ITALY UNEXPLORED TOURS

Excellent service in lovely surroundings. Superb value for money and delicious food. The wild boar pappardelle was divine. Thoroughly recommend.

If you want a once in a lifetime experience, Italy unexplored tours is for you! Expect the unexpected! From the moment I stepped off the plane I felt I felt I was being welcomed home. Everyday was an incredible new adventure. We basked in the sun along the shores of the Adriatic, explored a renaissance Village, dug for truffles, strolled the marketplaces, visited a winery, made goat cheese at a sheep farm, were seranaded by the locals, climbed mountains and were awed by falcons. When I thought it couldn't get better it did. Oh and the food was glorious every meal was a dinning experience, especially those prepared by Vincenzo's family Bravo Vincenzo for giving us the best girlfriend trip ever and introducing us to our new family and friends.

I follow Vincenzo's Plate food videos which are just amazing and he is so passionate about food and family - Then I noticed a live stream some time back of him in Abruzzo ,Italy walking thru an absolutely beautiful village - that is actually in the region my grandparents were from . He spoke of a small tour to this region in July of this year - I saw the itinerary and I was blown away and signed up immediately ! What we experienced every day was nothing less than Heaven ! Our first day we were taken to Pescara and lounged on the beach with delicious pizza, wines and cocktails - the best was going to his nonna's house for dinner that night to be welcomed by her and the entire family and friends - We were treated to the most delicious homemade meal they all prepared ( about 8 courses :-) ) of antipasto , fresh baked breads ,homemade raviolis, spaghetti and mini handmade meatballs , the arrostincini shishkebobs , salad, tiramisu , homemade lemoncello (by nonna) - and felt like part of this very loving family from the moment we arrived - Vincenzo couldn't do enough for us every moment we were with him - always making sure each one of us was having the best time of our lives - he is so passionate about life experiences and where he grew up - and just so much fun to be around - And tHIS WAS JUST THE FIRST DAY OF OUR TOUR WEEK <3 - Every day was planned for our small group and we traveled to the most scenic, exotic places - and met the sweetest locals - I even climbed a mountain to see a gothic castle with some help from our son to see the falconr with his wolf , enjoy a beautiful picnic on the mountain while listening to a cello and violin player , a ballerina and witness the most beautiful sunset EVER , we all enjoyed a day boating in the beautiful turquoise Adriatic Sea with another gourmet meal onboard ,had a tour of the gorgeous Zaccagnini vineyards with another wonderful meal prepared by Vincenzo's father (he cooked for 2 days ) Everyday was was mindblowing - our small group felt like family and not a number like on most tours -we were driven everywhere by the wonderful Pasquale in his beautiful bus - I don't think I've laughed or cried this much - Our last day was another amazing family meal with a great surprise before we departed for Rome - I was so touched by everything and know I will never go on another tour - except the Hidden Italy Tours - This was the most beautiful experience and I still continue to talk about it every day - and i miss Vincenzo , his nonna that loves him so much and his loving family and friends - I am adopting all of them ! IT WAS THE BEST TRIP EVER - and we are doing it again <3 !!! I left my heart in Abruzzo <3

Having been to Italy several times already, I thought twice about being a part of a 'tour'. Well, much to my surprise, this 'tour' was unlike any trip I had ever taken. If you truly want to experience the beauty and authenticity of Italy, and immerse yourself in the culture, ambiance and the italian love for life, this is the trip for you. It will take you to places you never dreamed existed with magical, heart-warming enjoyment. Vincenzo and his wonderful family and friends, welcomed us as family, into their homes and their lives and showered us with hospitality and open arms. The daily excursions were not anything you will find in the average 'Italy tour' and all events were so well chosen and well planned down to the smallest detail, making our experience the "trip of a lifetime". Each day we would ask eachother, "How can he top this?" And each day he did. There are very few trips that I could categorize as 'life-changing' and this was certainly one of them. Bravo Vincenzo!! ....and thank you!!!!!!

