TUSCANY
Available for private groups - Inquire within for all info
Itinerary below is sample only and every week is customized per client needs
At Piazza Della Signoria, Florence
Highlights
- Four star accommodations in centrally located hotel
- Two private culinary classes with meals following
- Welcome dinner
- Private English speaking city tour led by licensed guide
- Private wine tastings and day trip to Chianti with lunch on the winery and plenty of wine samples
- Private culinary city tour visiting world famous shops
- Private day trip to Pisa and Lucca
- Private day trip to Siena
- Farewell dinner
- Leisure time on your own
Overview
The week in Tuscany kicks off with check-in at our four star accommodations. Centrally located, Hotel Orto de Medici will be our home for the week, so unpack and make yourself at home. Perhaps visit their famous gardens and take in some of the Tuscan air. During the week, we will experience the scenic views of Tuscany and sample wines in the wine regions of Chianti with a memorable lunch on the winery. The week will also take us to the world famous cities of Pisa, Lucca and Siena for what are sure to be plenty of photo opportunities. We will also take part in two private cooking lessons and pick up a few culinary tips from our native Tuscan instructors. Our walking city tour in Florence will allow us to get to know our host city while our walking culinary tour will give us the opportunity to sample some of Tuscany's most traditional products.
The week in Tuscany kicks off with check-in at our four star accommodations. Centrally located, Hotel Orto de Medici will be our home for the week, so unpack and make yourself at home. Perhaps visit their famous gardens and take in some of the Tuscan air. During the week, we will experience the scenic views of Tuscany and sample wines in the wine regions of Chianti with a memorable lunch on the winery. The week will also take us to the world famous cities of Pisa, Lucca and Siena for what are sure to be plenty of photo opportunities. We will also take part in two private cooking lessons and pick up a few culinary tips from our native Tuscan instructors. Our walking city tour in Florence will allow us to get to know our host city while our walking culinary tour will give us the opportunity to sample some of Tuscany's most traditional products.
Sunset over the Arno River
Let Francesca, a native Italian, lead you in Tuscany
Day 1 - Arrival & Welcome Dinner
Arrive and settle in your four-star accommodations in the early afternoon. Our home for the week will be the highly regarded Hotel Orto de Medici. Unpack and make yourself at home knowing you will not need to repack until your departure. Enjoy the nearby sights of our home for the week, stretch your legs in the nearby shops or grab your first gelato.
In the evening, we will meet for our first group activity. We will enjoy a welcome dinner with our fellow travelers and get our first taste of the regional cuisine and wine that we will be enjoying throughout the week.
Arrive and settle in your four-star accommodations in the early afternoon. Our home for the week will be the highly regarded Hotel Orto de Medici. Unpack and make yourself at home knowing you will not need to repack until your departure. Enjoy the nearby sights of our home for the week, stretch your legs in the nearby shops or grab your first gelato.
In the evening, we will meet for our first group activity. We will enjoy a welcome dinner with our fellow travelers and get our first taste of the regional cuisine and wine that we will be enjoying throughout the week.
A stop at Piazza Della Republica, with a hop on the famous Merry-Go-Round is a must!
Day 2 - Private Cooking Class & Walking Tour
After breakfast at the hotel, we will head towards San Lorenzo Market where our cooking experience begins. Under the guidance of our chef instructor, we will select fresh and healthy ingredients needed for our cooking lesson. Following the market visit in the morning, we will proceed to the school where we will learn how to prepare typical Italian Tuscan dishes. Grab an apron and be prepared to cook up a delicious Tuscan lunch to be enjoyed by all in the group.
In the afternoon, we will walk off our lunch calories with a private city tour from our English speaking, certified city guide. Walk the streets of the Medici, Donatello and Dante as well as the lesser known side streets of the city. We will visit major churches, such as the Santa Maria Novella and if the lines permit, enter the Duomo, among other high profile attractions.
