Stories

    Stories about Local Stories

    Notes from our trip leaders and hosts: what actually happens when a small group travels slowly.

    Stories about Local Stories

    • Travelers debating near Palermo Cathedral as a hand reaches for the last arancina

      Sicily

      The Last Arancina in Palermo

      We became absorbed in a debate over the name of Palermo’s famous rice ball. While we argued, the last one disappeared.

      2 min read
    • Travelers rescuing lunch from the rain in a countryside garden in Umbria

      Umbria

      The Umbrian Lunch the Rain Tried to Ruin

      Lunch was ready in an Umbrian garden under spring sunshine. One course later, the clouds arrived and the rescue operation began.

      2 min read
    • A horse at an Umbrian farm holding a paper map as a traveler laughs

      Umbria

      The Horse That Ate Our Map in Umbria

      We stopped for a photograph with a quiet Umbrian horse. It ignored the camera and focused entirely on the map in our hands.

      2 min read
    • Lola in a classic Cairo setting, evoking the memory of Egypt's golden era

      Cairo

      Lola: The Woman Who Makes Time Stand Still

      Lola is more than someone you meet in Cairo. She is a living memory of another era, and a reminder that strength begins with curiosity—and that age never has to end learning or discovery.

      4 min read
    • Uncle Pio holding a black truffle beside a truffle dog in an Umbrian forest

      Umbria

      Hunting Truffles with Uncle Pio in Umbria

      We entered an Umbrian wood with Uncle Pio and his trained dog. A quiet truffle hunt became a morning of laughter, patience and buried treasure.

      3 min read