Tracy, who has been welcoming travelers to Tuscany for years, has a gift for sharing the region’s culinary traditions with warmth and authenticity. Eggplant (Melanzane) Parmigiana is not just a dish; it invites us to appreciate simple ingredients and their stories. Tracy shares her beloved recipe for this Tuscan classic—perfect for recreating a…
You might have heard of the Stendhal Syndrome, or the Florence Syndrome. You may have even experienced a mild case of it yourself. It is the feeling of being overwhelmed by too much art: too many beautiful paintings, sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, architectural wonders. It is a particular physical and mental response to art that was…
One of modern art’s best known and loved artists, Matisse was critical in the development of art. His innovative use of color, line, and form were. He was also a big part of the story of art in Southern France and will be included in our upcoming series of Saturdays in Europe. Here our host,…
When we say Renaissance, what is the first city that comes to mind? For us, and for most, it is Florence. A cradle of architecture and artistic growth under the patronage of the Medici, Florence was seminal in the development of western art and culture. On our upcoming Virtual Weekend in Tuscany, we will explore…
We recently got this sweet message with video and photos from Urs, one of our favorite colleagues in Switzerland, known among our Swiss UnTour alumni for his positivity and his singing voice. We had to share his greetings, and a bit of his optimism. In Coronatimes, singers and yodlers like me have a hard time….
Missing Italy? Here’s a little glimpse of one of our favorite towns in Tuscany. A short taxi or bus ride from the city center of Florence, Fiesole doesn’t feel quite as ambitious as a day trip. Yet its history is distinct and important. No trip to Florence is complete without a side trip up into…
Our Provence On-Site representative, Anne Plomb, is also a highly trained wine guide who leads winery tours in the region for us and others. She is an expert on all things wine and food in Provence and will be hosting a wine chat as part of our upcoming Virtual Event Series: Artists and Flavors of…
Anyone who has been following our exciting Virtual Events on Zoom knows that our Tuscany UnTour staff person Tracy has become a regular. As she teaches the Italian classics in fun lessons broadcast live on Zoom from her kitchen, she has developed a loyal following. You can check out her upcoming classes here. In the…
If Italy is the king of wine in Europe, then Tuscany is the jewel in its crown. Tracy Hyde is our on-site staff person for the Tuscany UnTour. She is also our cooking teacher for UnTours at Home Virtual Events, with a loyal following of Zoom students. But better still, she is a wine expert and…
Welcome to the world of Portuguese wines! Our Porto UnTour on-site staff person, Marta Ferreira, also serves as our wine expert in Portugal. She has lead our Virtual Weekend in Portugal wine groups with great success. Marta is also widely knowledgeable about Port. She runs our private Port tasting lessons, a fun Zoom event you…