TUSCANY in spring tour

Our tour begins in Florence in the morning where you’ll meet your tour leader and group before we whisk you away to the Chianti wine region. Get to know your fellow travelers over a long, delicious Tuscan lunch at a family owned winery with, of course, incredibly dreamy views.

After lunch, we head to a honey farm to learn about bees and end the afternoon in the sweetest way possible – tasting honey.

This afternoon, we check in to our gorgeous country farmhouse, where you have time to unpack, relax and explore your beautiful surroundings.
A fun Tuscan festa to officially welcome you on tour awaits you this evening. Enjoy a delicious pizza party in the comfort of our farmhouse and prepare to be wowed with a musical surprise.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make handmade pasta, today is your day! This morning begins in the dreamy Tuscan hills with Tuscan Chef Camilla as we roll up our sleeves for a four course hands-on cooking class.

Whilst we have plenty of time for shopping on this trip, sometimes the best souvenir you can bring home is a skill that can transport you back to your vacation in a flash. Using only fresh, local ingredients, we’ll prepare a whole meal from antipasto to dolce together. You’ll be able to share the flavor of our week together with your family and friends back home after this spectacular cooking class!

Afterwards, sit back and relax over lunch with a view out over the vineyards from Camilla’s panoramic terrace.

Perhaps the most prized ingredient in the world, the elusive truffle is what we’re searching for in the hills of Tuscany. Throw on your boots and prepare for a unique experience traipsing through the forest with our truffle hunter and his trusty dog. Along the way, we’re regaled with the legends and curiosities that surround this delicious treat.

With any luck we’ll find a truffle or two, and then it’s onwards to the kitchen where we learn how to eat and enjoy them. Sit back and relax as you enjoy an exquisite truffle laden lunch with a newfound appreciation for just why these fungi are so appreciated.

One of our favorite spots in Tuscany was once a beautiful Medieval castle that grew into an entire village. We stop here to wander and browse a beautiful pottery workshop. You’ll have some time for shopping and to breathe and take in the views.

Prepare yourself for life changing cheese! This morning we’re off to visit a wonderful family owned cheese farm in the Tuscan countryside overlooking the gorgeous Val di Chiana region. We even encounter baby sheep in the stable as they chase each other around playing hide and seek. Too cute!

Then it’s onto business as we learn just how to make incredible cheese including the freshest ricotta, raviggiolo and pecorino cheese. If you don’t believe us when we tell you this cheese is incredible, let it be known that their ricotta is even mentioned in the Under the Tuscan Sun Cookbook by Frances Mayes! With tummies rumbling, we’ll soon sit down for a tasty cheese- themed lunch with homemade pasta and other regional specialties paired of course with locally made wine.

Enduring traditions are part of the blueprint of Italy and Tuscany is not without its fair share. Today, we have the opportunity to delve deeper into some local Tuscan crafts and meet the artisans who make them.

This morning begins with a visit to meet a fabulous Tuscan basket weaver at her beautiful Iris farm. Prepare to be blown away by the exquisite scent of these flowers and learn just why they hold so much significance to the region. After an olfactory experience, our artisan will delight us with the way she creates traditional wooden baskets – something that is becoming a lost art in Tuscany.

Lunch today is picture perfect once again and a true delight for all the senses. Afterwards, we’ll head to a nearby town to visit another local artisan and learn about their trade with traditions that date all the way back to Ancient times.

Your afternoon schedule includes relaxing before a once in a lifetime dinner at a local farm in the evening!

Our day starts with a visit to Renaissance utopia – Pienza. This gorgeous Tuscan town is full of charming buildings, winding streets with sweet romantic names, award-winning cheeses, and of course picture-perfect views.

We’ve headed further south after our days in the Chianti region, and today is all about the beauty of the Val d’Orcia (UNESCO Heritage Site) part of Tuscany. After a relaxing walk, it’s time to visit a lovely family owned winery who specialise in the production of Brunello di Montalcino, considered one of the most prestigious wines in Tuscany. We sample the very best over a delicious local lunch at the winery.

This afternoon, we visit Florence’s main rival throughout the ages, gorgeous Siena. Culture and tradition seep from the very pores of this city and it’s impossible not to be transported back through time as you wander its Medieval streets. We meet our expert local guide who takes us on an adventure through town and helps us learn just what’s so special about the Palio horse race here. In the evening, we head back to our farmhouse for a relaxing dinner.

Our final day together is full of everything we love most about Tuscany – superb hamlets, extra virgin olive oil, delicious food, new Tuscan friends and of course great wine! This morning begins with a visit to one of the most beautiful villages in all of Chianti. We wander through its stunning medieval streets – some of the most ancient in the area – and you’ll have some time to admire its beauty.

Afterwards, we have the chance to meet a family owned extra virgin olive oil producer where we’re sure to gain a newfound appreciation for this liquid gold. We’ve worked up an appetite after all our walking and talking, so we’ll sit down for a long lunch with the family sampling delicious specialties all paired with their exquisite olive oil.

After lunch, we head to another local village in the area famous for their wine. We’ll have time to take in the views, and explore the shops and alleys one last time. Tonight’s farewell dinner is extra special and full of cheer (plus delicious recipes!) back at our farmhouse.

Our Tuscan Farmhouse

Arrivals and Departures

Meet Your Host

Olivia Windsor
Tour leader

Olivia is an Australian woman living in Piedmont, with a passion for the land of la dolce vita, cooking and wine. Her super powers include finding the most charming villages and delectable cheeses.