Our great friend and Hedonistic Hiking tour manager Marta Bonaventura has been teaching on-line Italian classes for over four years. She was also an adult teacher at a private language school in Melbourne during the time she was living in Australia.

Her classes can be tailored to suit any level, from absolute beginner to those with more proficiency and confidence. They can be one-to-one, or organised with a small group of up to three participants. Marta makes the classes fun, relaxed and friendly and will email pre-class information to students to enable them to feel prepared.

Her prices are very reasonable at €15.00 for 50 minutes for a solo student, and €25.00 for 50 minutes for a group. Payments can be made via Paypal and the only thing required is a computer with a camera so that the lesson can take place over Google Meet. Lessons are generally weekly but Marta is flexible depending on individual requirements.

If you would like to get started, or brush up on your existing Italian language skills, then you can contact Marta on for-marta@hotmail.com or via WhatsApp +39 342 594 6910.

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Guests booking their tours meet the best Italian winemakers and explore Italy’s most beautiful and important wine regions. They combine wine and food with the outdoors, meaning their trips usually include some walking or cycling. These tours attract wine lovers or wine professionals who enjoy the outdoors, or keen walkers or cyclists who love good wine and food. On offer are self-guided walking or cycling itineraries, and small-group guided trips with optional walking or cycling components. All trips are for private booking only.

New for 2026, James and Cinzia have two brand new itineraries, one in Northern Italy and one in Sardinia. James has described their plans for these two new routes:

“Sardinia has been prominent in our plans, because as well as extraordinary natural beauty and layers of megalithic history, this island boasts important, though little-known, wine regions. Our new accompanied wine trip, Northern Sardinia starts on the west coast, where they make tiny quantities of high quality ‘oxidative’ (sherry-like) wines. In particular, the towns of Bosa and Oristano are prized for their Malvasia and Vernaccia, respectively. From here, our six-night accompanied itinerary for wine lovers progresses to the decomposed granites of Mamoiada, where some of the world’s greatest Grenache (Cannonau, in Sardinia) is made. We finish in Gallura, at the island’s (if not the world’s) best Vermentino vineyard, for a masterclass tasting accompanied by one of Cinzia’s legendary picnics and tutored cheese tastings. Book to start 15 April – 15 June or 15 September – 15 November. A minimum of six guests is required.”

“Our last research trip of the year, which we did just before the Christmas break, was in our home region of Piemonte. We drove two hours to Tortona, where the Timorasso grape makes some of the country’s best white wines. Our new self-guided itinerary, Salt Roads to the Riviera, takes hikers over seven nights from our winemaker’s B&B, with a tasting included, into the unspoilt hills and high mountains of the Ligurian Apennines. This magical land has a long history of adventurers, traders and wartime partisans. From here, we emerge on a ridge high above the azure and green of the Portofino promontory. The final night is in a boutique hotel on the Italian Riviera. We provide detailed directions and GPS tracks for every metre, along with regular information panels which bring the region to life. We move the bags ahead to the next hotel stop and offer lifts in the vehicle to shorten or skip a day if required. This is a challenging hike in wild country, with a rest day at the halfway mark. There is no minimum or maximum number of travellers for this route.”

To see the full range of tours offered by James and Cinzia, you can visit their website here. Guests on HH tours in 2026 looking to extend their adventures in Italy may find that a MacNay Travel & Wine tour offers a good fit in terms of interests and dovetails well with their other travel plans.

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Could you define what it is that brings you back to Hedonistic Hiking?

The majority of travellers only get to observe the places they visit superficially. They don’t experience them at the human level, interacting with the locals in their daily lives, understanding how they live and their passion for their environment. Jackie and Mick invest time and effort in identifying places and communities that welcome visitors as friends, wanting to share their way of life and their beautiful surroundings. There is always a genuine warmth in the interaction with HH guests that percolates into the group.

Many of our tours you have completed more than once.  Can you choose a favourite?

The stats speak for themselves. 3 Tuscany trips, 3 Palio trips and 3 Piedmont trips. I chose the Jewels of Piedmont tour because I love to hike Monviso, but the common factor in the Tuscany and Palio trips is Siena. I’m not a city fan but Siena is an exception. The Sienese are happy to see the tourists but always on their terms. Even James Bond had to fall in line. The Contrada structure of the city and how these fiercely independent folk protect their traditions in an ever-changing world contributes to few social problems and a safer feel than many other tourist cities.  So, anything that includes Siena, particularly if it involves horses.

Most memorable moment from the tours you have completed?