Spend the evening on your own at your leisure. Walk about the city, grab a gelato and people-watch the way locals do.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will head towards San Lorenzo Market where our cooking experience begins. Under the guidance of our chef instructor, we will select fresh and healthy ingredients needed for our cooking lesson. Following the market visit in the morning, we will proceed to the school where we will learn how to prepare typical Italian Tuscan dishes. Grab an apron and be prepared to cook up a delicious Tuscan lunch to be enjoyed by all in the group.
In the afternoon, we will walk off our lunch calories with a private city tour from our English speaking, certified city guide. Walk the streets of the Medici, Donatello and Dante as well as the lesser known side streets of the city. We will visit major churches, such as the Santa Maria Novella and if the lines permit, enter the Duomo, among other high profile attractions.
Spend the evening on your own at your leisure. Walk about the city, grab a gelato and people-watch the way locals do.
A typical small square in Chianti
Day 3 - Day Trip to Chianti
After breakfast at the hotel, our private driver will pick us up and we will make our way to Chianti where we will visit two highly praised wineries. We will visit the Southern part of Tuscany, undoubtably the most beautiful countryside the region has to offer. Discover the wines of the area and learn the aging process. Enjoy the landscape, olive groves and of course, the many vineyards.
Lunch may include typical items such as antipasti toscani, ribollita, pasta with meat or mushroom sauce or lasagna.
Evening on your own to spend at your leisure.
After breakfast at the hotel, our private driver will pick us up and we will make our way to Chianti where we will visit two highly praised wineries. We will visit the Southern part of Tuscany, undoubtably the most beautiful countryside the region has to offer. Discover the wines of the area and learn the aging process. Enjoy the landscape, olive groves and of course, the many vineyards.
Lunch may include typical items such as antipasti toscani, ribollita, pasta with meat or mushroom sauce or lasagna.
Evening on your own to spend at your leisure.
Some local specialties we will enjoy during our foodie walk
Day 4 - Walking Foodie Tour & Cooking Lesson
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, but be sure to leave room for our many tastings from our culinary walking tour. We will enjoy local specialties at family owned shops and savor Florence’s “street food” of cured meats, cheeses, olive oil, baked goods, breads, chocolates, and artisan gelato.
Enjoy some time on your own in the afternoon, but don't indulge, we're in for a treat this evening!
In the evening, we will head back to our culinary studio for our second private dinner cooking lesson. Be prepared to work for your multi-course dinner tonight as we prepare antipasti, a first and second course and of course, dinner would be incomplete without dessert. A truly memorable dinner experience is expected tonight!
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, but be sure to leave room for our many tastings from our culinary walking tour. We will enjoy local specialties at family owned shops and savor Florence’s “street food” of cured meats, cheeses, olive oil, baked goods, breads, chocolates, and artisan gelato.
Enjoy some time on your own in the afternoon, but don't indulge, we're in for a treat this evening!
In the evening, we will head back to our culinary studio for our second private dinner cooking lesson. Be prepared to work for your multi-course dinner tonight as we prepare antipasti, a first and second course and of course, dinner would be incomplete without dessert. A truly memorable dinner experience is expected tonight!
The city square in Lucca
Day 5 - Day Trip to Lucca & Pisa
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading west of Tuscany today on our day trip to Lucca and Pisa. Lucca is a most beloved city in Tuscany, and all of Italy, and we will have time to walk the streets filled with shops, cafes and old-school buildings. Known as the city of 100 churches, Lucca is filled with historical architecture and a can't miss city while in this region. Lunch will be in a trattoria in Lucca.
Get your camera ready for what will be a memorable afternoon. After lunch, we make our way to the world famous city of Pisa and the famous Miracle Square. Admire the Leaning Tower, Baptistery and Cathedral. Pick up a few gifts to take back, snap lots of pictures and take it all in.
