Buongiorno Adventurers!
I am so excited to share that my Taste of Tuscany Adventure on October 18-25, 2023 is now open for booking.
This tour will allow us to savor so many of the well-loved flavors and quintessential foods we associate with Italy. We will visit small, family owned producers of Parmesan Reggiano, Balsamic of Modena, go truffle hunting in the forest with truffle dogs and have a special truffle lunch, taste olive oil and lots of the famous wines of the region like Chianti, Montalcino, Brunello, Vernaccia, Cabernet, Merlot and many other varieties.
We will begin our delicious adventures in Bologna, known as the “Fat City” or the “Belly of Italy” for its reputation as the gastronomic capital of Italy. It will make an excellent hub for our first tasting tours. On our arrival day we will have the afternoon free to get settled and then our tour guide will meet us in the hotel lobby for a private walking tour of Bologna in which we will explore the history and heart of the city.
The next morning after a delicious breakfast at our centrally located hotel, our private minibus will take us to tour a small production facility of Parmigiano Reggiano. They will show us the different stages of creation and the process and rating required to sell this iconic Italian cheese and of course we will have a tasting of a variety of ages of parmesans.
Next we will head to an acetaia to tour the property and learn about the complex process required to produce the delicious Balsamic of Modena, complete with tastings and a special lunch.
Afterwards, we will head back to our hotel in Bologna and have dinner in a nearby trattoria to enjoy a typical Bologna style meal, perhaps some delicious handmade tortellini or prosciutto.
The next day, after our included hotel breakfast, our private minibus will pick us up and we will begin our journey towards the heart of Tuscany. As we explore the Tuscan countryside, we will stop for lunch at a gorgeous villa with stunning views, which serves a hyper local and seasonal menu, then we will continue on to our home base for the rest of the week, an agriturismo (working Italian farm) just outside of San Gimignano.
We will arrive in the afternoon with some free time to relax and get settled in before we meet at the dinner table for the first of our legendary farm-to-table dinners! Everything we eat will be grown on the property: wheat for the pasta, olive oil, vegetables, meats, and wine.
A typical dinner consists of 8-10 family style courses, unlimited local wines, coffee, limoncello, sweet wine with biscotti cookies for dipping, grappa and more! Thankfully our comfortable accommodations are only a few steps from our dinner table.
We will wake up to the absolutely stunning views of Tuscany and the towers of nearby San Gimignano and have a delicious farm-to-table breakfast before our private farm and winery tour, followed by a private wine tasting.
We will have the afternoon free to explore the farm and relax, with lunch at our leisure before meeting for a private cooking class. Dinner will be served with food we prepared from our class and many more items from the property in another farm-to-table style feast!
After breakfast our private minibus will arrive to take us to the region of Montalcino, known for the special Brunell of Montalcino and Rosso of Montalcino. We will visit a classic vineyard and winery that has been making these wines with the traditional methods for generations, tour their property and facilities and have a private wine and olive oil tasting.
Next, our driver will take us to visit the neighboring village of Montalcino for lunch, followed by free time to shop and explore. After our explorations are complete for the day, we will return to the farm for some rest and another delicious farm-to-table dinner.
Today, after our included farm-to-table breakfast, our private minibus will take us to the nearby truffle center, where we will learn all about truffles. Then we will head to the nearby forest with specially trained truffle dogs and go on our own truffle hunt, followed by a special four-course truffle lunch of our own!
Next, we will head to the beautiful, medieval hilltop town of Volterra, the scenery on the drive is worth the trip on its own. We will explore and shop for an alabaster souvenir that is specific to this region and conclude the afternoon with a return to the farm for our freshly prepared farm-sourced dinner.
Today for our final day in Tuscany, after our farm-to-table breakfast, our minibus will pick us up and take us to the always charming San Gimignano, known as the “Manhattan of Tuscany” due to its many medieval towers that form its unique skyline.
Here we will have the opportunity to make and taste gelato as a part of our gelato making class, taught by the world's most award-winning gelato chef. Afterwards, we will have free time for shopping and lunch. This is a sweet way to end a delicious and memorable week together.
We will conclude the day with a special last farm-to-table dinner featuring the famous Tuscan T-bone. Then we will bid arrivederci to our new friends and to Italy before we depart in the morning for the airport and head home.
All tours, accommodations and transfers mentioned are included. Not included are your flight arrangements, although we are happy to assist with planning your flights, airport transfers, lunch every day, two dinners in Bologna, city hotel taxes in Bologna and optional gratuities.
Optional post-tour extension to Florence Available
October 25-27, 2023
However, if you are not ready to say goodbye to Italy yet, I am offering an optional Florence Extension, on October 25-27, 2023. If you would like to join us, instead of going to the airport straight from the farm, our private driver will take us to our city-center hotel in Florence. You will have the afternoon free to explore the city and perhaps take in one of the many amazing museums and experience the rich art and history of the city. We will meet in the hotel lobby and walk to one of the city’s oldest and most traditional restaurants for an unforgettable dining experience.
The following day, after our hotel breakfast, our tour guide will meet us in the hotel lobby to take us on a private walking tour of the city and we will learn about the colorful history of Florence and enjoy many of the highlights of the city like the Ponte Vecchio, Duomo and more.
Our tour will conclude at the Mercato Centrale, where we can have a fun lunch upstairs in one of the original food halls, tasting many different foods that come from all over Italy. The downstairs level of the Mercato is filled with foods, spices, wines, and delicious edible souvenirs, while the outside is surrounded by street vendors selling Italian leather and pashminas.
After lunch I recommend you use your free time to shop, however, you have the option to spend your free time in the city however you wish! We will meet for one last dinner in Italy before the tour officially concludes and in the morning everyone will head to the airport to travel home.
It includes hotels, transportation to Florence from Tuscany, breakfast every day, and a private walking tour of Florence. Not included are lunches, dinners, airport transfers and optional gratuities.
Please know that space is extremely limited and interest is very high for this adventure, so please contact me right away to secure your spot!
I am happy to assist with any questions you have regarding flights and travel arrangements at no additional cost.
Let's embark on a wonderful adventure together!