Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures

10/12/2026

🇮🇹 Eating Our Way Through Bologna! ❤️

Today, our wonderful group enjoyed a delicious walking food tour through the heart of Bologna, a city affectionately known as La Grassa (“The Fat One”), and for very good reason! We explored the lively Quadrilatero district, wandering through its historic food markets, traditional bakeries, and family-run shops while learning about the incredible culinary heritage that makes Emilia-Romagna one of Italy’s greatest food regions. Along the way, we sampled some of the region’s most celebrated specialties, including Parmigiano Reggiano aged 24, 30, and 40 months, wonderful Pecorino cheeses, Salame Rosa, and other delicious local delicacies. We learned the fascinating stories behind Bologna’s beloved Tortellini in Brodo and Tagliatelle al Ragù, visited historic establishments that have been serving locals for centuries, and enjoyed a few traditional sweet treats along the way. Our morning of exploring, learning, and tasting ended with a wonderful sit-down lunch accompanied by delicious local w**es.🍷 We ended our lunch with an incredible local rice cake, zuccherini anise cookies, and even chocolate tortellini!

Days like today remind me why I love sharing Italy with my travelers. It’s not just about the incredible food, but about the people, traditions, and stories behind every bite. And what better place to experience all of that than Bologna? Another beautiful day of delicious discoveries, wonderful company, and memories made around the table! ❤️🇮🇹

10/11/2026

🇮🇹 Balsamic Vinegar, Beautiful Vineyards, and Wonderful W**es! Another Delicious Day in Emilia-Romagna! 🍷

Another day, another delicious adventure with our wonderful group here in Italy! And today was all about two of Emilia-Romagna’s greatest treasures: traditional balsamic vinegar and exceptional local w**es!

🍇 First stop: Modena, the home of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar!

Today, we visited a wonderful family producer who has remained faithful to centuries-old production methods, refusing to compromise tradition for modern trends. We learned about the fascinating history of balsamic vinegar dating back to Roman times, and visited the vinegar attic, where this precious liquid slowly matures in wooden barrels, some dating back to the 1500s!

And of course, we tasted! We learned how professionals evaluate traditional balsamic vinegar and discovered just how complex, rich, and extraordinary the real thing can be.

🍷 Next up: The beautiful w**e country of the Bologna Hills!

From Modena, we made our way into the rolling countryside of Monte San Pietro, part of the beautiful Colli Bolognesi w**e region.

Here, we visited a lovely w**ery where generations of w**emaking knowledge, respect for the land, and a passion for quality come together to produce some truly wonderful w**es. Of course, we discovered one of the region’s local treasures: Pignoletto! This wonderful grape produces both sparkling and still w**es, and while it may not be as internationally famous as some of Italy’s other varietals, it certainly deserves a place at the table!

Naturally, our visit included a delicious tasting of five amazing w**es paired with a traditional regional lunch. Everyone’s favorite had to be the lasagna verde Bolognese! Because in Italy, good food and good w**e are always better when enjoyed together!

Another beautiful day spent eating, drinking, learning, laughing, and making memories with our wonderful travelers!

Enjoying la dolce vita, one delicious day at a time! 🇮🇹❤️

10/10/2026

🇮🇹 A delicious first full day exploring Emilia-Romagna! 🇮🇹

Today, our culinary adventures took us off the beaten path and into the beautiful countryside of Romagna, where we discovered some incredible local food traditions, met passionate producers, and enjoyed plenty of delicious tastings along the way!

🧀 First up: Cheese buried underground!

In the morning we started by learning all about Formaggio di Fossa, or “pit cheese,” a fascinating local specialty with a history dating back centuries. Originally, cheeses were buried underground to protect them from the enemy armies. What people discovered was that storing cheese in these pits created a unique fermentation process, resulting in a wonderfully distinctive cheese!

We visited a local producer whose ancient cheese pits are actually located underneath his home! We learned about this centuries-old tradition, and, of course, sampled a variety of delicious cheeses made from cow’s, sheep’s, and a combination of the two.

🫒 Next up: Liquid gold in the hills of Romagna!

We continued our day among the beautiful olive groves of Romagna, a region that produces some exceptional extra virgin olive oil but doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.

We visited a wonderful local producer specializing in olive oil made from the indigenous Brisighella olive, learned about the fascinating production process, and discovered what makes this particular oil so special.

