Testimonials

“We cannot recommend Food.Stories.Travel. highly enough as an excellent choice for arranging your next bike trip! My wife and I traveled with eleven friends to Catalonia* this past September as part of a customized itinerary provided by Food Stories Travel. Cristiano Bonino and his team organized exceptionally beautiful, challenging, and fun rides each day. We had very experienced riders, first-time bike tourers, and everything in between. Each one of us was able to get exactly what we wanted from our rides. A true highlight was the downhill clinic given by one of our three guides who was a former professional cyclist. So the bike portion of our experience was exceptional, but so also was the Food and Stories portion. Each day we tasted incredible local food and drink. Our accommodations were often spectacular with half our group rating the stay at a castle as their favorite while the other half preferring the quiet serenity of a converted monastery. Cristiano and his guides also shared many stories about the culture, food, and wines of the Catalonian region. And we visited a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Wine and jambon tastings were also favorites. We would travel again with Cristiano and FST in a heartbeat, and highly recommend that you consider them too! —*Catalonia is an area in northeastern Spain where many professional cyclists train in their off-season. Our bike itinerary included historic towns like Girona, Vic, Cardona and Sitges.“.

-Bill M

“We have gone on 4 bike trips in Europe. This last one with Food.Stories.Travel was by far the best one in so many ways. We had a diverse crowd from some people who did not want to bike all day, while others wanted an extreme biking experience. The flexibility of FST allowed everyone to be happily satisfied. The 3 guides complemented each other and worked as a team, all highly engaging and competent. Of course, the food, wine and lodging was top notch. We will go with them on our next trip.”

-Jerry P.

“Cristiano and Andrea were the best. What a spectacular trip. Their passion as tour guides showed through every kilometer of the way. The food, the wine and the side trips to vineyards and farms and truffles and the people they introduced to us added up to a truly memorable vacation experience. Time to start planning our next one!”

-Robert K.

“Our trip to Piedmont was amazing. The countryside, the food, the wine, the locals we met along the way … and our charming and wonderful guides, Christiano and Andrea. I would rate it six stars, if there is such a thing! We are looking forward to our next adventure with FoodStoriesTravel!!!”

-Andrea C.

“I am still floating after our extraordinary week of cycling, eating, drinking and laughing a lot. Our tour through Piedmont was a delight for all the senses. Cristiano and Davide took such great care of us. Their passion for their region of Italy was so apparent, literally as we turned every corner on our bikes!! I will continue to savor all the experiences of the trip.”

-Kate S.

“I worked with Cristiano to develop a tour for myself and 7 friends. Whatever suggestions I gave him, were taken up, developed and turned into a week that everyone agreed was the best tour they’d ever experienced. He turned our wishes into reality, including those in areas in which he had formerly had no experience. He was enthusiastic, warm, energetic, and able to change directions rapidly when the group came up with new ideas and requests. It was more like traveling with a knowledgeable and helpful friend than on a commercial tour, except that the “friend” had arranged everything beautifully. All of us agreed that we’d sign on to another Cristiano tour in a heartbeat!”

-Susan G.

“I had a wonderful tour though the Piedmont Region with Cristiano prior to attending Terra Madre Salone Del Gusto. Cristiano presented a perfect pre-tour experience to delve into the food and traditions of Piedmont and Italy. Cristiano was passionate and flexible. A wonderful guide for a wonderful trip. Thank you and until we travel again".

-Rachel H.

“Where do I begin! Such a wonderful experience riding through the Piedmont region. I was not able to tackle all the rides due to surgery for a broken arm( prior to the trip) so I rode in the van sometimes with Christiano and practiced Italian, and learned even more about the Piedmont areas. What a treat! The food and wine were superb. As were our wonderful guides, Christiano and Andrea. Can’t wait for our next trip!”

-Leslie M.

“Cristiano’s tours are intimate, unique and adventurous. He is an engaging, knowledgeable and fun guide. If you are passionate about food, this is the way you want to eat and explore in Italy.”

-Kim G.

“This spring we spend several fabulous days touring with Cristiano – “FOOD, STORIES, TRAVEL”. We stayed at Casa Scaparone near Alba in Piemonte – a very unique and wonderful place, that served local, seasonal and sustainable dishes that were really delicious! Cristiano did his very best to provide us with the food experiences of Piemonte that we requested: meeting a truffle hunter, chocolate & torrone makers, Barbara & Barbaresco wineries, cheese makers. But the most astounding of all was his knowledge & passion for the history of Italy, and the tour of Cavour’s Castle. Bravo Cristiano!”

-Rosemary M.

"Great mushroom and truffle trip in Piedmont with Cristiano, despite the initial days of rain and the non-appearance of porcini. We ate like kings and were treated like friends everywhere we went. Cristiano was amazing: informed, articulate, creative, charming, energetic, and obliging in every way.”

