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Italian Excellences

Private Food, Wine and Craft Tours

Understand Italy’s culture through its world-famous excellences

Italy protects its food, wine and craft cultural heritage through a system of legal designations:

  • DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) certifies that a product’s raw materials, production and processing all take place within a defined region, following a fixed method — Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and Prosciutto di Parma DOP are typical examples.
  • DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) are the equivalent categories for wine: DOCG is the stricter of the two, reserved for appellations with an established reputation and government-tested quality control, such as Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino.
  • IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) is broader: at least one stage of production must take place in the named area, but the raw materials can come from elsewhere — Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP is a well-known case.

Alongside these designations, Italy holds a separate set of UNESCO recognitions relevant to these itineraries: the vineyard landscape of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, the trulli of Alberobello, the Sassi of Matera and the Amalfi Coast are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, while the Mediterranean Diet and the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo are inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Together, these designations map the same territory the tours travel through: a place, a method, and the people who keep both alive.

We design our Italian Excellences itineraries directly around this map of designations and recognitions: each day is planned around a visit to a certified producer or a protected landscape, rather than a generic sightseeing stop. A day in the Langhe pairs a Barolo DOCG cellar with the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato UNESCO vineyard landscape it sits in; a stop in Modena pairs Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP with a visit to the producer’s own attic of ageing wood casks; a morning in Naples includes the same pizzaiuolo tradition recognised by UNESCO. The result is a private, fully customisable journey in which every stop carries a name, a designation and a history behind it — not just a destination on a map.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in a Vitor Italy Tours food and wine itinerary?

Each tour includes overnight stays at 3- to 5-star hotels, country houses or historical palaces, private transfers by car, minivan or minibus, and a daily programme of visits to food and wine producers with tastings — cheese factories, wine cellars, olive oil mills — plus cooking classes and, where noted, a local Authorised Tourist Guide.

How long do the Italian Excellences tours last?

The three regional tours (Northern, Central and Southern Italy) run 7 days each. The Grand Tour combines all three regions over 15 days. All itineraries are 100% customisable in length and pace.

Are these private or group tours?

All Italian Excellences tours are private, arranged exclusively for the client or client’s party, with dedicated transport and guides.

Which food and wine excellences are covered?

Depending on the itinerary: Franciacorta and Lugana wines, Valpolicella Amarone, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di
Parma, Barolo and Barbaresco, Sagrantino di Montefalco, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, buffalo mozzarella from Paestum,
and burrata from Martina Franca, among others.

Can the itinerary start or end in a specific city?

Yes. Each tour has a suggested start and end point — for example Milan for the Northern Italy tour, Rome/Florence for Central Italy, and
Naples/Bari for Southern Italy — with airport or railway station pick-up and drop-off available as an option.