We will return to Florence around 5:00PM and you can enjoy the evening on your own.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading west of Tuscany today on our day trip to Lucca and Pisa. Lucca is a most beloved city in Tuscany, and all of Italy, and we will have time to walk the streets filled with shops, cafes and old-school buildings. Known as the city of 100 churches, Lucca is filled with historical architecture and a can't miss city while in this region. Lunch will be in a trattoria in Lucca.
Get your camera ready for what will be a memorable afternoon. After lunch, we make our way to the world famous city of Pisa and the famous Miracle Square. Admire the Leaning Tower, Baptistery and Cathedral. Pick up a few gifts to take back, snap lots of pictures and take it all in.
We will return to Florence around 5:00PM and you can enjoy the evening on your own.
The square in Siena.
Day 6 - Day Trip to Siena
Today we head to another major attraction and perhaps Italy's loveliest city, Siena! Located on top of three hills, Siena can easily be called Italy's ultimate hill town. Today, we will visit the Siena Cathedral, probably the most precious of Tuscan churches, the Campo Square, famous for the Palio, the annual historic horse-race, the Town Hall, Palazzo Salimbeni and San Domenico Church. Pedestrian friendly, as only residents and cabbies are permitted, Siena is sure to leave an impression. We can walk about the narrow streets, enjoy the adorned balconies and relax with a gelato along the way.
Today we head to another major attraction and perhaps Italy's loveliest city, Siena! Located on top of three hills, Siena can easily be called Italy's ultimate hill town. Today, we will visit the Siena Cathedral, probably the most precious of Tuscan churches, the Campo Square, famous for the Palio, the annual historic horse-race, the Town Hall, Palazzo Salimbeni and San Domenico Church. Pedestrian friendly, as only residents and cabbies are permitted, Siena is sure to leave an impression. We can walk about the narrow streets, enjoy the adorned balconies and relax with a gelato along the way.
The table is set for our group dinner, we're waiting for you!
Day 7 - Farewell Dinner
Our time in Tuscany is sadly winding down. Today you can enjoy the day on your own to walk about the city with freedom. Visit a museum we didn’t get a chance to see, we highly recommend the Uffizi Gallery, return to a place where we’ve been that left an impression, pick up a few foodie gifts for your friends or simply enjoy Italy’s “Il Dolce Far Niente” – literally, the sweetness of doing nothing!!
A farewell dinner is planned for our last evening in Florence. Enjoy a delicious meal with wine, exchange stories and e-mail addresses with your traveling companions and toast to our wonderful week.
Our time in Tuscany is sadly winding down. Today you can enjoy the day on your own to walk about the city with freedom. Visit a museum we didn’t get a chance to see, we highly recommend the Uffizi Gallery, return to a place where we’ve been that left an impression, pick up a few foodie gifts for your friends or simply enjoy Italy’s “Il Dolce Far Niente” – literally, the sweetness of doing nothing!!
A farewell dinner is planned for our last evening in Florence. Enjoy a delicious meal with wine, exchange stories and e-mail addresses with your traveling companions and toast to our wonderful week.
Fontana del Porcellino - Florence
Day 8 - Check-Out
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before checking out.
*Day to day specifics subject to change*
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before checking out.
*Day to day specifics subject to change*
WHAT CITIES WILL WE VISIT?
FLORENCE
Our home base for the week will be Florence. Arguably, one of the most historic and most visited cities in Italy, if not the world. Florence is home to such treasures as the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia, and countless churches including Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. Not to be missed is the Ponte Vecchio, or the "old bridge," the only bridge to cross Florence until 1218 and the only bridge in Florence that was not to be destroyed during WWII.
We will visit several cities in Tuscany during the week, but ample time has been reserved for us to get to know our host city, including an educational city tour, a foodie tour and a day on your own to spend as you wish.
Our home base for the week will be Florence. Arguably, one of the most historic and most visited cities in Italy, if not the world. Florence is home to such treasures as the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia, and countless churches including Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. Not to be missed is the Ponte Vecchio, or the "old bridge," the only bridge to cross Florence until 1218 and the only bridge in Florence that was not to be destroyed during WWII.
