Italy · FOOD & DRINK
Italian food travels badly and eats brilliantly where it is made. These 15 walk the markets, the bakeries and the standing-room counters, priced, timed and clear about exactly how hungry to arrive.
Ride from Florence to two Chianti wineries with an English-speaking guide, taste up to seven wines, sample cheese, salami, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, and tour vineyards and cellars. Guides may include Martina, Cecilia, Constantino, John, or Giulia, depending on the departure.
“really fun! bigger crowd but to be expected :) informative and lovely tour of countryside”
Travel from Florence to two Chianti Classico estates with an English-speaking guide such as Leo, Jonathan, or Matteo. Tour vineyards and cellars, taste reds, olive oil, cheese, salami, and bruschetta, then return in about five hours.
“We had a great guide. The two winery visits included just enough time to enjoy what they had to offer and company of the participants. There were only eleven of us!”
Spend about 12 hours exploring Tuscany from Rome with an English-speaking guide, a Montepulciano walking tour, lunch and wine at a local farm, and free time in Pienza. Expect scenic coach travel, steep streets, a group of up to 25, and a wine experience that varies by tour option.
“Our tour guide Barbara was very entertaining and informative. We enjoyed the views. Our favorite stop was Montepulciano. It is a long day but we are glad we did it.”
Join an English-speaking guide such as Rishad, Luca, Dario, or Valentina for a four-hour Trastevere food walk. Expect Roman pasta, porchetta, supplì, cookies, wine, and gelato at small local venues, with history and practical food tips along the way.
“This was a tremendous experience. It covered history in addition to terrific food and drink. Leo was a great tour guide and lead us through our six locations with expert precision. Highly recommend!”
From central Florence, join an English-speaking sommelier such as Ginevra, Sara, or Alex in an air-conditioned 4x4. Visit family wineries, taste Chianti, Brunello, or Vino Nobile, tour old cellars, and enjoy a regional meal with wine pairings.
“Sara was an amazing and knowledgeable guide with a combination of wine and historical information! Fabio was a great driver through the rainy winding roads and made the journey more comfortable and fun! We looked at a lot of tours and so happy we picked this one!”
Spend an evening in Florence’s Oltrarno with a local English-speaking guide such as Antonella, Martino, Sara D., or Dimitri. You’ll visit wine windows, taste four Tuscan wines, sample cheese and local dishes, watch gnudi pasta being plated, learn the Negroni, and finish with artisan gelato.
“This food and wine tasting walking tour in Florence, on the other side of Arno River, in Oltrarno, guided by Assia, was an emotional and very inspiring experience that I would highly recommend to everyone who loves good food and wine and is eager to learn more about the history and culture of the region”
Spend about 11 hours exploring three medieval Tuscan towns, a Chianti winery, and Siena Cathedral. You get round-trip coach transport, three wines, vin santo, and a three-course lunch. Guides such as Sandro, Ricardo, and Martha have earned warm praise, though the pace and group size can feel demanding.
“This was a great way to experience Tuscany if you only have a day. Comfortable bus, great locations and the included lunch/wine tasting was fantastic. Tour guide Sandro was very informative. My only recommendation would be to shorten the time in Siena - it seemed over long and made the day very long.”
Follow an English-speaking guide such as Daniela, Alberto, or Carmen through Naples’ old center for pizza a portafoglio, fried pasta, arancini, taralli, babà, sfogliatelle, mozzarella, limoncello, gelato, and a spritz. Expect plenty of food, local stories, and crowded streets over 2.5 hours.
“Daniella was amazing to take the tour with…..highly recommend, and come with an empty stomach! Naples was a fantastic experience!”
Ride from Catania to 2,000 meters with a local guide such as Leonardo, Daphne, or Emilia. Walk ancient craters, enter a lava cave with helmet and flashlight, and taste cantucci biscuits with zibibbo wine. Choose a morning or sunset departure, but note this is not a summit tour.
“We really enjoyed this experience. Our guide, Daphine, was spectacular. She provided a very safe and peaceful trip from Catania to Etna. She was super attentive and has spectacular knowledge about the region. We highly recommend this attraction!!!”
Leave Florence by air-conditioned minibus for two Chianti Classico wineries. Taste six wines with olive oil, cheese, salami, and bruschetta, tour cellars, and hear local wine stories from an English-speaking guide such as Jonathan, Leo, or Jason.
“We had an amazing time on this tour. Rafael shared cultural fun facts with us, which was helpful for our time in Italy. The tour also got more and more fun as we tasted more wine. Highly recommend!”
Choose a 2.5-hour Rome food walk through Trastevere or the Jewish Quarter and Campo de’ Fiori. Your English-speaking guide leads five tastings, plus wine and beer samples, with Roman pizza, supplì, cured meats, cannoli and gelato. Guides such as Ramona, Marco, Mattia and Francesca add local stories along the way.
“Luca was an outstanding guide with lot of humour that made the experience even more enjoyable… 5 stars”
Leave Florence at 7 a.m. for a 12.5-hour trip to Manarola, Monterosso, Vernazza, and Riomaggiore. Your tour leader manages the coach, trains, and optional boat, while you explore independently. Select the lunch option for local street food, and expect steep steps, crowds, and a fast pace.
“The organization and logistics are complicated but brilliantly executed in our case. If you are lucky, you’ll get a guide like John and a bus driver like Mario? Both exceptional professionals. At first stop I could”not hear the instructions, and asked John to repeat them at the next stop which he did from then on. Using his white board which we could photo helped immensely. The company needs to provide portable microphones for the guides, they are not expensive. This is essentially a “guided transportation tour”, not a guided tour. Do not expect any background or history about the stops. Expect crowds of tourists, gobs of restaurants and souvenirs shops,…”
Meet near Cipro Metro for four hours of Roman food and wine in Prati. With guides such as Michael, Giordano, and Vincenzo, you visit five or six eateries for up to 20 tastings, including truffles, cured meats, Bonci pizza, pasta, Barolo, and gelato.
“Fantastic food,drink and host. Couldn’t of asked for more - just the company 🫤🙁 wish you could choose”
Spend 11 hours exploring three medieval Tuscan towns and a Chianti estate from Florence. Ride a Wi-Fi-equipped coach, hear live commentary in several languages, join a Siena walking tour if selected, and taste three local wines with homemade snacks.
“This was an amazing day trip. So much to see in just one day. Our tour guide John was very professional and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend as a day trip from Florence.”
Walk from Rialto through San Polo, Santa Croce, and possibly Cannaregio or Castello, stopping at eight local bars, shops, and restaurants. Expect coffee, pastries, cicchetti, five to six fish tastings, cured meats, cheese, pasta or risotto, wine, cookies, and artisan gelato with an English-speaking local guide.
“Great introduction to Venetian food, drink and culture. Marianna was informative, fun, kind and so proud to show us her hometown. We ended the tour so full from all the food and drinks and buzzing from such a fun experience. It exceeded our expectations. Thanks Marianna!”
Pick a city, a coastline or a kitchen.
