Olive Oil, Italy's Liquid Green Gold

Olives are grown all throughout Italy, from the northern shores, to as far as Sicily and Puglia, meaning each region naturally claims to be the best producer of olive oil. Here's a brief look inside this fascinating industry, to help you pick out the perfect bottle on your next trip.

How Do Oils Differ?

Within 24 hours of harvest, olives are crushed whole to maintain their naturally low acidity. The pump is pressed and the liquid obtained comprises water and several oils, the two most common are:

Extra-virgin olive oil - The highest quality oil, noticeably green, with acidity of less than 1%, made by cold-pressing the olives - though the use of heat provides more quantity of the oil, the lack of it provides for a better quality.

Virgin olive oil - Produced with no chemical treatment, occasionally cold pressed method, with slightly higher acidity between 1% and 3%.

There are three distinct categories of extra-virgin olive oil, each suited to specific dishes and preparations.

Mild - Light and buttery, ideal for raw meats and carpaccio, fish, vegetables, soups and pasta sauces.





Fruity - Slightly stronger and fruitier flavor, complements grilled meats, pastas or rice in mild sauces, cooked vegetables and bruschetta.




Fruity-Spicy - Aggressive taste, perfect for accompanying rustic dishes like the panzanella, Tuscan bread and tomato salad; ribollita, Tuscan vegetable soup; or pasta with beans.

How To Taste Oil

Like wine, olive oil is a high-quality product with body, acidity and fruitiness that vary from product to product. Experts recommend tasting it before you buy, so it helps to train your palate to distinguish one form the other. In general, good olive oil is sweetish with a peppery tone to it.

Olive oil tasting should be carried out in a controlled environment. Begin by purchasing a couple of top-quality extra-virgin olive oils produced in different parts of Italy along with one of inexpensive brand to compare.



1. Look at the oil against the light to get an idea of the color. For example, greener oils for usually pressed from earl-season olives.

2. Smell the aroma of each of the oils and sort them from mild to strong to establish the ideal order for tasting.

3. Taste them either on a piece of unsalted bread or from separate glasses, using about a teaspoonful of each oil. Cup the glass in your hand to warm it and rotate the oil to release its aromas and flavors. Sip and inhale to vaporize the oil in your mouth.

4. Do not swallow. Spit the oil out and rinse your mouth with some water, or have a small piece of fruit to cleanse your palate before the next sampling.

How To Buy Olive Oil

Buy olive oil in small quantities, since it ages and oxidizes. Check where the olive oil was bottles and ensure the color is green or a dark green. Look for the DOP label, a standard organization that defines the various grades of olive oils: this signifies improved quality.

The best place to buy olive oil is in frantoi in Italy, where olive pressing takes place. You can also find top quality oils on estates throughout Italy, from the farms, or from other specialty shops such as an enoteca where you buy wine as well.

Make a Meal of It, Italian Style

Italian food is an extraordinary feast for the senses. Ranging from simple to hearty, sweet to spice, subtle to strong, each dish and delicacy is prepared with the freshest of ingredients. It's no secret that Italy's cuisine is incomparable, but you may not know quite how to enjoy it to the fullest. Here's a helpful guide to exploring and savoring Italy's culinary bounty.

MANGIA! MANGIA!

"Pizza al taglio" - Pizza by the slice, typically a lunch item found at bakeries and offered in many different varieties.

Sputino - a snack, usually eaten in-between meals.

Apertivo - an aperitif type of drink, usually wine, which is drunk in order to stimulate the appetite before the meal.

Prima colazione - breakfast, the first meal of the day.

Pranzo - lunch, the midday meal from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm, when activity stops.

Merenda - an afternoon snack.

Cena - dinner, usually eaten late, between 8pm and 11pm

Scarpetta - whatever is left on your plate is "scooped" up with a morsel of fresh bread.

MAKE A MEAL OF IT, ITALIAN STYLE

Italian meals consist of 3-4 courses:

Antipasto - a started (hot or cold), meant to stimulate the appetite.

