Anyone been on a good small escorted tour with focus on food and wine, culture, light hiking? An "off the beaten track" type of small group tour (~12 people)? What companies have people traveled with? Areas I am interested in: Tuscany/Umbria/Cinque Terre. I want to know the ones people have been on and liked. My age is mid 40's.
Thanks! Leanne

Leanne:

I have done 2 tours in Umbria with a company called Living Italy (www.livingitaly.com). They have a range of tours that meet your requirements re focus; groups can be up to 25, but are often smaller. They stay in one place and do day trips, which is much better than moving all the time - and I can vouch for the food and wine!! Check out their website.

Check out www.adventurecenter.com.

I went on a great tour w/Guerba to Switzerland. It was mostly a hiking tour, but they have less demanding tours as well, and the tours go to many different parts of Europe and the rest of the world. Adventure Center also promotes Explore tours, in addition to Guerba. My group had only 10 people.

I am going to Italy in the spring, so haven't been on any yet, but just received information from the people at Villa La Sosta(a Florence B & B)about a family tour that looks very nice. (www.villalasosta.com) Too pricey for our family of 5, but I haven't compared prices yet.

What time of year are you contemplating? A "Fodorites" trip might appeal to you - - one put together from the people who visit this site. I led the Fodorites Italy 2001 trip.

Maybe this fall?

Best wishes,

Rex

OAT tours, which is, I believe, connected to Grand Circle, offers small group (16 or less) walking tours in italy. I have talked to several people who have taken these and they were all quite happy with the groups, hotels and itineraries.

I have traveled to Umbria with Gabriele's Travels to Italy and was very pleased with the experience. His tours are usually centered around food and wine, but other than lots of walking and hill climbing in small Umbrian towns, there was no hiking, per se. Our tour was headquartered at the agriturismo Malvarina near Assisi - the food there was outstanding. Friends have taken one of Gabriele's tours of Tuscany and have been likewise very pleased. The ages in our group of 8 ranged from 40-72, with the majority in their mid 40's.

Gabriele is Italian and his company is based in Minneapolis.

I like Backroads, www.backroads.com, but they are pricey. They do biking. walking, and now some cooking in Tuscany, too. What is your budget?

We used QueensLander Tours (www.qltours.com) and had only 10 guests on our tour group. We loved the amalfi coast extension at stayed at the Hotel Belair - cannot say enough good about this hotel!!!

I went on a great tour w/Guerba to Switzerland. It was mostly a hiking tour, but they have less demanding tours as well, and the tours go to many different parts of Europe and the rest of the world. Adventure Center also promotes Explore tours, in addition to Guerba. My group had only 10 people.

Guerba has now been bought by Intrepid

The OP posted this in 2005 - I hope they've found a good tour in the meantime.