthwatering peasant cuisine and kindest people in all of Italy — including strangers who will go out of their way to lead you to one after another stunning beach on impossibly lapis-lazuli waters. Puglia is the heel to Italy’s […]





Winter Is Prime in Puglia

By DANIELLE PERGAMENT MARCH 22, 2013 Disappointment swept across the table. Daniela, our waitress, with tight jeans and dyed pink hair, hovered over our table, shaking her head. “I trying to warn you,” she scolded. There were dozens of bowls of antipasto unfinished, many of them untouched. She just shook her head some more. “I leaving and […]





Tuscany Without the Crowds

By DANIELLE PERGAMENT MARCH 2, 2010 IT was a cold, foggy morning in Tuscany, and La Foce, a 15th-century villa that sits on 2,000 acres of rolling fields overlooking the storied Montepulciano vineyards, was eerily quiet. I walked the stone pathways in the manicured garden. Around me, cypress trees creaked, ripe persimmons swayed soundlessly from bare branches and […]