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The Discovery CompassThe Discovery Compass

  • Home
  • Small Group Travel
  • Luxury Travel
  • Experiential Travel
  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • More
    • Personal
    • Destinations
    • Travel Tips
    • Tours & Vacations
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    • Culture
Search
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Expectations

Tomorrow, We Lose Money. Here’s Why I Sleep Perfectly Fine About It


What happens when 2 guests show up for a tour that needs 8 to profit – and what it reveals about an industry that’s forgotten its purpose I was scrolling through TripAdvisor reviews this morning (don’t ask me why I torture myself like this), when I stumbled across something that made me sick to my...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 29, 2025
  • 1
Culture & Lifestyle

The Crisis That Revealed Our True Identity – And Changed Everything


How choosing family over profit during COVID confirmed for us that we were still the company we were always meant to be In March 2020, the entire world seemed to stop, and we were just about to start our season. The entire world stopped traveling, and we faced an impossible choice that would define not just our...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 19, 2025
  • 3
Expectations

The Truth About Italy’s 1 Euro Homes: Why They’re Not Such a Great Deal After All


The headlines are irresistible: “Buy a House in Italy for Just 1 Euro!” Social media feeds overflow with dreamy photos of ancient stone cottages nestled in picturesque Italian villages, all yours for the price of a morning espresso. With over 50 municipalities across Italy participating in these schemes as...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 2, 2025
  • 0
Culinary Experiences

Where Hearts Find Home: The Story of Soriano nel Cimino


Why our first location remains the soul of Culture Discovery Vacations Nearly twenty years ago, in a medieval hilltop village that most travelers have never heard of, a dream was born. While everyone else flocked to the famous piazzas of Florence and the dramatic coastlines of Cinque Terre, we discovered something...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • July 13, 2025
  • 4
Experiential Travel

Small Group Travel Myths Debunked: The Truth About Authentic Cultural Tours


Discover why small group travel myths are wrong! Learn how authentic cultural tours with 14-18 guests offer better value, flexibility, and access than large group tourism. Expert insights from 20+ years in travel.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • July 4, 2025
  • 0
Culture & Lifestyle

Portugal Tours: Why 8 Days around Porto Beats 8 Cities in 8 Days (A Travel Industry Insider’s Honest Take)


Tired of Portugal tours that leave you empty? An industry insider reveals why 8 days immersed in Northern Portugal offers true cultural connection and lasting transformation, far beyond rushing through 8 cities.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • June 24, 2025
  • 1
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Culture
Culture

Bruschetta – The Truth and a Unique Recipe


It’s not really what you think it is… In the states, when you hear the word ‘Bruschetta’, you think about toasted Italian bread with a tomato spread. But to think that way would be like thinking the word...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • May 11, 2009
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Culture
Culture

Rotolo Rose Recipe


An amazing rolled pasta with cheese, Besciamelle and prosciutto dish my mother-in-law in Italy used to make on Sundays every once in a while. When we knew Rotolo Rose was for lunch, nobody was ever late… period!...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 27, 2009
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Culture
Culture

Tuscan Roasted Chicken & Potatoes Recipe


    Pollo Arrosto con Patate Easily one of the most popular recipes we do in our cooking classes, I thought this would be a great recipe to share on the blog. Don’t think this is like any roasted chicken you have...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 26, 2009
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Culture
Culture

The FAMILY feeling of our vacations explained


Our future guests often ask me what our tours are going to be like, and I try to explain the feeling of ‘family’, and how it is so different than anything else out there. Oddly, it is a difficult thing to explain, especially...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • March 13, 2009
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Culture
Culture

Recession-proof your vacation with Culture Discovery Vacations


With so much uncertainty ahead with the economy, skyrocketing fuel prices, and the drastic drop of the Dollar against the Euro over the past couple years; many people have been concerned about planning travel.  In fact,...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • October 7, 2008
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Culture
Culture

Italian… So lost in translation


“My daughter speaks perfect English. After all, she spent a month in England with a native family”. That was the quote that caused me to simply give up, and it speaks volumes about Italian culture and the denial so many of them...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • February 29, 2008
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Culture
Culture

A little more Olive Gardening Laughter…


Face it, I’m back in the states for a few months, so I just don’t have much material for the blog these days.  I mean, when I am in Italy, I could write several posts a day, but I am sitting here in Florida, what...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • December 3, 2007
  • 1
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Culture
Culture

You can travel to Italy without worrying about the weak Dollar


In the past year, the value of the dollar has fallen 10% against the Euro.  That means if the price of something in Europe has not changed, it costs you 10% more if you earn your money in US Dollars.  In other words, a...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • September 26, 2007
  • 0
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Culture
Culture

Would you have a second home in Italy?


It used to be that when I would come to Italy, for the first few days, people would see me and give me a huge ‘welcome back’.  That was then.  I would come here once a year in the summer and spend a month to six weeks...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • September 22, 2007
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Culture
Culture

Slow down and let your vacation happen


Have you ever been on a vacation and come home having the feeling that you need a vacation from your vacation?  Have you ever phoned home and said something to the effect of ‘We’re exhausted, but we’ve seen this, and that,...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • September 10, 2007
  • 1
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Small Groups
Culture Discovery Vacations
Leading Luxury Food & Wine Tour Operator
Authentic culinary experiences with Culture Discovery Vacations

Experience the true meaning of luxury travel with Culture Discovery Vacations - the leading small-group culinary tour operator, offering immersive experiences that go beyond traditional opulence.

  • Hands-on cooking classes with local families
  • Authentic all-inclusive pricing with no hidden costs
  • Boutique accommodations with character
  • Exclusive access to family vineyards
★★★★★
5.0/5 from 384+ reviews on TripAdvisor
"We didn't feel like tourists—we felt like family. The cooking classes changed how I think about food."
— Mark S., Tuscany Tour
Discover Our Tours
Italy • Portugal • Spain • Croatia

Recent Comments


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  • Michael Kovnick on Where Hearts Find Home: The Story of Soriano nel Cimino

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