Primo - the first course, usually a soup, rice of pasta dish. This can be topped with a variety of sauces.

Secondo - the main dish, meat or fish served with a contorno (side dish) of vegetables or salad.

Dolce - Dessert or fruit and cheese, followed by coffee or a digestivo such as grappa.

TIPS OF TIPPING

A coperto is a cover charge, an unavoidable "add-on" that basically covers bread and water and is charged per person. Even though tax and services are usually included in the menu prices, it is typical and courteous to leave a small tip of around 10 percent.

THE ART OF COFFEE

Making caffe is an art in itself and ordering un caffe in Italy usually means an espresso. This means "to press," and refers to the pressure applied to the hot water forced through the ground beans, creating this strong, flavorful mixture, whose main variations are listed below.

Lungo (long) - More water (about double) is filtered through the grinds, giving a weaker taste, but still stronger than normal coffee.

Ristretto (restricted) - Less water, yielding a stronger taste.

Doppio (double) - Simply two espressos in one cup.

Corretto (corrected) - With a dash of liquor.

Americano - Diluted with hot water.

Macchiato (strained) - With a drop of steamed milk.

Con Panna - With cream on top.

Affogato - Served over ice cream.

Tip: When ordering a coffee in a bar, pay at the cash register first, then take the receipt to the barista, who will make your brew.

THE COOL OF GELATO

Gelato is the true taste of an Italian summer. Here's the scoop on the terms you need to learn before you lick.

Cono - cone

Coppa - cup

Con panna - with whipped cream on top

Gelateria - ice cream parlor

Granita - shaved ice with assorted fruit juices and sugar

Tip: Pay first at the cassa (cash register), then present your receipt when you order

THE PLEASURE OF FOOD SHOPPING

Although there are many supermarket chains like COOP and Esselunga, shopping for food in the specialty shops makes for a richer, more interesting experience.

il Forno or Fornaio - bread shop
il macellaio - for meat
la norcineria - for pork
una pasticceria - cakes, pasteries and cookies
una latteria - for milk
alimentary - pasta, ham, cheese, general food
enoteca/vinaio - wide selection of wine
salumeria (pizzicagnolo) - for salami and other meat products
i mercati - markets, mainly for fresh fruits and vegetables

Tip: Food is sold by the etto (100 grams = 4 oz), the chilo (1 kilo - 2.2 lbs) or simply in numbers such as 2 bananas.


Italian food is surely an extraordinary feast for the senses. Start planning your vacation to Italy with Celtic Tours World Vacations

Cinque Terre Vacation Package

Cinque Terre Vacation Package

Savor the romance of the famous Cinque Terre with this romantic vacation package. Consisting of five remote seaside villages, speckled with coral, sage and egg-plant hued buildings, dangling from cliffs mirrored on the crystal waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Cinque Terre moves the heart like few places in the world. Nearly inaccessible by car, the Cinque Terre provides a uniquely intimate experience, a hidden gem for your honeymoon or romantic vacation.

Your Cinque Terre Vacation Package Includes:

* 3 Nights 4 Star Accommodations in Rapallo
* Breakfast daily, except day of arrival
* Welcome Dinner and farewell dinner at hotel (drink not included)
* Local Taxes and service charges

Visit the Cinque Terre on your honeymoon with this great romantic vacation package

Please note that arrival into Pisa airport is recommended. Train transport from airport to hotel is necessary. The Pisa Train Station is a short walk in covered walkway from the airport. You can purchase your train tickets from TrenItalia

Amazing South of Italy!

Amazing South of Italy!

Journey through southern Italy and experience its rich scenery, art, culture, food and wine! Witness the breathtaking scenery of the Amalfi Coast, discover the ruins of Pompeii, and visit the stunning trulli village of Alberobello. Sail to enchanting Capri and sip coffee in the Piazza.

