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Small Group Private Tour Specialist

Plan your Italy adventure with the small group private tour specialist. Escape overtourism and discover the back roads and authentic small towns with us. Kathy and Vernon create your perfect trip, with off-the-beaten path destinations, activities from walks and bike rides to city tours and shopping, and expert-led culinary adventures.

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Food and Wine

Any tour of Italy is incomplete without indulging in the amazing food and wine. But to truly appreciate It requires an understanding of the regional history, culture and geography. All become part of your adventure with Kathy, chef, food blogger, and Certified Italian Wine Professional, and Vernon, mountain guide, MS in European Literature and avid history enthusiast.

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Your Unique Adventure

Not all private trips are custom. Most tour companies don't have the flexibility to deviate from their set itineraries, so there are always compromises. With Kathy and Vernon, your adventure will be as unique as you are, and your itinerary will be personally designed us to meet the desires and varied interests of your group.

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The ItaliaOutdoors Difference


Truly Personalized Service and a Custom Plan for Every Trip

Kathy and Vernon

NO MIDDLEMEN

You communicate directly with Vernon and Kathy. We know your dreams for an Italy adventure, we’ll have it ready for you when you arrive.

No Group Too Small

SMALL FOOTPRINT

Our small footprint allows us to travel like locals and enjoy spontaneous adventures as we explore the path less traveled.

 

Custom Plan

UNIQUE ITINERARY

Each tour itinerary is unique and serves as a framework for an exceptional journey, where a thoughtful plan adjusts to your pace.

 

Authenticity

KNOWLEDGE

We focus on just a few select tours to provide an exceptional level of regional knowledge and an unforgettable authentic experience.

Travel after COVID-19: How do you wish to travel in Italy when we are able to return? In a small private group of your family and friends? Plenty of outdoor explorations? Off the beaten track destinations far from tourist crowds? Private cooking classes, wine tours, small intimate hotels? That's how we've been traveling for ten years. Plan your adventure in Italy with Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine, the custom tour specialist.

Customize Your Adventure - Food - Wine - Walk - Hike - Bike

With Italy's "Best Local Guide 2013"

Read about our tours in Adventure Cyclist August 2015

Our passion is creating intimate, personalized active food and wine adventures that explore an authentic Italy
- its outdoor beauty, its hidden back roads, its small family producers, its traditional wines, at your preferred pace.
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Located in the prime zone for Prosecco, the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita.), Col Vetoraz is a relatively new player in a region which has been producing this wine since ancient times.

cartizze vineyards prosecco private walking tours
Col Vetoraz vineyards

 

The original Prosecco region centered around the steep hill of Cartizze. As in all wine varietals, the more challenging the terrain, the better the wines. Forcing the roots to dig deep for nutrients and water produces the best quality grapes for wine production. The Prosecco from the Cartizze area, a small area of 106 hectares in the steepest hills of San Pietro di Barbozza, Santo Stefano and Saccol, is considered to be the best, the “Grand Cru” of Prosecco.

col vetoraz prosecco private cycling tours
Col Vetoraz prosecco

At the very top of Cartizze, along a spine that abuts the hill 400 meters above sea level, is the home of Col Vetoraz. Prosecco has been grown on this plot of land since 1838 by the Miotto family. In 1993, descendant Francesco Miotto joined forces with Paolo De Bortoli and enologist Loris dall’Acqua to start Col Vetoraz. They are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in this region filled with quality producers.

I recently tasted the Col Vetoraz Valdobbiadene Brut Prosecco DOCG. These grapes are grown in hillside vineyards with a western exposure, where they reach the perfect maturity for this style of wine.

Made from the Prosecco Superiore grape, and harvested in late September and early October, the Prosecco is produced using the Metodo Charmat method, the classic method to produce prosecco. This prosecco displays a soft, pleasant aroma of fruits - apple, pear and stone fruits, with a hint of citrus. The bubbles are quite fine, as in most quality proseccos, with a dry, intense and persistent flavor. A real treat, and perfect mate to antipasti as well as fish and shellfish.