Cooking & Wine Tasting in Tuscany: A culinary tour for food and wine lovers

Day 1: Tuscany

After meeting the group at Florence we are off to Tenuta Caparzo outside of Montalcino, which will be our home for the next week. We will start the day with a tour and tasting at this esteemed estate before getting settled into the nearby villa. Today you will enjoy a relaxing dinner at the villa, where we can enjoy its spectacular views overlooking Montalcino.

Day 2: Sant’Antimo

After a night of Italian cuisine there will be some well deserved sleeping in time. It is Sunday morning after all. The day begins with a visit to the abbey at Sant’Antimo. This is considered one of Italy’s finest examples of Romanesque architecture and is the only place in Italy where the monks still perform Gregorian chants. We’ll dine at the local osteria – a truly family run operation. The house specialty is a Cinghiale (Wild Boar) stew which is a great accompaniment to the wine made by the owner. After lunch we are off to the villa for some afternoon drinks by the pool. We will enjoy our first cooking class tonight. Your host, of course, will serve the wine. Remember when cooking in Italy, or anywhere for that matter, it is an ounce of wine for the sauce and an ounce of wine for the chef. We’ll enjoy a fine meal, drinks by the pool and roll into bed, ready for another day.

Day 3: Tuscan wine country

We’re heading deep into the heart of Tuscan wine country. There be some time to relax in the morning, which may include a walk around the vineyards or a swim in the pool. We’ll have an early lunch at the villa and then we'll be exploring Chianti . We’ll do tours and tastings at two wineries in the region before visiting the charming town of Castellina in Chianti. You’ll have an plenty of time to wander around this charming town. Be sure to hit the local Chianti cooperative store for souvenirs. We’ll dine in the region at Osteria di Fonterutoli; owned by the Mazzei family. The charming osteria serves simple but refined cuisine and the meal will be matched by the wines from this legendary estate.

Day 4: Florence

Day 5: Montalcino

We have an exciting day ahead of us, so we are giving you the opportunity to sleep in or join the group in a leisurely visit of nearby Montalcino in the morning. We’ll have a light lunch at the villa then we are off to become a Chef for a Day at Badia a Passignano. This is the home of Antinori’s famous wines — Tignanello, Solaia and Badia a Passignano — and a Michelin Star restaurant. We’ll learn how to prepare elegant Tuscan cuisine from their head chef before dining on an amazing four-course menu paired with wines selected by their master sommelier. This is a day you will never forget.

Day 6: Montepulciano

It’s time to relax and truly enjoy the community of villages and towns that make up Southern Tuscany. We visit the spectacular hilltop town of Montepulciano. Be prepared to climb some stairs to get into this car-free town, but once you reach the top you’ll enjoy spectacular views and boutique wine shops. Next is Pienza — the home of Tuscany’s famous Pecorino cheese. Pienza is an epicurean treasure. We’ll have lunch at our favourite trattoria. Then it is a short drive to Montalcino. We’ll enjoy a glorious meal highlighting ingredients picked up on the day’s adventure.

Day 7: Siena

We’ll travel to Siena — one of Tuscany’s most spectacular cities. We have a walking tour arranged or you can choose to explore the town on your own; we recommend visiting the Duomo and going inside to see its famous octagonal pulpit. But don’t forget to take some time to relax at one of the cafés or restaurants surrounding the Piazza del Campo. You can easily spend the day daydreaming and chatting in this spectacular town square. After our day's activities, we’ll visit a famous Brunello winery to taste some of Tuscany's greatest wines. Then we'll enjoy a glorious meal at our favourite restaurant, Boccon Davino.

Day 8: San Gimignano

It’s time to say goodbye to Southern Tuscany. We’ll leave mid-morning. We will travel to San Gimignano; the City of Towers. This Unesco World Heritage site is something to behold. We’l first check-in to Frattoria Poggio Alloro; a charming hotel and working farm located just outside of the town. We’ll enjoy lunch here, dining on the produce of the farm. Next we’ll visit San Gimignano. Here you will have time to stroll along the narrow streets, admire the astonishing views and enjoy a gelato at the World’s Best Gelato shop. After our time in San Gimignano we will return to the farm for a well deserved rest before venturing out for dinner at a nearby trattoria frequently by locals.

Day 9: Depart

Your guide will drive you to Florence airport for your return journey to North America, or the next stage of your trip. We're confident that we'll see you again, so we'll just say so long until we meet again to share the adventures of the open road.