From the very first time I walked down into Siena’s Piazza Il Campo, it has been the place I have happily revisited many times.  Jackie probably already had a Palio Tour on her to do list but walking with her across Il Campo and suggesting it would be a good idea was, in hindsight, memorable. Sitting in Il Campo, the silence of the thousands in anticipation of the start of the race exploding into a cacophony of sound as the rope drops, is an experience that never diminishes, no matter how many times you experience it. Being able to share in all the pre-race events is key to starting to understand the Palio and what it means to Sienese life. I just need Civetta to win and the memory will be complete!

Have you stayed in touch with any of your fellow hikers from the different tours?

Yes, I have been fortunate to meet up with fellow hikers on their home patch. Sydney Harbourside cafe for an afternoon, staying near 90 mile beach in NZ, a remote lakeside cabin in Canada and in rural W Pennsylvania USA. All beautiful parts. I was able to introduce my American friends to the delights of walking in Dartmoor National Park and I have spent time with them in the USA. Living with locals gives a much more realistic view of how the world is.

Could you choose a favourite part of Italy in terms of landscape?

Monviso in Piedmont is a shared favorite with Jackie. On the Italian Alps trip we enjoyed stunning weather and it was up there with the best. However, the Val D’orcia and Crete Senesi, south of Siena, is where I first hiked in Italy in 2005.  Returning there last year on the Etruscan Trails trip it seemed untouched and as beautiful as ever. Tuscany’s landscape is quintessential Italy so I’d have to go for that.

Is there a region for food and wine in Italy which really stands out for you?

We are always told Piedmont is the “go to” for the best food and it is excellent, but then there is the tiny village of Lamole in Tuscany which has to be my candidate for the best restaurant. Unpretentious, beautiful food and wine served by great local characters in a stunning setting.  The wonderful lunch in Lamole, amid a week of eating good simple Tuscan fare on the Tuscan Harvest tour, suits this country boy!

What are your ambitions for hiking in 2024?

Covid cancelled my booking for the initial Heart of Sardinia trip but I’ve just been lucky to get the last place for next year, meeting up with my American friends. I’ve also organised breaks for my hiking group next year in North Yorkshire and the Isle of Wight. There are an increasing number of 80 year olds, which only proves that hiking is good for your health and longevity!

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Can you remember when you first hiked with Jackie in Italy?

I think our first Italian adventure was when I was about 11 or 12! I remember having a tiny little red backpack and nearly getting blown off the ridge! 

You finished university this summer  – tell us about your degree?

I’ve always been a keen humanities student, having studied history and geography at A Level and then going on to study geography at uni. My interest has always been more to do with human geography which looks at people’s relationship with the world, rather than physical geography which is more traditional and geology based. My interest in demographics and social science ties in quite nicely with my new involvement in the tourism industry.  I am currently a keyholder at BrewDog bar in Sheffield, where we sell high quality beers and pizzas. I have a good, basic knowledge of beer, which came in very handy on the tour in Austria in July!

Is hiking a passion for you as well as for your aunt?

I have always loved hiking having been in the Scouts, and obviously through gentle persuasion from my aunt!  During COVID it was difficult to venture into the Peak District too often, with the pressures of university life and the lack of fellow walking enthusiasts in my friendship circle. However, I am very keen to develop my hiking prowess in 2023!

What are your impressions of Italy from the trips you have made there?

I have always found the Italian people I’ve met incredibly friendly and very accommodating.  I also love the amazing contrasts in the scenery and landscapes – mountain peaks to rolling hills to sandy beaches – in relatively short distances.   And of course I have to mention the unbelievably delicious food – that goes without saying!

What do you love about working with Jackie and Mick at Hedonistic Hiking?

As you know, I worked alongside Mick in 2022 on the Austria and Dolomites tour and on the Southern Italy itinerary so I am excited to be working exclusively with Jackie in my first tour of 2023. I really like meeting the people that Jackie and Mick work with, both in the hotels and restaurants, but also the guests on the tours. It is nice to experience that in another country. We always have a laugh and they are both very good at developing my confidence and skillset. On top of that, I really appreciate the respect they give me by allowing me to do things by myself and trusting me to do what is necessary to run the tour smoothly – a trust that is rarely given when you are just starting out in a job.

What are your hopes and ambitions for the tours in 2023?

In 2023 I hope to develop my confidence even further and to be able to produce a bit of Italian conversation with the locals. I want to perfect my cooking skills and get my wine knowledge on par with my beer knowledge!

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Could you define what it is that brings you back to Hedonistic Hiking each year?

I continue to return to Hedonistic for a combination of reasons. Jackie and Mick, together with their very competent tour managers, provide an all inclusive, very well organised holiday package, which takes all the stress out of travelling. I enjoy walking off the beaten track and discovering different regions and the unique history of those regions. A big part of the enjoyment for me is the fun you have with the other hikers, the friendships you make, the great food and wine you enjoy at lunchtime and over dinner each night, sharing travel and other stories with each other in a relaxed holiday atmosphere.

