One word: NOPE!

We love the way we travel and that is why we are all about our territory that crosses Le Marche & Abruzzo, and going beyond the main tourist track to explore the Puglia and the Northern Italian region of Veneto beyond just Venice & Verona.

Sure we have been under the Tuscany trance and in search of our own Under The Tuscan Sun adventure, but that is why Italy’s hidden regions and Le Marche is our perfect match. It’s Tuscany without the tourists and if the New York Times has anything to say about it, it truly is Italy’s “Next Tuscany“.

But don’t let too many of your friends in on the secret, we want to maintain this hidden gem’s local culture, traditions, spectacular beaches, gorgeous national parks – Le Marche is all of Italy wrapped up into one region and nicely packaged with a ribbon of genuine Italian hospitality.

If we could describe our business with one word it would have to be “Authentic”.

We carefully curates unique holidays for discerning travellers that wish to experience Italy in the most genuine way available. We have personally selected all our partners and visited every location to ensure each tour maintains every ounce of Italian authenticity. Every journey at The Italian on Tour® is a pure reflection of our values and what we believe are truly the most original experiences that Italy has to offer.

At The Italian on Tour® we don’t just see you as our clients, but we treat you as if you are our family and friends. Taking you to the special spots we visit and eat at with our family and friends. That being said we also believe every trip should leave a little room for spontaneity! Keeping inline with Italian traditions and way of life, our tours always offer the best of what is available in season. Whether it is attending a world famous truffle festivals in the fall, or eating at one of the many summer Sagras, every tour is tailored to give you a true taste of what Italy has to offer during your stay.

The culinary experience on our tours is second to none, each experience will be unique and give you an authentic taste of Italy. Unlike other tours, which focus solely on cooking classes, we assure you will be exposed to some of the local history, in harmony with the local food, wine, and culture.

We’ll take you there!

All of our Group Travel departures start from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. Giovanni will be waiting for you ready to whisk you away to our perfect slice of Italia!

If you are coming in from another region of Italy and would like to arrive in Ascoli directly there are multiple daily buses and trains from Florence, Ancona, Pescara and beyond.

Once you’ve booked with us we will be there to assist you and provide you with our personal travel advice on how to get to and from Ascoli Piceno.

You’ll get all this information inside the Vacation Vault once you book your trip plus the assistance of our exclusive The Italian On Tour Trip Support Team to help you find the best way to connect with your tour on departure day.

We are proud to guarantee to never have more than 12 people on all of our tours. We believe the best way to enjoy a new place is with the outmost attention from your Tour host and not in a large group.

We promise you will never feel lost in the crowd!

Instead the intimacy and care of our small group will immerse you in Italy’s culture, allowing you to feel a little more Italian with everyday that passes on your tour with us!

Each tour has a specific departure point. Click here to read the terms & conditions to find the departure point that is specific to your tour. Once you book your tour with us you’ll be able to reach out to The Italian On Tour Trip Support team to answer any questions about meeting up with your tour.

Unfortunately NO.
To keep things running smooth and to prevent any potential hiccups we require all guests to meet at the meeting point at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.
 
*Please note that all guests arriving on our tours are responsible for ensuring they make it to the meeting point by 11:30 am at Rome’s Fiumicino airport. Those who are unable to make it to the meeting point for the time specified will not be guaranteed a transfer from Rome to Ascoli Piceno and will have to seek other arrangements to participate in the remainder of the tour. Please see our Term & Conditions for further details and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns regarding the latter.

Dairy-free menus CANNOT be accommodated on any of the tours.

Many of the traditional dishes, such as pasta, risotto, and practically all the desserts, have some form of dairy, whether it be butter, milk or local cheeses.

Furthermore, some of the places you’ll eat at on tour use only local ingredients that they often produce. As such, the menu at these establishments are seasonal, very limited and consequently it is impossible to guarantee meals with zero dairy throughout your entire trip.

Yes! We can accommodate celiac safe meals on select tours. See the above section on Gluten-free Travel.

On select tours we can accommodate peanut, egg and shellfish allergies. However, we cannot accommodate these allergies in combination with being gluten-free.

Before making your deposit you are required to contact info@theitalianontour.com to confirm that your allergies can be accommodated as set-menus change with the seasons.

Our trips our for food and wine lovers who want to experience authentic cuisine and local flavours.

Due to the variety of ingredients in these menus, and the local cuisine, we are unable to welcome you on our trips if you have multiple allergies and reserve the right to cancel your trip and apply the cancellation policy as outlined in our booking terms and conditions should you book and expect your allergies to be attended to.

Before making your deposit you are required to contact info@theitalianontour.com to confirm that your allergies can be accommodated as set-menus change with the seasons.

Not all our trips are suitable for non-seafood lovers, however you’re in luck as we have two trips that you’ll be able to enjoy an authentic reflection of the local cuisine. The following trips that we can accommodate non-seafood lovers on is: Italy Uncorked and Italy’s Epicurean Journey.