And naturally, there was plenty of tasting! We learned how to distinguish an excellent olive oil from a mediocre one, enjoyed the wonderful aromas and flavors of several varieties, and savored a delicious lunch accompanied by the hosts’own w**es.

🎨 Our final stop: The charming village of Dozza!

We ended our day in one of Romagna’s most picturesque little towns, famous for its colorful murals painted directly onto the walls of its buildings. We wandered the charming streets and marveled at the paintings.

🇮🇹 And we’re just getting started!

10/09/2026

🇮🇹 And just like that, I’m back to doing what I do best! ❤️

Leading amazing, SOLD-OUT culinary adventures through beautiful Italy, sharing my love for this country, its incredible food, its rich traditions, and the wonderful people who make every journey so special!

For the next THREE weeks, consider yourselves warned! 😂🇮🇹

I’ll be flooding your feeds with photos of mouthwatering Italian food, breathtaking scenery, charming villages, unforgettable experiences, and, of course, the amazing people who join me on these adventures!

Three weeks of eating, drinking, exploring, laughing, making new friendships, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Really, is there a better job in the world? ❤️

First up: EMILIA-ROMAGNA! 🇮🇹🍝🍷

The land of Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, traditional balsamic vinegar, handmade pasta, and some of the most extraordinary culinary traditions in all of Italy!

I can’t wait to take you along for the ride!

Andiamo! Let the delicious adventures begin! 🇮🇹❤️

10/07/2026

🇮🇹 What if you spent Easter Week in Sicily next year? 🇮🇹

There are trips to Italy… and then there are weeks that allow you to truly experience Italy.

From March 27 – April 3, 2027, I’ll be hosting a small group in beautiful Eastern Sicily during Easter Week—a particularly special time to experience the island as towns prepare for one of Italy’s most meaningful holidays.

We’ll make our home in beautiful Ortigia and spend the week eating, cooking, exploring and meeting some of the wonderful people who make Sicily so unforgettable.

🍋 Wander through Ortigia’s lively food market
👩‍🍳 Cook alongside local chefs
🌾 Visit a working organic farm and share lunch with the family
🍷 Taste w**es grown in the volcanic soil of Mt. Etna
🏛️ Explore Taormina, Ragusa and baroque Noto
🫒 Visit an olive oil mill in the Sicilian countryside
⛵ Enjoy a sunset cruise around Ortigia
🍝 And, of course, eat exceptionally well all week long!

This isn’t a tour where you’re packing and unpacking every other day or racing from one attraction to the next. We settle in, slow down, and experience Sicily through its food, traditions and people.

And because we’ll be there during Easter Week, we’ll also have the opportunity to experience Sicily during one of the most beautiful and culturally significant times of year.

If Sicily has been calling you, perhaps Easter 2027 is the time to answer. ❤️🇮🇹

March 27 – April 3, 2027 | 8 Days / 7 Nights

Come experience Easter in Sicily with me!

Questions? Send me a message or email me at [email protected].

09/23/2026

🌿 **SPRINGTIME UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN** 🇮🇹
**May 8–15, 2027 | Cortona, Tuscany**

Come spend a week with me in the place I now call home. ❤️

In May 2027, I’m welcoming a small group of travelers to **Cortona**, the beautiful Tuscan hill town made famous by *Under the Tuscan Sun* — and now my part-time hometown!

And this trip is going to be extra special because I’ll also be celebrating my **50th birthday in Cortona**. 🥂🎂 I can’t imagine a better place — or a better way — to celebrate.

We’ll unpack once and settle into a beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of Cortona for seven nights. From there, we’ll experience Tuscany the way I love it: slowly, deliciously, and with plenty of time to actually enjoy where we are.

🍷 W**e tasting in Montepulciano
🍝 Hands-on Tuscan cooking class
🐕 Truffle hunting in the woods followed by lunch
🧀 Hands-on cheesemaking at a local farm
🫒 Olive oil tasting and lunch at a family estate
🍷 W**ery visit with a leisurely Tuscan lunch
🥖 Guided food tour through Florence + free time to explore
🏛️ Visits to Cortona, Arezzo & Lake Trasimeno
🍽️ Welcome and farewell dinners
✨ And plenty of wonderful food, w**e and surprises along the way!

