A Journey into the Venetian Past

Venice Isles Food Wine and History

A Walking Itinerary of the most famous sights, including St Mark’s Square and Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, the Doge Palace and the Ponte dei Sospiri.

Venetian Cooking Class our expert cook will teach you how to prepare the local dishes and entertain you by analyzing the intriguing fragrances, the exotic origins of some ingredients, the cooking processes as well as answer your questions about the products being used. Classes are held in a Palazzo apartment in Venice or in a Liberty Villa at the Lido beach, a fascinating bathing resort with tall trees and gardens traversed by several canals. 

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Venice wine tasting in a typical bar or in an ancient Palazzo on the Grand Canal, held by a professional Sommelier presenting various wines, accompanied by intriguing stories about local history, as you experience the lifestyle of a Venetian aristocrat.

Escape crowded Venice for a day and unwind on a trip to the islands of Murano and Burano for a rare glimpse into what Venice used to be; a community of traditional artisans where skills have been passed down from one generation to the next for centuries.

Murano’s Ancient Art of Glassblowing

Burano is famous for its lace making and for the colorful houses crammed along its canals, so painted by fishermen who wanted to spot their homes from a distance. Visit a small building where women sit stitching lace the old-fashioned way, just as their mothers and grandmothers did. Also, take time to admire the delicate lace in the museum, shop or wind your way along the kaleidoscopic streets.

Wine Tasting enter the fascinating Venetian back country and discover the Regional Park of the Euganean Hills, a natural area dotted with small villages, vineyards and typical osterie. Visit a family-owned wine cellar and taste its sparkling wines and the local genuine products. Experience the amazing ancient village of the Poet Petrarca, unchanged since the 14^th century.

A Journey into the Venetian Past

Milan Monza and Lake Como

Water Food Fashion and Design

Unlike most European and world leading cities, Milan was not settled on a river or by the sea, but in the middle of the Po River Valley. Hence, Milan’s is a history about water and how water was brought to the city. The concentric layout of the city center has been influenced by the Navigli, an ancient system of navigable and interconnected canals, now mostly covered.

Water History and Leonardo Da Vinci

A Source of energy for transportation and as a defense system throughout the centuries. Leonardo Da Vinci spent his most productive years in Milan, and his activity as an engineer crossed with the water history of the city; marks of his activity are still visible after hundreds of years. Water, sustainability and Leonardo are the threads that unify the different epochs in the city’s history and this part of Italy.

Traditions and Innovations in Energy and Water

Classical Milan the old Roman city of Mediolanum, and the more hidden parts of Milan, will connect the visitor with old artisan shops, the new Museum of Cultures, Villa Necchi Campiglio and the Last Supper.

Shopping and Design Milan is a global capital in industrial design, fashion and architecture. It is also a mecca for food lovers. As the commercial capital of Italy and one of Europe's most dynamic cities, it accounts for the lion’s share of the fashion trade, with some of the most renowned fashion houses headquartered here. Its upscale fashion district- il quadrilatero della moda - and La Galleria, the world’s first shopping mall, offer the best shopping opportunities anywhere.

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The Royal Villa in Monza has its own history dating back to the middle ages with a Royal Villa and the surrounding Monza Park. Recently restored the villa rivals in size and quality Versailles and Caserta’s Royal Palace. Behind the Royal Villa, Monza Park is the largest walled park in Europe. You may be already familiar with it as the racetrack where the Monza Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place every September.

Lake Como Bellagio is a cozy old village where the two branches of the lake converge in a narrow Canyon and where the water is still feeding an old-fashioned power plant. Isola Comacina is an old settlement with ruins dating back from the middle ages, and a terrific view of the Lake. The road back to Milan is via the Strada Regina - Queen’s Road - along the lakeshore and an opportunity to look at some gorgeous villas, including George Clooney’s residence.

Philadelphia and the Delaware River Valley

River Walk and Bike Trails Food Wine Ale and Neighborhood Preservation

The Delaware River Valley is the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia, the region's major commercial, cultural, and industrial center. Among the many sights to take in when visiting the first capital of the United States: The Liberty Bell Center which houses the American Revolution’s defining symbol, the site of the meetings of Congress and the Constitutional Convention at the City Tavern in the Old City as well as Carpenters Hall. In Declaration House, visitors can see where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence and Independence Hall where it was signed.

