Sample Catania’s authentic savory and sweet treats on a walking tour through its bustling marketplace and specialty food shops.

Your great culinary adventure will begin by exploring the exquisite Baroque architecture of Piazza Duomo. You’ll then head on over to Sicily’s largest and most versatile markets, located in the heart of the city. Relatively untouched by tourism, the farmer’s market, Pescheria, fish market, and specialty shops offer a wonderful insight into Sicilian culture and cuisine. You’ll meet with friendly and trusted vendors, and experience first-hand the local food scene as you pass by the products of fishmongers, butchers, farm-to-market produce sellers, cured meat and cheese vendors, bakers, and other artisans. Of course, you’ll also sample fresh seasonal produce, roasted olives, cheese, and street food like arancini, pizzette, cipolline and stigghiola.

After a short stroll, you’ll find yourself at the Benedictine nunnery, which will reveal some of the secrets behind local pastry making, and taste cassata, granita, mustata, rame di Napoli, zuzzu, and other characteristic sweets.

Between nibbling on desserts, imbibing on the popular tangerine and lemon fruit syrup and tonic water drink at a street-side kiosk, and snapping photos at the Greek amphitheater, you’ll understand the meaning of eating seasonally and how Sicilian cuisine is crucially connected to market-fresh produce and deep-seated local traditions.

You can choose to end your experience by relaxing in the lush Bellini Gardens with a portable snack or being seated at a restaurant in the vibrant Via Etnea neighborhood for a light lunch.

Embark a foodie-led exploration of Venetian culture that takes you off the beaten path to the city’s oldest marketplace and traditional bacari bars to sample its most authentic delicacies!

First, you’ll begin your culinary adventure as Venetians have for centuries – at the iconic Rialto Market, soaking in its joyful and busy atmosphere. Here, you’ll learn all about its fresh produce and history from your private Venetian guide, before popping in a typical bacaro to sip on a glass of prosecco and savor famous Venetian cicchetto, Venetian style tapas, alongside Venetians who have also stopped by with their groceries before going home to fix lunch.

Next, you’ll step aboard a gondola, and will cross the Grand Canal, leaving behind the crowds, to discover the vibrant residential sestiere of Cannaregio, once the main entranceway into the city. You’ll learn all about its traditions and people while stopping by another bacaro to relish more mini-bursts of regional flavors and delicious wines.

The volcanic soils of Mount Etna, located just south of Catania, support thriving agriculture with lush vineyards and orchards spread across its cultivated slopes. Some of the most interesting wines being produced in Italy today are made in that very fertile area surrounding the volcano.

Our Etna vineyard discovery will introduce wine lovers to some of the area’s pre-eminent winemakers, with the opportunity to taste the wines, compare styles and learn about the region’s history and extraordinary winemaking traditions. Concluding this wine-tasting adventure is a full lunch enjoyed in a nearby restaurant, pairing the previously explored grape varieties to a typical Sicilian meal.

Adorned in splendid period costumes and a Venetian mask, experience a magical evening of evocative shows in one of the most beautiful and majestic palaces on Venice’s Grand Canal.

Reaching the palace by water in a private water limo taxi, you will witness the extravagance of every lavishly dressed party-goer and dream-seeker you pass.

The wonder and mystique of the masquerade ball will surely sweep you into the fantasy as acrobatic performers seemingly fly overhead and the sounds of opera singers and characters from Commedia dell’Arte fill the air.

Carnevale in Venice is guaranteed to weave a magical spell around you.

 Costumes are obligatory and are to be organized by a world-renowned atelier in Venice, whose costumes have been featured in movies such as Elizabeth and Outlander.

Recognized and respected as one of the best mask-producers in the world, the shop is committed to outstanding craftsmanship and communicating the fascinating stories behind each style of mask.

During the workshop, channel your inner Venetian and create a custom hand-made mask alongside an expert artisan who will unlock the secrets of mask-making techniques before you really express yourself using high-quality decorations including fine fabrics, real feathers, Swarovski gems, as well as gold and silver leaf.  

Whizz around Mount Etna’s slopes, taking in its ever-changing lunar landscapes all from the comfort of your luxurious 4×4, before trekking past its inactive craters to enjoy a picnic made up of Sicilian food and wines.

