Serralunga d'Alba, Province of Cuneo © Luis van den Bos via Unsplash

Saline di Mozia, Marsala, Sicily © Antonio Sessa via Unsplash

Gastronomy tours in Italy

Our food and wine tours of Italy dive deep into the country's culinary soul. From the mountain cheeses of Piedmont to the Arab influences of Sicily’s dishes, each region of Italy presents a distinctive culinary language.

Led by experts in the field, we connect the traveller directly with artisans, producers and chefs, contextualised within not only gastronomic history, but architecture, landscape and people.

Browse our gastronomy tours in Italy

Explore our Gastronomy tours to Italy

From local markets and artisan food producers to Michelin star restaurants, our gastronomic tours of Italy offer a spectrum of culinary experiences from rustic authenticity to refined excellence.

A true food lover’s paradise, our guided tours explore a range of Italian regions, from Piedmont’s celebrated Slow Food revolution to Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s central European influences and Sicily’s colourful market foods. This regional focus allows the traveller to gain a nuanced understanding of how geography, history and climate shape distinctive culinary traditions.

There is no equivalent to placing oneself at the heart of culinary tradition, innovation and passion, guided by experts such as acclaimed food writer, Marc Millon, or Cynthia Chaplin, professional sommelier and expert on Italian wine and culture.

Although the primary focus of these small-group tours is gastronomy, their focus is broader in scope, also exploring the wealth of artistic treasures and architecture heritage that characterise the regions of Italy visited.

Gastronomy highlights in Italy

Wine tasting at the Castle of Grinzane Cavour

Enjoy an afternoon wine tasting in the Castle of Grinzane Cavour, a spectacularly situated UNESCO heritage site, home of the first regional enoteca to open in Piedmont, now almost 50 years old.

Visited on: 'Gastronomic Piedmont'

Truffle hunt in Acqualagna

Some consider Acqualagna to be Italy’s truffle capital. There is a truffle hunt near here this morning; sample the truffles over lunch in a nearby restaurant.

Experienced on: 'Gastronomic Le Marche'

Lunch on the Venetian lagoon

Cross the lagoon by motoscafo to the private island Mazzorbo, with wide vistas of breathtaking stillness. Visit the beautiful orti (kitchen gardens) of the acclaimed Venissa restaurant (1-star Michelin), taste wine produced from grapes grown here, and lunch.

Visited on: 'Gastronomic Veneto'

Meet the experts behind our gastronomic tours in Italy

Ms Cynthia Chaplin

Cynthia Chaplin is a globally recognised professional sommelier and an Italian Wine Ambassador. She teaches extensively as a WSET Educator and a Professor of Italian Wine and Culture, and she also hosts VOICES for the Italian Wine Podcast. A writer, international judge, and mentor for Curious Vines, Cynthia consults with restaurants and enotecas, developing comprehensive wine lists and excellent food pairings. Born in the USA, Cynthia moved to Europe in 1990 and she has lived in Italy for over 17 years, where she creates bespoke wine adventures and acts as an adviser for private clients curating personal Italian wine collections.

View tours with Cynthia Chaplin

Mr Marc Millon

Wine, food and travel writer. Born in Mexico, he was raised in the USA before studying English Literature at the University of Exeter. Together with his wife, he has pioneered a series of illustrated wine-food-travel books including The Wine and Food of Europe, The Wine Roads of France, The Wine Roads of Italy, The Food Lover’s Companion to France and The Food Lover’s Companion to Italy. He is also the author of The Taste of Britain and lives in Devon, where he is closely involved with the food scene of the West Country. Marc is a certified Vinitaly International Italian Wine Ambassador and has a weekly show “Wine, food and travel with Marc Millon” on Italian Wine Podcast. His latest book, Italy in a Wineglass - the Taste of History, was published in spring 2024.

View tours with Marc Millon

Dr R. T. Cobianchi

Art historian and researcher specializing in Italian art and architecture of the Renaissance and Baroque. His interests also span from the iconography of the late Middle Ages to the sculpture of Neoclassicism.

View tours with Dr R. T. Cobianchi

What do others say about Martin Randall Travel?

Showing 1015 reviews

A more immersive approach

The outstanding feature of the itinerary was being guided through this significant exhibition by its curator, Tony Albert, and experiencing the more immersive approach he adopted. In dedicating individual spaces to the contemporary artists chosen for representation, we gained a greater appreciation ...