This is **slow travel** — no changing hotels every other night, no racing from city to city, and no trying to see all of Italy in seven days.

Instead, we’ll settle into Cortona and experience what it feels like to actually **be in Tuscany**.

And because I live here part of the year, this one feels especially personal to me. I’m not just taking you to Tuscany — **I’m welcoming you to my home.**

**8 days / 7 nights**
📅 May 8–15, 2027
📍 Cortona, Tuscany
🇮🇹 Small-group culinary adventure

If Tuscany has been sitting on your bucket list, perhaps 2027 is the year to finally say **andiamo!**

Come eat, drink, cook, explore — and raise a glass with me to **50 years and a beautiful new chapter in Tuscany.** 🥂🇮🇹

👉 Full itinerary & details: https://www.thelazyitalian.com/tour/springtime-in-tuscany/

**eTravel

09/20/2026

Time to head to confession. Click link below for this week's blog post.

After years of taking travelers around Italy, I have a few confessions to make. When I started Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures, I knew I wanted to show people a different side of Italy.

09/12/2026

It’s harvest season in Italy, time to make a delicious fall harvest cake! Click on image to grab the recipe!

07/15/2026

✨ One Room for Two. Two Seats at the Table. That is all that is left on my 2026 tours, for another sold-out year in the books!

✨And this is one incredible week in Italy’s Food Valley. ✨

My October Bologna & Italy’s Food Valley Culinary Tour is almost completely full, and there is now just one room remaining.

This isn’t a tour built around checking off famous landmarks for your Instagram. This is a week of stepping behind the scenes with the families who have spent generations perfecting the foods that made this region world-famous. But if you ask me, that makes amazing IG stories too. 😉

Imagine...
🍷 Sipping Lambrusco where it’s made.
🧀 Walking through aging rooms filled with Parmigiano Reggiano.
🥩 Visiting artisan producers of Prosciutto di Parma.
🥄 Tasting traditional balsamic vinegar that’s been aging for decades.
🍝 Rolling fresh pasta by hand alongside local experts.
❤️ Sharing meals, stories, and laughter with the people who call this remarkable region home.

As you know, I intentionally keep my groups small because those authentic experiences simply aren’t possible with large buses and big crowds.

Once this final room is spoken for, that’s it. There won’t be another opportunity to travel with me until 2027.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign that it’s time to experience Italy beyond the postcards, this just might be it.

📩 Send me a message for the itinerary and details before the last room disappears. [email protected]

06/05/2026

🎄🇮🇹 Only ONE Room Left for Christmas in Tuscany! 🇮🇹🎄

Have you ever dreamed of spending the holidays in Tuscany, surrounded by twinkling lights, medieval villages, festive markets, and incredible food?

There is now just one room remaining for this magical Christmas experience in Cortona, the beautiful Tuscan hill town I am fortunate enough to call my part-time home. This isn’t a rushed sightseeing trip. It’s an opportunity to slow down, embrace the season, and experience Christmas in Italy like a local.

You’ll stay in a beautiful five star hotel in the heart of Cortona while enjoying authentic experiences throughout Tuscany and Umbria. Together we’ll wander through charming Christmas markets filled with handmade gifts, artisan crafts, local specialties, and festive treats—perfect for finding unique treasures to bring home. We’ll visit historic towns dressed in their holiday finest, enjoy seasonal food and w**e, and experience the warmth and traditions that make an Italian Christmas so special.

And perhaps my favorite part of the week? You’ll be welcomed into my own home in Cortona for a very special dinner. We’ll gather around the table, share stories, enjoy wonderful local food and w**e, and celebrate the season with true Italian hospitality.

This is the Italy I grew up loving. The Italy beyond the guidebooks.

If you’ve been thinking about joining me, now is the time. Once this final room is booked, the tour is completely sold out.

🎄 Shop charming Christmas markets for handmade gifts and artisan treasures
🍷 Enjoy seasonal Tuscan food and w**e
🏡 Join me for dinner in my home in Cortona
✨ Experience Italy’s holiday traditions firsthand
❤️ Create memories and friendships that will last long after the season ends

Come celebrate Christmastime in Tuscany with me.
DECEMBER 1 - 8, 2026!

Link in comments for all the details!

**eTravel **eTravel