Why We Built VinAway Journeys
It Didn’t Start as a Business Idea
VinAway Journeys didn’t begin with spreadsheets, pricing models, or a startup pitch deck.
It began with conversations.
With moments at crowded café tables and quiet countryside kitchens. With long drives through parts of Italy most visitors never see. With friends from the U.S. saying the same thing again and again:
“We want to experience Italy the way you do… but we don’t know where to begin.”
That question stayed with us.
And slowly, VinAway was born.
We Saw a Gap Between Tourism and Real Italy
Over the years, we watched two very different Italys take shape.
One Italy was polished and packaged — rushed itineraries, large groups, constant motion, the same landmarks repeated endlessly.
The other Italy was quieter:
The Italy of village farmers and small wineries
Of meals that last hours
Of landscapes that don’t compete for attention
Of people who don’t sell their culture — they simply live it
Most travelers never reach this second Italy. Not because it’s hidden — but because no one guides them there with care.
VinAway was built to be that bridge.
Why “VinAway”
The name says everything.
“Vin” for wine — not just the drink, but what wine represents in Italy: time, land, patience, and connection.
“Away” not as escape, but as transition — a step out of routine and into something slower, deeper, more human.
VinAway is not about chasing experiences.
It’s about entering a rhythm.
Small Groups, By Design
We made one decision early that shaped everything:
We would never build journeys for the masses.
Every VinAway experience is intentionally small. Not for exclusivity — but for intimacy.
Because:
Conversations change in small groups
Meals feel different
People open up
Places reveal themselves
Time stretches
Large tours move fast because they have to.
Small journeys move slowly because they can.
Why Abruzzo Became Our First Home
Italy offers endless beauty. But not every region is right for a first journey — or for the kind of trust-based travel we believe in.
Abruzzo chose us before we chose it.
It offered:
Mountains and sea in the same day
Villages untouched by tourism
Food still tied to necessity
Winemakers who answer their own phones
Landscapes that reorder your sense of scale
Most importantly, Abruzzo still allows visitors to arrive as people, not as “tourists.”
That distinction matters to us.
Travel Without Performance
VinAway Journeys are not built around spectacle.
They are built around:
Long lunches instead of rushed tastings
Conversations over schedules
Site visits that linger
Silence where silence belongs
Spontaneity where structure normally dominates
We don’t promise to show you everything.
We promise to show you what matters.
For Those Not Just Visiting — But Rediscovering
Our travelers are not chasing Instagram checklists.
They are:
People returning to themselves
Couples entering a new chapter
Professionals redefining success
Future expats testing the emotional waters
Curious minds searching for a different tempo of life
VinAway is not about collecting destinations.
It is about shifting perspective.
Why We Limit Ourselves
VinAway’s growth will always be slow. Intentionally so.
Because this work requires:
Local trust
Deep relationships
Cultural sensitivity
Constant presence on the ground
And time — always time
We are not here to scale rapidly.
We are here to scale correctly.
What We Hope Every Traveler Carries Home
We don’t measure success in photos taken or miles covered.
We measure it in:
How differently you walk when you return
How long you sit at dinner
How often you choose local over convenient
How quietly the world begins to feel afterwards
If one journey causes you to slow down — even briefly — VinAway has done its work.
A Quiet Philosophy
VinAway Journeys was never built to impress.
It was built to last.