2 New Tours: Sicily & Puglia

Eat your way through two of our favorite regions!

As a premium subscriber to this newsletter you are the first to know about our newest tours. We’ve just added two new tours to Sicily in September 2026 and Puglia and Basilicata in October 2026. (Please note: This announcement will go out to all subscribers next week on October 6)

I’m thrilled to announce that we’re adding not one, but two brand-new tours to our 2026 schedule! As many of you know, our tours have been filling up quickly, and we’ve had so many requests to make them more available.

What you may not realize is that over the years Sophie and I have naturally divided the tours between us. Certain trips are “hers” and certain trips are “mine.” This has less to do with logistics and more to do with the deep affection we each feel for particular places.

For Sophie, it’s Puglia. She’s half Pugliese (Domenico is from Puglia), and her roots there give her a visceral connection to the region. It’s a part of herself that she shares with our guests through her passion for those tours. It really is her home.

For me, it’s Sicily. More specifically, the island of Ortigia. I can’t quite explain it, but every time I cross the little bridge onto that island, I feel a soaring sense of happiness. Though it’s not my actual home, it feels like my spiritual one, a place where I feel more grounded, happy and at peace.

This is why we’re so excited to invite you to join us in the fall of 2026. And if you can’t decide which tour to choose - good news! The two tours run back-to-back, with a day in between for travel, so you can join us for both.

As a little incentive, we’re offering a 5% discount if you sign up for the two tours together.

So…who’s in?

Scroll down for a quick preview of each trip, or click through for the full brochures.

The Culture of Food in Eastern Sicily

September 27-October 3, 2026

Join Elizabeth on a six-day feast through Eastern Sicily. We’ll be based in Ortigia and visit some of my favorite towns and villages while exploring the food, wine, and history of this part of Italy.

A few of the things we’ll be doing:

• Market walk

• Cooking class

• Guided tours of Noto and Ortigia

• Visit to an almond farm

• Visit to a winery on Mount Etna

• Granita tasting

• Day at a sustainable cattle ranch

• Visit to an olive oil plantation

• Guided visit to an archeological park in Siracusa

• and more…

Tour Details:

• When: May 4-10, 2025

• Host: Elizabeth Minchilli

• Where: We’ll be based in Ortigia (Siracusa) in our own private Deluxe rooms

• Who: The tour is limited to 12 guests

• What: The tour is six nights and five very full days, with trips in our private 20-seat bus. But don’t worry; you’ll also have some downtime in Ortigia to explore on your own.

• How: Click the Download button below for more information, including the pricing and the complete itinerary:

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The Culture of Food in Puglia & Matera with Sophie Minchilli

October 4-10, 2026

Puglia is on everyone’s wish list, but this tour is a little different. It begins in Bari, the vibrant seaside capital of Puglia, which many people tend to overlook. We love it! It’s where the Italian half of our family lives, and we’re always excited to share its hidden corners with guests.

We’ll spend the first four nights in Bari, exploring the city and using it as a base to visit central Puglia. We’re staying in a hotel right on the sea, with each room offering a balcony and a view of the sea. We over look the majestic boardwalk, which was designed by Sophie’s great-grandfather in the early 20th century,

Later in the week, we’ll move on to Basilicata for the final two nights of the tour, staying in the extraordinary town of Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its ancient cave dwellings. Our hotel, Sextantio, is unlike anywhere else: each guest will have their own luxurious cave room. Imagine waking up in a stone cave that has been designed with luxurious modern amenities while maintaining the aesthetic of a bygone way of life. It is a truly unique hotel and an experience in itself.

A few highlights:

• Welcome drinks and seafood dinner in Bari

• Guided tour of Bari Vecchia with a visit to the famous ‘Pasta Ladies’

• Spaghetti all’Assassina demonstration (where Sophie took Stanley Tucci!)

• A visit to an olive oil mill and tasting

• Visit to Cisternino and lunch in a butcher’s shop

• Cheese-making lesson and lunch on a local farm

• Visit to UNESCO-protected Alberobello, famous for its Trulli houses

• Ancient bakery and cheese-making in Altamura

• Pastries of the ancient monastery of Santa Chiara

• Guided tours of Locorotondo, Martina Franca, and Matera

Tour Details:

• When: October 4-10, 2026

• Where: You’ll be based in Bari (Puglia) and Matera (Basilicata)

• Group size: Limited to 12 guests

• What’s included: Six nights and five very full days of food, culture, and exploration, with private transportation in our 20-seat bus. But don’t worry, there’s also downtime built in to relax and explore Bari and Matera on your own.

• How: Click the Download button below for more information, including the pricing and the complete itinerary:

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Just a reminder: We’re always adding new tours to our schedule, and they’re announced first in the paid version of this newsletter. Since spots often sell out quickly, subscribing to the paid edition is the best way to make sure you don’t miss out on the trips you’re most excited about.