A chat with Antonella Montagano of I Viaggi dell'Origano, a tour operator exclusively dedicated to incoming and sustainable tours to the central Italian region of Molise.  Antonella tells about the many ways Italy's least visited and newest region can be visited and why Molise is a slow tour destination par excellence, whether by foot, bicycle or horseback.  We find out more about her home town of Bonefro and the subtle differences between the province of Isernia and Campobasso. If you love caciocavallo cheese, she also has something special for you.   ..read more

Azienda Agricola Marrone is a fabulous wine estate situated in one of the most sought after wine destinations of the Langhe in Piemonte, La Morra near Alba. Four generations of the Marrone family have applied passion, tenacity and hard work to produce fine organic wines from native grapes which include Arneis, Barbera, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Favorita, Moscato and, of course, Nebbiolo. Biodiversity is at the heart of the operations with the vineyards tended exclusively by hand. Even at the best of times, running a winery is tough and, after four generations, the business is now managed by Deni ..read more

Lara and Andrea tell us the story of their wonderful private restaurant situated above the lakeside village of Torri del Benaco overlooking fabulous Lake Garda. We first ask Lara how they transformed a private family villa into an intimate location for weddings, business lunches and Chef led cooking classes. She also suggests some places in this beautiful corner of the province of Verona you should not miss out on during a visit. Chef Andrea takes us through his early days in the kitchen to eventually taking his Italian cuisine skills across the globe. He also reveals the real origin of tira ..read more

We talk to official Venice guide and historian Alessandro Trabucco who reveals his hopes and worries for the present and future of his home city, as well as the wonders of Venice past. He mentions Harry's Bar, the MOSE high water barrier, recent archaeological discoveries on the island of Torcello, Charlemagne, the origin of the Jewish Ghetto, special tours for kids and the future (or lack of it) for Venice's artisans. Above all, he tells us why a sustainable city looking back to future is the only one which will help this unique city survive ..read more

A chat with Tommaso Ciabini of De Gustibus Food and Wine Tours based in the Tuscan capital. We learn about exclusive gastronomic tours to family owned farms in Chianti and beyond as well as unique ways to get to them, such as by vintage sidecar motorbikes or Vespas. Tommy tells us how his business began as a local association before expanding to a fully fledged incoming tour operator and now includes an osteria in the Oltrarno district of Florence. We learn about ideas for the sustainable future for tourism in the city and new electric modes of transport to get visitors to less visited zones ..read more

Is it possible to talk about Sicily without mentioning Mount Etna? We did just that in our podcast with Angela Macaluso, owner of Palermo based tour operator 'Sicily by Experts'.  We may not have spoken about Etna, but we did find out why you should visit Modica, Noto, Cefalu, Mozia, Pantelleria, Marsala and many other wonderful places across this beautiful island.  Also learn about the meaning of the symbol of Sicily, the Trinacria and why Sicily by Experts are the best people to go to for a Chocolate Wedding!   ..read more