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 Tuscany, Italy - 8 nights
Available May and October - Saturday to Sunday
For a truly unique cooking and wine tasting vacation let us introduce you to Tuscany: a world of history, beauty and gastronomic riches. This is a tour that will delight the history buff and the food and wine connoisseur.
Since ancient times, Italy has been a center of artistic and culinary delights and nowhere is this more evident than Tuscany. Florence, Montalcino, Montepulciano and Siena are just a few of the stops along our road of discovery. We have arranged the itinerary to allow time to explore the incredible areas you’ll see, and taste the local cuisine. The riches of the region will be apparent as you hike, explore and eat your way through some of Italy’s most beautiful and inspirational scenery and cities of art. ITINERARY Day One  After meeting the group at Florence we are off to Tenuta Caparzo outside of Montalcino, which will be our home for the next week. We will start the day with a tour and tasting at this esteemed estate before getting settled into the nearby villa.
Today you will enjoy a relaxing dinner at the villa, where we can enjoy its spectacular views overlooking Montalcino. Day Two  After a night of Italian cuisine there will be some well deserved sleeping in time. It is Sunday morning after all. The day begins with a visit to the abbey at Sant’Antimo. This is considered one of Italy’s finest examples of Romanesque architecture and is the only place in Italy where the monks still perform Gregorian chants. We’ll dine at the local osteria – a truly family run operation. The house specialty is a Cinghiale (Wild Boar) stew which is a great accompaniment to the wine made by the owner.
After lunch we are off to the villa for some afternoon drinks by the pool. We will enjoy our first cooking class tonight. Your host, of course, will serve the wine. Remember when cooking in Italy, or anywhere for that matter, it is an ounce of wine for the sauce and an ounce of wine for the chef. We’ll enjoy a fine meal, drinks by the pool and roll into bed, ready for another day. Day Three  We’re heading deep into the heart of Tuscan wine country. There be some time to relax in the morning, which may include a walk around the vineyards or a swim in the pool. We’ll have an early lunch at the villa and then we'll be exploring Chianti. We’ll do tours and tastings at two wineries in the region before visiting the charming town of Castellina in Chianti.
You’ll have an plenty of time to wander around this charming town. Be sure to hit the local Chianti cooperative store for souvenirs. We’ll dine in the region at Osteria di Fonterutoli; owned by the Mazzei family. The charming osteria serves simple but refined cuisine and the meal will be matched by the wines from this legendary estate. Day Four  It's market day in Florence — though, truth be told, it’s always market day in Florence. We’ll begin with an optional bus tour of the city which provides you a great perspective that will allow you to focus on where you would like to spend your free time as you fill your day with art and architecture during your explorations. But if you want to shop, you can choose from an open air market where you'll find great textiles or, if your tastes veer to the best things in life, make your way over to the river Arno and the Ponte Vecchio — a unique bridge that spans the river and and leads to a jewelry district. While you tour this impressive city, we’ll be selecting the wine and groceries for the evening’s dinner back at the villa. We’ll even have hors d’oeuvres and wine on a train ride — an experience in itself. Dinner is back at the villa tonight.
For those wishing to visit any of the major museums it is recommended to pre-book your tours on-line. Day Five  We have an exciting day ahead of us, so we are giving you the opportunity to sleep in or join the group in a leisurely visit of nearby Montalcino in the morning. We’ll have a light lunch at the villa then we are off to become a Chef for a Day at Badia a Passignano. This is the home of Antinori’s famous wines — Tignanello, Solaia and Badia a Passignano — and a Michelin Star restaurant. We’ll learn how to prepare elegant Tuscan cuisine from their head chef before dining on an amazing four-course menu paired with wines selected by their master sommelier. This is a day you will never forget!
Day Six  It’s time to relax and truly enjoy the community of villages and towns that make up Southern Tuscany. We visit the spectacular hilltop town of Montepulciano. Be prepared to climb some stairs to get into this car-free town, but once you reach the top you’ll enjoy spectacular views and boutique wine shops.