Please keep in mind you MUST always write info@theitalianontour.com to confirm that your food preferences can be accommodated prior to booking as set-menus change with the seasonality.

Of Course! Because what would a trip to Italy be without learning to make some of our making local cuisine.

In fact all of our group travel itineraries offer cooking classes that fun, hands-on and great for all-levels. All we ask is that you come willing to learn and with a good appetite!

All our cooking classes are meant to be fun and exploratory. The local chefs will teach you about traditional dishes, as well as modern Italian cuisine. You do not need a particular set of skills, as long as you bring a great appetite and passion to the kitchen, you will be just fine!

Each cooking class will focus on using local produce often grown on site. Expert hands will guide you every step of the way. Often a Mamma or a Nonna will drop in to make sure things are done properly and helping you perfect your dish. The main objective of our cooking courses is for you to have a good time and learn how to make traditional dishes in an authentic and relaxed environment. There is more to Italian food than Lasagna and Pizza and we are here to show you!

We can accommodate celiacs and gluten-free diets on select tours as well as vegetarians with at least a 30 days advance notice. All other dietary restrictons cannot be accommodated.

If your combination of dietary restrictions is dairy-free and gluten-free please note this combination of restrictions CANNOT be accommodated on any of our trips.

Please note that although our experts are skilled at preparing gluten-free meals, The Italian On Tour cannot be held responsible for any incidences of cross-contamination throughout your trip with us.

All our tours include tastings of local wines paired with charcuterie and regional specialties. All the meals included on our tours use partners that take pride in selecting local, top quality ingredients that represent the best of what is in season.

Each one of our tours offers a culinary journey of renowned local cuisine and traditional dishes that are harmoniously paired with local, organic, or award-winning wines. On every tour we visit an array of establishments: from local homes, farm-stays, small family-owned restaurants to world-class kitchens and wine estates. It is our goal for you to savour the best Le Marche, Abruzzo, Umbria, Puglia & Veneto have to offer! 

Each day is full of fresh & local ingredients, allowing you to truly experience slow-food & zero-km dining from where it all began. Throughout your time with us, you can expect anything from a hearty four-course meal at a local Agriturismo to refined dining that brings a modern take on regional historic dishes giving any Michelin starred chef a run for his money!

Italy is for food lovers, and you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy good food. We welcome food and wine lovers of all kinds.

Just come with an empty stomach and have your taste buds ready for the culinary adventure of a lifetime!

From Sangiovese to Cabernet, as well as excellent white wines such as Trebbiano, Pecorino, Verdicchio, and Passerina, Marche and Abruzzo offer a great variety of wines. On the wine advocate scale all the wines we will taste score over 80 points and we will also taste many vintages and higher scoring wines that reach over 90 points. As always, we have selected the best available in each category.

Quality over quantity is our motto. On average you’ll visit 2 – 3 wineries during your 10 days on tour. The winery visits are more than just tastings – they are Wine Experiences that put you in touch with the people, cuisine and culture of our territory. Each wine experience will offer an array of products with the number of wines paired with the local, organic, and seasonal cuisine.  

You’ll be offered between 3 and 5 per tasting at every winery you visit! Each wine experience will give you the opportunity to learn about how the wines are produced, as well as, meet the owners of the wineries we visit, see the local production first hand, and ask your burning questions about the local vino directly from the expert Gambero Rosso winning winemakers.

We partner with world class wine producers that represent the benchmark of wine making in Marche and Abruzzo and are recognized nationally and internationally for the quality of their work. Many of the wineries we visit offer organic and bio-dynamic wines and grow vines in full respect for the land. Often the owners will be greeting us and showing us around the cellar and the vineyards rather than a hired host as found in other busy regions of Italy. We ONLY work with very small producers to offer a more authentic experience that puts you in touch with the people, our cuisine, and culture of our territory.

Every single producer we will visit allows you to purchase wine directly and at a very favourable price. Unfortunately, we are not a a licensed importer and cannot ship your wine home for you. As far as sending it back home this will all depend on where you are from. As always we are here to assist you and will offer our advice on bringing that must have vintage home.

To secure a spot on the small group Italy tours, visit your desired tour's page and click the "BOOK NOW" button to make your non-refundable deposit of $997 USD per person to secure your dates.

We accept payment by Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and bank transfer. 

In order to confirm a trip, we require a non-refundable $997 USD deposit per person.

Should you like to pay your final balance sooner please contact The Italian On Tour® Trip Support at info@theitalianontour.com

A non-refundable deposit of $997 USD per person is payable at the time of booking. No booking will be accepted without such a deposit being made.

To review the cancellation policy that pertains to your tour please click here to view the booking terms and conditions.

We are fully committed to protecting your privacy. We do not sell, trade or rent your personal information to any other company. Only our partners of your selected services will be informed on the strict necessity in order to be able to provide you with those services.

Need more details? Click here!