WARNING: You will have an urgent desire to visit Italy ASAP...and when you do, we would love to plan every detail for you (including built in free/relaxation time, of course).
I had the amazing opportunity of traveling through Italy's Veneto region. The Veneto is the region that houses Venice, which is brimming with delizioso dishes. Picture Renaissance villas, undiscovered lakes and Alpine views. If you mention food to Italians, they'll wax poetically about grandma's Sunday suppers. Sooner or later, they'll also tell you "Visit Veneto."  And boy are they right! From pumpkin risotto to hand-carved cheese wheels. I was treated to a bounty of flavors here (and you will be too)...The Veneto is a land of slow food, famous for dishes that took centuries to perfect:

• Cheese, aged up to 20 months!
• Prosciutto cured for up to 2 years
• Bubbly prosecco grown on green hills
• Red wine, made like the Romans did
• Risotto with local cheese and slow broth

During my tour, I went behind-the-scenes where they make these incredible foods the old-fashioned way. I tasted time-tested recipes, listening as locals explained the artistry behind their products. Outside of Venice, which is often overlooked by tourists, lies the Valpolicella wine region (a personal favorite of mine). Surrounded by rolling green hills, ancient vineyards and millennia of wine know-how fuse in this one place. 
In Valpolicella, you can taste amarone wine, a varietal first perfected by the Ancient Romans. That's right, this wine has been in production for centuries!! Not just a generation or two but centuries. The grapes are left on the vine long after others have been plucked. In fact, the wine is only made once the grapes are well on their way to becoming raisins. The result? A wine that is rich and robust.

Once you've toured the Veneto's wine region, you can head to the nearby Lake Garda for an unforgettable lunch. The water here -- let me tell you -- lies somewhere between blue and green, a shimmering gem crowned in Renaissance villas.  From the shores of Garda, you can board a private boat. With a local captain, you can explore nearby towns and hidden coves -- experiencing Italy, not as a tourist, but as an Italian might.

This was one stunning area. Why be a tourist when you can explore the Italy you didn't even know existed Some of my (and our clients') favorite activities to explore in this gorgeous region of Italy include...

• Private art collection (not open to the public)
• Private, personalized excursion with a local tour guide to take you to the most interesting sites of Veneto; Discover the mom and pop restaurants and Renaissance areas you've always to see, or some you may not have heard of.
• An unforgettable, simply magical night in a Castle.
• Michelin dinner that reminded me of the waltz
• Private driver through gorgeous Veneto countryside. You will absolutely LOVE it and feel like you stepped back in time

So depending on how much time you have and how far you want to stray from Venice, Rome, Florence...don't miss out on the many little hidden gems of Italy. 

AND remember this tip: NEVER believe a "lite lunch" is a lite lunch by American standards--think Grandma standards.  I LOVED every single second of it!!

Since it is the mission of VIP Travel Experience to take you beyond the highlights for bespoke or unique experiences, stay tuned for more little secrets of Italy. VIP Travel Experience specializes in custom-crafted Italian vacations! Let us help you plan your next dream adventure to put these newly learned skills to use! 

If you're ready to have your luxury vacation redefined by VIP Travel Experience we are here to help you get started and give you all the travel tips you'll need to know about traveling during times with Covid. Email me at tammy@viptravelexperience.com to get in touch and get started.
It's a big world out there and we want you to experience it. 

Email us tammy@viptravelexperience.com and justin@viptravelexperience.com to get in touch so we can get started when you're ready!