In our monthly newsletter, you'll find travel tips and updates to travel regulations that we have researched so you don’t have to. We also include restaurant and experience recommendations every time we travel; most of our content is on Europe and the UK.
What do wine, pistachios, olive oil and a volcano all have in common?
Published about 1 month ago • 7 min read
September 2026
Wine Tasting Tour In Sicily and Updates To Our Florence, Italy Guides
Ciao Reader,
This summer in Italy has been especially hot and humid; we keep thinking there is an end in sight and then the forecast changes. We’ve mostly been staying home to avoid the heat and working on our blog; more on what’s new to the blog later in this newsletter. We’re excited to tell you about an amazing new wine and gastronomy tour through Sicily. If you’ve been to Italy before but haven’t made it to Sicily yet, this tour will give you every reason to go.
We’ve recently partnered with a company that curates the best wine experiences worldwide, and we’re excited to announce a new wine and gastronomy tour that is being offered in Sicily. But first, a little about the company that we’ve partnered with. Winedering curates winery and wine tasting experiences all over the world; some of them even have a gastronomy component. What is unique about Winedering is that they aren’t just a marketplace for wine tours; they have nurtured relationships with the wineries and built a collection of wine experiences that you can’t find on other tour marketplaces. The best part: if you can’t find what you’re looking for, contact us, and we’ll see what Winedering can put together especially for you! Now let’s talk about the new wine and gastronomy tour in Sicily!
What do wine, pistachios, olive oil, and a volcano all have in common?
Answer: Sicily! More specifically, this new wine and gastronomy tour in Sicily
Typically, we don’t recommend multi-day tour packages because they seem stuffed with travelers who are being carted around to only the top sites for just long enough to say they saw the thing. This special wine and gastronomy tour caught our eye because it’s for a small group, with every detail carefully planned, as Winedering has worked with local wineries that rarely open their doors.
A 10-day crescendo culminating on the north face of Mt. Etna. The journey begins at sea level in Ortigia, climbs into the Iblei Mountains among cult winemakers and Monti Iblei olive oil, reaches the north slope of the volcano (Etna) and its 2,600 meters high crus (volcanic vineyards of Mt. Etna) — and then comes back down to the Ionian Sea, where a Michelin-starred table and a producer’s private table close the final 2 dinners of the story. Did you know that Europe’s highest active volcano is now one of the world's most compelling wine regions?
Exquisite wine tastings
Cellar tours
As you gradually work your way up, you’ll enjoy boutique hotels & wine estates, private transfers from the minute you land, wine tastings at 9 different producers, local gastronomy, sightseeing, and time to relax. The tour includes 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 8 dinners - the wine too! If you’re counting, that’s 25 of 27 meals! These aren't just meals; they're celebrations. You’ll taste olive oil, chocolate, and enjoy a pistachio experience in Bronte. Explore Siracusa, Noto, Modica, Bronte, and Taormina with walking tours with an expert guide ( also included). Plus free time while you’re there to explore a little more. They’ve even built in time for you to relax at the fabulous properties that you’ll stay in. This tour really has it all!
Stay in country estates
Stay at exclusive wine estates
Imagine just packing your bags and boarding your flight; no research and no logistical wizardry. Once you arrive, you don’t have to manage anything because you’ll be greeted at the airport by your private driver, and throughout the trip you’ll have a dedicated tour leader who is a wine travel expert (a wine specialist, not a walking guide).
Fabulous dinners, one with a Michelin-starred chef!
Time to relax at the estates
This only scratches the surface of this tour. Reply to this email for details on this unforgettable Sicilian wine & gastronomy experience. If you know someone who might be interested in this tour, please forward this email to them!
Siracusa, Sicily
Noto, Sicily
Updates on our Twice the Traveler blog
We’ve revamped our Florence Travel Guide. With separate topic-specific guides, you’ll have all the details and recommendations you need to plan your time in Florence. The topics we’ve covered:
The best things to do in Florence (and how to do them) - from the most popular things to do to a few lesser-frequented options. We’re giving you all the deets on what you can do in Florence and the best way to do them.