Florine - Australia

13 May 2026

The expert lecturer adds huge value

This was my fifth Martin Randall Travel trip. They have all been good. The key difference with these tours is the fact that there is an expert lecturer (as well as a tour manager and a driver). The expert lecturer adds huge value. It's a cut above what you get even from a competent local guide ...

Janet - USA

18 Apr 2026

You really get looked after

You really get looked after on a MRT tour. Everything is arranged to make the holiday so enjoyable: transport, entry to museums all sorted without fuss . We have travelled with Michael Douglas-Scott 4 times now and his knowledge and engaging style enthuses one to learn and appreciate the history of ...

Diana - UK

17 Apr 2026

One of the very best for cultural and history tours

One of the very best for cultural and history tours. I have traveled multiple times with Martin Randall and am consistently extremely impressed by the quality of their tours both in content and itinerary as well as overall tour organization. Their expert lecturers are top notch and their tour manage...

Eileen - USA

10 Feb 2026

Egypt for those wanting to know more

I recently was one of 22 people joining Martin Randall for its inaugural trip to Egypt. The lecturer, a UK-based educator and specialist in Near Eastern history and culture, was enthusiastic, articulate and always engaging. He led us on a journey that built up our knowledge of Pharaonic Egypt day by...

TravelerNOW - USA

16 Jan 2026

A stimulating and meticulously planned exploration of the rich culture and exceptional cuisine of the Basque region of Spain.

We spent a week on a Martin Randall gastronomic tour of the Basque region under the superb care of guide and lecturer Gijs van Hensbergen, who is highly knowledgeable not only about the culture and food of this region but many additional regions of Spain including Andalucia, Catalunia, etc. Gijs is,...

A perennial Martin Randall fan

14 Dec 2025

Blissful week of Handel's music in Malta

A week staying in good hotels in Valletta, Malta, on a music tour - Handel Festival, with daily talks on the musician and the work to to seen/ heard that day by experienced and lively musicologist. Varied settings for all concerts - cathedrals, palaces, historical houses, in and around the city. Ext...

Grandedame

09 Dec 2025

A remarkable musical experience

Over three days we were treated to four substantial concerts of Renaissance music of the highest quality and with excellent programming. The information booklets and the explanations of the music by the performers added greatly to the experience.

RJB

04 Dec 2025

Entertaining and Educational

I have done several tours of stately homes in England and Ireland with Martin Randall. All were well organized, informative and enjoyable. And there were always special events, such as dinner with a Duke, access to houses not usually open to the public or owner lead tours. The accommodation was firs...

17 Nov 2025

Highly informative and well planned

Visiting Palladian villas based in Vicenza. Appreciated NOT having to change hotels on a nearly daily basis. Lecturer (ex-Courtauld in London) highly knowledgeable, tour manager on top of everything

Jess

17 Nov 2025

An Italian art lover's dream

"Trecento Frescoes" is a fantastic study of the pioneering art of Giotto and his contemporaries, a must for anyone interested in pre-renaissance Italian art (even a non-academic like myself). Wonderful visits to key sites in Padua, Florence, and Assisi, with an excellent lecturer. As alway...

16 Nov 2025

An unforgetable experience and an expertly organised tour

This was Martin Randall's Cotswolds Choral Music Festival - a series of performances over 5 days by outstanding musicians that were held in large parish churches and other venues in several small to medium sized towns in the Cotswolds. Participants stayed in one location, choosing from 3 towns/...

jennyj

14 Nov 2025

Why travel with us?

Leading expertise

Since 1988 we have been the most influential organisation in the field of cultural travel. Our expert speakers are a key ingredient in our tours. Academics, curators and researchers, they are selected not only for their knowledge but also for their ability to communicate clearly and engagingly to a lay audience.

Privileged access

Special arrangements are a feature of our tours – for admission to places not generally open to travellers, for access outside public hours, for private concerts and extraordinary events. In innumerable ways, we lift our clients’ experience far above standards which are regarded as normal for tourists.

Small groups

Most of our tours run with between 10 and 24 participants. Our travellers are self-selected by common interests and an endorsement of our ethos, and you are highly likely to find yourself among link-minded companions.

Value for money

The price includes nearly everything, not only the major ingredients such as hotel, the costs of the lecturer and manager but also tips and drinks with meals. You can secure your booking today with a 15% deposit. We provide full financial protection for our package holidays.

Joining a Martin Randall Cultural Tour

Frequently asked questions

Between 10–22 participants can usually join our small group tours, though the upper limit can be lower dependent on the tour.