Next is Pienza — the home of Tuscany’s famous Pecorino cheese. Pienza is an epicurean treasure. We’ll have lunch at our favourite trattoria. Then it is a short drive to Montalcino. We’ll enjoy a glorious meal highlighting ingredients picked up on the day’s adventure. Day Seven  We’ll travel to Siena — one of Tuscany’s most spectacular cities. We have a walking tour arranged or you can choose to explore the town on your own; we recommend visiting the Duomo and going inside to see its famous octagonal pulpit. But don’t forget to take some time to relax at one of the cafés or restaurants surrounding the Piazza del Campo. You can easily spend the day daydreaming and chatting in this spectacular town square.
After our day's activities, we’ll visit a famous Brunello winery to taste some of Tuscany's greatest wines. Then we'll enjoy a glorious meal at our favourite restaurant, Boccon Davino. Day Eight  It’s time to say goodbye to Southern Tuscany. We’ll leave mid-morning. We will travel to San Gimignano; the City of Towers. This Unesco World Heritage site is something to behold. We’l first check-in to Frattoria Poggio Alloro; a charming hotel and working farm located just outside of the town. We’ll enjoy lunch here, dining on the produce of the farm. Next we’ll visit San Gimignano. Here you will have time to stroll along the narrow streets, admire the astonishing views and enjoy a gelato at the World’s Best Gelato shop.
After our time in San Gimignano we will return to the farm for a well deserved rest before venturing out for dinner at a nearby trattoria frequented by locals. DAY NINE Your guide will drive you to Florence airport for your return journey to North America, or the next stage of your trip. We're confident that we'll see you again, so we'll just say so long until we meet again to share the adventures of the open road. *Details subject to change GROUP SIZE A minimum of 4 participants is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 12 participants. (Except for custom groups which may be bigger) BOOKING INFORMATION
Double Room/US$3650
Single Supplement/US$725 *Pricing may vary depending on market fluctuation After availability is confirmed, a US$500 per person deposit and the submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full 60 days before your arrival date. May 21-29
October 15-23 (minimum of 6 participants required)
*Alternate dates may be available. Please inquire.
*Transfers to/from Florence, transportation (9-passenger Fiat Ducato Touring Van or equivalent – max 7 persons/van), train tickets (Florence)
*Eight (8) nights' accommodation (7 nights in 4-star villa and 1 night in small 3-star hotel)
*Five (5) wine tastings/winery tours
*Eight (8) breakfasts, five (5) lunches with wine, eight (8) dinners with wine
*Wine & oil tastings
*Two (2) cooking classes
*Two (2) city tours (Florence, Siena) *Airfare, personal expenses, alcoholic drinks (except wine as mentioned above, at dinners and specified wine tastings) are not included.
For further inquiries or to register, click here.
Click here to return to top of page. CANCELLATION POLICY Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended. CLIENT REMARKS
"Dear Jo-Ann - My trip was absolutely perfect. Thank you so much for your help. I felt like this trip was custom made for me. It was everything I love - hiking, beautiful scenery, awesome history, art and architecture. Accommodations were beautiful. Tuscany and Umbria were just what I needed and I loved the hiking. Cooking classes were very good and all of our hosts were wonderful. Our guide was superb. I would highly recommend this to people who love the things I do. Thanks, again. I had a wonderful time." "Everything about the trip was absolutely wonderful - the variety of types of places we stayed, the different towns we visited, the hikes (fun adventures trying to figure out the directions), nice group of people on the tour, and a great, knowledgable guide. "Travel through Tuscany and Umbria with a focus on the senses - grapes hanging on the vines, olive trees heavy with olives, nuances of olive oils, tastes of the variety of local wines, smell of bread cooking in an old bread oven, homemade pasta between the fingers, fresh herbs cut for the night's meal, fresh mushrooms waiting to be added to the sauce on the stove - a sensory whirlwind set in the context of some of the world's most famous towns bedecked with beauty of art and architecture. Pretty unbeatable combination!" "We were met by warm weather, blue skies and beautiful people! What more could one ask for? The trip was everything that we were looking for and more. Try it and you will love it!" "I just wanted to express my gratitude to you again for making our trip a great one. You did such a fabulous job coordinating everything. I don't know where you find the energy, but the end result was a bunch of happy campers!" "...your ability to create a sense of camaraderie and inclusion, and your grace while "performing" were first-rate... it was a week of great diversions, destinations, dining, and accommodation. Click here to return to top of page. MAP* This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE. 
*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location. Click here to return to top of page. |
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Cooking and Wine Tasting in Tuscany
