Italian Experiences to remember

We pride ourselves on making sure all of our customers have the trip of a lifetime when they travel with Travelsphere – and that’s why every one of our trips is packed full of incredible experiences – the type of experience that evades the average holiday maker and allows our group to really immerse ourselves in the local culture. 

Here are a few of our favourite experiences from our Italian adventures.  

Wine tasting in the Amalfi Hills

On our popular escorted tour to the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii & Capri – the beauty of the Amalfi coast and the surrounding area needs no introduction. However, travelling inland from Ravello towards the end of our tour, we spend time at Cantine Apicella winery in the stunning Amalfi Hills, set in a protected natural area. Family-owned by generations, you’ll be welcomed by Prisco, the grandson of Giuseppe, the owner of this wonderful organic winery who’ll show us the historical vineyard and the cellar, explaining each step that goes into creating their many varieties of wine. And of course there’s plenty of time to taste some!! 

The winery visit follows lunch in the hills, where you can enjoy traditional local fare while taking in the views from the terrace. This truly is the kind of authentic experience that forms magical memories for those lucky enough to partake in.

The Hidden Treasure – St Fruttuoso

Before exploring Portofino and its chic boutiques, you will have the delight of visiting the hidden hamlet of St Fruttuoso on our Italian Riviera, Portofino & the Cinque Terre tour. Nested in a small bay and surrounded by the luxurious vegetation of a country park, the hamlet is only reachable by boat or by trekking on foot, keeping it far from the real world. Travelsphere arrives by motorboat from Rapallo, making the journey along the beautiful Ligurian coast part of the experience.

Here a 10^th century Benedictine monastery on the shore of crystal-clear water awaits to be discovered, and when Forbes magazine describes it as “one of the seven most beautiful beaches in Italy“, a trip to St Fruttuoso really is an experience to always carry in your heart.

Montecatini Opera festival 

On your final evening of the memorable tour experiencing the Treasures of Florence and Tuscany, you will spend a night at the Montecatini Opera festival – a fabulous night out. A performance of all the most famous Opera arias and classics from Italian and Neapolitan traditional songs in an intimate setting “It's like a dip in the romantic atmosphere of the musical sitting rooms in the '800 century” – simply perfect. The performance provides a fitting cultural addition to a tour that also explores the artistic treasures of Florence, Pisa and Vinci. (www.montecatinioperafestival.it) 

The Picturesque Village of Agguis

Explore the rural village of Aggius and meet local weavers whilst delighting in Sardinia's Emerald Coast. Hidden away in the countryside Aggius is a small, picturesque village that takes pride in its ancestral traditions, and they are all on display in the ethnographic museum. Here you’ll discover the ancient crafts and traditions like dancing, singing and weaving and admire a faithful reconstruction of a traditional house, and you will have the chance to meet some local weavers who carry on the textile tradition. Awarded “authentic Italian villages” this picturesque historic centre is characterised by building in worked granite and ancient churches.

Unbelievable Archaeological Sites

On our best selling & breath taking tour to Pompeii, Paestum & Herculaneum, you will visit several archaeological sites with our expert archaeologist Tour Lecturer.

From the world’s largest and one of its most famous archaeological sites, Pompeii, to the lesser-visited but still astounding sites like Oplontis, you will get the chance to learn how the wealthy Romans lived while exploring the perfectly preserved sites buried for many centuries under thick volcanic ashes with our knowledgeable guide – providing all the context needed to bring it to life.

You will also get the chance to explore the magnificent frescoes of Villa Poppaea, the emperor's luxury seaside villa and discover timeless Greek temples. 

At Paestum, three magnificent Doric temples still stand around 2,500 years after they were built, providing another fascinating window into the ancient world.

Farmhouse Experience - Masseria Centrone 

On our Puglia & Basilicata guided holiday - customers will visit a fortified farm that has been in the Centrone family for over 150 years to experience first hand the real flavours of the food grown and produced in the Apulian region, including the wonderful cheeses, olive oil and bread.

For the bakers amongst us – you will have the chance learn how to make traditional bread baked in an open wood oven and orecchiette pasta (little ears) and then sit down for a lunch of typical regional food (obviously produced on the farm!) accompanied by wine and Limoncello. Look forward to a feast of regional flavours, with hot bread and focaccia, local meats and cheeses, traditional appetisers and pasta amongst the dishes you may enjoy.

Discover 35 Italian foods you must try.

The Perfume Laboratory Acqua dell'Elba

One of the highlights of our Island of Elba tour has to be the visit to Acqua dell’Elba, an artisan perfume experience. A company inspired by the discovery of a perfume bottle on a shipwreck from the 2nd century, our guests will learn how this unique essence of the sea is produced by a family using special kind of grass that grows on the island - it has the most incredible fresh summer aroma.