Grand Tasting Tour, Sussex Made, Italian Soul 🇮🇹🚌

Grand Tasting Tour | Sussex Made. Italian Soul. 🇮🇹🚌

A Taste of Italy, Crafted in Sussex

📅 Date: Friday, 21st August 2026

🕙 Time: 10:00 AM departure – 3:30 PM return

📍 Departure: Brighton Seafront

🎟️ Tickets: £65 per person — Strictly limited to 22 tickets!

Join Us for an Unforgettable Day

The Brighton Italian Festival is proud to present the first-ever Grand Tasting Tour — a unique one-day journey celebrating the best of Sussex's Italian-inspired food, wine, and culture, aboard the iconic Big Lemon electric bus.

From artisan focaccia in historic Lewes to organic wine at a premier vineyard, guided olive oil and Sussex cheese tastings, a live Pizzica folk dance session, and a Limoncello toast to send you home happy — this is a celebration of one day, many flavours, and unforgettable memories.

Only 22 tickets are available to keep the experience intimate. Once they’re gone, they’re gone — book early to secure your seat!

What’s Included

• 🚌 Eco-Friendly Travel: Return transport on the 100% electric Big Lemon bus

• 🧀 Focaccia & EVOO: Artisan Focaccia Genovese workshop & Pugliese olive oil tasting

• 🍷 Vineyard Experience: Guided wine tasting at an award-winning organic estate

• 🥂 Aperitivo: On-board alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks en route

• 🧀 Cheese & Grazing: Local Sussex cheese tasting paired with expert commentary

• 💃 Cultural Workshops: Live Pizzica folk dance session & interactive Italian lesson

• 🍋 Sweet Finale: Homemade Italian dessert and a final Limoncello toast

Tour Itinerary

10:00 AM — Departure from Brighton Seafront_ Madeira Terrace in front of the Zip line-

Board the Big Lemon, meet your host, and settle in with an interactive on-board Italian language lesson as we head into the Sussex countryside.

10:30 AM — Stop 1: Lewes

Caccia & Tails — Artisan Focaccia & Puglia EVOO Workshop

Learn the secrets of fresh artisan focaccia from expert Elisa Furci and taste it hot from the oven, paired with a guided tasting of extra virgin olive oil and olives imported directly from Puglia.

12:30 PM — Stop 2: Oxney Organic Estate, Rye

Vineyard Visit, Wine, Cheese & Folk Dance

Explore England’s premier organic vineyard with a guided wine tasting paired with Italian-style Sussex cheeses from The Cheese Hut. Afterward, try your hand (and feet!) at Pizzica, a high-energy traditional Southern Italian folk dance led by Mariangela Franco.

2:30 PM — Stop 3: The Secret Italian Finale

We wrap up the journey at one of Sussex’s hidden gems of Italian culture for homemade Italian dessert, a final Limoncello toast, and time to unwind before heading back.

3:30 PM — Return to Brighton

Arrive back at Brighton Seafront happy, well-fed, and feeling a little more Italian than when you left.

Meet Your Cultural Guides

• William Ranieri — Hosting an interactive Italian language session covering essential travel phrases, culture, and culinary terminology.

• Elisa Furci Giannella Olive Oil rep and Focaccia Genovese expert sharing the secrets of traditional baking alongside insights into EVOO production, harvest, and flavor profiling.

• The Cheese Hut — Local Sussex cheese expert guiding an Italian-inspired cheese tasting and grazing experience.

• Mariangela Franco — Sharing authentic Pugliese traditions and leading our live Pizzica dance session.

Key Information

• Ticket Price: £65 per person

• Includes: Return bus transport, all food and wine tastings, vineyard entry, on-board aperitivo, dessert, Limoncello, and all live workshops.

• Capacity: 22 seats total.

• Pick-up & Drop-off: Brighton Seafront.

• Contact: brightonitalianfestival@gmail.com

🎟️ Strictly 22 seats available. Book yours now and join us for Sussex Made, Italian Soul!