Program
Saturday - Day 1
Arrival in Florence airport and transfer to villa. Be shown to rooms enjoy welcome drinks and explore the grounds. Dinner in villa.
Sunday - Day 2
After breakfast have your first hands-on cooking lesson making traditional local dishes and creating a full-course Italian meal to be had for lunch. In the afternoon visit San Quirico D’Orcia a village of old-world charm with an elegant 16th century garden and a terrific gelateria. Continue onward to Bagno Vignoni, a medieval spa, where the central square is a pool of steamy water. Return to villa for dinner.
Monday - Day 3
After breakfast visit the wine cellars of the small, family-run winery of Villa Sant’Anna, makers of Nobile di Montepulciano, one of the world’s finest wines. Taste some of their best bottles as you snack on cold-cuts and cheese. Walking tour of the medieval and Renaissance hill town of Montepulciano with a lovely main square and it’s elegant 16th century church built in golden travertine, finely situated at the end of a long avenue of cypresses. In the town of Montepulciano you can wander into some of the fascinating centuries-old, cathedral-like wine cellars of some of the noble palazzi found in town that were used as bunkers for the locals during WWII. Return to villa for dinner.
Tuesday - Day 4
After breakfast go on a walking tour of Siena, Italy’s loveliest medieval city full of spectacular art treasures. The splendid Romanesque-Gothic cathedral and the magnificent, shell-shaped main square, where every year the Palio horse race takes place, an event which dates back to the 6th century. Lunch oyo. Dinner back at villa.
Wednesday - Day 5
After breakfast have a second hands-on cooking lesson learning how to make other traditional, local dishes to be had for lunch. In the afternoon visit the beautiful gardens of La Foce. The masterpiece of the great, British garden designer and architect Cecil Pinsent. Dinner back at villa.
Thursday - Day 6
After breakfast go on a walking tour through Pienza, an idyllic Tuscan town that began life as a model Renaissance city, it’s packed with cheese shops selling what is considered one of the best pecorino cheeses in the country. Visit a pecorino cheese maker to see how it gets made and sample some of their products. In the afternoon visit the wine cellars of a Brunello di Montalcino winery to taste what is perhaps Italy’s most-prized wine. Visit the beautiful abbey of Sant’ Antimo immersed in a picture-perfect countryside, where you might chance upon monks chanting in the church. Have a stroll in the quaint Medieval town of Montalcino and then head back to villa for dinner.
Friday - Day 7
After breakfast walking tour of Arezzo, lesser-known than the more renowned cities in Tuscany but equally stunning with a surprising number of fine buildings and grand squares plus a Roman amphitheater. Last dinner at hotel.
Saturday - Day 8
After breakfast transfer to hotel in Florence. There could be the possibility of visiting San Gimignano, one of the best preserved Medieval towns in Europe nicknamed 'The Medieval Manhattan' due to its many towers. On arriving in Florence we could stop at the Terrazza Michelangelo to get the best view of Florence from above before arriving to hotel. Check into rooms and settle in. Take an afternoon walk through town. Farewell dinner (it is best not to have the farewell dinner the night before leaving as many people have early flights therefore it would be wiser to keep dinner light the night before flying).
Sunday - Day 9
After breakfast at hotel go for a walk through town to catch some of the many sites the city has to offer. Have lunch in a local trattoria. Free time in the afternoon to continue to explore this amazing city.
Monday - Day 10
Departure from Florence airport.
Gallery
FUN. REAL. ENLIGHTENING.
PRICE INCLUDES:
- ACCOMMODATION
- ALL MEALS IN VILLA
- ALL TRANSPORTATION MENTIONED IN ITINERARY
- ENTRANCE FEES TO ALL GARDENS MENTIONED IN THE ITINERARY;
- WALKING TOURS THROUGH ALL THE TOWNS;
- HANDS-ON COOKING LESSONS.
All but one of the rooms are double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and wifi.
*All activities are subject to change on the basis of which options are deemed to be the most suitable in terms of current culinary standards, the weather conditions on a given day, and other relevant criteria.
Amenities
DOUBLE AND SINGLE ROOMS ALL WITH PRIVATE BATHROOM
BIG OUTDOOR POOL
FREE WIFI
Price does not include airfare
All payments must be made by bank transfer. Please contact us to receive a booking form with our bank details, along with our terms & cancellation policy.