Have you stayed in touch with any of your fellow hikers from the different tours?

I have stayed in touch with a number of the hikers I have met over the years and I always know someone on my next hike. For example, a holiday I did last year, there were 9 others I had met on previous hikes and it was just so nice to catch up with them all again. We keep coming back!

Do you generally extend your trips to include other parts of Europe?

Some trips I just go to Italy for the hike and come home and others trips I combine the Hedonistic experience with other walks or visits to other countries.

Do you prefer to travel solo or with friends?

I like travelling both solo and with friends. I have actually done other walking trips in Europe with friends I have met through Hedonistic Hiking.

Could you choose a favourite part of Italy?

It is hard to choose a favourite part of Italy as I have been to so many wonderful places offering different experiences. I can’t really select a favourite place but there are a few that do stand out. The unspoilt and wild Abruzzo, the Italian Alps and the cable ride up from Courmayeur and the absolutely amazing views at the Torino refuge where I felt I could nearly touch Mt Blanc come to mind. Others that stand out were the stunning autumn views from the top of Pollino National Park in Southern Italy and the uplifting experience of the walk up the Sesto Dolomites. But I also can’t forget the week spent in Siena experiencing the Palio and associated festivities. It is hard to select some areas over others as each walk has brought me something different, whether it is the walking or the food or the wine.

Is there a region for food and wine which really stands out for you?

No one region stands out for the food and wine but the food in the Piedmont was most enjoyable. Who could forget the seafood platters at dinner at the end of the Parma, Tuscany and Ligurian Sea walk? The breakfast at Bad Moos in the Dolomites, an all encompassing breakfast feast. Or just the flavoursome gelato I enjoyed one sunny afternoon in the medieval village of Santo Stefano in Abruzzo. Also the substantial and mouth watering lunches that the tour managers seem to effortlessly make with local produce that just appear around a corner or over a mountain on walking days.

I really don’t do justice to the many and varied local wines that are served over dinner but have enjoyed many a glass of prosecco over the years. Always enjoyable! But the wonderful Bjana Brut from Brda, Slovenia stands out. The wine tasting on the Italian Alps tour at the Hotel Bellevue at Cogne in the Gran Paradiso National Park and the wines accompanying dinner at that hotel were truly outstanding.

Do you have tips on keeping fit for the hikes?

For me to really enjoy the hiking, and in particular the hardest graded tours, it is a must that I do lots of training up and down hills for a number of months before the hike. I don’t do particularly long day hikes and I don’t use my walking poles when I am in training so when I do use them on the actual hike it makes it easier for me. I also combine my walking with other physical activities which undoubtedly helps to maintain a good level of fitness for any terrain.

Barbara is not alone in returning to hike with us each year.  In 2019 we have a record number of hikers celebrating their fifth and tenth tours with us, and if you would like to see who they are you can peruse our Rogues Gallery!

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How did you first meet Mick and Jackie? 

I was working in Italy for another travel company when I first met Jackie and Mick, and I remember Mick wowed us all when he gave us a demonstration on how to peel an apple!! 
 
How do you come to live where you do in the French Alps? 

After a few years of summers in Italy and winters in Val d’Isère, my Swedish husband and I needed a base. Our first nest was a tiny 20 square metre studio in Val d’Isère; certainly a good test for a marriage! We now live in a lovely 300 year old house in a tiny hamlet nearby, with our two children.

               
 
What do you love most about Italian food and wine? 

I think I’d have to say the quality of the basic products and the simplicity of the cooking. And Aperol Spritz of course!!!
 
What are your impressions of Hedonistic Hiking tours? 

They are simply “hedonistic”. I feel lucky to be part of the team. Fantastic walks, wonderful food and wine, friendly hotels and a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable leader!!! 
 
What is your ideal holiday? 

Hmmm! Tricky one. I ski all winter, walk all summer in the Alps, travel around Italy in Spring and autumn. Maybe an active family holiday at the sea with lots of yummy fresh fish. 
 
What are your ambitions for the future? 

We really want to try and maintain our wonderful lifestyle for as long as possible. 

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Cinzia grew up in the Aosta Valley in the mountainous northern most corner of Italy in a little village called Valtournenche.  She studied Forestry and Environmental Science at University in Turin but almost immediately began a career in tourism.

How did you meet Jackie and Mick?

I used to manage a Residenza d’Epoca near Siena and it was close to where Jackie and Mick live in Italy.  We got to know each other well and then when Hedonistic Hiking started I did some tours with Jackie in Tuscany and Piedmont.

