Reviews

I recently had the pleasure of joining Francesca on a trip through the Italian Riviera, and it was nothing short of spectacular. The experience was thoughtfully hosted and organized by Francesca, who went above and beyond to ensure every detail was perfect. The highlight for me was, of course, the food. From savoring authentic regional dishes at charming local restaurants to rolling up our sleeves and learning to cook Italian classics, every meal was a delight. Paired with carefully selected wines, each tasting session felt like a journey into the heart of Italian culture. What truly elevated the experience was sharing these moments with my fellow travelers. The camaraderie we built while cooking together and exploring the picturesque towns added so much warmth to the trip. The locations and accommodations chosen by Francesca were spot on - beautiful, convenient, comfortable, and offering stunning views. Every little hike through the idyllic landscapes revealed breathtaking scenery that seemed to come straight out of a postcard. And the locals we met along the way were friendly and welcoming, adding even more depth to this incredible journey. If you're looking for a seamless blend of culinary adventure, cultural immersion, and natural beauty, this trip is a must. Huge thanks to Francesca for creating memories for a lifetime!

This past September, my friend and I had the most amazing time on a culinary tour in Sicily with Francesca! Since my grandparents were from Sicily, I really wanted an authentic and intimate experience, and Francesca absolutely delivered! All we had to do was book our flights and hotel transfers; Francesca took care of everything else. We stayed at a lovely four-star hotel right by the ocean in Ortigia, which was just fantastic! Our days were filled with adventures around Eastern Sicily. We enjoyed private cooking classes, delicious wine and olive oil tastings, and the most unforgettable home-cooked lunches. You could really see how much love and effort Francesca puts into planning her tours—she makes sure everything is just perfect for her guests. It was such a memorable experience that it brought tears to my eyes thinking about how much my grandparents loved their beautiful home, Sicily. I can’t wait to travel with Francesca again soon!

In 2022, we booked a tour to Tuscany with Francesca and the Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures. It was a fabulous trip, and we were hooked. We had to book more gastric experiences with Francesca, so..... In September 2024, we took back-to-back trips with Francesca. Our first week in Sicily was wonderful and the weather was summer-like, not a rain cloud in the sky. The week was filled with marvelous food experiences, from shopping at the open market for fresh ingredients for our hands-on cooking class, learning to peel prickly pear without getting hurt, to making, cooking and eating traditional arancini. The short trips to the countryside brought us to a working farm, an olive oil producer establishment, winery and a traditional flour mill. Delicious lunches were served at each stop accompanied with local wine. The gelato was plentiful! The week was a perfect culinary adventure, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We didn’t think that week could be topped, but it was. Week two brought us to Liguria,, the Italian Riviera. Once again, the weather was beautiful. Hands-on lessons in making fresh pesto, pasta and street food delicacies did not disappoint our taste buds. Local guided walks, trips into the surrounding countryside and lunch with a local cookbook author gave us a glimpse of life in northern Italy. Food, customs and outlooks are so different in northern and southern Italy and each region is unique and captivating. From centrally-located accommodations, to hands-on experiences, to guided walking tours and visits to local businesses, you will not be disappointed with any of Francesca’s trips. She carefully plans everything and includes activities to keep everyone interested and enough down-time to shop and rejuvenate. If you want to visit Italy and experience local, fresh foods and wine, learn a little Italian history and enjoy scenic countrysides, then your culinary adventure awaits with Francesca. We’ll be joining her in 2025!

Traveling with Francesca Montillo is like going away with a close friend. I have gone on three trips with her, to Calabria, to Sicily, and most recently to the Italian Riviera. Francesca procures very nice hotels in picturesque towns of the area that are centrally located for shopping and dining. The Liguria region is truly a beautiful area, and the hotel was a short walk from the beach and harbor. Francesca always finds very interesting sites as well as skilled local guides and entrepreneurs. We made pesto in a gorgeous historic villa in Genoa, dined outside in a breathtaking hilltop winery and made a luscious pasta lunch in another scenic spot. We also ate our way around Genoa, Rapallo and Santa Margherita Ligure (our home base) with delightful food tours that included cappuccino and wine! Because Francesca is so friendly and enthusiastic, she attracts the same types of travelers. I especially enjoyed getting to know everyone in our group. The value with LICA is outstanding because of the many meals provided that are multi-course with lots of variety. And Francesca's knowledge, organization and caring are priceless.

My friend and I traveled to Sicily in September 2024 on one of Francesca’s tours. It was an amazing experience. Francesca is a wonderful host. She prepared so many great experiences on this trip. The hotel and the location was beautiful. Each day we adventured out to the surrounding countryside to visit farms, winery, olive oil production, and of course the cooking classes. At every location we were treated wonderfully by the people who provided these experiences and were fed the most amazing meals. The group was small and personal so we had a great time meeting & enjoying the people who were there with us. We also had some time to walk around and do some shopping and dining. I would highly recommend her tours. I know that she spent much time traveling to each region and researching for the best experiences for her guests.

We recently returned from Francesca's culinary tour of Tuscany.  Simply amazing.  The tour is an endless stream of delights, from hidden towns all over Tuscany, one more beautiful than the next, to an amazing variety of Tuscan food, all home cooked! Wonderfull cooking workshops too! One of us had special dietary needs, and each host along the way made a special dish that was as good, if not better, than the served meal!   We ate chestnuts, truffles, poricini mushrooms, fabulous deserts and really got to enjoy the hidden Tuscany. All the hosts were amazing people who really enjoy what they do. Including all of our drivers! The villa we stayed in was very comfortable with wonderful hosts.  As for Francesca, she is simply fabulous.  Very knowledgeable about all things Italian.  Most of all, she is now our good friend. You will enjoy her tours! Hope to do another !