Your day starts bright and early. You’ll first be picked up and driven up to the volcano, passing through idyllic villages and some of Sicily’s most famous wine-growing regions, all the while gaining 1,200 meters in elevation. 

Accompanied by a geologist alpine guide, you’ll leave the main road and begin a 30-minute mild climb on board a sturdy off-road vehicle. From this vantage point, you’ll admire the stunning view from one of the most inaccessible and mysterious places on the volcano – the Bove Valley. 

After taking in the panoramic views, your vehicle will merge back on the paved road climbing up 2,000 meter in elevation to the end of all roads. From here, you’ll begin your hike, trekking past Mount Etna’s inactive craters. 

You’ll then drive on over to explore the cave, an impressive volcanic tube. 

After a morning of hiking and spelunking, you’ll sit down to enjoy a picnic on the craters, pouring DOC Etna wine and snacking on typical Sicilian food. Your Mount Etna adventure will end with a leisurely drive back to your accommodation. 

Depending on the level of fitness, hikes can be customized to light/mild/difficult, or not involve any trekking at all, if desired.

Enjoy Venice as it was intended to be seen, from the water. On this private gondola tour, you’ll experience the magic of the quiet canals beyond Venice’s busy piazza and catch a glimpse into the hidden gems of the lagoon city from a unique vantage point.

Your expert gondoliere will share the wonders of Venice; the fascinating history of the sumptuous palaces lining the canals and more.

While gliding past the web of waterways, you will be invited to indulge in an authentic aperitivo of cicchetti and prosecco, and if requested, will listen to live music.

Treat yourself to a star-lit dinner among the vineyards of Brunello di Montalcino, a scene straight out of La Dolce Vita.

Watch the gold-streaked sun melt behind the rolling hills, as you indulge in a variety of delicious Tuscan specialties paired with the wines, right where they are produced. Spend the evening listening to live music intermingled with the tinkling of glasses, laughter, and chirping crickets.

Create a picture-perfect night in all-white attire: Men’s straw hats and women’s white shawls are provided to each guest to make the evening picture perfect!.

Become an honorary artisanal gelato maker, learning all the ins and outs of this perennial favorite under the guidance of an award-winning Florentine gelato maestro.

At the laboratory of a Florentine gelateria, you’ll learn all about Florence’s 500-year love affair with the frozen artisanal dessert as well as the proper techniques and ingredient combinations that go into making an authentic gelato.

After sampling freshly churned gelato, you’ll begin to create your own – cream-based or fior di latte, chocolate or nut-based (hazelnut or pistachio) and a seasonal fruit sorbet –  all from scratch and using only the highest quality of fresh and raw ingredients. 

Suitable for children and families, and for that matter, all gelato enthusiasts, this hands-on experience will leave you with a heightened appreciation for artisanal gelato, and the ability to distinguish the good from the industrial, alongside recipes on how to make Florentine gelato right at home.

Embark on a whirlwind journey through thousands of years of history and art, discovering the timeless masterpieces of the Vatican museums, alongside a private art-historian guide who has spent the past 15 years studying the Vatican collection, and has lectured and written extensively about its galleries and artistic treasures.

Learn about the fascinating story of the Renaissance as the past is brought to life by your expert guide, and customize your tour to suit your interests, knowledge of art, and experience of the museums. 

If visiting for the first time, your journey begins in the Sistine Chapel, where you will encounter the Genius of Michelangelo and admire the artistic space, its creators, and genesis. 

For those who’ve already visited the museums, you’ll discover the lesser-explored sections of the museum – from the Carriage collection, to the painting gallery, and to early Christian sculpture, always with an eye to recounting the great narrative of the world’s greatest art collection. 

The tour can also shift focus to St. Peter’s, exploring not only the dense spiritual and artistic space but also the less visited areas, such as the Treasury Museum. 

This tour can be rendered more intimate by opening special areas of the collection such as the Niccoline Chapel or the Bramante stair. We can also arrange visits to the Santa Rosa Necropolis, recently uncovered during excavation for the construction of a parking lot. Additionally, tours of the Vatican Garden and the Barracks of the Swiss Guard are also possible.