If you love Italy, books, and conversations that linger long after the plates are cleared, I’d love for you to consider joining me on my next Book Club with a View.

These are small-group trips—never more than six participants—designed and run in partnership with Ciao Andiamo, a stellar Italy-based tour company known for thoughtful, beautifully paced travel.

Here’s where we’ve been so far:

2024: Liguria
2025: Puglia
October 2026: Tuscany & Umbria

Because all of my books are set in Umbria, I suspect the 2026 trip will fill quickly. If you’d like to be on the interest list (and receive dates as soon as they’re set), fill out the form below or send me an email.

Tours are one week long and typically priced around $5,000 USD.

What makes this different

This isn’t just a tour. It’s styled as a book club.

Before we ever set foot in Italy, we meet over Zoom—first to get to know one another, and then to talk about our shared “Big Read.” That means when you arrive in the hotel lobby on day one, there’s no awkward small talk. You already know the people you’ll be traveling with.

Over the course of the week, I host informal aperitivo conversations for anyone who wants to talk about the book—or anything the day has stirred up. You don’t even have to have finished the reading; I promise I can keep a conversation going regardless. (You can get a feel for how these unfold in my post on Matera.)

If you’ve ever been part of a book club, you know how talking about a book creates an unusual kind of closeness. That sense of connection deepens when you’ve just shared something beautiful—and are about to sit down to an unforgettable meal.

Meals, by the way, tend to include plenty of literary sidebars. If you’d like to spark a lively debate, ask Max (who co-owns Ciao Andiamo and leads the tours with me) what he thinks of Under the Tuscan Sun. The man has opinions.

What the Tuscany & Umbria trip may include

While the final itinerary is still coming together, Max tells me we’re likely looking at:

Truffle hunting
A cooking class with a nonna
Winery visits
Guided time in Assisi and Orvieto (including Orvieto’s underground—fascinating)
And, of course, Spello, the town that opened its doors to me and my family. I can’t wait to show it to you.

You can read my posts on Liguria and Puglia to get a sense of the rhythm and spirit of past trips.

The optional writing experience

As a bonus, participants can opt into my travel journaling course at no additional cost.

It’s low-pressure, surprisingly efficient (just five lessons), and designed to stretch people gently—whether they’re seasoned writers or complete beginners. Travel journaling is how my own writing life began, and I believe deeply in the skills it builds: attention, clarity, voice.

Here’s how it works:

We meet over breakfast for a short lesson
Throughout the day, I point out places to notice more deeply
During the afternoon break, writers jot or type
In the evening, they send me their work
I offer encouragement and feedback
The next morning, we talk about it together before moving on

In Puglia, two participants had never written before and weren’t sure they belonged. They were nervous—briefly. Watching them settle into the practice and surprise themselves was genuinely moving.

At our final dinner in Polignano a Mare, someone asked what the journaling had given people. After our rooftop “graduation” meeting that left more than one of us misty-eyed, I sat back and listened as they talked about how it changed the way they experienced the trip—and clarified what mattered to them.

I’m not sure whether it’s the writing itself or my background as a therapist, but these trips often feel like a mix of travel, craft, and gentle personal recalibration.

When they turned the question on me—what surprised you about your scriveners?—the answer came instantly:
Nothing. People are always more talented than they think they are, and more capable of sustained effort than they imagine.

My group of three “scriveners” recently formed a writing group. Not because anyone told them to—but because something real took root between them, and they wanted to stay connected to what the week opened up. This gives me more joy than I know how to explain.

Interested?

You can read testimonials from past participants below.
If you have questions, I’m happy to answer them.

If you’d like to be added to the interest list for Book Club with a View, fill out the form below.

The first six to sign up once the itinerary is finalized will have guaranteed spots; after that, a waitlist will begin.

I can’t wait to travel—and read—with you.

Testimonials

“Think you’re not a writer? Imagine this: lunch in an ancient olive grove with your new-found friends, walking beside an azure sea while you savor gelato, and the melody of the Italian language reverberating off stone walls, warming your heart. Then imagine yourself adding depth to these details with your pen, guided by easy instructions applicable to any writer’s level, all in just a few minutes each day. Still think you’re not a writer? I highly recommend joining Michelle and Max to find out! If nothing else, they curated more than an itinerary. They created a genuine Italian experience, and Michelle taught us how to capture it into written memory. So gift yourself a new skill, and discover la dolce vita!”—Erica

“Whether it was the taste of parmigiano reggiano on perfectly prepared pasta or diffused salty sea air created by rhythmic waves crashing on the rocky coast of Puglia, Max (Ciao Andiamo) provided the palate and we created our personalized “La dolce vita” experience. Michelle held a safe place to learn travel journaling. I never considered myself a writer, but, I learned how to gather my thoughts and “show not tell” through words my travels. Writing has become more important to me and a way to get thoughts and feelings on paper. What a growing experience. “—Mark

I am headed back in April/May…tentatively…so, October isn’t in the cards. I can’t wait to hear what tour you and Max think up…I know it’ll be amazing!“This travel adventure was the writing experience I didn’t realize I needed. Michelle’s prompts, support, guidance and timely feedback catalyzed to help me experience the wonders of southern Italy more intentionally. I changed my wide angle lens to the closer focus of a macro lens through the prompts. They helped me see and experience my travel differently.” — Benita