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Authentic Italian Family Cooking Tour in Tuscany
Have you ever wanted to feel like you’re living in Italy and cook simple, traditional dishes with local families in their homes and live on a family’s farm, yet be near a pretty, little town? To talk and taste with local cheese and olive oil producers on their farms? To drink some of Italy’s top red wines like Brunello right with the producers? With time to relax and soak up Italy?
On this tour, you live in a comfy apartment in a nicely renovated house on a family’s organic farm with breathtaking Val d’Orcia views, just a five minute walk from Pienza. Enjoy four hands-on cooking classes with your host farm family, cheese makers on their farm, a charming artisan olive oil maker on his farm and a very popular restaurant chef in a hamlet. Tour wineries and drink top Tuscan reds, Brunello and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, as you chat with smaller, hospitable wine producers in their cellars.
Includes:
- 6 nights apartment accommodation with breakfast ingredients provided
- 4 full menu, hands-on cooking classes
- 3 lunches, 5 dinners
- 3 wine tastings/visits
- Excursions with guide to Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, La Foce, weekly market
- Local guide with you except during “free time”.
- Transport throughout except during “free time”.
- Pick-up and drop-off one time as a group at Chiusi train station
Not included:
- Wines with dinners on Wednesday and Friday evenings
- Lunch on Monday and Thursday
6 Night Itinerary
Sunday
Arrive in the afternoon at Chiusi train station where your local guide will meet you and drive you to your apartment on the farm. Enjoy a walk with your guide in Pienza, famous for its pecorino cheese. Back at home, meet friendly Daniela, the mother of the family farm owners, who will show you around their property. To welcome you, Daniela will cook you a typical Tuscan family dinner to savour at home with glasses of their wines.
Monday
Walk with your guide in the picturesque hill town of Montepulciano famous for its Vino Nobile, beautiful Renaissance palazzos, hospitable wine shops offering free tastings and great choice of shops. Free time to shop, taste wines, hang out and soak up local life. Enjoy a light lunch on your own in Montepulciano.
Drive across a magnificent valley to the pristine hill town of Montefollonico to visit one of our favourite wine makers in his 14th century wine cellars and taste his excellent Rosso di Montepulciano, Vino Nobile and Vin Santo. If the weather is good, as you sip and chat, you’ll laze on his garden terrace with splendid views across the valley to Montepulciano.
Drive into the country to a family who make pecorino cheese, raise animals and grow fruit, vegetables and herbs. Make some of their favourite dishes in a cooking class in their big kitchen with both the husband and the wife. Tour their cheese making room and farm to absorb a slice of country life. Dine on your creations around their big table with their wine.
Tuesday
Walk with your guide to discover the hill town of Montalcino famous for its Brunello wine, one of Italy’s best reds. Free time to wander and shop.
About 12:30 meet at the imposing Medici fortress in the “enoteca”—a wine shop and bar, to learn about and taste Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino with a knowledgeable staff member. A light lunch of local cheeses, salami and bread accompanies your wines perfectly.
Drive into the countryside to a family’s winery to tour their vineyards and cellars and taste their Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello wines.
Drive down the road to the organic farm of Alberto, a charming man passionate about his array of exotic plants and especially about his artisan made olive oil. In his olive oil production room with the big old granite press, he explains how he makes olive oil and tells you everything you always wanted to know about olive oil.
Alberto is a wonderful cook too! In his small kitchen with him, you’ll cook traditional Tuscan plates, including some that were vanishing from local menus. Dine on your efforts in his oil production room.
Wednesday
This morning is free to relax in the fresh country air at home or stroll into Pienza and immerse yourself in small town Tuscan life.
At noon we drive into the countryside to eat a bountiful country lunch with Mirella and her friendly family around their table on their small farm. Mirella or her son show you their animals, their ovens, where they make their Vin Santo.
At 3:00 we leave to visit the famous gardens of author Iris Origo and husband, Antonio at the La Foce estate. The villa was built in the 15th century and the gardens installed between 1925-1939. English architect, Cecil Pinsent designed the lovely Italian style gardens with stunning country views and a series of terraces, hedges, and pathways with lemon trees, roses, wisteria, lavender, pines, cypresses and much more. A real treat!
Return to Pienza for a light dinner perhaps at a wine bar.
Thursday
Along with local shoppers, explore and shop at the weekly market in Montepulciano, where they sell everything from apples to underwear. Lunch on your own. Why not get a typical Tuscan porchetta sandwich freshly made at the market?
Free time to walk down to the magnificent Renaissance church of San Biagio and admire lovely views on the way or shop and hang out in Montepulciano.
Return home for a cooking class on typical family style dishes with Daniela and eat your dinner with her with her family’s wines.
Friday
Drive into the hills of Monte Amiato to a hamlet to a restaurant well known for its mushroom dishes and chocolate desserts. Charming, hospitable chef and owner, Roberto greets you and takes you into his restaurant kitchen for your cooking class. Roberto also sells olive oil so will give you an olive oil tasting. In his restaurant, dine on your creations with Tuscan wines specially selected by Roberto who knows wines well.
On your way home, stop in an idyllic Tuscan valley with cypress trees zigzagging down country roads, olive tree groves and vineyards. Visit a magnficent, 1000 year old Romanesque church, Sant’Antimo.
Back at home, you have free time to relax. After your gala lunch at Roberto’s, you’ll only want a light dinner. Enjoy light picnic style dinner at home with good wines or snacks at wine bar in Pienza.
Saturday
After your last breakfast and bidding your new Tuscan friends, Daniela and her family, “ciao for now”, depart for Chiusi train station with our private transport.
