Ciao tutti,
Buon anno, or happy new year! How is the start to 2022 going in your neck of the woods? Here in Piedmont, we are (like so many others) unfortunately in quarantine. We are thankfully both pretty well (grazie vaccines!) and taking it easy at home, looking forward to the day we can leave the house again. I hope your start to the new year has been better!
All of this time at home has got me dreaming of the exciting activities we have planned for 2022. I can’t wait to travel again and have been eagerly researching some trips to Salina (an Aeolian Island) and Sardinia that we have booked for this summer. Have you been to either island before? I’ll be sure to share any gems I find with you in case you’d like to visit one day too.
Are you dreaming of coming to Italy this year? For the last month, I’ve been revealing some exciting small group, multiday tours throughout several regions that I’m hosting with Untold Italy in 2022. Today, I’m sharing the third and fourth wonderful destinations…the Mermaid Coast (just down from the Amalfi Coast) and Umbria! Keep reading if you’re interested to know more, or scroll on down to the bottom of this newsletter.
Mermaid Coast (Cilento + Capri) Tour in 2022
May 24-30
If you’ve ever wondered what the Amalfi Coast is like without the crowds, this tour is for you. We’ll take backroads and nature paths and spend time soaking up local traditions, ancient villages and pristine nature. Our tour includes a sunset tour to Ancient Greek temple ruins at Paestum, private boat trips, beach time, medieval villages, life-changing mozzarella tasting, traditional Caprese music and dancing, three full nights in Capri, and of course incredible local food and wine. I’ll be hosting you for Untold Italy in collaboration with the amazing Danielle Oteri & Holly and Gianluca from Michel'angelo in Capri. Places are seriously limited for this tour!
Visit Umbria in 2022
June 13-19
Sometimes referred to as the “new Tuscany”, Umbria is a charming region with an ancient history of its own just waiting for you to discover it.
Our journey starts in charming Orvieto, continuing into its heart to explore some of its famous hill towns and Medieval cities. We will visit family vineyards, some of the prettiest towns in Italy, Assisi, Perugia (the home of Italian chocolate), and enjoy gastronomic experiences including pasta making, wine tasting, olive oil tasting, cheese tasting, long lunches under the Umbrian sun, and a gorgeous once a year only floral festival called the Infiorata!
I must confess I have a serious obsession with Umbria and feel I left a piece of my heart there when I worked at an organic agriturismo here a few years ago. It’s a region hiding in plain sight and offers so many of the same breathtaking views and hilltop towns you find in Tuscany but often without the same crowds. And don’t even get me started on the food - porchetta, strangozzi pasta with truffles and a glass of Sagrantino wine (plus other indigenous varieties) here we come! We will also be offering a tour during the fall (November 7-13) so keep an eye out for details coming soon.
Untold Italy Piedmont Tour
May 16-20 or October 26-30
For food and wine lovers in particular, or anyone who wants to get off the beaten track, come and explore with us! I will be your host on this unforgettable trip to my home region Piedmont. Our Untold Italy Piedmont tour involves visiting royal Turin, tasting local cheeses, Barolo wine degustations, traditional pasta making, beautiful UNESCO heritage vineyards, truffles, royal castles and so much more.
Untold Italy Puglia Tour
June 3-9 or September 16-20
In case you missed my email earlier this week, we are running two immersive multiday tours in incredible Puglia. Choose from early or late summer, grab a bathing suit and prepare yourself for a trip you’ll never forget! Our Untold Italy Puglia tour involves Adriatic seaside towns, trulli, masseria, staying in a luxury cave hotel in Matera, ceramic shopping, olive oil tasting, cooking classes, fresh fish, and so much more. I’m swooning just thinking about it!
What I’m reading this month
Looking for a new book to sink your teeth into? I have a few Italian-themed recommendations to share with you.
The Italians: An honest look into what makes Italians tick, and why foreigners are endlessly fascinated with Italy.
Book 3 in Michelle Damiani’s Santa Lucia series: I adore this - it’s pure wanderlust and you dive straight into the fictional town of Santa Lucia inspired by Spello in Umbria. You’ll want to move to Umbria after reading this!
Istria by Paola Bacchia: This is a stunning cookbook from Italian-Australian writer Paola with recipes and stories from her father’s home region Istria. I particularly love the story of how her parents met after WW2 and all the beautiful photos throughout the book. This weekend I’m making the delicious apple cake filled with amaretti, cherry jam, and brandy - buonissimo!
I hope you are enjoying these emails and they are keeping you inspired to visit Italy in 2022 or at the very least take a virtual trip for a few minutes today. On that note, if anyone wants some more information about these tours, we are recording a video this week to chat through what you can expect from an Untold Italy tour and will publish it to the popular Italy Travel Planning Facebook group.
If there are any destinations in Italy you’d love to explore on a small group tour that aren’t listed, I would be curious to hear where! You can just reply to this email if you want to let me know.
Next time I’ll share a delicious pasta recipe that my Italiano prepared for me recently. Is there really a better expression of love than when someone makes a home-cooked meal for you?
Have a beautiful week and start to 2022,
Liv x