-Ellen C

“Highly recommend foodstoriestravel and excellent trip coordinator Cristiano Bonino. He put together a wonderful cycling and cultural adventure in Italy’s Piedmont region for our group of 13 friends. Our whole group had a wonderful time with rides that presented just the right levels of challenge for the cycling capabilities of our group, with options for those who wanted more, and options for everyone else 😉. Cristiano and Davide did a great job making sure everyone’s needs were met, and we greatly enjoyed delicious dinners with lively conversation and stops every day to spotlight some of the unique aspects of the Piedmont region: truffles, chocolate, phenomenal wines, medieval traditions, and beautiful scenery. Cristiano is also exceedingly patient and professional with all in the planning stages of the trips – both he and Davide were quick to make sure all the equipment was perfect for everyone, even having new bikes & equipment (to address sizing requests, and pedals to match shoe clips) ‘magically’ appear along the way! Whether joining one of his pre-scheduled trips or having him craft a custom tour for your group, I highly recommend!”.

- Carrie M

"The tour of Piedmont, Torino and Salone del Gusto / Terra Madre with Food.Stories.Travel was exceptional. We learned a lot about a special area of Italy, met farmers, wine makers and even a truffle hunter. Every day brought new delights and surprises. The food, the wine, the sun, the people. What can I say – it’s Italy! You need to take this tour! Thank you for a wonderful experience, Cristiano.”

-Marianne M.

“Our recent trip to Tuscany, organized by Food.Stories.Travel., was an amazing adventure! My hat is off to Cristiano and his team for putting together a trip that created the right balance of biking, hiking, eating, exploring, resting, adventure, cultural immersion, laughter and fun. We were a large group of adults and teens, with a wide range of cycling and hiking capabilities – it’s not simple to craft a plan for such a diverse group! I’m not just impressed with Cristiano and his network of Italian guides and hosts’ ability to support a cycling and cultural adventure, but also by the level of positivity, patience and welcome that we experienced from our agriturismo hosts as well as food and wine producers we met along the way. Although I’ve been extremely lucky and have experienced this part of Italy before, this trip made me feel so much closer to the region. It’s really worth having the expertise of guides who are this experienced, knowledgable, and passionate about locally-based food and culture, especially if you’re organizing a trip with a group with specific, or wide-ranging interests! Bravi, and grazie, to the entire team of guides, organizers, and hosts.”

- C.E. Davis

“We had an amazing time in Tuscany. We really appreciate the time, care and effort put into all the activities. The memories we have will take us a long way!”-Melanie W.

- Melanie W.

“Cristiano, Davide and all the team ensured our holiday was a great success. Looking after a large group with a wide variety of interests and cycling levels was a challenge but @foodstoriestravel made it flow beautifully. Impeccably organised, always good humoured and willing to go the extra mile – We highly recommend @foodstoriestravel – we will be back!!”

- Susanna H.

Thank you to Cristiano, Davide, and Andrea for such a wonderful trip! We hiked, biked, and ate our way through Tuscany and Liguria and they took care of everything! Everyday was such a wonderful adventure, from biking through the sunflower fields in Tuscany to hiking along the Cinque Terre to eating the best gelato I have ever had! Thank you!”

- Beth L.

“I have personally visited Italy many times in the past 30+ years, and will tell you that Cristiano’s personal experience with food, countryside, history and local culture served our small group all quite well and it was amazingly rewarding to share with him most of the events that took place each and every day. Cristiano’s ability to combine each traveler’s needs, desires and experiences is something that I will always remember during our week in Tuscany and Cinque Terre. His love of Italy and all it possesses for visitors and citizens alike shines through in conversation, discussion and experiences. I felt that as each day went by, our small “group” grew closer and more enthralled with the tasks and events we shared. Fantastico from all of us”

- Dan C.

“In June, we had the pleasure of traveling all over Italy with our incredible guide Cristiano. This trip was truly a pleasure because of all of his advance work and expertise as a guide and as someone who loves food, culture, travel and history. Cristiano planned a wonderful, ambitious and thoughtful itinerary with the four of us. He anticipated every need our family might have encountered – weather, transportation, avoiding long lines at some of the sites in popular cities. From private tours of vineyards and museums, biking in the hills of Tuscany, train and transportation planning, cooking classes and choosing and reserving the best restaurants in every city and village we travelled to, Cristiano made our experience special and hassle free. He had the sensitivity and experience to roll with the changes that can occur while traveling with 2 teenage daughters. We had the most amazing time and can’t wait to go on another adventure in Italy with Cristiano. Like good wine, the memories of our Italian holiday will only get better with age!”

– Meredith S.

