Hello! I’m Cindi Taylor, the proud founder of Taylored Tours where we believe travel should be carefully curated and unique. I specialize in crafting immersive and “taylored” travel experiences, especially in Europe, that meet and exceed our client’s expectations.
With its rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and exquisite cuisine, Italy is a country that deserves to be fully savored. And that’s how I plan every Italian trip: as a journey to be savored, not rushed.
I often receive unique requests from my clients looking for specialized travel experiences, and one such request that comes up frequently is planning Italy vacations around renowned spots where Stanley Tucci visited during his fascinating television show, “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy”. For me, melding my clients’ interests with my detailed travel planning skills to create such a special, unique trip is always a joy.
Italy is an expansive palette of beautiful landscapes, enchanting art, and, of course, incredible food. Pouring over Italian destinations from Tucci’s travels, such as Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, and Tuscany, I meticulously map out a travel itinerary that combines these famous spots with hidden gems I’ve come across in my years of travel planning.
My clients relish in the opportunity to walk in Tucci’s steps as they marvel at the beautiful scenery, participate in private cooking lessons “taylored” to the dishes they’ve seen on the show, or become immersed in the local culture by visiting a bustling marketplace. All while savoring exquisite wines and dishes, the best the Italian cuisine has to offer. Of course, with the relationships Taylored Tours has built with top travel partners, clients can expect true value and VIP treatment at each stop along the way.
One of the most gratifying parts of my job is knowing that each meticulously planned itinerary will offer my clients an incredible vacation, packed with enriching, immersive experiences and the best of Italy’s food, wine, and culture. The joy and satisfaction of my clients upon their return is always the best part, knowing that they’ve not only visited Italy, but experienced Italy – just like Stanley Tucci.
For those inspired by Stanley Tucci, here’s a detailed rundown of all the local eateries and Michelin-starred venues he graced during the second season of his show, curated just for you, in an episode by episode guide.
LIGURIA
Widely famed for its glamorous and picturesque coastline, the Italian Riviera, specifically Portofino and Cinque Terre in Liguria, are among Italy’s most frequented locations. Liguria’s challenging landscape encouraged its inhabitants to innovate, leading to the birth of Pesto, a favorite of Tucci’s.
Carlo Cracco, a reputed Michelin-starred chef, runs Cracco Portofino, featuring a menu deeply rooted in the Ligurian land. Delving into tradition, he whips up pansotti pasta for Tucci, conflicting from anything the actor has ever tasted.
If you’re a Pesto lover, Il Genovese should be your go-to spot. Here the chef Roberto Panizza, fondly known as the King of Pesto and founder of the Pesto World Championship, astounded Tucci with his exquisite pasta dish integrated with green beans and potatoes, infused with fresh, hand-crushed pesto.
If you’re looking for inauthentic focaccia, don’t miss out on a visit to Antico Forno della Casana. According to food expert Laurel Evans, there are few better spots to feast on this local working-class staple.
On your trip to Genoa, make sure to stop by The Cook, a hot new restaurant by chef Ivano Ricchebono. Located in a 14th-century palazzo, the restaurant offers seasonal and local dishes. When cappon magro hit the table, Tucci was in awe of the presentation.
Melding family home with a restaurant in the Cinque Terre cliffs, you’ll find Ittiturismo serving up fresh seafood, with Tucci eagerly praising the pasta with fish sauce and fried anchovies on offer.
PUGLIA
As you move to Puglia, there is pride in its culinary roots. It’s known for its fragrant olive oil, beautiful vegetables, tasty cheeses, and durum wheat.
Pay a visit to the Urban Bistrot in Bari, where Tucci was left awestruck by Chef Celso Laforgia’s dish of Spaghetti all’Assassina.
At Antichi Sapori in Montegrosso, experience the transformation of simple ingredients into world-class dishes like burnt grain orecchiette in a fava bean cream served with burrata cheese and charred black olives. Fava beans are a favorite in Puglia; they add a smooth, creaminess to the pasta.
A visit to Trattoria Bere Vecchie in Cisternino will leave you mesmerized with their on-the-spot cooked meats. This butcher shop serves up meat spit-roasted in a way reminiscent of Turkish style kebabs.
If you’re interested in cheese, make sure to drop by Caseificio Dicecca which offers over 66 different types of blue cheese. Chef Dicecca served Tucci focaccia with burrata, which Dicecca’s mother use to make for his school lunches
Ristorante Vitantonio Lombardo will offer you inventive dishes in an old cave setting in the ancient town of Matera. Chef Vitantonio Lombardo made “Poverty and nobility with a red wine sauce” for Tucci. The dish is a veal filet and veal throat, or sweetbread, covered in black breadcrumb to look like a black truffle — a symbol of decadence. It’s then served with a potato puree and a red-wine reduction sauce.
SARDINIA
Sardinia is Italy’s most isolated region. Separated from the mainland of Italy, this island has evolved its own unique traditions and food specialties. Dining here is akin to embarking on a gastronomical exploration reminiscent of an archaeological expedition due to the multitude of influences from historical settlers.