Your Amazing South of Italy Tour Includes:

* Accommodation at 4 Star hotels
* Italian buffet Breakfast daily (no eggs)
* Return Transfer by private car/minibus and driver from/to the airport in Rome to hotel in Rome
* Four dinners and two lunches included
* Service charges and taxes included
* Ground transportation by deluxe motorcoach from Day 3 until day 7 (with the arrival at the hotel in Rome)
* Tour escort / Assistant beginning on day 3
* Sightseeing tours as per the itinerary
* Local guides (English - French - Spanish language) and entrance fees during the tour

Tour the South of Italy with this amazing Italian Vacation: The Amazing South of Italy

Discover ‘Lunar Wine’ in the Cinque Terre

Be whisked away by the legendary and rugged stretch of Italian Riviera coastline, the Cinque Terre. Consisting of five remote seaside villages dangling from cliffs mirrored on the crystal waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Cinque Terre moves the heart like few places in the world. Nearly inaccessible by car, the Cinque Terre provides a uniquely intimate experience, a hidden gen for your honeymoon or romantic vacation.

Tucked away from the rest of the world, the Cinque Terre is one of the more memorable viticultural zones in Italy. The Cinque Terre vineyards are planted on perilously steep slopes, close enough to the sea that the spray from the breaking waves is able to form a fine mist over the vines. In the past, the Cinque Terre’s people would anchor fishing boats below the terraced vineyards. Baskets laden with grapes were then lowered from above into these small boats which then sailed round to the otherwise inaccessible village.

Sciacchetra is an ancient and legendary raisin wine made from grapes left to dry in the Italian sun. Gold colored with amber reflex, Sciacchetra has an intense honey scent – the quintessence of the Cinque Terre. Historically praised by the likes of poets Boaccaccio and Petrarch, Sciacchetra was described at ‘lunar wine’ by Pliny the Elder. And surely the wine is out of this world with 18 percent alcohol, while most wine is only 11 percent.

A dessert wine, Sciacchetra is paired well with biscotti. As with all dessert wines, this one should be sweeter than the food accompanying it. The slight bitterness of the biscotti balances the intense sweetness of the wine. Sciacchetra also works well with a slice of panettone.

Find a romantic spot, enjoy a glass of wine and be whisked away by the Cinque Terre. Visit the Cinque Terre on your honeymoon or romantic vacation with Celtic Tours new honeymoon package: Cinque Terre Romance.

Amazing South of Italy: Italian Vacation

Journey through southern Italy and experience its rich scenery, art, culture, food and wine! Witness the breathtaking scenery of the Amalfi Coast, discover the ruins of Pompeii, and visit the stunning trulli village of Alberobello. Sail to enchanting Capri and sip coffee in the Piazza.

Your Amazing South of Italy Tour Includes:

* Accommodation at 4 Star hotels
* Italian buffet Breakfast daily (no eggs)
* Return Transfer by private car/minibus and driver from/to the airport in Rome to hotel in Rome
* Four dinners and two lunches included
* Service charges and taxes included
* Ground transportation by deluxe motorcoach from Day 3 until day 7 (with the arrival at the hotel in Rome)
* Tour escort / Assistant beginning on day 3
* Sightseeing tours as per the itinerary
* Local guides (English - French - Spanish language) and entrance fees during the tour





Enjoy the Amazing South of Italy on this great Italian Vacation. For limited time only, select departures of this tour are on sale - use coupon code CS100.

Beautiful Sorrento and Historic Rome together in an unforgetable tour

Sorrento and Rome Extravaganza Tour

Special Departure: September 13-22, 2011

Join Celtic Tours for this special departure featuring

• Roundtrip Airfare from JFK to Italy
• Transfer from Naples Airport to Sorrento
• Breakfast daily, except morning of arrival.
• 5-nights in beautiful Sorrento - at the 4-star Hotel Flora
• Full day tour of the Amalfi Coast
• Tour of traditional Lemon Farm
• Full day on the Isle of Capri
• Full day including Pompeii + Campania Wine Tour to La Cantine del Vesuvio
• Transfer from Sorrento to Rome
• 3-nights in Rome at the 4-star Grand Hotel Palatino
• Afternoon guided tour of Imperial Rome
• Morning guide tour: The Vatican + Afternoon guided tour: The Eternal Rome
• Papal Audience*
• Transfer from Rome hotel to Airport
  

Join Celtic Tours for an unforgettable tour of Italy on this special departure.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano: a small, walled hill town with 14 towers rising from the Elsa Valley, in the province of Siena, Tuscany. Known for its famous medieval architecture, long-standing towers and some of the best wine in Italy, San Gimignano is well worth a visit!