“This trip was beyond excellent! It was quite simply the best holiday I have ever been fortunate enough to have had (and I travel a lot, >2 million air travel miles and goodness knows how many countries). This vacation topped everything. Cristiano and his team are simply magicians. How else could they manage to keep 13 very, very different people so extremely happy. Their flexibility in accommodating the full mix of family members was amazing. This included small children, hence a daily gelato stop (yum, and big +1 for Pienza) and swimming at every location. And likewise a mix of active options, routes for our one more serious cyclist, to mild routes for me, to completely different alternatives for the non-cyclists. Helping out with lost luggage, which included a couple of extra shopping trips. Superb food, vegetarian and otherwise. So many perfect, idyllic moments it is difficult to fully express – each day was a new revelation of vistas, active challenges (hiking and biking), history, stories, food and relaxation. And that is one of the most magical bits. Despite having an itinerary with so many wonderful things to do, perhaps the most notable are those unplanned moments Cristiano choreographed, for example pizza night in Asciano, with the kids cartwheeling down the cobblestone street and dancing with the locals outside a bar. I’m sure everyone in the family would like to return. I know I certainly do (Dolomites perhaps?). All the very best to Cristiano, Davide, and Andrea.”

- Suzanna L.

“Cristiano outdid himself organizing a group of 28 people for my Birthday celebration! The location was beautiful and the week’s activities could not have been better. I have known Cristiano since my first bike trip 6 years ago. I have been on several trips with him since then and am continually amazed at his true passion for what he does and the knowledge that he is able to share with us. Thank you so much for a once in a lifetime trip. Davide is a great addition to the team. I look forward to many more trips with both of you!”

- Beth B.

“My husband and I are still talking about our trip to Tuscany. The part we shared with a group of family and friends guided by Cristiano and Davide was top notch. It was personal, full of stories, loaded with great food experiences and, of course, wine. His personalized style of custom fitting each day for our robust group made for memories of a lifetime. If you are looking for a soulful trip experience, use Cristiano!”

- Heidi S.

“Cristiano is a constant professional and the fact that he was able to coordinate such an amazing trip while keeping 28 people together at one time is nothing short of spectacular. The locations that we traveled to were breath-taking and inspiring. It was once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. Cristiano constantly went the extra mile posting photos, sending out information, and answering any off the wall questions. Definitely one of my favorite vacations that I have ever been a part of and definitely hope to do it again. Thanks so much to Food Stories Travel for the memories and experiences!!!”

- Matt B.

“Scott and I were with the group of 28 for Beth’s birthday celebration. Cristiano and Davide did a magnificent job with the places we went as a group and managing all our craziness! Some last minute requests were taken care of exceptionally well. We had a fantastic time! Thank you!”

- Cindie and Scott J.

As I bask in the vivid memories of a week with 27 friends at il Molinello in Tuscany I am in awe of the incomparable level of sensitivity, knowledge, flexibility, joyfulness, and organization that Cristiano and his friends and colleagues Davide Marchegiano and Elisa brought to the experience. I would highly recommend them to experienced discerning travelers. This team’s special alchemy brought together several rare elements to catalyze a memorable, joyous experience. When my wife and I set about organizing this adventure for a varied group of European and American friends we chose Cristiano and his team believing they had the wisdom and passion to draw together the elements for a distinctive and memorable set of adventures. We have explored regions of Europe for years on foot and by bike with well known tour companies and individual guides. We know that Tuscany has great bones upon which to build a week of adventures. We knew also that it would take extraordinary professional guidance and support to bring the experience together for a diverse group of cyclists and non cyclists who ranged in age from 16-70. The Food Stories Travel team were the right choice for the job; Cristiano and his colleagues bring a collective experience base of over 200 trips guided over the past decade plus. At the same time, as they pursue a new entrepreneurial approach to guiding, they bring a fresh sense of adventure, new ideas and and possibilities that are infectious. Pragmatically they have access to some of the most interesting food and wine producers in the region who are not necessarily well known outside the local area or open to the general public. This team brought not only logistics, regional and cycling knowledge along with access to the producers and purveyors, but also warmth and kindness that created a unique spirit suffusing the week. It reminded us of great performance art; the maestros in this case called forth not just the virtuosi from the region to perform but also strove to understand the needs and interests of the audience that enabled their participation in the performance. Although it wasn’t the goal of the trip, the supportive but exploratory atmosphere converted reluctant teenagers and non biking adults into newly enthusiast biking explorers. At the same time, non bikers had a wonderful menu of options to explore from gardens to goat farms. The adults in the group still marvel at the alchemy that pulled teenagers and young adults into daily adventure be it by bike, foot or car with growing confidence toward the next exploration of place or taste. Similarly the young adults were a bit surprised to find themselves one evening up to their elbows in large bowls of pasta dough alongside and chatting away with a rather reserved Swede and an imposing Irishman, all of whom were guests along for the week. They were all about to share the experience of eating their own cooking. In retrospect eating one’s own cooking turned out to be a theme for the week. Cristiano and his colleagues provided the opportunities, support, and time to enable each person to create their own experiences for the week while also guiding us all to some truly distinctive, memorable shared adventures.”