During Tucci’s visit, he experienced the dual nature of this captivating locale: the coastal zone, known for its seafood and its striking fusion of cultures from across the Mediterranean, and the interior – a rugged, mountainous terrain where the inhabitants tenaciously uphold their age-old customs and liberties.
Head to Fradis Minoris for locally supplied seafood dishes. When Tucci visited, chef Francesco Stara made fregola ai frutti di mare, a local staple. The star of the dish is the fregola, which is a North African-inspired, couscous-like pasta.
Luigi Pomata is known for his raw seafood, particularly tuna preparations. During Tucci’s visit, Chef Pomata cooked up local bluefin tuna with pesto in a traditional pasta dish called cassulli alla carlofortina. Much to Tucci’s surprise, Pomata prepares it by taking the fresh tuna belly and boiling it.
For bakery fans, Al Forno in Alghero is sure to amaze. Tucci ordered panada, a savory pie originating from Sardinia, which is believed to have gotten its name from empanada, a similar pastry dish presumed to have originated from Spain.
Mabrouk, previously a 16th-century monastery, now functions as a restaurant. The acclaimed Chef Antonietta Salaris specializes in preparing local lobster that’s renowned as one of the world’s best. Her signature dish is the region’s favorite lobster a la Catalana. Unlike in the US, where lobster eggs are frequently discarded, Chef Salaris incorporates them into the sauce, adding a unique blend of salty sweet flavor.
In Arimani, located in Battista’s ancestral village in northern Sardinia, you will find a culinary school where making your own lunch is part of the experience before indulging in the meal. Simonetta Bazzu, a chef who has dedicated her life to the preservation of Sardinia’s traditional cuisine and age-old recipes, runs the school. For Tucci, she prepared pane carasau, a crisp, thin bread with roots tracing back to at least 1000 BC, and zuppa gallurese. This soup involves pane carasau submerged in sheep broth, generously topped with cheese and wild mint, and then baked in a wood-fired oven.
CALABRIA
Calabria, amongst all Italian regions, is the most significant to Tucci. Being his ancestral home, he had longed to visit it ever since he was a child. The untamed and rough terrain of this area forms the “toe” of the nation’s boot-formed peninsula. It is recognized for its vast beaches, mountains and regional delicacies, which consist of traditional salami, sweet red onions and spicy chili peppers.
Baker Pina Olivetti has been operating Panificio Cuti and producing traditional Calabrian bread, namely sourdough yeast bread known as pane de cuti, since 1985. The bakery is nestled in Marzi, famously referred to as the wheat valley. Tucci happened to visit this bakery and had a taste of the pane di cuti, which follows a century-old recipe. In addition to this, for Tucci’s hungry folks, Olivetti prepared a bread bowl known as morsello, filled with sausage and broccoli rabe. Once preferred by farmers and hunters for its portability, this meal used to be their little piece of home on-the-go. Nowadays, this delicacy is a popular choice at nuptials and festive occasions.
At Osteria della Cipolla Rossa, managed by Michele Pugliese and Romana Schiariti, red onion spaghetti – a dish that portrays simplistic elegance – is the highlight. The unique flavor comes from the region’s esteemed sweet red onions, also known as cipolla rossa, found solely along the short coastal area around Tropea city. With their sweetness being unquestionable, Tucci ate a raw onion as if it was an apple during this episode.
In Scilla, Italy, you’ll find Il Principe di Scilla, a restaurant managed by a family and celebrated for their focus on local swordfish, considered to be the top aquatic treasure of Calabria – a fact that’s truly significant considering the region’s geography. Tucci described his experience tasting the fresh raw swordfish, served by restaurant’s proprietor Johnny Giordano, as a “fusion of prosciutto and smoked salmon.” He also savored scialiatelli alla ghiotta, which is akin to a swordfish ragu. Johnny extolled this pasta dish as “more than extraordinary.”
Up in the Aspromonte mountains is Qafiz, a hideaway where local ingredients make the dishes shine, courtesy of Chef Nino Rossi. It was here that Tucci got a chance to try a signature dessert that was instrumental in earning the restaurant a Michelin star – a dish named ‘fire’. Modeled after the concept of rebirth following the 2021 wildfires, this unique creation features charcoal-infused meringue, thinly cut apple, and a white chocolate foam. Tucci, completely astounded by the multitude of tastes in the dessert, went in for a second helping.
Finally, in the mountainous region of Martone is La Collinetta. This special place, operated by farmer and chef Pino Trimboli, serves its specialty of lamb baked in clay – an ancient Greek methodology. The lamb is enclosed in damp clay before baking, conserving all the delicate taste and moisture. However, the process is time-consuming, with each dish taking over four hours to prepare. Nonetheless, Tucci expressed that the resulting “melt-off-the-bone” lamb was definitely worth the effort.
Crafting custom Italian travel experiences for my clients, Italy is by far one of my favorite places to plan vacations. From the wine tasting in Tuscany’s picturesque vineyards to a culinary tour in Bologna, the gastronomic heart of Italy to the stunning architecture of Rome, Florence, and Venice – Italy has it all. And with Taylored Tours, I make sure to plan every detail meticulously, ensuring your trip to Italy is not just a vacation, but a lifetime experience. Please reach out when you’re ready to start planning.
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