The town was founded in the 3^rd Century by Etruscans. As a stop along the Catholic Pilgrimage route, the town grew in importance and wealth up until the mid-1300’s when the population was seriously decreased by the Black Death Plague.

In the following centuries San Gimignano overcame its decline and isolation when its beauty and cultural importance together with its agricultural heritage were rediscovered. Known primarily for its towers that date back to the 11th and 13th centuries, the architecture of the city was influenced by Pisa, Siena and Florence.

The town also is known for the white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, grown in the area. Since the Renaissance it has been considered one of Italy's finest white wines.

Beautiful San Gimignano is an optional tour on Celtic Tours Tuscan Experience.

Alberobello and Trulli Dwellings

Alberobello, in the Puglia region on southern Italy, is a picturesque and fairy-tale like destination which makes an interesting daytrip destination of a pleasant base for a few days while traveling through Southern Italy. Famous for its trulli, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.It is a featured stop on Celtic Tours new The Amazing South of Italy tour.

A trullo is a small dwelling built with the local limestone, thick dry-stone walls and a characteristic conical roof. Many trulli roofs are adorned with ancient symbols of their pagan inhabitants. Trulli were generally constructed as dwellings or storehouses and were traditionally built without any cement or mortar, thus avoiding taxation. Legend has it that trullo were built by peasants and when the tax collector came around, they quickly dismantle their house. The vast majority of trulli have one room under each conical roof, a multi-roomed trullo house has many cones representing each room.

Icons of the Puglia region, trulli dot the countryside. But nowhere are they as numerous as in the city of Alberobello. Take a stroll through the twisting and turning steets, lined with trulli, of Rione Monti, The streets are also filled with wine shops, artisanal shops and kitschy souvenir shops. Around the main tourist area, there are many little bars, snack-shops, restaraunts and pizzerias, some in trulli. There are also a handful of small museums. When visiting Alberobello, don’t miss the Chiesa Sant’Antonia: a giant trullo church.

Visit Alberobello and the fairy-tale like trulli on Celtic Tours new The Amazing South of Italy Vacation.

The Amazing South of Italy Vacation

Amazing South of Italy!

Join Celtic Tours as you journey through southern Italy and experience its rich scenery, art, culture, food and wine! Witness the breathtaking scenery of the Amalfi Coast, discover the ruins of Pompeii, and visit the stunning trulli village of Alberobello. Sail to enchanting Capri and sip coffee in the Piazza.

Your Celtic Tours Amazing South of Italy Tour Includes:

* Accommodation at 4 Star hotels
* Italian buffet Breakfast daily (no eggs)
* Return Transfer by private car/minibus and driver from/to the airport in Rome to hotel in Rome
* Four dinners and two lunches included
* Service charges and taxes included
* Ground transportation by deluxe motorcoach from Day 3 until day 7 (with the arrival at the hotel in Rome)
* Tour escort / Assistant beginning on day 3
* Sightseeing tours as per the itinerary
* Local guides (English - French - Spanish language) and entrance fees during the tour

Learn more about Celtic Tours newest vacation in Southern Italy

Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast!

The Amalfi Coast, Italy is considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. The Isle of Capri is renowned the world over as an exclusive holiday destination.


Your Sorrento and Amalfi Coast tour includes:

*Six nights accomodation in 4-star hotel in Sorrento.
*Ground transportation by deluxe motorcoach including airport transfers.
*English-speaking guide throughout.
*Italian buffet breakfast daily excluding the day of arrival.
*One welcome dinner + farewell dinner including wine and water.
*One farewell dinner at the Villa with drinks included.
*Four hotel dinners.
*Half-day guided tour in Pompeii including entrance fees.
*Sightseeing tours as per itinerary.
*Local taxes and tips (excluding tips to driver and guide).
*Celtic Tours flight bag and portfolio of travel documents.