We will visit several cities in Tuscany during the week, but ample time has been reserved for us to get to know our host city, including an educational city tour, a foodie tour and a day on your own to spend as you wish.
CHIANTI
Ready to step away from the main city for the day and enjoy the country side? A day trip to Chianti is in order. Spanning the hilly lands between Florence and Siena, this picture-perfect area of Tuscany is filled with landscape, vineyards and artisanal products. Composed of several smaller towns, the Chianti area is most known for its namesake wine and no other area in Italy can offer such beautifully picturesque panorama as this area does. Miles and miles of vineyards adorn the roads, producing some of Italy's best wines, some estimate upwards of 35 million bottles per year!
We will spend an entire day in the Chianti area, sampling wines, eating local specialties and stopping for Instagram-worthy shots. The charming small towns of Chianti will feel like an entire different zone than Florence, but you will be surprised to see how close this area actually is to the region's capital.
LUCCA & PISA
What would a trip to this iconic region be without a visit to Pisa, made famous for it's easily recognizable leaning tower and Lucca, known for the cobblestones streets?
Located in the western coast of Tuscany, Pisa, one of the smallest towns in Tuscany, is a legendary city just minutes away from the Ligurian coast. A main attraction for visitors from all over the world, this city is home to over 20 churches. Piazza dei Miracoli (Miracle Square) is the home for the leaning tower, which has actually been leaning since it was built. But there's more Pisa than the tower, however, and we will enjoy a leisurely walk visiting the Baptistery and Cathedral. Perhaps we will be able to sample some 'cecina' - a local specialty made from chickpea flour, salt, pepper and oil.
Located not far from Pisa, Lucca is most famous for its ancient history and the walls that surrounded the old part of town, which were maintained, unlike many other cities in the region. The walls have now become pedestrian promenades and what attracts most visitors to this city. The walls are meticulously maintained and perfect for strolling with a gelato, while being shielded from the sun. A non-hilly city, Lucca is also easy on the feet!
What would a trip to this iconic region be without a visit to Pisa, made famous for it's easily recognizable leaning tower and Lucca, known for the cobblestones streets?
Located in the western coast of Tuscany, Pisa, one of the smallest towns in Tuscany, is a legendary city just minutes away from the Ligurian coast. A main attraction for visitors from all over the world, this city is home to over 20 churches. Piazza dei Miracoli (Miracle Square) is the home for the leaning tower, which has actually been leaning since it was built. But there's more Pisa than the tower, however, and we will enjoy a leisurely walk visiting the Baptistery and Cathedral. Perhaps we will be able to sample some 'cecina' - a local specialty made from chickpea flour, salt, pepper and oil.
Located not far from Pisa, Lucca is most famous for its ancient history and the walls that surrounded the old part of town, which were maintained, unlike many other cities in the region. The walls have now become pedestrian promenades and what attracts most visitors to this city. The walls are meticulously maintained and perfect for strolling with a gelato, while being shielded from the sun. A non-hilly city, Lucca is also easy on the feet!
SIENA
Made famous for its horse-race known as the Palio, Siena is a not to be missed medieval city in central Tuscany. The shell-shaped Piazzo del Campo is perhaps its main attractions and where the Palio takes place. It is also one of the biggest medieval squares in the world. Filled with many churches and cathedrals, the Duomo, the largest church in Siena, is adorned with black and white marble, both inside and out.
After an insightful tour taking us to the main attraction, we will have ample time to walk about the square and pick up a few souvenirs. May we recommend some foodie gifts? Perpaps Ricciarelli, a typical Sienese biscuit made with almond paste, or Panforte, a fruit cake still made according to a Medieval recipe.
Made famous for its horse-race known as the Palio, Siena is a not to be missed medieval city in central Tuscany. The shell-shaped Piazzo del Campo is perhaps its main attractions and where the Palio takes place. It is also one of the biggest medieval squares in the world. Filled with many churches and cathedrals, the Duomo, the largest church in Siena, is adorned with black and white marble, both inside and out.
