Tastes of Tuscany, 7 Day Gastronomy Tour

Hotels & restaurants

HOTELS

Palazzo dal Borgo Hotel – Florence
This luxurious 4-star property is set in a prime location in the centre of Florence close to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and a short walk to the medieval Ponte Vecchio bridge. The elegant air conditioned rooms feature Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars. Upgraded rooms add 4-poster beds, city views and/or frescoes on the walls and ceilings. A breakfast buffet is available in the cafeteria and other amenities include a bar and a lounge, as well as a courtyard with sitting areas.

Hotel Roma – Florence
Situated right in the very heart of the historical centre of Florence, this luxury hotel located in a stunning 18th Century building offers surroundings not unlike the many palatial homes of the Florentine nobles of days gone by. This fabulous four star hotel offers the highest quality of service, stunning interior design and a perfect location. The refined rooms over 5 floors are served by three lifts and feature all modern facilities including air conditioning, Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars. Some rooms feature wood floors and/or basilica views. There is an ornate bar with stained-glass windows, as well as an informal dining room and a gym. Parking and a breakfast buffet are available.

Places & attractions

Dinner with Florentine T Bone Steak
The highlight of your first day of this tour! Otherwise known as ‘Bistecca alla Fiorentina’ this famous cut of meat comes from young beef cattle and is aged for at least a month. Described by Italian gastronomist Pellegrino Artusi as a chop cut from the sirloin being a finger or one and a half fingers thick, it is cooked over charcoal or under a grill to produce a charred aromatic crust.

Expert Cooking Class
At this outstanding experience you will first visit a market in Florence before skilled chefs show you some of the secrets of true Italian cuisine, after which you get the chance to enjoy the food they prepare.

Sienna
Siena is an eminent medieval city with a UNESCO-listed historic centre. Surrounded by a well-preserved 1,000-year-old wall, it’s best known for hosting the Il Palio horserace, which takes place twice yearly around the unique shell shaped Piazza del Campo which is overlooked by the slender Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th-century tower with sweeping views from its distinctive white crown. Your visit includes a tour of a nearby wine estate in the world famous country area of Sienese Chianti, universally known for the wines of the same name.

San Gimignano
Known as “the town of 100 towers”, one of the most fascinating and better preserved medieval hamlets of Italy. It is famous for its many coloured food shops as well as for the production of high quality saffron and white wine “Vernaccia”.

Pisa
Famous for one of the best known buildings in the world, The Leaning Tower, your guided tour takes in this and the other famous architectural masterpieces, the Cathedral and the Baptistry, all concentrated in the famous Piazza dei Miracoli (Miracles Square).

Lucca and Olive Oil Tasting
Take in the relaxing and elegant atmosphere of Lucca on a pleasant guided tour into the enchanting historical centre to admire unique corners such as Piazza Anfiteatro, a peculiar amphitheatre shaped square, San Martino Dome and the typical “antique dealers street”. You also get to travel to a nearby country estate for a visit to the farm and a traditional lunch accompanied by extra virgin olive oil tasting.

Pienza
This historic little town, perched on a hill in Val d’Orcia, is now a UNESCO site. The central Piazza Pio II is framed by 15th-century buildings like the Pienza Cathedral and Piccolomini Palace, once the summer residence of Pope Pius II and where Flemish tapestries and the pope’s embroidered cape are on display at the Diocesan Museum.

Pecorino Cheese Tasting
Pienza is considered the “capital” of pecorino cheese and no excursion here would be complete without a visit to a local farm where they produce this wonderful cheese. The owners will show you the daily life in the farm – from the stable to the dairy – the animals, such as donkeys, peacocks, sheep and goats and will explain their role in the farm. The tour continues to the dairy to learn the secrets of cheese processing and finishes with a genuine, traditional lunch with cheese tasting.

Montepulciano
This beautiful, historical hilltop town in Val d’Orcia, in the heart of Tuscany is famous for wine, and its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The historical town centre with beautiful piazzas, churches, and viewing terraces offer breathtakingly views over the countryside below. Over the years it has also been the setting for many national and international movies, see if you can spot one on your visit!

Truffle Hunt
This is truly a one-of- a-kind experience! This private one hour group event with the truffle hunter and his dogs takes you into the woods, to see the dogs at work digging into the ground to find truffles, learn about this precious natural product and how to find it. The hunt is followed by a demonstration on how to keep, cook and process truffles and their derived products (sauce, oil, spreadable cream, etc.) and a delicious lunch based on truffle recipes.

General tour information

Tuscany
This s a region in central Italy with an area of about 23,000 square kilometres (8,900 square miles) and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. It is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy its influence on high culture and is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance the foundations of the Italian language.

It has a western coastline on the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, among which is the Tuscan Archipelago, of which the most significant island is Elba. This coast is dotted with numerous beaches, harbours and delightful resorts where history and leisure compete for your attention.

The rolling landscapes inland are perfect for wine making and the region is famous for many well known vineyards. Add to that the Italian love of fine food and you have perfect destination for any gourmand.

For history buffs there is an amazing variety of heritage to soak up from cathedrals, churches and palaces as well as the charming towns and villages, many situated on hilltops overlooking the stunning landscapes.

Tuscany really has something for everyone, whatever your interests.

Florence
This is the base for your gastronomic journey through Tuscany although to be fair you could quire easily spend the whole trip soaking up the history, culture and cuisine of this amazing city.

The capital of Tuscany is famous for being a treasure chest of priceless heritage, but it’s much more than just majestic Renaissance artworks: it’s also the many museums, gardens, small piazzas, contemporary art exhibitions and numerous festivals that liven up the city throughout the year. The Uffizi or the Opera del Duomo Museum are some of the most beautiful experiences you can have if you love art, while a stroll through the Boboli Gardens s a continuous discovery, curated with fountains, sculptures and tree-lined pathways.

Following these traces of history, the Renaissance ring also takes you to Vaglia and the Pratolino Medici Park (one of the most beautiful English-style gardens in Tuscany), as well as Lastra a Signa, where you can find Villa Bellosguardo and its museum dedicated to Enrico Caruso. Visit Figline e Incisa, an area that has long fascinated artists and poets, or stop by Calenzano and Pontassieve.

One of its most iconic sights is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo), a magnificent building with a terracotta-tiled dome engineered by Brunelleschi and a bell tower by Giotto. The Galleria dell’Accademia displays Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture.

Florence also abounds with bars, restaurants, cafes serving everything from espresso and pastry to the finest Italian cuisine. If you can avoid, eating and drinking in popular tourist areas, particularly those with a ‘view’ over a tourist attraction – you’ll pay a lot less and the service will probably be better. Also, don’t be put off by pizza being sold out of the front of a shop or restaurant – it’s usually very cheap and often really delicious with a wide selection of toppings.