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The Discovery CompassThe Discovery Compass

  • Home
  • Small Group Travel
  • Luxury Travel
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  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • More
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    • Travel Tips
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Search
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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
  • 0
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
Culture & Lifestyle

Unveiling the World of Luxury Experiential Travel


Luxury experiential travel focuses on providing unique and immersive experiences for travelers, allowing them to engage with local cultures and environments in a more meaningful way (National Geographic). And so… it’s time to totally redefine what luxury travel means in travel, moving beyond traditional opulence to...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • March 26, 2025
  • 1
Luxury Travel

Why Small-Group Travel is the Ultimate Luxury Experience


What is “Luxury of Experience” in Small-Group Travel? Luxury of experience is a travel approach that prioritizes authentic connections, unhurried time, and exclusive access through personal relationships rather than traditional luxury amenities. Unlike conventional luxury focused on material comforts, this...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • March 12, 2025
  • 2
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 13: “Two Guys and a TuTu”


As with every post in this series, if you are jumping in here, it is like jumping into the middle of a movie. Please start with Part 1, or this will make absolutely no sense. It’s been a while since I posted an article in this series!  Sorry about that! But to get you in the mood of 1984 and where my...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 21, 2023
  • 9
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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
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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
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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
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Culture
Culture

Your second trip to Italy may be your first


We’ve been renting homes to travelers for over a  year now, and I’ve noticed two distinct groups of people: ‘Italy first-timers’ and ‘Italian culture chasers’.  In all honesty, some, albeit very few, of the first-timers...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • September 9, 2007
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Culture
Culture

Finding Italy through London Fog this XMas


On Tuesday, December 19th at around 4:30 PM we sat at the departure gate in Los Angeles waiting to board our flight.  It had already been a very long day for us, and we were looking forward to a 10 hour flight to London with...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • December 28, 2006
  • 4
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Culture
Culture

How do they get the flavor out of the food in the states?


I’ve been back in Los Angeles for a week now, and last night we went to an Italian restaurant for dinner for the first time since I got back.  This may not seem like a big deal, but for us, it is always a tragedy. The...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • November 5, 2006
  • 5
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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

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  • Discover Portugal Like a Local: A Road Trip Journey – Everything Inc. on Portugal Tours: Why 8 Days around Porto Beats 8 Cities in 8 Days (A Travel Industry Insider’s Honest Take)
  • Drd on Bella vs. Brutta Figura: How Italians Judge You
  • abdessamed gtumsila on My Life in Italy, Part 13: “Two Guys and a TuTu”
  • abdessamed gtumsila on My Life in Italy, Part 13: “Two Guys and a TuTu”
  • abdessamed gtumsila on Unveiling the World of Luxury Experiential Travel

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