Greater Philadelphia Transportation

The region’s excellent road and rail network make it the perfect location for a vacation or business trip to the Middle Atlantic States. Philadelphia International is a major airline hub with daily connections to North American destinations and from major European cities.

The River and the Environment

The Delaware River is comprised of 36 tributaries and flows 330 miles from New York to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to the Atlantic Ocean. It extends from the Catskill and Pocono mountain springs and streams flowing down to the Delaware Water Gap where steep slopes give way to gently rolling hills and sweeping valleys. Then, it stretches 134 miles from the Trenton falls to the mouth of the Delaware Bay read 

 Food Wine Ale Walk and Bike Trails

The Philadelphia Culinary Tradition was shaped by several ethnic groups. Cheese steaks and soft pretzels are well known icons of this city and the 1970s saw a restaurant renaissance that is continuing into the 21st century. Food traditions include Pepper Pot, a soup of tripe, meat and vegetables from the Revolutionary War era and Snapper Soup a thick brown turtle soup served with sherry. Cheesesteaks, hoagies and roast pork sandwiches have helped Philadelphia become America’s sandwich city.

Neighborhood and Community Preservation

Lehigh Valley Historic Towns and Boroughs Allentown Bethlehem Easton Nazareth Hazleton Jim Thorpe Wilkes-Barre. A thriving town with roots in the iron industry, by 1829 Allentown expanded from a small Pennsylvania Dutch village of farmers and tradesmen to a center of commerce.

The Lehigh Valley Gave Birth to America’s Industrial Revolution

Colonial & Industrial Revolution Heritage Museum

Bucks County is one of the three original counties created by William Penn in 1682. Bristol is the oldest town in Bucks County and the third oldest in Pennsylvania. It is the southern terminus of the D&L Trail characterized by coal yards, shipyards, warehouses and textile mills.

Chestnut Hill a beautiful award-winning neighborhood tucked into the northwest corner of Philadelphia. Renowned for its gardens, art and architecture, parks, shopping and dining, it is a lovely place to live or visit with many diverse, culturally enriching experiences.

historic districts preservation and pirates

Delaware County and River Towns Marcus Hook’s historical significance comes from its identity as a maritime town. Originally a Lenape settlement, it became a New Sweden trading post in the 1640s with shipbuilding and fishing as early industries. The Hook was also a haven for pirates in the early 18^th century and its market provided a place to sell plundered goods and re-supply for their next voyage.

 

 

The Main Streets of the Brandywine Valley

Wayne Lansdowne Historic Districts the Downtown Wayne district includes approximately 100 properties roughly bounded by Louella Ct., West Ave., and S. Wayne Ave. Amongst the buildings is the Anthony Wayne Theatre designed in Italian Renaissance style and built around 1864 read

Chester County was established by William Penn in 1682, one of the first three counties in Pennsylvania; West Chester is the county seat. Other historic towns include Kennett Square, Oxford and Phoenixville. Each has its own unique agricultural, revolutionary and industrial histories.

New Castle and Wilmington Delaware founded by the Swedes and Finns in 1638, later acquired by the Dutch in 1655 and the British in 1739, Wilmington was the last stop to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Today it offers a rich performing arts scene, great museums. local wineries and breweries.

Food and Culture in South Italy

North of Naples and South of Rome

In the area between Rome and Naples, in Lazio and Campania regions, there are several small towns and medieval borgo. In many ways, these communities in Caserta Province are a microcosm of all the things visitors to Italy look for: history, culture, traditions and a local community waiting to show you around. These towns stand out for palaces, museums, cathedrals and convents from the XI to the XV Centuries. 

A Roman Era Basilica and Archaeological Museum

Food and Wine Traditions the fertile territory north of Naples in Caserta Province has historically been a major contributor to food production in the region from the days of ancient Rome.

A Farmers Museum is situated in the 15^th Century palace of a medieval borgo; it features the special relationship between this land and its people with songs and dances by minstrels and cantors as well as tasting and making the local specialties.

Mozzarella, perhaps the most famous local food product, and a major export, it is made with artisan skills from buffalo milk into ovoline, ciliegine, trecce and ricotta, among others.

Olive Oil is another local tradition. The flavor, appearance and unique characteristics of this territory’s extra virgin olive oil, along with various natural factors, influence harvesting, cultivation and production in a strictly artisanal undertaking.

Falerno Wine the hills present near ideal conditions for wine making. The Falerno Vines originate in this area and are still cultivated by hand in the local vineyards, continuing a tradition dating back to the Romans time.

