Learn more about what travelling with me means
Have you ever watched a travel show and wished you could step inside the screen?
As a chef and restaurateur, I get exclusive access to vineyards and winemakers through personalized experiences that are not available to the public. You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted wine right out of the barrel!
I’ve guided friends and relatives on trips abroad to create priceless memories. Now, I want to share that with you – so that you, too, can have that feeling of living inside a show on the Travel Channel.
A little more about me:
At 15, I first traveled to Europe with my dad, before the age of Google Maps and Trip Advisor. A meticulous planner, I studied a beaten-up paperback and put together a week-long adventure on the Mediterranean. I spoke no French, Italian, Greek or Turkish, but we made it work and we had a blast.
Fast forward 20 years: I’ve taken my partner Darcy on yearly self-guided trips to key wine regions in Spain. Using my industry connections, I’ve befriended winemakers I admire, and they’ve connected me to their friends!
As a traveler, I am intrepid and energetic with a well-honed sense of adventure and a knack for problem solving that comes in very handy!
My trips are structured yet relaxed — you can rely on me for plans that balance adventure and chill! And I’ve worked on my language skills, speaking fluent Spanish, decent French, and good-enough Italian.
My mission when I travel is to create memorable experiences, connect with likeminded people across the world, and immerse myself in the local culture.
Here’s a taste of our itinerary…
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Day 1: Welcome to our hotel in Barcelona and enjoy a night of vermut & tapeo
Arrive in Barcelona, settle into our 4* hotel, take a quick siesta to squash the jet lag, and join us in the evening for Vermut y Tapeo at a local bar/restaurant that we love.
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Day 2: Barcelona highlights, lunch by the beach and check into our farmhouse in Penedès
Ride the local subway and tour Gaudí’s famous Parc Güell in the morning, followed by a seafood-packed lunch in La Barceloneta, a working class neighborhood by the beach that’s off the beaten path. Enjoy a post-lunch stroll along the piers and up La Rambla, where we’ll split up for a little adventure & shopping time. Check out the Barri Gòtic and the Boqueria market, and shop for gifts to bring back home. In the early evening, we’ll meet back at the hotel and drive out to Penedès. Wind down with dinner & drinks at our farmhouse.
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Day 3: Tour bodegas in Priorat and Montsant with lunch at a local restaurant
We’ll enjoy a Spanish-style breakfast buffet at our place and drive out to Priorat, 1.5 hours away. I’ll arrange an exclusive and private winery tour followed by lunch at a local restaurant recommended by our wine friends. In the afternoon, we’ll do another winery visit in nearby Montsant before heading back to our place for down time, dinner and drinks.
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Day 4: Tour two family-owned bodegas in Penedès
Start with breakfast at the house before we drive to a local family-owned bodega and farm for a tour and tasting right in Penedès. We’ll do lunch in town and roll over to another bodega in the area for round 2. Dinner will be served at our place.
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Day 5: Sparkling wine vineyard tour & lunch with the winemakers
Enjoy breakfast at our place and visit an exclusive bodega specializing in sparkling wine. Learn all about the history and production of sparkling wines in Penedès and what makes this bodega truly special, and tour the vineyards for a light lesson in geography and agronomy followed by a traditional Spanish lunch at a leisurely clip. We’ll enjoy one final dinner together and have a bottle packing party so all our souvenirs get home safely.
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Day 6: Say goodbye :(
Time to pack it up and head home! We’ll have one last breakfast together and head back to the city for our flights home.
“Every detail was thoughtfully executed. We're thrilled with the outcome.”
— Former Customer
Our ideal travel partners:
Six to eight folks who are passionate about food and wine and have an adventurous spirit. Couples & solo travelers welcome!
You must also have an active and valid passport with no travel restrictions and be 25 years of age or older. No pets, no children!
Don’t see a destination that interests you?
I have planned custom trips for folks based on demand. If you get a group together I will use all my experience, knowledge and connections to plan and guide the trip of your dreams for you and your group.
My years of buying and selling wines have given me contacts and connections in many countries and wine producing regions. Spain and South America are my specialties due to taste and language, but I’m nothing if not determined and resourceful! Give me the challenge!
Testimonial
Get your ass on a plane and get over here!
Testimonial
You should definitely travel with Milena and Darcy.
Ready to jump on board?
Fill out my questionnaire to indicate your interest without a binding commitment. Once we’ve reviewed all eager travel buddies, we will be in touch to get started.