In which I become a tour operator…

For over 25 years, I have made 2-3 trips a year to Italy.  Lady Wife and I have explored so many off-the-radar places and discovered the “real” Italy, which is far superior to what the usual tours will show you.  Whenever we are there, we see and hear things that drive us crazy:

1.  Tour companies that bring you to Rome, Florence, Pisa and just show you the well known sites.  That’s like going to NYC, seeing the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center and the Statue of Liberty, and thinking you’ve seen the “real” New York.  Purely meaningless experiences out of context.
2. Ignoring the lesser-known, smaller cities that are loaded with history and culture, while being less-crowded.
3. Seeing people go to the tourist (often corporate owned) restaurants, paying a fortune, and thinking its authentic cuisine.
4. Paying a fortune to visit what is, in fact, and amazingly affordable country!

In 2015 we had a friend who asked us to organize a holiday package for their daughter’s 50th birthday.  I arranged a beautiful villa on the coast, cooking classes, private access to some amazing sites, and dinners at family-owned, authentic restaurants favored by locals.  It was such a success, and they told friends, and word spread.  As a result, I arrange 4-5 small group trips a year now.  I found the formula for success includes:

• Keeping the group small, and staying in amazing properties.  Hotels are avoided for the most part.
• If anyone wants to see the major sites, I do it with “skip the line” access.
• A leisurely pace, not running people ragged with a too-full itinerary.
• Carefully selecting where to eat, shop and visit to benefit the local economy and maintain authenticity.

April 15-22 I have a trip to Sicily arranged.  The property is 30 minutes outside Palermo, overlooking the sea.  It’s a luxurious and elegant villa, with gardens, pools and outdoor kitchens.  And it cost $1,300 for the week per person, including welcome and farewell dinners at the villa.  I have a private driver with a passenger van for us, for those who don’t want to rent a car and drive.  We have a lunch at an amazing villa, with a guided tour by the owner, Princess Vittoria.  Another day has us cooking with the Duchess of Palma at her fantastic palazzo.  Our week will also include visits to Palermo, Cefalù, San Vito Lo Capo, and Trapani.

The entire week will cost about $2,700 per person, plus airfare (which runs $600-900 from the US).  This is what a real Italian experience should cost, not these $5,000 a head tourist traps we regularly encounter.

Anyone want to join the fun?