Off the Beaten Path Small Group Journeys

Majella Tours of Italy is a boutique travel company that curates small-group experiences in Italy. Since 2017, Michelle DiBenedetto, a corporate attorney turned cooking school owner and travel entrepreneur, has organized and led experience-based tours for discerning travelers seeking to explore local culture through regional food and artisanal traditions. The daughter of Italian immigrants and a fluent Italian speaker, Michelle personally accompanies each group and has close relationships with her local collaborators in Italy. She creates an "insider" travel experience for her tour guests - Michelle's partners are like family and treat their guests with genuine Italian warmth and hospitality.  Think of these trips as "tours" for people who don't do tours!

Tours are limited to 12 guests. 

Private tour experiences available; we specialize in curated tours for women.

UPCOMING 2026 TOURS:

• Slow Taste of Puglia + Matera Tour ~ November 8-15, 2026 (JOIN THIS OFF SEASON ADVENTURE!)
• Abruzzo Women's Tour ~ July 6-12, 2026 (1 ROOM REMAINING)
• Dolomites Women's Tour ~ June 28-July 4, 2026 (SOLD OUT)
• Taste of the Italian Riviera Tour (Liguria) ~ September 13-19, 2026 (SOLD OUT)

2027 TOURS:

• NEW! Taste of Parma & Bologna ~ April 25-May 2, 2027  (SOLD OUT)
• Dolomites Women's Tour ~ June 28-July 4, 2027
• Taste of the Italian Riviera ~ September 12-18, 2027
• Taste of Abruzzo ~ September 19-25, 2027

5 Reasons to Book a Tour with Majella Tours of Italy:

1. Over the course of ~25 tours I’ve had ~30 repeat travelers (they either really love Italy or really love me... perhaps the perfect combination of both ! )
2. Decision-free travel: everything from itinerary to where and what to eat is handled for you -- including hand-picked restaurants & curated menus
3. Fluent Italian-speaking leadership (that’s me!)
4. Private tastings, local chefs, and family kitchens opened just for our group
5. I've built a network of trusted and authentic local relationships: every guide and host is part of my extended Italian family, making every moment special 
   
   Whether you’re dreaming of alpine peaks or seaside sunsets, I’d be honored to help you live your next Italian adventure.
    

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS!

Michelle, thank you for crafting another dream experience for us! You introduced us to sights, sounds, and unique moments in Puglia that will live in our hearts forever. You are a master of your craft, and we love you for sharing it with us. Each day was filled with curiosity, wonder, excitement, adventure, love, appreciation, belly laughs, and indulgent culinary experiences. We met every kind of character along the way…charismatic guides, rugged fishermen, humble mill workers, cigarette smokin’ orecchiette makin’ ladies, mozzarella makers, and fashionable farmers, just to name a few.

Michelle, grazie from the bottom of our hearts! Thank you for this most authentic experience! We love you!”

     - Christine, New York  (Abruzzo 2022 and Puglia + Matera 2025)

I truly enjoyed Michelle’s thoughtful itinerary, filled with exclusive and intimate adventures, delicious food, fine wine, and engaging conversations. From a private lunch on the terrace of an old monastery overlooking the water to a cooking class with a lovely and accomplished chef and cookbook author. How lucky am I to have been a part of all this?!

All of Michelle’s hard work in curating the perfect experiences has had an unforgettable impact on me. I didn’t have to do anything but enjoy myself, my surroundings, and the company of our group. What a gift. Michelle took such good care of us through her warmth and attentiveness during my time in Italy. For this, I will be forever grateful.

Thank you, Michelle, for making my first visit to Italy unforgettable and truly life-changing!

     - Kimberly, Colorado (Italian Riviera 2025)

Thank you Michelle for arranging such a memorable and once in a lifetime experience to see and be a part of the beauty of Puglia. We met so many interesting guides, tasted such delicious cuisine and saw the most breathtaking views. But most importantly, we met and spent time with an amazing group of women that made this trip just so much more memorable. I hope one day we have the opportunity to reunite and share all the special moments we had together in Puglia 2025

     - Yang, New York  (Abruzzo 2022 and Puglia + Matera 2025)
 

Our trip in Liguria was absolutely magical.  Every detail was precisely planned and impeccably executed— from the beautiful accommodations, unforgettable meals, fun and enriching activities, and passionate and endearing guides/collaborators along the way.  This thoughtfully curated experience is not to be missed!

Michelle plans the perfect balance of structure and leisure.  If you’re looking for a trip that immerses you in the culture, provides special backdoor experiences you’d never find on your own, and shares the true heart of Italia, this is the trip for you.

I didn’t know what to expect but fell in love with the region— Liguria has something for everyone and I loved every part of it.

If you ever have the opportunity to do a trip with Majella Tours of Italy— do it!  You will have an unforgettable experience.

There’s a reason more than half of the people in our group were repeat customers.  I’m already looking forward to my next trip with Majella Tours!

     - Sue, New York, NY (Italian Riviera 2025)

My trip to Abruzzo with Michelle was one of the most inspiring, magical and unique trips I have ever taken. Every day was planned to perfection- with hikes to medieval castles, cooking classes with local chefs and wine tastings with the local growers to name just a few of the activities. Her warmth and love of the region are evident in the attention to detail she has put into her thoughtfully curated tour that sheds light on a region mostly untouched by the hustle and bustle of more touristy parts of Europe. My trip to Abruzzo was not a "tour", it was an experience!   

     - Pamela, New York (Abruzzo 2018 & 2023 and Italian Riviera 2025)