Cinzia Long, one of our longest-serving tour managers, is an accomplished cook who has now launched her own recipe Substack. Substack is a subscription-based platform that allows content creators to publish news, or in this case recipes, directly to their audience....
We work on our fitness all year round in preparation for our seasons of hiking and we cannot overstate to our guests how important it is to start getting fit well before the tours start. There are 3 things to think about: Strength-Cardio-Balance. Even for a Level 2 or...
For anyone who grew up in the UK, Christmas lunch or dinner almost always involved roast turkey and all the traditional festive trimmings. It came as quite a surprise therefore to first discover that there is not really one Italian Christmas dish which is eaten all...
Jackie’s latest guest article for US online magazine Sixty & Me looks at some of Tuscany's hidden gems. The region is world-famous for its major cities such as Florence, Pisa and Siena, but the smaller hilltop towns and villages have unique charms, centuries of...
Starting this Christmas Eve, Rome will open its gates to millions of pilgrims for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. This special event, occurring usually only every 25 years, will mark a year of pilgrimage and reflection. It is expected to bring more visitors than ever...
Sardinia is known around Europe for its wonderful coastline and turquoise waters, but head inland and the island offers so much more than soaking up the sun on the nearest beach. Here are five of our favourite reasons to visit.
Jackie's latest guest article for US online magazine Sixty & Me looks at reasons to visit Italy in its autumn season. First of all the colours of the changing trees are a big draw, along with the flavours of the seasonal ingredients which are being harvested and...
Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park was the UK’s very first national park, created in 1951, and now covers more than 555 square miles. Crisscrossed by miles of footpaths and cycle trails, and with moors, dales and spectacular views, it’s a wonderful...
Victoria's High Country, located in the north east of the region, is a breathtaking destination with a mix of rugged landscapes, outdoor adventures, rich history and fantastic food & wine. Here are five reasons why you should be planning a visit soon!...
Jackie's latest guest article for US online magazine Sixty & Me looks at how to enjoy travelling in Italy without the crowds. Cities like Venice are now charging day-trippers, and the popularity of sites in Florence and Rome can lead to long queues if you...
Matera is arguably the most remarkable town in Southern Italy. Its famous “sassi”, troglodyte cave dwellings, have been inhabited since the 8th century BC, and the caves were home to over half the town’s population right up until the 1950s. It is the final stop on our Southern Italy hike and is a true highlight of the tour.
Here in Italy we are at the height of summer and the hot temperatures have us reaching for something cold! The technique of preserving and using snow or ice to create refreshing drinks in summer months was known to ancient civilizations, including the Greeks and...
British couple David and Rosanne Hughes have reached the fantastic milestone this year of completing 10 tours with Hedonistic Hiking. Annabel spoke to them about their experiences with us and what tours they have their eyes on for the future. How did you first...
Jackie's latest guest article for US online magazine Sixty & Me looks at some of Italy's most spectacular festivals. Dating back to medieval times, Italy’s Palios traditionally involved horses or other animals in a competitive racing challenge but, over the...
Sitting to the northeast of Bologna in the Emilia Romagna region, Ferrara is often overlooked by visitors to northern Italy, despite being one of its most charming small cities. Awarded UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status for being a ‘superb example of a Renaissance...
Italy's most famous pilgrim trail is known as the Via Francigena. This ancient route connected Canterbury in the UK through France and on to Rome and was undertaken by pilgrims more or less from the 4th century onwards. Originally this epic journey would...
Writers Who Walk Following on from this month's Blog about Pilgrim Paths, I started to think about writers who have found, through walking, resolution to issues in their lives which seemed at the outset insurmountable. The inspirational on-foot journey's...
Bologna may lag slightly behind Florence and Rome when it comes to art treasures, but when it comes to food, the city is in a class of its own, rapidly gaining ground as the country’s food capital. Let’s just say it’s not called ‘la grassa’ (‘the fat one’) for...
For the first time in 2024 the prestigious Tour de France cycle race will start in Italy. The "Grand Départ" as it is known will happen in Florence on Saturday 29th June, from the historic centre of town. The first two stages will take place in the Apennines...
Historically, the wines of Corsica have not been widely known beyond its shores. The island is closer to Italy than it is to France in both geographical terms and in its language, as well as through many grape varieties which have Italian origins. Shining a light on...