Imagine Yourself in Italy...

After all, don't you deserve it? Whether you're craving a week in the Tuscan hills, on the sunny shores of Sicily, or the colorful ports of the Italian Riviera, we have the vacation of a lifetime for you.

All you have to do is pick your favorite region and let us do the rest: No need to map out a daily itinerary, book hotels, research the best restaurants, rent a car... We'll do it all for you so you get to relax, discover, and enjoy!

If you're a lover of the sea, join us on our almost sold out Liguria tour from September 17-23. You'll explore Portofino, Cinque Terre, Camogli, and other breathtaking locations where the local pesto is the stuff of legends and the focaccia is as addictive as the gelato.

If you're an adventurous spirit or have roots in southern Italy, our Sicily & Calabria tour from October 4-12 offers the rare opportunity to experience two very different regions: Sicily is bold and colorful, Calabria more austere and majestic. And the cuisine of the two regions is just as distinct as their landscape, drawing on centuries-old traditions and local products not found elsewhere in Italy.

If you long for postcard views of rolling hills and vineyards, join us on our April 30-May 6 or September 24-29 Tuscany  tour, where we'll stay in an idyllic country estate with a private pool and outdoor wood-burning oven. We'll foray into neighboring Umbria and the Marches, making this tour a three-in-one opportunity to discover central Italy's most beautiful locations and cuisines.

And finally, if you're hungry for a traditional southern Italian experience, our Puglia & Beyond tours from April 23-29 and October 15-21 will bring you to UNESCO world heritage sites including Alberobello and Matera. The pastas, breads, and cheeses here are better than anywhere else: deeply flavored, rustic, and bold, they reflect the strong character of the artisans who make them and of their deeply rooted Mediterranean origins.

Give the Gift of a Lifetime: a Week in Italy

We believe the best gifts aren't things, but rather, experiences. Experiences last a lifetime. They become treasured memories and can be visited time and again in your mind. The new friends you made, the culinary skills acquired, the laughter and wine enjoyed over lazy meals: all of these moments are gifts that keep on giving.

To gift one of our week-long tour in Italy, give us a call at 917 602 1519 and we'll happily craft a personalized certificate for you to present to your loved one. Or if you'd rather gift yourself the experience, take a moment to watch our brief 3-minute videos of each region to see which tour is right or you:
Liguria Video
Tuscany Video
Sicily Video
Puglia Video

Culinary Tour Client Testimonials

Here's what Doug and Cheri C. of Boise, ID, said about our Sicily & Calabria Tour:

"Our trip was beyond amazing, just like last year, and the highlight was your incredible cooking class. The cooking, as always, was fantastic, and what a great lineup of excursions you put together for us. Once again, a number of  places we never would have thought of to go ourselves. The accommodations were excellent as well... And what a terrific group of people! Each and everyone was delightful to know and spend time with. I will make good use of the contact list you sent. And we will look forward to the recipes and Dino's videos on the portal. Thank you, thank you thank you once again for an incredible experience we will treasure always."
 
And a note from Mike and Debbie I. from Glendale, CA about our Tuscany & Beyond Tour: 
"Just a quick note to say that Debbie and I had a wonderful time spent with you and the Rustico tour!  Bob and BJ P. raved about the Rustico tours, and now we know why.  Our experiences were educational, fun, and allowed us to add many new good life experiences (GLE's) to our account. The tour group was great (as a matter-of-fact I told many participants that I wished they were our next-door neighbor), the food made and ate was fantastic, and the "beyond part" of Rustico was eye-openingly educational, and I know we will speak fondly of this tour for many years to come."

Holiday Recipe: Filet Mignon with Rosemary-Fennel Seed Rub

Artwork by Bill Bateman at Rustico Cooking Studio in NYC

It's been almost 2 years since we closed our cooking school on West 39th street in Manhattan after 15 years to focus on our cooking tours to Italy. It was an a beautiful space that we, and hopefully many of you reading this post,  will remember fondly: The open kitchens on two floors with top-of-the-line Wolf ranges and ovens, Subzero refrigerators and wine storage units, and spacious dining rooms.

One of the elements that made our space truly special was the unique artwork on the walls:  every piece was by artist Bill Bateman. We've known Bill since the late 90s and we share a love for Italian food, Italy,  and (in the case of Dino) absurd humor and the music of Frank Zappa. 

Bill's unique circular painting Mayan Souvenir Wheel (pictured above), after being on display for more than a decade at our school in NYC, now has a prominent spot in our home.  Bill suggested that we should give it a clockwise turn every other month! Dino decided go further and designed some short animations derived from it. You can see some of these animations on our blog  and take a moment to visit Bill's website  to see more of his amazing art.