Why Travel With Shelley?

Shelley Wiseman, Former Food Editor at Gourmet Magazine, has been traveling all her life and there is nothing she enjoys more than food and travel! “Learning cooking techniques in their place of origin gives you context way beyond the dish itself,” she believes. Shelley, a native of New York City, also grew up in Mexico and Brazil. Her career has taken her from Paris (6 years) and back to her beloved Mexico (9 years) where she opened a French cooking school (Ecole de Cuisine La Place) in Mexico City, to Gourmet Magazine in New York, where culinary trips around the world were a perk of the job. As her own trips have grown, she has partnered with like minded, seasoned organizers and leaders in different locations of interest to ensure participants get a very personal tour. Click here to learn more about Shelley’s travel and culinary experience.

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE ~ Chateaux Winter Wonderland ❄️: Dec 9 - 17, 2026

Join Coral Miles, Oxford‑educated historian, and Shelley Wiseman for a carefully curated Christmas journey through the Loire Valley. This small‑group itinerary combines the region’s most important châteaux with seasonal experiences, local gastronomy, and comfortable accommodation at the family‑run Les Jardins Haute Couture. The programme balances guided visits, hands‑on experiences, and free time in historic towns and Christmas markets. Highlights include decorated châteaux, truffle hunting, festive cooking workshops, wine and spirits tastings, concerts, and regional dining. Designed for travellers who value history, food, and a relaxed but well‑organised pace, Noël aux Châteaux offers a clear, immersive introduction to the Loire Valley during the Christmas season.

Full itinerary found here!

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO ~ February 10th to 16th, 2027

Our culinary journey will take us to world-class & Michelin rated restaurants, charming bakeries, and authentic street food stalls. We'll savor the best of Mexico City's street food, including internationally acclaimed tacos, and explore local markets to sample exotic fruits and learn the stories behind traditional ingredients. You’ll get to indulge in traditional Mexican dishes, explore new culinary movements, and enjoy cooking classes led by local chefs. We'll take a walking tour of downtown Mexico City, visit Bellas Artes to admire murals by Mexico's most renowned painters and explore other iconic landmarks like the Zócalo, and the Frida Kahlo Museum in the charming Coyoacan. A highlight of our trip is the boat ride on a trajinera through the canals of Xochimilco, another UNESCO World Heritage site.

View full itinerary here!

GENOA & THE ITALIAN RIVIERA ~ September 15 - 23, 2027

Our week will be spent going deeper into Liguria than most visitors ever get: visiting nearly 200-year-old basil greenhouses where Genoese pesto is still made with a mortar and pestle, a noble palace for a hands-on cooking class, and into the hidden arcades of Chiavari where a candlemaker has been at work for five centuries. There are boat trips to a medieval abbey sitting right on the beach at San Fruttuoso, a walking wine tour through the alleys of Rapallo, and a cooking class held on a vineyard estate outside La Spezia. The Cinque Terre and Portofino are on the itinerary too, but approached on local terms, away from the tourist trail. This is Liguria truly lived!

View full itinerary here!