7 excellent day trips from Florence, and how to get there - if you’re in Florence for more than a couple of days, we recommend getting out of town at least one day. These are our favorite options and include information about how to get there from Florence.
Florence Travel Guide - this guide has been updated and is an essential overview with some detail; for more details on a specific topic, you’ll find links to the posts listed above throughout this guide.
*We’ll be updating all of our city guides to include more details and recommendations, so stay tuned; Rome is probably next.
Updates on Europe's EES (entry/exit system) and ETIAS (European Travel Information Authorization System)
If you haven’t heard yet, Europe has been undergoing some changes at entry and exit points, and they're affecting travelers big time. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about EES and ETIAS
EES:
EES is the new electronic entry and exit system that captures your biometric data when you enter and exit the European Union.
EES began rolling out in October 2025 and was to be in all airports by mid-April 2026.
When the peak travel season began, many airports experienced technical difficulties that led to unprecedented numbers of missed flights and connections.
For the peak travel season, the EU relaxed the rules and allowed airports to bypass the system (reverting to the standard system) when wait times were too long.
On September 6, 2026, airports resumed using the new EES, and the hope is that it will work better before the holiday travel season.
*This will not go away; the EU is going to find a way to make it work, as it has helped them to keep over 60,000 people from entering illegally.
ETIAS: We’ve been hearing about the European Travel Information Authorization System (basically a visa) for years. The short story is that the EU has been trying to get this going since 2008 (yes, that’s not a typo). For various reasons, this keeps getting delayed. Earlier this year, we reported that it was expected to go into effect in late 2026. You guessed it, it’s been delayed again. For now, you don’t need a visa to come to the EU from the United States, but the plan is to start this sometime in 2027. As always, we’ll let you know when we hear anything new.
We want to hear from you. If you have any questions about travel, please send us an email or reply directly to this newsletter. We’re happy to help.
All of the guides that we have written on Florence, Italy, including where to stay, the best hotels, the best restaurants, the best things to do, and day trips from Florence.
If you need help planning your trip and want a rough itinerary to get you started or a custom travel plan, visit our site twicethetravelplanner.com or reply to this email!
A Few Of Our Favorite Travel Resources:
Winedering - The best marketplace for finding and booking wine tours, hands down. These guys have direct relationships with wineries all over the world. They focus on authenticity, small wineries, family-run estates, and independent guides. You won't find these tours anywhere else. Enjoy winery tours, tastings, wine with lunch, and more on a Winedering tour.
*Filter the "pickup and drop-off service" option to "customer meeting point" to find tours with transportation.
VoiceMap - Harness the power to explore on your own, at your pace, with a self-guided audio tour. No big tour group, no failing equipment, and no straining to hear a guide. Select a tour, download it, grab your favorite earbuds and phone, start, pause, and stop at your leisure!
Get Your Guide - A marketplace for tours that is growing every day. Compare tours and reviews to find the best one for you. We typically find tours for larger historical sites and museums here.
Walks - This company curates some of the best and most exclusive VIP and small group tour opportunities. We use this company to find extra special experiences.
Devour - This tour company is obsessed with finding the most authentic and tasty food. We think that’s the best approach to a food tour! A food tour usually takes you to multiple locations to try the best foods in town, and they often include drinks. We highly recommend a food tour anytime you visit a new country or region.
DiscoverCars - These car rentals are not only competitively priced, but they are in just about every destination you might be headed to. A bonus: they have a high customer satisfaction rate, and we love that.
You can find more of our favorite travel websites, apps, and products on our website in the Resources section. These are all the resources that we frequently use to plan and enjoy a trip.
*No BS, we want to be transparent; some of the links included on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. We only recommend products and companies that we have vetted. Thanks for your support, this helps us bring you travel tips!
In our monthly newsletter, you'll find travel tips and updates to travel regulations that we have researched so you don’t have to. We also include restaurant and experience recommendations every time we travel; most of our content is on Europe and the UK.
