This tour is for adventurous travelers who want to try new food and see a side of southern Italy  off the beaten path! We created this trip to share our favorite Italian experiences that most  tourists will never have the opportunity to find on their own, especially not on another guided  tour. It’s also for people who would never normally join a group tour. This is different! We  intentionally keep the group very small, making it an intimate and unique experience that never  feels like a “normal” tour 

 Benvenuti a Napoli! We will meet at the historic Hotel Decumani. After checking in to the  accommodations, a travel briefing will be conducted before heading to our first meal together.  Time to meet and greet! For dinner, we will visit one of our favorite restaurants in Naples, A Cucina Ra Casa Mia. This  traditional trattoria serves old-school Neapolitan classics, such as Parmigiana di Melanzane,  Ragù alla Genovese, and more. Their meatballs have been awarded the best in the city! Check out this video we made in Naples to get a taste of what’s to come! Return to the hote 

 Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll spend the morning walking around the historic center of Naples to visit some of Harper &  Eva’s favorite street food vendors. As we traverse the “Spaccanapoli,” the colorful main street  of the city, we’ll taste the famous sfogliatelle pastries: a classic Neapolitan breakfast treat. Expect to go where few tourists ever venture! Together we’ll visit the Mercato della  Pignasecca, a street market that serves as the grocery store for locals. Here can be found  some of the best food in the city for those in the know. For lunch, we’ll have frittatine di pasta:  delicious balls of cheesy, fried pasta. Plus, adventurous eaters can choose to try a secret  street food treat that might seem strange, but is a Neapolitan favorite! To finish our walking  tour, we’ll take the funicolare cable railway up to the heights above Naples for some incredible  views. After a free afternoon for exploring and shopping, we will end the day with a pizza  masterclass taught by a Neapolitan chef who has graciously agreed to reveal his secrets.  Dinner will, of course, be pizza! Together we will enjoy the fruits of our labor (along with a  selection of gourmet pizzas prepared by our masterful instructor). 

Breakfast at the hotel and departure from Naples by private bus. As we make our way south, we will stop in Battipaglia to see how a local cheesemaker crafts  the famous Zizzona di Battipaglia: a HUGE ball of fresh, buffalo mozzarella. This caseificio is a food destination for Italians passing through the area, as it’s the only place in the country  which makes this unique delicacy. If we’re lucky, we’ll also be able to try buffalo ricotta, hot and fresh! A lunch made with the on-site products will follow. After lunch, we will continue our journey to Morano. Here we will check into La Locanda Del  Parco, a stunningly beautiful agriturismo farm in the mountains of northern Calabria. Together  we will share a dinner made with the farm’s delicious produce 

Breakfast at the hotel. We will spend the day visiting Civita, one of the unique Albanian  communities in Italy. For over 600 years, the Arbresche people  who inhabit this beautiful land have been perfecting their unique  cuisine. After a brief Jeep ride into the nearby  canyon to visit the stunning “Devil’s  Bridge,” we’ll head to Ristorante  Kamastra. Here we will learn how to  make Dromsa, one of the most unusual  and magical types of pasta in Italy,  before enjoying a lunch together. Return to the hotel for dinner 

In the morning, we will have a chance to learn how the farm harvests their seasonal produce and makes ricotta cheese. If you’ve never had hot, fresh ricotta served on bread, you’re in  for a delicious treat! A lunch made from the newly harvested produce will follow. Departure by private bus. As we make our way south, we will stop at a gorgeous olive oil farm. With stunning views  overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, we will sample several blends of their delicious oil. This farm  is particularly unique in Italy, in that they grow their own olives and press them in-house. Their  control over the product from start to finish produces an incredible flavor! After arriving in Tropea and checking in to our accommodations at the Villa Vittoria, we will  have dinner at our favorite local seafood restaurant. It’s becoming an annual tradition on this  night to hold a Calabrian Chili Pepper Eating Contest for those brave souls who want to  challenge Eva’s mastery of spice! Tropea is a true Calabrian gem, with white sandy beaches, towering cliffs, crystal blue waters  and unique food. Last year it was named the most beautiful village in Italy by the Borghi Più  Belli d’Italia association, and for good reason. 

Breakfast at the hotel. The morning and afternoon will be free so that we all have time to explore Tropea, spend time  on the beautiful beaches, and shop. In the evening, we will reconvene for a delicious dinner cooked by a special, surprise guest! Return to the hotel 

Breakfast at the hotel. We will make a day trip to a local Monte Poro winery: Casa Comerci. Here we will, of course,  taste the delicious local wine while learning about its cultivation and production. For lunch, Eva will teach us how to make handmade Calabrian fileja pasta, followed by a  meal of a Calabrian classic: pasta with ‘nduja. The winery is run by an all-female staff who  know their way around a kitchen, which is why this is one of our personal favorite meals on  the trip! Return to Tropea. Free evening to digest 

A visit to southern Italy wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Sicily! After breakfast at the  hotel, we will cross the Strait of Messina via ferry. It’s a fun experience to sail across the  waters where, according to ancient legend, Odysseus encountered the monsters of Scylla and  Charybdis. In the city of Messina, we will learn the secrets behind a must-try Sicilian delicacy:  cannoli! After having some time to visit the Duomo di Messina, with its incredibly intricate mechanical  clock, we will have a lunch of classic Sicilian seafood. Return to Tropea. 

Breakfast at the hotel. To truly experience Italy, one must leave the beaten trail. On our final full day of the trip, we will  make the short drive to Dasà, Eva’s hometown. You won’t find it in any guide books, but here  we will experience the unforgettable southern Italian feast. Bring a big appetite! Eva’s family and friends will cook and prepare a host of southern specialties with us, such as  crocchette di riso, pitta chjina, Mamma Rosa’s meatballs, local cheeses and salami,  nacatole, paste di mandorla, and more. Time to celebrate our journey with music, dance and  LOTS of food! Return to Tropea for our final night. 

 Breakfast in the hotel, and departure for Lamezia Terme airport & train station. A presto!