A little catch up
Highlights from my first Val d'Orcia tour
Hello again!
It’s been a while since my last newsletter. 2025 has been full, mostly with this little guy in my arms.
One of the big highlights of this year was definitely my Val d’Orcia tour. Last spring, when I was still in the early (and very nauseous!) stages of pregnancy, I traveled to this tiny but precious corner of Tuscany with a dream: to create a tour that would reflect the soul of this place I love so much.
Designing a journey through Val d’Orcia has been in my heart for a long time, and to see it come to life, and to watch my guests enjoy it, filled me with joy.
Here are just a few favorite moments from the tour:
Cooking all together at Pamela Sheldon Johns’ house. Her knowledge on Tuscan peasant cooking and the stories that come with it were so beautiful.
Wandering around a flower farm and having lunch under an old olive tree.
Seeing my baby becoming the mascot of the tour :)
An impromptu pastry tasting (brilliant idea by our guide, Marta!) at a Pasticceria in Castiglione d’Orcia. Oh my! Those pastries were unbelievable. When I went to pay the owner smiled and said “We never see new faces here, I’m just happy you came”. That moment reminded me why I do this work: to bring people to the hidden, authentic corners of Tuscany, that still have a soul.
If you’re curious to see what a tour in this amazing part of Tuscany looks like, here are some videos about it.
What I’m reading:
For the Love of Lemons by Letitia Clark. If you love lemons as much as I do, this book is a treasure.
What I’m looking forward to:
The elderberry bushes in my garden are almost blooming! Since coming back from Tuscany, I’ve been enjoying weekend Aperol Spritzes, and I can’t wait to recreate the elderflower version I had at Amblé in Florence. I’ll share the recipe here soon.
Thanks for reading, and for being part of this little community. It means a lot.
A presto,
Giuditta