- Peter T.

“Dear Cristiano and Davide I wanted to let you both know how those weeks spent in Tuscany and Sicily are concentrated versions of what makes life worth living; physical challenge, natural beauty, delicious food and wine, poetry, architecture and history – not to mention sharing those adventures, conversation and relaxation with those we love most.”

- Katherine T.

“Christiano did an amazing job of putting together a week long trip to celebrate my sister’s 50th birthday.The location was superb: the views were amazing, the staff very helpful, the location so convenient, and the beds were so comfy! He arranged for all sorts of fun and informative outings, and took us to the most amazing wine tour I have ever been on. The wine makers were so warm and welcoming, and we sat out in the back overlooking the valley as we sampled- I felt very pampered. Christiano continues to be very helpful after the tour is over with tracking down a wine broker whom can get some of the delicious wines we tasted, as well as sharing the beautiful photos he took. Thank you for a wonderful vacation!”

- Sarah L.

“I traveled to Tuscany as part of a week-long birthday party and thoroughly enjoyed everything thanks to Cristiano & team! We had many options from cooking classes to winery tours to bike rides, so something for everyone. Cristiano also suggested great restaurants for us which we never would have found on our own. I highly recommend Cristiano to help you organize your Italy trips. Thank you Cristiano!”

- Nicole N.

“Cristiano helped us book a few days at Agritourismo il Molinello. it was absolutely perfect. We were there for part of our honeymoon and could not have asked for a better time. Very peaceful and beautiful area. Close to many drivable places to go site seeing. Highly recommended! Thanks!!!”

- Jeremy P.

“Cristiano helped my wife and I set up a stay at Agritourismo il Molinello earlier this summer. We would never have been able to have as amazing of a time if we hadn’t had Cristiano’s help setting up tours of local farms, abbey’s, vineyards, and even a full guided day in Siena for the Palio. We ate and drank amazingly and had a truly authentic Tuscan experience and we could not have done it without Food.Stories.Travel.”

- Ryan D.
 

“Cristiano and your team ran an incredibly efficient high energy tour in tuscany, managing to meet the needs of thirty very different people while still laughing at the end of the day. This is hard to do! You shared your love of biking, your friends and they shared their families with us, and from that sharing we got a special view of Tuscany. Highlights for me all involved hearing from the Tuscans who love the land and produce food/wine, weather it was the cheese maker or the Chianina farmer or the wine producers at Santa Vittoria.”

- Jeanne M.

“Cristiano is the best! His tours provide just the right balance of planned activities and opportunities for spontaneous exploration. He helped a small group of us plan a perfect cycling/hiking trip in Tuscany this summer, taking into account all our individual needs and interests. Sure, there’s a lot of information nowadays on the internet one can use to plan a trip – but there’s no substitute for real, first hand knowledge. If you are looking for an authentic Italian vacation, I’d highly recommend Foods.Stories.Travel.”

- Sam M.

“Wonderful customized family trip–we were looking for a combination of cycling, sightseeing, relaxation and a feel for the local culture and cuisine–this trip exceeded our expectations. Our stay at Agriturismo Il Molinello made a lasting impression–fantastic hosts, guides, cooks, and now friends!”-Karen K. “Cristiano and Food. Stories. Travel. created an amazing custom itinerary for our recent honeymoon to Tuscany. Cristiano took into consideration our personalities, travel style, and must see list when creating our itinerary. Cristiano did a great job of suggesting sites, experiences and amazing restaurants that we would have never been able to find on our own. We are so grateful that we were introduced to Agriturismo Il Molinello Siena and it’s owners. We would never think of staying anywhere else in Tuscany. I can’t wait until our next trip and to see what Food. Stories. Travel has in store.”

- Nicole D.

“Cristiano organized a tour for 27 of us in Tuscany last week and I am still floating from the experience. He not only orchestrated bike rides through gorgeous countryside but also arranged tours for we non-cyclists. Between visits to farms, hill towns, and vineyards, a day trip to Sienna, cooking classes, and even a crazy Karaoke night, everyone felt well taken care of. Cristiano’s professionalism and warmth made this a trip to remember!”-Susan C. “Thank you and all the team at Il Molinello for making our stay with you so enjoyable and reinforcing our great love of Tuscany and Tuscans. You have a great operation and its professionalism and good humour are exemplary! Irish tourism , watch out!! We hope paths cross again before too long, and our thanks once again.”

- Jonathan B.