After an insightful tour taking us to the main attraction, we will have ample time to walk about the square and pick up a few souvenirs. May we recommend some foodie gifts? Perpaps Ricciarelli, a typical Sienese biscuit made with almond paste, or Panforte, a fruit cake still made according to a Medieval recipe.
WHO IS MY HOST & LEADER FOR THE WEEK?
Francesca, native Italian & culinary instructor, will be your host for the week! Join Francesca as she expertly guides you through Italy's most beloved region. Francesca is fluent in Italian, well-traveled and passionate about bringing travelers back to her native land. You will meet her friends, and perhaps even family, on this trip!
Learn more about your host by visiting our "about us page".
Here's what just one former guest had to say: I have just returned from a week long cooking trip to Italy coordinated by Francesca Montillo. Francesca was responsible for our itinerary, transportation, visits to wineries, restaurants ,and our accommodations, as well as providing the ingredients and tools for our cooking classes. All went smoothly and was worry free. She arranged for special requests from members of the group, such as no dairy, gluten free, or vegetarian at the restaurants we visited with aplomb and within the cooking classes themselves. Not only were our arrangements flawless, thanks to Francesca, but she is also very knowledgable about Italy, Italian food and wine and is quite a good cook in her own right. She also speaks Italian fluently. She is pleasant and was always cheery, even early in the morning. I highly recommend Francesca if you want a wonderful experience of Italy’s food and wine. Jennifer Fisk
Learn more about your host by visiting our "about us page".
Here's what just one former guest had to say: I have just returned from a week long cooking trip to Italy coordinated by Francesca Montillo. Francesca was responsible for our itinerary, transportation, visits to wineries, restaurants ,and our accommodations, as well as providing the ingredients and tools for our cooking classes. All went smoothly and was worry free. She arranged for special requests from members of the group, such as no dairy, gluten free, or vegetarian at the restaurants we visited with aplomb and within the cooking classes themselves. Not only were our arrangements flawless, thanks to Francesca, but she is also very knowledgable about Italy, Italian food and wine and is quite a good cook in her own right. She also speaks Italian fluently. She is pleasant and was always cheery, even early in the morning. I highly recommend Francesca if you want a wonderful experience of Italy’s food and wine. Jennifer Fisk
INCLUSIONS
- 7 Nights Accommodations at Hotel Orto de Medici
- Minibar in Your Room
- Daily Breakfast at Your Hotel
- Private Transportation Throughout Tour for Day Trips
- Welcome Dinner Celebration
- Thank you Dinner Celebration
- Lunch on Winery
- Day trip to Lucca and Pisa
- Day trip to Siena
- Winery visits and day trip in Chianti with Wine-Tasting Lessons & Samples
- Two Private Culinary Lessons with Tuscan Instructors with Meals Following
- Private City Tour Led by English Speaking Certified Guide
- Private Foodie Tour With Ample Samples Throughout Walk
- Visit to Mercato Centrale
Price & Details
This itinerary is currently available for private, pre-formed groups of 6 or more only. If you would like to request additional information, please use the form below.
Francesca Montillo, Native Italian, Owner and Tour Leader Accompanies all Activities
Contact Francesca at francesca@thelazyitalian.com for booking/reservation and further details.
If you would like to reserve a spot for this tour, or have any questions, please use the contact form below and we will send you the necessary booking instructions or additional information.
This itinerary is currently available for private, pre-formed groups of 6 or more only. If you would like to request additional information, please use the form below.
Francesca Montillo, Native Italian, Owner and Tour Leader Accompanies all Activities
Contact Francesca at francesca@thelazyitalian.com for booking/reservation and further details.
If you would like to reserve a spot for this tour, or have any questions, please use the contact form below and we will send you the necessary booking instructions or additional information.
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