International Tours
We are providing three small group to Europe in 2024
France | Italy | Turkey
Although you may have visited places in the past, my tours provide a unique experience. I am personally involved in every stage of planning and the execution of the tour. I’ve always found my groups to be friendly, inclusive and cohesive. Meals including wine are included each day and reflect the region we are visiting. I have been in hospitality and travel for many years and I pride myself on going out of the way to ensure a good time is had by everyone. Each region we visit is highlighted with the help of local guides who immerse us in the history, customs and cuisine of the surrounding countryside. It is very important to me that my tours experience the type of travel that Philip and I would do. We have researched each region and visited and stayed in many of the hotels and restaurants.
My life has been influenced and involved in a world of food, cooking and teaching for many years. Although it is still integral and a love, my focus has now included my dedication to gardening and the world of growing our own fruit and vegetables to be used for simple seasonal dishes for meals and entertaining friends and family and landscaping in our dry landscape using plants that suit our conditions.
Travel enables us to be involved in the story of food and gardens . I want my tour groups be introduced to new cultures and identify with the food, customs and celebrations . To be able to immerse themselves in their culture thorough markets, gardens and restaurants. My tours are not all about cooking classes (in fact very rare) - but a chance to interact with locals , become familiar with our surroundings and enjoy the lifestyle.
I endeavour to make each tour life time experience and to provide happy fun memories that you can dip into at any time.
France
28th May - 12th June
For the first time we are offering a tour to Southern France, Provence and the Dordogne. Philip and I spent several weeks this year researching accommodation and restaurants. We visited gardens and special features to enable us to put up this exciting gorgeous trip which will be enhanced by being immersed in the rows of flowering lavender fields in Provence before they are cut down.
We have certainly been influenced by our New Zealand friends Murray and Lynda who lent us their house in the Dordoyne, along with Claire and Hubert in Pyrenees. However, sadly the tour is not going their way next year and to Jacque and Anny who put us in touch with local travel guides in Provence .
France along with Italy is highly influenced by its food and wine from each region. Locals are passionate and buy at the local market which show cases the abundance of produce available and specialities distinctive to the area. A long history follows many delicacies like Foe Gras, Salamis, cheeses etc etc. The landscape is surrounded with Villa’s Castles and Chateau’s, stunning oak forests, and more cute villages than we could ever visit.
In 2023 my tour to Italy was highlighted by a week in a Villa in Val D’Orcia - Tuscany. Spoilt with food by food Alessandro and the opulence of the Villa we had no trouble feeling completely spoilt and relaxed.
In 2024 the tour will also include a villa for a week. This time just outside the gorgeous town of Lucca in Northern Tuscany. But, before this, the tour will begin with four days in my favourite village of Asolo north of Venice. We will explore the wine region of Prosecco and travel into the stunning mountains of the dolomites. The tour is going to have an unusual two night stop at the top of Lake Garda after a travel day through the Aosta Valley. Four nights in Piedmont familairising ourselves in the wines of the Langhe region, hilltop villages and the famous towns of Alba Asti and Trento.
The Villa is set in the countryside just out side Lucca. It give us the oppoutunity to explore our surroundings and yet come home each night to the comfort of beautiful al fresco dining, swimming pool and time to relax . Alessandro will be back to cook provide typical Tuscan meals and wow you with his suburb daily bread.
We pride ourselves in offering a tot trip without being a tourist and give you an amazing time.
Italy
19th June - 6th July
I host this tour with guides Alison and Hasan. They live and works in Turkey and with all their contacts our small boutique tour is terrific fun.
So…. I am thrilled to advertise this lovely tour again which will ensure you get to enjoy a taste of the history, culture and cuisine of Turkey. I continue to have a long time love of the Turkish cuisine and I am delighted to bring this tour to fruition. Travelling in a small group with experienced tour guides Alison and Hasan – they are expert in local knowledge and customs. Alison and I have been in contact for a number of years and recently after a planning day in Auckland we made the decision to take a tour to Turkey for May 2013. She has been involved in tours throughout Turkey for a number of years and I feel very privileged to have Alison and Hasan as my tour guides in turkey.
This tour gives you a taste of the history, culture and cuisine of Turkey. Turkey is a land at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Across the centuries, this land was populated by great empires including the Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. The vast Ottoman Empire covered three continents for almost 600 years and controlled the spice road. Our tour will introduce you to the history – back to the days of Byzantium – with visits to key historical sites from Greek, Roman and early Christian heritage (such as Ephesus, Troy and Aya Sofia) as well as the palaces and mosques built during the Ottoman period (such as Topkapi, the Dolmabahce Palace and the Blue Mosque). We will also visit areas of natural beauty on the coast and the magical area of Cappadocia with its Fairy Chimneys, early Christian churches and underground cities right in the centre of Turkey. And of course you will be given the opportunity to taste and learn about Turkish cuisine, by visiting restaurants, cafes and private Turkish homes. We will taste all the most celebrated dishes from Turkish cuisine and you will learn how to cook some signature Turkish dishes which can easily be prepared by you at home in New Zealand.
Our tour gives you a balance of organised activities such as visits to main historical sites with qualified guides and free time to explore at your own pace.