Trip of a lifetime off the beaten path. If you want to experience the heart of Italy touring with Vincenzo and his team is the way to go. Every day was an incredible adventure. A group of strangers from around the globe quickly became part of Vincenzo’s family. We explored the hidden treasures of Abruzzo and were embraced by Vincenzo’s family and the locals. The food was extraordinary, a true gastronomical experience not to be beat! Looking forward to our next adventure.

Words can truly not describe the Italy Unexplored Tour experience! I was hesitant at first on what to expect from a group tour, but you can tell Vincenzo and the team put their heart and soul into making this a tour you will never forget. It was the perfect balance of highly curated excursions throughout the region of Abruzzo and amazingly authentic interactions with locals, whether that's Vincenzo's family or passionate business owners. The love that Vincenzo, and the people of Italy, showed us on this trip was unlike anything I have ever experienced before while traveling internationally. Vincenzo has fostered an amazing community of foodies throughout Abruzzo and you can tell it brings him immense joy to share these relationships with the tour group. Because of this, our group of ten strangers from all over the world instantly bonded over the amazing food, Italian culture, and appreciation for Vincenzo's Plate (and not to forget the Zaccagnini Wine that accompanied the meals -- very important!) By the end of the tour, it was visible that everyone on the trip left a changed person. For eight days, we explored a region like the locals. We laughed, cried (I think it was the great wine and food!), and connected with our new foodie family in some of the most awe-inspiring locations. Everyone on the trip knew we were on a very unique, once in a lifetime, adventure together. But lucky for us, Vincenzo's Plate expanded their tours to Tuscany and we already reserved our spot for next year. I would consider myself to be a seasoned traveler, but I have never experienced an individual like Vincenzo or a trip like the Italy Unexplored Tour. It was an all-around amazing experience and an adventure we will remember forever! We can't thank Vincenzo enough for opening his heart, country, and family to us on the Italy Unexplored Tour!

As a (retired) cooking teacher I was afforded many holidays, so you can imagine, I took advantage of these to travel abroad - many times. I have been to many countries, attending cookery schools in San Francisco, New Orleans and have catered for events in New York, San Francisco, Buzios, Brazil. Such is the extend of my passion and experience with food. I had been to Italy a few times, but after meeting Vincenzo, I realised I had an addition to my bucket list.... his Italy Unexplored Tour. As a retiree, you can imagine, I don't have much disposable income, but committing to this venture was a no brainer! I decided to spend a few days in Rome before and after the trip. I remember wandering around in the early hours of the morning (jet lag has it's benefits) and thinking just how wonderful this country was. To begin our tour, we were picked up in Rome by Vincenzo's colleague and we collected more guests from the airport. Already, I felt that this was the beginning of a life changing experience. Before I go into too much detail, I'd like to express that some of the experiences I had on this tour were the best I have ever had … and as I’ve mentioned, I've been around! Our first stop was the beach at Pescara where Vincenzo - an natural group facilitator made us all feel very comfortable - of course helped with some local pizzas and some beautiful wine from the Zaccagnini winery in Abruzzo. And if that wasn't enough for us to help us feel like locals, we we're whisked away to his family's home for a degustation dinner with matching wines. This is when we, the tour guests, knew that we would all be life long friends. I was the only Aussie on the tour but suddenly the world became a very small place. We had a new family. After that day and for the next 8 days, I did not see anymore tourists but I believe I experienced things that many tourists yearn for but never experience. We were treated like very special people by Vincenzo and the other specialised tour leaders and indeed the folk who lived and worked in the amazing places we visited.Each day we thought that things could not get better, but they did. On one occasion, after a short bus ride through the beautiful countryside of Abruzzo, we arrived at the medieval village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Vincenzo treated us to a hands-on cooking demonstration and then we climbed ( an easy climb) up to Rocca Calasio - a castle dating back to the year 1000. There we were met by Giovanni, a falconer with his awesome birds and pet wolves. We experienced the winged and majestic beauty of these birds. Descending from the climb, we were greeted with a glass of champagne and we were entertained by a string quartet. We proceeded to have a beautiful picnic dinner of local food all while watching the spectacular sunset over the Gran Sasso mountain range. I won’t call this my favourite day, because each and every day was filled with such magic and life changing events. Don’t leave it too late to let Vincenzo open your heart and mind to the hidden treasures of this awesome country.