Witness the breathtaking scenery of the Amalfi Coast, discover the ruins of Pompeii and sail to enchanting Capri on Celtic Tours Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast Vacation.

Treasures of Italy: Florence, Venice and Rome

Celtic Tours: Treasures of Italy!

Enjoy the best of Italy during your unique journey highlighting the rich history and spectacular beauty of this majestic country. You will enjoy the best of traditional cities including Florence, Venice and Rome.

Your Treasures of Italy tour includes:

*Six (6) nights accommodation at four star hotels.
*Italian buffet breakfast daily, except for day of arrival.
*Half-day tour of Rome.
*Round-trip transfer with private car/minibus with driver and assistant.
*Four (4) dinners.
*Service charges and local taxes included (excluding tips to driver and guides.)
*Ground transportation by deluxe motorcoach from day four until the end of tour.
*Multi-lingual tour escort beginning on day four.
*Sightseeing as per the itinerary.
*Local guides and entrance fees during the tour.
*Porterage of one suitcase per person.
*Celtic Tours flight bag and portfolio of travel documents.

Learn more about this exciting vacation package to Italy.

Panettone, Traditional Italian Food

As everyone in the office enjoys this traditional Italian Christmas treat, sent from overseas for the holidays, I busily research the origins behind such an interesting Italian tradition.

Panettone is a type of sweet bread loaf, cupola shaped, usually standing about 5 inches high. The dough is acidic, similar to sourdough. The rising process alone takes several days, giving the cake its distinctive fluffy characteristics. It contains candied orange, citron and lemon zest, as well as raisins. Many other variations are available such as plain or with chocolate. It is generally served with hot, sweet beverages or a sweet wine.

There are almost as many legends attached to the history of panettone as there are versions of the bread. But a common thread is its place and time of origin – Milan, dating back, in one form or another, to the Roman Empire, when ancient Romans sweetened leavened bread with honey. One legend has it that the bread was created a few hundred years ago by a humble baker named Tony to woo his beloved, the daughter of a rich merchant. More importantly, he had to win over the father to the idea of his daughter marrying a baker, so he pulled out all the stops and filled this bread with the baker's equivalent of the gifts of the wise men: butter, brandied dried and candied fruits, nuts, and sugar. The merchant was so impressed that he not only gave his daughter in marriage, but also set Tony up with his own bakery in Milan with the promise that he would continue to make his bread, pane Tony.

Of course, the word Panettone, more obviously derives from the Italian word “panetto”, a small loaf of bread. The augmentative Italian suffix “-one” changes the meaning to “large bread”. Either way, today Panettone is enjoyed around the world during the holiday season.

Discover the culinary delights of Italy on Celtic Tours Southern Odyssey tour of Italy. Your Southern Odyssey tour of Italy includes a mozzarella cheese tasting, Neapolitan pizza tasting, excursions to beautiful Sorrento and the Amalfi coast, and an option tour of Rome and Vatican City. Learn more about this amazing tour of Italy!

For a limited time, our Southern Odyssey tour is on sale. Save $71 PP on land on Apr 1 departures. Use #couponcode WIN10ITE7. Book your tour today!

Learn more about Celtic Tours sales and travel deals

Southern Odyssey Tour of Italy

Southern Odyssey!

"Riviera Ulysses" A Southern Italian Odyssey. This coastal region, located between Rome and Naples, is named for the legendary journey and adventures of Ulysses, who landed in Gaeta with his companions and was placed under the magical spell of the Sorceress Circe. Our itineary does not include any magical spells, but ensures only great memories of an enjoyable vacation!

