5 Unexpected & Unforgettable Experiences in Italy

2. A cooking class in a Tuscan family home
“This was about halfway between Tuscany and Florence, but felt like we were in the middle of nowhere! After driving over bumpy country roads and through fields, we got to this little house surrounded by rolling hills and grapevines. A couple named Fabrizio and Camilla live on the property next door and run cooking classes here. It was about as authentic as you can get. It was only five of us, along with Camilla and her daughter. First they taught us how to make focaccia, and then tagliatelle and tortelloni—everything by hand. Our driver loved to cook so he went out into the woods and picked some wild asparagus. He cooked it up himself and we added it to our meal. We all sat down together on the terrace and had a long, lazy lunch that I’ll never forget. We were out in the countryside, in someone’s home, sharing stories of their history and their land.”

3. A private artisans tour in Florence

“The intention of this was to expose us to artisans who embrace not just craftsmanship, but their heritage and their time-honored traditions. We met with five different artisans who were born and raised in Florence. They’re investing in their local community and supporting each other. One of our stops was at one of the oldest perfumeries in the city. It was like an old apothecary, but because our guide had connections, we were invited into the basement to see where they actually make the perfume. They label everything themselves—nothing is mass-distributed. Another visit was with a jeweler—just an older gentleman and his wife in a tiny shop. He was sitting at a desk with his old tools, making this exquisite jewelry the way his family taught him long ago. It was so humbling to see.”

4. A Vespa ride through Rome with a group of old Italian friends 

“This was with a small group of drivers who all own their own vintage Vespas. They’re good friends, like this fun biker gang. It’s not their full-time careers—they do this because they love it, and they love sharing their city with others in a very personal way. We were each on the back of a Vespa with our own driver. My driver told me stories about growing up, and pointed out places where he and his friends used to hang out as kids. So it was very, very personal and not just like, ‘Here's the Colosseum!’ They took us all around the city and we finished on a hill with a view over the city at sunset—it was extraordinary. We also stopped for aperitifs and some little snacks at a bistro in an area where there were no tourists. The locals were looking at us kind of weird, like ‘What are you doing here?’ This might sound silly, but the day was a personal growth experience for me. I’m a very cautious person and this isn’t something I’d normally do, but it was so personal and they made me feel so comfortable. I think if it had just been a random company and someone said, ‘Okay, get on the back of the bike,’ I probably wouldn’t have done it, and I definitely wouldn't have had the same experience.” 

5. An intimate winemaker’s dinner in San Gimignano

“The town of San Gimignano gets really packed with tourists. There were tour buses everywhere and the shops were a little more commercial. But then we ducked into this building and it was like another world. Calling it a restaurant is generous—it was more like a home, with a patio out back that overlooked the hills. We started with a wine tasting, aperitifs, and some appetizers on the patio. Then they took us inside to a large table that we all crammed around. They brought out three different red wines and taught us about each one, then we had an incredible homemade pasta. And the tiramisu! I don’t usually like tiramisu but it was incredible. We all just ate and drank and laughed and shared stories with each other.”