What is your relationship with England?

I first arrived in England in 2003 when my Italian partner at that time moved across to work there but, at that point, I had no English.  But I did speak fluent French alongside my Italian, so I learned the new language quite quickly. Now I am married to an Englishman, James, and am living in Heathfield not far from Eastbourne on the South Coast of England. We were married in 2009 in my village in Italy and our son Carlo arrived in 2012!

Tell us about your business in the UK

Together we run a Deli in Heathfield called Cuculo (the Italian word for Cuckoo) which specialises in cheese, wine and chocolate.  We have over 100 fantastic cheeses from the UK and Europe and we also do outside catering for local events like weddings and birthday celebrations. Twice a month we host Italian evenings in the shop, on the first and third Thursday, serving antipasti, main course, dessert, coffee and wine for £18 per head.  The evenings are great fun and a good way to get to know people in the area.

 Is food and wine your greatest passion?

Yes of course – especially cheese! But I also adore walking and skiing and I love to be outdoors and in the mountains – where I grew up.  James also loves walking although we don’t always have as much time for it as we would like with a small boy and a busy shop!

What are your ambitions for the future?

We would love to return to Italy to live at some point. My parents long to see their grandson but they could do much more of that if we were close by. There is something about the Italian way of life which remains very attractive to us both and our son could be completely bi-lingual and comfortable in both cultures.

Cinzia’s Deli in the UK has a website at http://cuculo.co.uk and their phone number is 01435 862596. You can follow them too on Facebook!

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When did you first meet Mick and Jackie?

We worked together for another UK based travel company at the time we first met back in 2004 and I did tours with both of them in Italy during that time. Once they had started their own business, and it was growing successfully, they needed an extra pair of hands and approached me to work with them in the autumn of 2011.

Explain a bit about your role within Hedonistic Hiking?

It’s actually quite a varied job – I work alongside Jackie in the season as Tour Manager on some of the Italian tours but, all year round, I work on the PR and Communications side, for example developing the website, writing blogs and monthly newsletters, producing the annual brochure and calendar, maintaining mailing lists and general admin! I work from home in Leicestershire in the UK but since the work is entirely web-based I could really live anywhere.  We Skype often and are always in touch so we usually all know what is going on!

What sparked your interest in Italy?

When I was young my family came to Tuscany every year on holiday and we used to spend a month by the sea in Castiglione della Pescaia.  My father was involved in the shoe industry and had many suppliers and colleagues in Italy at the time.  I think somehow the country (and its food!) got under my skin without me knowing and it wasn’t until much later that I realised how much I wanted to come back. I had worked in London for about 12 years when I had my “epiphany” moment – left my job, rented out my flat and headed for 3 months in Siena learning the language and travelling around the country.  I never went back to London life!  As I had done a French degree at university I think maybe I found it a bit easier to learn a second language, and was soon looking for ways to work in Italy.

So is Tuscany your favourite Italian region for food and wine?

Impossible to choose!  It’s hard to eat badly in Italy, even though all the regions have such different cuisines, but often the most delicious places to eat are easy to miss, as they are not necessarily the glossy restaurants in the most touristic spots.  Head down the medieval alleyways, drive up mountain tracks, or step inside an unprepossessing doorway and you will usually be richly rewarded.  And if the chef happens to be the family’s grandmother then you have more often than not struck gold!!

What are your impressions of Australia?

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Jackie and Mick the last three years during my winter which has been a fantastic experience.  We’ve travelled to Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne and spent time in the beautiful High Country of course.  I love the incredibly relaxed way of life and find the people very welcoming and non-judgemental.  I also think the Aussies have a very “can do” attitude – they are resilient and resourceful.  In my experience a few beers or a fabulous wine from a boutique winery, a big view and a great sunset are usually the order of the day – what’s not to like?  On my last visit I had the chance to hike the full 100 km of the Great Ocean Walk which, if you have never done it, is a spectacular trail full of interest, wildlife and seriously stunning landscapes.  I would recommend it to everyone – even if you live in Victoria and think you know the Great Ocean Road – it is a totally different experience to complete it on foot.

What lies ahead in 2015?

I will be working on both the Abruzzo tours this year in Italy and we are looking at new developments for the website.  As technology changes and people spend more time on phones and tablets, websites are having to change too to keep pace.  So there is lots to do to maintain and promote our internet profile and we are starting to make plans for more Information Evenings in new cities Down Under for next year.  And I’m hopeful that there will be time for a few good walks and the odd glass of wine too!from the Greco, Fiano, Biancolella and Falanghina grapes while the reds of the area are most commonly made with the Piedirosso or Aglianico grapes.

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