Your next trip of a lifetime!

I am, and always have been, a hopeless romantic. Is it any wonder that I fell in love with Italy from day one? You don’t have to try - it just happens. Italy captures your heart and soul and has you dreaming about it the minute you leave until you return. The sunny, crisp spring morning walking past olive groves in the rolling green hills of Tuscany; an engaging conversation with the local barista; an act of kindness from the fruttivendolo when he gives you an overflowing punnet of delicious strawberries; getting lost in a labyrinth of cobblestone streets; observing Italian life at its most authentic in the local piazza; eating the best food you’ll ever eat . . . every day!

You don’t need to be a history buff, but suddenly you want to rush to a bookstore to dive deep into the history of Rome. You may not be a shopper, but how exciting to meet a third generation artisan making the most exquisite jewellery or to visit a tiny boutique with the sewing machine in the shop making beautiful dresses in fabrics from Florence. You may not like classical music, but to attend a concert in an historic church in the centre of Rome is something else; you may not see yourself on a vespa in Rome, walking around craters on Mount Etna, learning how to cook traditional orecchiette in Puglia; walking through flower filled meadows at an altitude of 2,500 metres in the Dolomites or crossing a swing bridge over a ravine in one of the oldest places in the world, BUT this is what happens on a Ciao Italy Tour.

Unforgettable travel is about experiences, not ticking off destinations. It’s about embracing local culture and traditions and stepping out of your comfort zone to try new things. It’s about being open and spontaneous and total immersion into a way of life that may not be familiar. This is why it is so important to have three days in nearly all of the places we visit to ensure there is time to enjoy, experience and remember every town, every meal, every new friend you’re going to make in Italy.

An exciting year planned for 2026!

In January this year, all of the tours had booked out for 2025, remembering that the maximum number on any tour is twelve people. Needless to say, I can’t wait for the three tours in September and October and am already counting the weeks until I meet everyone in Rome.

I truly believe that we all need something to look forward to and I can’t think of anything better than a holiday in Italy! Surprise, surprise. So far, there are seven tours offering five different itineraries locked in for next year. As many of you know, the spring tours from April to June run back to back, as do the autumn tours in September and October to allow the opportunity to put two tours or more together.

When booking a Ciao Italy tour, I am always happy to help with flights, pre and post tour recommendations, private transfer from Fiumicino Airport in Rome, pre and post tour accommodation, learning basic Italian for travel (if you live on the Sunshine Coast), best luggage to travel with and anything on your wish list for Italy.

Here is the year ahead:

APRIL: 17th April to 1st May 2026

Tuscany - Italian Riviera - Lake Como 
This tour holds a special place in my heart as it was my first ever itinerary when I started in 2009 and remains just as exciting as it was then. It is quite diverse as we travel through five regions spending time in all the places one dreams of when thinking of a trip to Italy for the first time. Wonderful relationships have been made over the many years in all of our family owned accommodation, places we eat and with the people you will meet on our many different experiences.

MAY: 2nd to 16th May 2026

Matera - Amalfi Coast 
Eleven years since I first discovered Matera and I am still in awe and astounded by this place. The fact that we can stay in the sassi in one of three continually inhabited places in the world and feel the history and beauty in every little corner is truly remarkable. To then journey three hours across Italy and be on the Amalfi Coast is an incredible contrast. There are so many things to love about the Amalfi Coast, from our three days in gorgeous Ravello to walking the stunning Path of the Gods to three days on Capri, a true walker’s paradise.

MAY: 18th May to 1st June 2026

Naples - Sicily - Aeolian Islands 
Everyone needs to experience Naples at least once in their lifetime! It is brash, vibrant, wonderfully unpretentious and full of energy. It may be one of the 20 regions of Italy, but what a melting pot of enriching cultures, food and landscapes Sicily is. We explore the stunning mountain top town of Taormina, the most beautiful baroque town in all of Sicily called Noto and lose ourselves for three days on the tiny ancient island of Ortigia. Not forgetting a surreal day in four wheel drives on Mount Etna and three days on an island in an archipelago off the north coast of Sicily.

JUNE: 1st to 15th June 2026

Lake Garda - Dolomites To be honest, I don’t know why it took until last year to create this itinerary. Every day takes my breath away from romantic Verona to three days in Riva del Garda on the northern tip of Lake Garda backed by majestic mountains to five days in picture perfect Selva nestled in a quiet valley. Every day is magical as we ascend 2,000+ metres on different cablecars to verdant green, flower filled valleys, unbelievable panoramic vistas of soaring mountains and walking trails. Just when you’re craving apple strudel, you can be sure to find an inviting mountain cafe!

SEPTEMBER: 16th to 30th September 2026

Tuscany - Italian Riviera - Lake Como

OCTOBER: 1st to 15th October 2026

Matera - Puglia I am really excited about this tour because even though I spent a week researching ten towns in Puglia in 2023, this coming October is the first tour to include Puglia. This land of fifty million olive trees has many irresistible towns on the edge of the Adriatic sea that beg to be explored, new food experiences including a cooking class, different traditions and amazing artisans to meet.

OCTOBER: 16th to 30th October 2026

Naples - Sicily - Aeolian Islands

It is never too soon to think about your next amazing Italian adventure! Get in touch if you would like to talk about any of the tours for next year or would like an itinerary emailed.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb