LOCAL GUIDES
Led by passionate local guides who will give you a true insider's perspective into their beloved regions and traditions
Puglia Tour
EXPLORE DEEPLY
Curated experiences in Italy's majestic national parks, pristine coastlines, jewel-box medieval towns & under-the-radar cities
FOOD & WINE
Dive into local culture through food - from Abruzzo's arrosticini to Puglia's orecchiette to the Riviera's pesto Genovese
At the Heart of Majella Tours of Italy
My name is Michelle DiBenedetto-Capobianco. I started Majella Tours of Italy in 2017 when I began leading curated, small-group tours of the untrodden region of Abruzzo, where my dad was born. I'm a former corporate lawyer turned cooking school owner in New York, and have spent the past 25 years exploring and savoring the far corners of Italy. I'm thrilled to expand my "Travel Deeper"-style, immersive tours to other Italian regions that are dear to me including Puglia & Matera and the Italian Riviera (Liguria) in 2025.
Testimonials
If you can only take one trip to Italy, this should be the one!
- Ilene & Rich, Nevada
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
Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your passion for Abruzzo with us. We all felt the fact that you are authentically in love with the place. Your wide eyed wonder for the simplicity of this motherland wrapped us in humility for the simple blessings of the earth. When folks ask how my trip was I found that my reply has been… It was just like going home! Again… grazie!
- Shirley, Maine
At a friend’s suggestion, in 2018, I booked a tour with Majella Tours quickly followed with a return visit in 2019. Michelle, the knowledgeable tour founder and Abruzzo insider uses her long-term relationships with the very best vendors to personally arrange every detail, lodging, meal with perfect wine pairings, and hidden cultural treasure, all for your enjoyment. Abruzzo is a less traveled region not overrun with large tour buses of American visitors, even in the summer. The pictures I have framed and hanging in my home remind me daily of warm memories of lush valleys and mountains, hidden monasteries, sparkling Adriatic Sea, and little-known towns with their food and craft specialties. I cannot wait to return soon to reconnect with my Abruzzo family of friends and have a reunion with former tour participants who share a similar love and longing for Abruzzo!
- Barbara, Florida
Majella Tours of Abruzzo was an incredible introduction to a beautiful, underappreciated region of Italy. Each day of the tour featured a fabulous mix of experiences: a mountain hike followed by lunch and shopping in a lovely small village and, later on, an evening wine tasting one day; assisting with an olive harvest, attending a cooking class for local pasta, and a sumptuous dinner with a musical performance by local musicians the next. So many fantastic meals and outings with a wonderful, small group of other travelers and an incredibly knowledgeable host and guides. I can't wait to join Michelle for another tour soon!
- John & Kim, New York
Although I have visited Italy a number of times, my trip to Abruzzo with Michelle was memorable and heartwarming. Instead of being on a large tour bus, we were a group of 11 who I still keep in touch with after 3 years. Michelle’s passion and knowledge of Abruzzo was contagious. We met, stayed and dined with people she knows personally and professionally. And because of Michelle’s experience as a chef, she personally curated every meal and special event we took part in. It was like experiencing Italy with a local. In fact, I found myself back there the following year on another Majella experience. Not to be missed.
- Lynn, Florida