Your Southern Odyssey tour includes:

*Six nights accommodations at first class hotels with private bath/shower.
*Italian buffet breakfast daily, except for day of arrival.
*Transportation by private deluxe air-conditioned motor coach throughout.
*Services of a professional English-speaking tour director.
*One (1) welcome dinner "Neapolitan Feast."
*One (1) farewell dinner including wine and water.
*Four (4) dinners featuring Southern Italian cuisine.
*One (1) welcome drink on arrival at our hotel.
*One (1) lunch featuring Neapolitan pizza.
*Half-day guided tours to Sperlonga, Gaeta and Pompeii.
*Sightseeing tours to the Amalfi Coast and Naples.
*Entrance fees to Excavations in Pompeii and the National Museum in Sperlonga.
*Porterage of one suitcase per person.
*Local taxes and tips (excluding tips to driver and guide).
*Celtic Tours flight bag and portfolio of travel documents.

Learn More

Top 10 Places to visit in Sicily

Visiting Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is said to be like visiting Europe, Africa and Asia on one island. There is no other place like it on Earth. Sicily was once a Greek colony, a Roman province, an Arab emirate and a Norman kingdom. Now it is Italian but uniquely Sicilian. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese and Jews made this unique island their own, leaving behind an eclectic history that you can still touch today. Sicily has its own rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, architecture and language. But you really have to experience Sicily to understand it, join Celtic Tours on our Sicilian Heritage Tour.

Top 10 Places to visit in Sicily

• Aeolian Islands: Exceptional beaches and fantastic cuisine

• Agrigento:. Agrigento boasts several ancient Greek temples, including the Temple of Concord, one of only two completely standing ones in Sicily.

• Cefalù: Offering pleasant narrow medieval streets, interesting shops and a public beach.

• Erice: This hilltop town was successively Elymian, Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman. Its grey stone forms Punic walls, a castle, church and medieval streets that could almost be mistaken for ancient ones.

• Mount Etna: Europe's greatest natural wonder is a living, sacred mountain of legend and myth.

• Monreale: The arcane fact that a mosaic icon of Thomas Becket graces the apse, and that it is the earliest holy image of the English saint murdered in Canterbury Cathedral, is just one of many fascinating features of this twelfth-century cathedral and cloister built on a hill in the eclectic Norman-Arab style with Byzantine artistic elements.

• Nebrodi Mountains: The Nebrodi Mountains are the most lushly forested region of Sicily. Situated to the immediate north of Etna, the range boasts some of the island's highest peaks after the volcano.

• Palermo: Sicily's regional capital and largest city is perhaps best compared to a rough, uncut jewel. Its beauty has to be revealed through careful discovery. You'll find this bustling city chaotic and dusty yet interesting. The historic environment of this former royal capital of kings and emirs is largely Baroque with some stunning nuggets of medieval architecture. .

• Piazza Armerina: The Roman villa outside town has the most extensive mosaic pavements of the ancient Roman world, composed of rural scenes, pictures of flora and fauna, and classical motifs. Most of it is in exceptional condition, looking as if it were completed yesterday. The structure was the home of a wealthy Roman who loved art.

• Segesta: The best-preserved ancient Doric temple in what used to be the Greek world. The site's ancient amphitheatre, set on a hill, boasts a magnificent position.

• Siracusa: Archimedes, Plato and Saint Paul loved Syracuse, and with good reason. It was one of the most important cities of the ancient Greek world, and the most important in Greek and Roman Sicily. It was also one of the most beautiful. The archeological park is extensive, while the old city, Ortygia, has some fascinating treasures. The columns of the ancient temple around which the cathedral was built are still visible on one side of the nave.

• Taormina: This mountaintop town overlooking the Ionian coast is Sicily's most famous resort, full of restaurants and shops, with beaches nearby. Its historical side is ubiquitous. The Greek amphitheatre, with its famous panoramic view of Mount Etna and the coast, is used for concerts and plays, and medieval walls enclose the town's stone streets. There are several castles, including those in the Castelmola overlooking Taormina.

Discover Sicily with Celtic Tours Sicilian Heritage Tour.

Sicilian Heritage

Sicilian Heritage!

Enjoy a visit to the land of sun, Sicily! This stunning island offers a landscape of fascinating and dramatic beauty. Mt. Etna, rising in the center of a volcanic area of Sicily, is the highest active volcano in Europe. The isles of Stromboli and Vulcano are also active volcanoes. Features a visit to the famous village of Corleone, featured in the “Godfather” series! Along with breathtaking scenery, Sicily welcomes you with delicious cuisine as well as the warmth and hospitality of its people.

Your Sicilian Heritage Tour includes:

*Six nights accommodations at first class hotels with private bath/shower.
*Transportation by private deluxe air-conditioned motor coach throughout.
*Services of a professional English-speaking tour director.
*Daily Italian buffet breakfasts at the hotel except the day of the arrival.
*One (1) welcome dinner + One (1) farewell dinner at a local restaurant in Taormina (wine and water included for both of the dinners.)
*One (1) wine tasting at Marsala restaurant.
*Entrance fees to: Benedictine Abbey of Monreale; Doric Temple in Segesta; Valley of Temples in Agrigento; Roman Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina; Archeological Park in Siracusa; Greek Theatre in Taormina.
*Visit to the famous village of Corleone.
*Porterage of one suitcase per person.
*Local taxes and tips (excluding tips to driver and guide).
*Celtic Tours flight bag and portfolio of travel documents.

Learn more about this great Tour of Italy!

Dublin and Rome - on Sale!

Dublin and Rome

This 2 Spectacular City Stay Package of Ireland and Italy starts in the eternal city of Rome and ends in cosmopolitan Dublin.

Your Dublin and Rome Tour Includes:

* 6 Nights Accommodations: 3 Nights in Rome, 3 Nights in Dublin
* Breakfast daily, except day of arrival
* Transfer to/from Rome Airport to hotel
* Transfer to/from Dublin airport to hotel

Learn More

Please note that hotels are on request, in the event the hotels that the package is based on are not available - alternate hotel options may be offered.

Limoncello

When life hands you lemons, fly to Italy and drink Limoncello!

Limoncello, a refreshing, intensely lemony cordial hails from southern Italy. It originated on the Isle of Capri in the 19th century, where innkeeper Vincenza Canale treated her patrons to her homemade liqueur. Word spread among travelers about her delightful liqueur and eventually the family began bottling it commercially.

For many Italians, sharing a glass of lemon liqueur with friends, new or old, is the essence of hospitality. When dinner is done, out comes a bottle of fragrant limoncello. Prepared from grain alcohol, infused with lemon peel and sweetened with sugar, it can be sipped as is or drizzled over poundcake, fruit salad or ice cream. One nip tingles the tongue and subsequent sips pack a surprising wallop.

What better way to enjoy this delightful beverage than in Italy! Celtic Tours is pleased to announce the Special Date Tour: Tuscan Experience: Learn more

Tuscan Cuisine

Each region in Italy has its own unique cuisine, and Tuscany is a good starting point for exploring the best in Italian food. Tuscan cuisine is appreciated world-round for its fine natural and favorful ingredients. A look at the Tuscan countryside reveals some of the key ingredients in local cooking: olive groves with their silvery sheen, fairytale forests of chestnut trees, hillsides blanketed in grape vines, angelic sheep lolling among ruins, fragrant rosemary and sage bushes lining gardens. Tuscan cooking is simple and seasonal, without the heavy sauces found in other regions.

Traditionally, meals in Italy usually contain 3 or 4 courses. Meals are seen as a time to spend with family and friends, thus daily meals can be longer than in other cultures. Lunch, or Pranzo, is considered the most important meal of the day. During lunch hours (typically 12 noon to 2:00) schoolchildren are allowed to go home and most shops close for a pausa, which is characteristic of that easygoing Italian way of life that visitors find so alluring and desirable.

What better way to learn more about traditional Tuscan cuisine, then to take a cooking class at an historical Tuscan Villa, located in the heart of Chianti. Together with the Villa Casagrande’s Chef Paola Eoncini, you will prepare typical Tuscan dishes and other specialties as well as decadent sweets and Tuscan cakes. Learn more by visiting Celtic Tours website.