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The Discovery CompassThe Discovery Compass

  • Home
  • Small Group Travel
  • Luxury Travel
  • Experiential Travel
  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • More
    • Personal
    • Destinations
    • Travel Tips
    • Tours & Vacations
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    • Culture
Search
  • Home
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Expectations

Tomorrow, We Lose Money. Here’s Why I Sleep Perfectly Fine About It


What happens when 2 guests show up for a tour that needs 8 to profit – and what it reveals about an industry that’s forgotten its purpose I was scrolling through TripAdvisor reviews this morning (don’t ask me why I torture myself like this), when I stumbled across something that made me sick to my...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 29, 2025
  • 1
Culture & Lifestyle

The Crisis That Revealed Our True Identity – And Changed Everything


How choosing family over profit during COVID confirmed for us that we were still the company we were always meant to be In March 2020, the entire world seemed to stop, and we were just about to start our season. The entire world stopped traveling, and we faced an impossible choice that would define not just our...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 19, 2025
  • 3
Expectations

The Truth About Italy’s 1 Euro Homes: Why They’re Not Such a Great Deal After All


The headlines are irresistible: “Buy a House in Italy for Just 1 Euro!” Social media feeds overflow with dreamy photos of ancient stone cottages nestled in picturesque Italian villages, all yours for the price of a morning espresso. With over 50 municipalities across Italy participating in these schemes as...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 2, 2025
  • 0
Culinary Experiences

Where Hearts Find Home: The Story of Soriano nel Cimino


Why our first location remains the soul of Culture Discovery Vacations Nearly twenty years ago, in a medieval hilltop village that most travelers have never heard of, a dream was born. While everyone else flocked to the famous piazzas of Florence and the dramatic coastlines of Cinque Terre, we discovered something...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • July 13, 2025
  • 4
Experiential Travel

Small Group Travel Myths Debunked: The Truth About Authentic Cultural Tours


Discover why small group travel myths are wrong! Learn how authentic cultural tours with 14-18 guests offer better value, flexibility, and access than large group tourism. Expert insights from 20+ years in travel.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • July 4, 2025
  • 0
Culture & Lifestyle

Portugal Tours: Why 8 Days around Porto Beats 8 Cities in 8 Days (A Travel Industry Insider’s Honest Take)


Tired of Portugal tours that leave you empty? An industry insider reveals why 8 days immersed in Northern Portugal offers true cultural connection and lasting transformation, far beyond rushing through 8 cities.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • June 24, 2025
  • 1
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Travel Tips
Travel Tips

Vacationing in Italy 101


When you do what we do, everyone you know and their mothers ask you to help them with their trip to Italy. This is great, I love Italy and I want everyone to experience the real Italy, so I try my best to help my...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • November 27, 2018
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Culture & Lifestyle
Culture & Lifestyle

Bella vs. Brutta Figura: How Italians Judge You


In the United States, it can sometimes seem like we don’t care how we come off to others. Of course, this isn’t to say that nobody here in the good ol’ USA makes a good first impression, but its not uncommon to...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • November 19, 2018
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Small Group Travel
Small Group Travel

We Tried The Mannequin Challenge


If you haven’t heard of The Mannequin challenge, you probably weren’t very active on social media around the end of 2016. Much like the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Harlem Shake and every other internet trend,...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • May 3, 2018
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Culture
Culture

Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino Recipe


    Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino, although has a very complicated looking name, is one of the most simple dishes of pasta you can possibly make. With very few ingredients, almost none of which need to be...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • April 27, 2018
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Culture
Culture

Amatriciana Recipe


  Amatriciana sauce is a red pasta sauce, usually served with Bucatini or Spaghetti pasta that comes from the small town of Amatrice. Amatrice is in northern Lazio, not too far from Soriano or Norcia (two of our locations)...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • April 16, 2018
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Culture
Culture

Carbonara Recipe


If you’ve been on our Soriano tour, you might remember Carbonara from our Thursday night class. It’s a very rich spaghetti dish made with pancetta, eggs, and a whole lotta cheese :). I wouldn’t suggest it if...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • April 9, 2018
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Culture
Culture

What To Expect From Italy in August


As you might know, August is an off month for us, we don’t usually offer tours during August for a few reasons. Kids and Teachers are out of school and the idea of vacation is on everyone’s mind, lots of...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • August 5, 2017
  • 3
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Culture
Culture

The Tuscan Connection to Groundhog Day & Punxsutawney Phil


Groundhog Day in Italy?   Well, not really, but let’s say Punxsutawney Phil may just have a long lost ancestor in Tuscany.   Every year, Phil gets taken out in a bug celebration for what we, in America...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • February 2, 2017
  • 2
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Culture
Culture

Italian Christmas Cookies: Brutti ma Buoni


Total Time: 55 min Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 40 min Yield: 2 pounds of cookies Ingredients 1 pound sliced almonds, lightly toasted 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 7 large egg whites 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • December 20, 2016
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Culture
Culture

Italy’s Earthquake- Questions Answered


What Happened? As I’m sure everyone knows by now, central Italy got hit pretty hard with a 6.2 magnitude earthquake. For those that did not grow up in a very earthquake prone area, that may not mean much, so here is a breakdown...

  • Alyssa Saltzman
  • August 26, 2016
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Small Groups
Culture Discovery Vacations
Leading Luxury Food & Wine Tour Operator
Authentic culinary experiences with Culture Discovery Vacations

Experience the true meaning of luxury travel with Culture Discovery Vacations - the leading small-group culinary tour operator, offering immersive experiences that go beyond traditional opulence.

  • Hands-on cooking classes with local families
  • Authentic all-inclusive pricing with no hidden costs
  • Boutique accommodations with character
  • Exclusive access to family vineyards
★★★★★
5.0/5 from 384+ reviews on TripAdvisor
"We didn't feel like tourists—we felt like family. The cooking classes changed how I think about food."
— Mark S., Tuscany Tour
Discover Our Tours
Italy • Portugal • Spain • Croatia

Recent Comments


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  • Michael Kovnick on The Crisis That Revealed Our True Identity – And Changed Everything
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  • Patricia Ford on The Crisis That Revealed Our True Identity – And Changed Everything
  • Michael Kovnick on Where Hearts Find Home: The Story of Soriano nel Cimino

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