At Onward Travel, we’re a small family business – and we believe in the power of supporting other small family businesses wherever we go. From the bustling food markets of Tuscany to the quiet fjordside bakeries in Norway, we seek out local artisans, farmers, winemakers, and chefs whose passion and hospitality shape the places they call home. These personal connections not only enrich our travelers’ experiences but also help sustain the communities we visit. Traveling this way feels more meaningful – and a whole lot more delicious.
Mozzarella and Memories on the Amalfi Coast
We love Italy’s Amalfi Coast and have been bringing travelers there for many years. One of the biggest reasons? To reconnect with a cheesemaker who has become like family to us.
Biagio and Kat making mozzarella
Biagio Staiano is the last artisanal cheesemaker on the entire Amalfi Coast. He teaches our travelers how to make a big batch of fresh mozzarella, sharing his secrets along the way. If you’ve never experienced just-made mozzarella, it’s a tasty treat that you’ll never forget!
Biagio’s caseificio (cheese factory) is open daily to the public. The mozzarella class happens upstairs, where everyone gets to take a turn stretching the cheese and shaping it into a ball, twist, or braid. Biagio’s personality makes this such a special experience for our travelers – he’s hilarious and engaging!
Kat met Biagio in 2017 when she was a leading a tour of the Amalfi Coast. He was a guest at a cooking class the group attended and led the cheesemaking portion. “It was the clear highlight of the tour. So, when we returned to Amalfi with two groups in 2019, I got in touch, and he offered a class at his cheese shop. We have been there seven times with groups since 2019!” exclaimed Kat.
Cheese making in Amalfi with Biagio in 2024
Biagio’s family has been producing cheese and mozzarella with cow’s milk for four generations. His father opened the cheese shop fifty years ago to sell the cheese his family made. He chose a small, two-story, abandoned chapel built in 1800 in the Piazza Fontana in Ravello.
Biagio started working in the shop as soon as he was old enough – making mozzarella in the laboratory before going to school. Today, Biagio runs the business with his mother’s help. Biagio’s wife Karolina, who assists with the mozzarella classes, says her curd-making experience plays an important role. She and Biagio met more than 20 years ago in Krakow, Poland, when they were both living there. They eventually decided to move back to Ravello and run the family shop.
“Biagio produces his cheese using fresh, local cow’s milk, natural rennet, and Sicilian sea salt – no artificial additives or preservatives are used. The entire process is handmade, and this very high-quality cheese is sold daily in his shop only,” said Karolina. Biagio only offers his mozzarella class on request, and our travelers always say it’s a highlight of their trip.
A Ravello Business where Family is the Main Ingredient
We’ve also gotten close to another family in Ravello, and their business is Da Ciccio Cielo Mare Terra, established in 1911. The Cavaliere family has a small hotel, winery, and our favorite restaurant in the region, where sourdough bread is prepared daily. It’s truly a family affair as all four children of Ciccio are involved: Giuseppe is the sommelier, Antonio the maître d’hôtel, Marco the executive chef and Stefano handles public relations.
Kat with travelers on the terrace of Da Ciccio in 2024
A highlight of our visit to Da Ciccio is the special hands-on cooking class they offer for our travelers, with a tour of their organic farm which includes vineyards, fruit trees, lemon groves and vegetable gardens – as well as family secrets and local stories. Our travelers always find it a delight to spend time with this multi-generational family!
Ballymaloe: Ireland’s Farm-to-Table Legacy
But it’s not only Italy where our family relationships are strong. Whenever we visit Ireland, we include a visit to Ballymaloe Cookery School and Ballymaloe House in County Cork. This school has been in business since 1983 and offers a renowned 12-week cooking program, as well as an organic farm. Founded by Darina Allen and her brother Rory O’Connell, it is one of the most prestigious cooking schools in the world.
Molly at Ballymaloe
In 2008, Molly took a semester off from college to work at Ballymaloe. “Once the shock of all the dishwashing I had to do wore off, I had a wonderful time living amidst the farm, gardens, and other food enthusiasts. When I wasn’t earning my keep cooking for and working at the local farmers’ market, I spent plenty of time in Darina’s own kitchen and enjoyed many cooking classes at the school,” said Molly.
This family-owned country house hotel and restaurant is recognized as the birthplace of modern Irish cuisine. Sustainability is their guiding principle, and their herb garden is the stuff of gardening dreams!
Molly with travelers at Ballymaloe in 2017
Crete’s Living Traditions: Meet the Makers
One of our new tour destinations this year is Crete, and we have partnered with Mirsini Iliopoulou, a professional guide passionate about her homeland of Greece. Mirsini lives in the picturesque coastal town of Rethymno (one of our stops on the tour) and often spends time in her mountain village, helping with the family orchards filled with cherries, apples, walnuts, and more. She loves to focus on the people and experiences of Crete, just as we do on all our small group tours.
Mirsini guiding a tour in Crete
From artisan bakers to monks who make olive oil and wine to knifemakers, we will learn how these small, family-run businesses are deeply linked to Crete’s cultural and agricultural history.
We’ll meet a phyllo expert who is now 88 years old. His son and grandson mostly run the business today, but he still prepares baklava pastry meticulously. We’ll visit a traditional potter who has been creating pottery his entire life, while his wife works on the conservation of ancient pottery. They’ve joined forces to create pieces that are modern yet follow ancient techniques.
Greek musical instruments
We’ll also visit a family business that handcrafts the traditional Cretan lyra – a three stringed, pear-shaped musical instrument. “One of the things Crete is famous for is music,” Mirsini shared. “This workshop has collaborated with some of the most famous musicians on the island, making instruments for them and influencing the history of music. We’ll meet the son who will show us the different instruments, how they are made, and, if we’re lucky, play a tune or two!”
Hidden Hospitality in the Heart of Venice
When our group of ladies travels to Venice this September, they will stay at the three-star Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo, managed by our favorite owner-operators, Valter and Sandro. This ancient Venetian palace features rooms equipped with every modern comfort yet furnished in the fashionable style of 18th century Venice. The location is a dream – well away from the hubbub of Rialto and St. Mark’s Square – so our travelers feel less like tourists.
Our Venice travelers will also dine at a romantic Venetian osteria where the talented young husband is the chef and his wife manages the front of the house. They have become friends of Onward Travel, and the food is simply spectacular. The menu captures the simplicity of traditional Venetian cuisine, with a few contemporary reinterpretations that surprise and delight diners, dish after dish. The osteria overlooks the Rio de le Colonete, one of the most visited and photographed Venetian views.
Venice, Italy
At Onward Travel, we believe the most memorable moments happen when people connect – family to family, across cultures and generations. These relationships bring depth and heart to every journey we plan, whether we’re rolling mozzarella with Biagio in Ravello or listening to handmade lyra in a Cretan workshop. Supporting small family-run businesses is about more than great meals and local charm (though there’s plenty of that!), it’s about traveling in a way that sustains communities, honors tradition, and fosters real human connection.
Ready to join us on a trip full of heart and flavor?
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