The Geography of Food

a primary source of nourishment that grows and is distributed everywhere

Adaptable Rice is the basic food for nearly half of the world’s population, it can be kept for a very long time and in the case of famine, can be a lifesaving food source. In some cultures, it is as valuable as money or gold and is an essential commodity for those living in tropical and sub-tropical climates.

Cocoa Pre-Colombians have cultivated cacao for millennia playing a fundamental role in the Maya and Aztecs’ nutrition and culture. Whatever its use, food, drink or in exchange for other goods, it was the symbol of energy, fertility and life. Today it is the main ingredient of chocolate and it is grown in over two dozen developing economies.

Coffee from the land to the coffee cup via the greenhouse, transportation, t
and the coffee bar. One of the most important drinks in the world, it is a huge source of revenue and development to the many countries that have introduced this cultivation into their agricultural development plans providing work for hundreds of millions of people.  

Essential to Our Diet

Fruits and Vegetables contain a large variety of plants with different shapes, scents and colors. Fruits and legumes have been consumed for centuries and are the symbols of myths, legends and traditions in many cultures. Cultivation began in the Mediterranean region, mainly due to it having the best climate to grow and cultivate fruits; the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans were knowledgeable of these food products but it was only from the medieval period that improvements in fruit cultivation took hold. Later, immigrants brought fruit and legumes to the American continent, resulting in their widespread cultivation. Soya and beans were found in Central and Southern Asia and in Central America respectively.

Legumes are a main food source in many emerging countries ensuring food security. As a key part of the food chain and due to their vitamin and mineral content, they are used as a substitute for cereals in the agricultural rotation system, helping prevent land depletion. Their high calorie content plays a vital role in reducing poverty and generally improve health and nutrition across the world.

Spice Routes have guided explorers in their search for these precious commodities; a journey through cultures and a unique sensorial experience. Their cultivation, preparation and use is also tied to medicine and for socio-cultural rituals, including magic. Spices and aromatic herbs have always inspired long journeys; emperors, kings, aristocrats and merchants considered them into the most luxurious product of the ancient commercial routes. In our time, spice production and trade have increased thanks to a trend in healthier eating habits.

The Seeds of Civilization Cereals have played a key role in bringing civilization and food to huge numbers of people and are the staple diet of the majority of the world’s population thanks to their nutritional properties, low cost and ability to satisfy hunger. With over 10,000 varieties of cereals and tubers, only a few have been cultivated. Farmers could address important global challenges such as sustainable growth and the fertility of marginal lands not suitable for cultivating maize, rice and wheat and help satisfy the ever-growing demand for food over the coming decades. Roots and tubers are now the second most important source of carbohydrates after cereals, containing many minerals and vitamins, and are a basic food for over a million people in emerging countries. 

Cradle of Civilization The Mediterranean Sea connects Europe, Africa and Asia. Food traditions have played a vital role in helping to preserve the uniqueness of this area and local resources such as wheat, olives and grapes. Here, a meal is both the act of eating food and an essential aspect of social and cultural life. The Mediterranean diet implies taking the time to enjoy a meal around the table with several convivial rituals that have survived for generations still practiced today. Mediterranean people spend more time preparing and tasting their meals than anyone else. With a healthy diet that ensures the preservation of agricultural biodiversity, 

The Mediterranean diet is fully sustainable

Protecting the Ecosystem The Pacific islands, the Western Indian Ocean and the islands of the Caribbean region are small, diverse and remote, resulting in native and self-reliant cultures and economies; unique island nations they share the same challenges. The rise in coastal flooding, the salt levels within the soil and changes in rainfall levels lead to contamination and greatly reduce production in cultivation. This lack of food security also applies to fishing activities.

Food without Water The arid zones are quite different from one another. They differ in soil types, flora and fauna, water balance and levels of human activity. Another misconception is that these places are uninhabited when in fact a fifth of the world’s population live in arid zones and suffer from a distinct lack of water. What makes then similar is dryness, measured by weather temperature and rainfall. This index consists of three main categories: super dry, dry and semi-dry. For centuries, man has tried to promote and utilize different techniques in order to find one system for managing hydric sources, such as rainwater collection or water retention. Research has enabled farmers to measure their levels of rainfall locally and either use innovations suited to their conditions, or adapt their own traditional methods to ensure better water utilization levels. Still, the lack of water and the impact of climate change remain a matter of urgency.

Discover the Connection between Geography and Food

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